Halperin: I don't think Jeb Bush is going to run for president

>> a look at the playbook.

>> good morning.

>> president obama now expected to speak this week at the organizing for action summit. politico reporting that some distancing themselves from the president. explain that one.

>> this will cement president obama 's connection to organizing for action the nonprofit group that succeeded his campaign. the white house briefing room the last week, a few questions about how close the president or not going to be. when they get ready for the donors and grassroots supporters on wednesday at a washington hotel wednesday/thursday, the president is going to speak wednesday. so he is going to send a signal this group is doing my work, they are going to have sessions where they talk about how to get volunteers to help with the legislative agenda which is a lot harder than getting people to work with the campaign. they will hear from all of the other stars of the campaign. david plouffe . jim messina . they will all be speaking to this group. willie, as you mentioned democrats in the house you are conservative districts, a little worried about this agenda with immigration reform , gun control , president's statements about gay marriage . if democrats are going to take back the house, they are going to need to flip a number of districts where mitt romney won and that is hard with this agenda. so democrats taking the bright side are saying, well, this has to distance ourselves from the president and some of these districts, that could actually be helpful.

>> these are swing districts. you quote jim graves who almost beat michelle backman. another guys in the news the last week or so, jeb bush on set with us on " morning joe " last week and making the rounds on the sunday talk shows to promote his book. he claimed one thing many see as the biggest obstacle running for president his brother's legacy is not an obstacle at all. listen.

>> i don't think there is any bush baggage at all. i love my brother. i'm proud of his accomplishments. i love my dad. i am proud to be a bush. if i run for president, it's not because of something in my dna that compels me to do it, would be it's the right thing to do for my family that the conditions are right and that i have something to offer.

>> mike, we heard in this in the 2012 race and hearing about it in the 2016 race. if jeb bush does not run it's because america is not ready for another bush. doubt he believes that?

>> you certainly expect him to say this is a loving family and president bush 41 a big asset. advisers to jeb bush recognize the bush name is an obstacle. charlie cook , the politico handicapper said every couple of years jeb bush takes his name out of the drawer and holds a geiger up to it and if it's still radiating puts it back in the drawer another two years. . it is certainly something that is on his mind but we see with this book tour that jeb bush is doing he does want to get back in the game. whether he is going to run or not. the way people close to him describe it as he is thinking about thinking about it. one more step to go. definitely signaling to donors and operative supporters he might jump in.

>> mark halpern, what did the last week mean to jeb bush in terms of his political future? did we see a man who is preparing himself to run for president? some say he did damage to 4his prospects by running for his stance on immigration.

>> i'm surprised he didn't think how the immigration thing would play better than it did because i don't think it was a necessary plus for him on in terms of the switch to path for citizenship. i think what he showed he is like hillary clinton which is a lot of things you need to run for president. he's got on the shelf. fame. ability to raise money. experience in national politics and ability to get on tv. he got on all five sunday shows with a policy book because there is a demand for him in elite circles. if he runs i think he is the de facto front-runner a good long time but i don't think he is going to run.

>> you don't think he is going to run?

>> i don't think so.

>> why?

>> every candidate has liability. i think he can overcome that. i don't think he will end up with the fire in the belly to do it because running involves a lot of personal costs. i'm not sure he even wants to be president all that badly at this point.

>> my biggest concern for him would be not the bush brand but the previous republican brand. you know? what the republicans need more than anything right now, is to say we are about tomorrow. we are not about yesterday. it's just the demographics lineup we know that. to take a candidate both in name and stature from the past is completely not what they need to do.

>> not a turn of the page.

>> democrats are going to be looking to do that with hillary clinton . so, i mean --

>> democrats don't have the problem.

>> we don't know what the democrats problems are.

>> they are a brand right now that resonates --

>> we don't know in 2014 , 2016 . the president is smart to target the house 17 seats is within their grasp. we had to overcome to 39. so 17 is even with the redistricting we lost eight seats. there is a possibility. i think the brand issue is an important one. but i think mark has it right about in terms of what, you know, we will see from jeb bush the next few years. jane, how do you see the house shaping up in this battle? clearly nancy pelosi and crew want the reins back. you've been on that side and you've seen that leadership push. is there not just the push to take control, butthat tension within the democratic caucus itself, what direction the party goes post-obama which will begin in '14?

>> a couple of points. rst on one has mentioned marco rubio , his protege who is crowding him and i think that is why bush recalculated the recalibration of his position on immigration. that was yesterday on the talk shows . that is going to make it tougher for him. i do think he is a very attractive candidate and an attractive man. on the house, yes, i've been in the mamjority and the minority. i was there for nine terms, as you know. the effort to get the house back is why it is what obama thinks is necessary to seal his legacy. however, let's remember, after 2014 , we are in presidential election season. the time to get things done is these two years, and that is why i hope he will continue this charm offensive i think is not an adequate way to talk about it, but this bipartisan offensively, not just taking folks out to dinner but going up to both caucuses this week and getting to know some republicans. i think i was much more productive in congress because i worked on a bipartisan basis. that is where legislation comes from. the committee system in congress is almost defunct. top/down structure now and a lot of talented people in both parties in congress who could do a very good job on tax reform and other things. and the president needs to connect into them for the next two years.

>> all right. mike allen with a look at the playbook. thanks so much.