8/17/00 8:45 a.m.
We Are Family
George P. and Karenna on deck?

By John J. Miller, NR's national political reporter

olitical dynasties are back in fashion. Not only do George W. Bush and Al Gore have famous fathers, they have famous younger relatives, too. At least they're sort of famous. There's George P. Bush, nephew of the Republican nominee (Jeb's son). And there's Karenna Gore Schiff, daughter of Al. No matter what happens this November, it's hard not to think the names Bush and Gore will remain in American politics well into the 21st century.

George P. is a natural. He said nothing memorable from the Philadelphia stage. He just looked good — not in the Ricky Martin way that all his fawning profilers have suggested ever since People magazine called him one of America's most eligible bachelors, but in the sense that he was extremely comfortable with himself speaking before a national audience. He should have buttoned his suit on stage, and he has the unfortunate habit of standing with his hands cupped together like a soccer player defending against a penalty shot. But there were no noticeable nervous tics, no beads of sweat, and no stuttered words. He just seems to have a gift for public speaking, one of the most important qualities in a pol. He intones properly, uses his hands well to emphasize points — he just does it all right. Even if his last name were Nixon, people would think he has a bright future in public life. In his case, it just happens to be the family business.

And since his mother is Mexican, George P. might have appeared on the diversity-mad Philadelphia stage anyway. Were there any half-Mexican Republicans who didn't? But he's got to do something about that middle initial. Given the country's demographic trends, "P.," as Uncle Dubya calls him, might want to consider changing his first name to "Jorge." If nothing more, it will keep convention crowds from chanting "Pee, Pee, Pee!" if he's ever nominated for anything. It's savvy for other reasons, too. Jorge Bush: What a wonderful combination of a GOP brand name with GOP outreach. Let's just hope that the next time P. speaks at a Republican convention, he has something to say.

Karenna Gore Schiff did have something to say — about the environment, about health care, about abortion (okay, not about "abortion," but about the "right to choose") — as she formally seconded her father's nomination on Wednesday night. Her delivery also was good, if not as effortlessly polished as P.'s. She squinted too much, and there was a bit of the earnest schoolgirl about her. But she's attractive, has a nice smile — and a wonderful name.

Karenna. It's not in the baby-name book my wife and I consulted for our two kids. (And that's a pretty comprehensive tome, listing such possibilities as Coralie, Jessamyn, and Zenobia.) The story is that Tipper was reading Tolstoy's novel Anna Karenina when she was pregnant. Hey, it could be worse: she could have been reading Dostoyevsky's novel The Idiot. But Karenna, even without that nifty literary touch, is perfect: At once familiar (sort of like Karen, but extra feminized) and unique. In the future, Gore's eldest girl may be known simply as "Karenna," just as Hillary Rodham Clinton, for the purposes of her Senate placards, is known simply as "Hillary" — no last name, and none of the baggage it carries.

Neither George P. Bush nor Karenna Gore Schiff is old enough to be a president yet — or even a senator. The race this fall, in which they are both involved, looks like a nail-biter — a great political contest likely to be noted by future historians for going down to the wire.

Is it too soon to hope for a rematch? How about Bush vs. Gore — that is, Jorge Bush vs. Karenna — in, say, 2020?