He's right. America deserves better. Better than him.
2
Jeb! is correct saying America deserves better. America does deserve better. I assume this means he decided to not run for president? Jeb! would be well suited, eminently qualified for county commissioner, would do a splendid job. His family would be proud of him..
2
As a resident of Florida, I can only celebrate the fact that he'll be out of the state a great deal of the time during the campaign. Alas, he'll need to return after his almost certain defeat (because it won't take the Democrats long to expose his sketchy statements and deeds as governor).
1
America deserves better than any of the republicans running. We cannot afford another Bush to destroy the economy. Everyone attacks Hiliary but she would do a good job keeping our economy going.
3
For sure: "America deserves better." But we DO NOT deserve yet another member of the Bush family. That's not better, and everybody knows it
3
There is a reasonable possibility that between now and the election an American soldier will be captured by ISIS and the worst will happen. Jeb will jump all over this declaring an aggressive response to ISIS and the republicans will love it. And if elected It could evolve into WW (IRAQ+middle east) III. Let's hope none of this happens.
1
Why does everybody take it as a given that Jeb Bush was good for Florida? He was not. I live here, and I liken Florida to a poor house, and much of it is his fault.
Expanding charter schools, which do not have to meet the same stringent standards as public schools, has hurt our public school system by bleeding it dry. And reducing the size of state government has led to horrible service. Now, instead of dealing with a fellow Floridian who makes a decent wage and cares about her fellow citizens, I have to deal with the underpaid employee of one of Bush's cronies who made out like a pirate when Jeb Bush (and yes, I insist on using the Bush) privatized a lot of our services. Cutting taxes by billions was not a good thing either. The only ones who won were Jeb Bush cronies at the detriment to the rest of us and our environment.
Expanding charter schools, which do not have to meet the same stringent standards as public schools, has hurt our public school system by bleeding it dry. And reducing the size of state government has led to horrible service. Now, instead of dealing with a fellow Floridian who makes a decent wage and cares about her fellow citizens, I have to deal with the underpaid employee of one of Bush's cronies who made out like a pirate when Jeb Bush (and yes, I insist on using the Bush) privatized a lot of our services. Cutting taxes by billions was not a good thing either. The only ones who won were Jeb Bush cronies at the detriment to the rest of us and our environment.
3
We've had Bush I then Bush the lesser now Bush the younger. We don't need yet another shrubbery.
2
Also, even if I were so inclined to vote for him, the last few years have steered me clear of Republican males... way too many adult men pursuing BOYS, ages 14-20, under their supervision. Check out Foley, Hastert and many others that have been exposed.
1
A Bush is a Bush.Never mind running as Jeb. People are not that easily Fooled.
3
Look at the Mother Jones article at this link: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/09/23-reasons-why-jeb-bush-shou...
You shall see why Jeb should NEVER EVER be President of ANYTHING, let alone the US.
You shall see why Jeb should NEVER EVER be President of ANYTHING, let alone the US.
2
Jeb is right. America deserves better than Jeb.
7
We need a President who has successfully run a government and has real accomplishments. Jeb Bush is the most qualified of all contenders including Senators who have zero record of running government. Hillary has run nothing. Besides being a Traveling Secretary espousing US/ Russian reset which never existed she managed Travelgate, and assisted in creating and embellishing the Middle East Obamination. I find it interesting that the NYT gave HC announcement greater prominence than Jeb Bush's announcement. As for the Bush family name ,I cannot recall any scandalous activities during their active roles as public servants.Character is important and should not be overlooked or marginalized in choosing the next leader of the free world.
3
How about a war launched on a pack of lies? Doesn't that count as a scandal?
8
America does indeed deserve better!
Better than a Candidate who has skirted and flouted Election Law for months on end while illegally coordinating with his PACS and collecting huge amounts of anonymous money.
Better than a Candidate who has skirted and flouted Election Law for months on end while illegally coordinating with his PACS and collecting huge amounts of anonymous money.
7
Barbaro and Martin have it right. This big rally was a major effort to deflect Rubio's momentum. The emphasis on Latino culture was far more to displace Rubio than in bringing this nation together, but certainly unification is a beneficial side-effect, but side-effect only.
I have to laugh at Jeb. He proclaims both that he has his own ideas apart from his family's, but also that he is the man to beat Hillary Clinton with his background. But what he is saying is that he can beat Hillary Clinton because he is a Bush. He has no experience in national office, and he has been away from that Florida governorship for eight years. How could any one believe that he has the qualifications above any other primary candidate, other than he is a Bush?
I have to laugh at Jeb. He proclaims both that he has his own ideas apart from his family's, but also that he is the man to beat Hillary Clinton with his background. But what he is saying is that he can beat Hillary Clinton because he is a Bush. He has no experience in national office, and he has been away from that Florida governorship for eight years. How could any one believe that he has the qualifications above any other primary candidate, other than he is a Bush?
4
Yes, we do, Mr. Bush. We certainly deserve something much better than the agenda you and your top 1% global financial elite democracy-destroying masters have in mind for the world. Bye Bye!
8
King Bush III ? Really - you can't find anyone better?
6
Jeb's right: America does deserve better than another disastrous Bush presidency. The rest of the world deserves better too.
10
Bush3.0 is (finally) correct, America does deserve better…much better…much better than the ignorant superstitious lot that's making a mockery of the American experience, a lot that's turning the American dream into a nightmare of contradictions and hypocrisy while passing itself off as the guardians of freedom as they actively legislate restrictions.
3
America definitely deserves better, but will never get it in a mediocre and vision-challenged politician like Jeb. Statesmanship, like democracy, is dead in America.
3
All I can say if Al Gore had been president and Jeb had not gotten his brother into office we would not have gone to Iraq and Afghanistan just because of his brother's ego to prove his father and brother (Jeb) wrong and now he wants the office...can we please stop the Bush dynasty, have they not ruined this country enough? Let us not forget the Bush administration's not admitting there is global warming and that we need to do something about it...Now we are fracking...again how different it would be if the Bush Dynasty had not come down to one Governor getting his brother into office...give us a break. The Republicans will try to blame this on the Obama administration, but check to see how much of the issues Obama had were actually started in the Bush Administration?
8
Jeb Bush - America Deserves Better
That's a slogan that can be taken as being for or against him.
That's a slogan that can be taken as being for or against him.
3
Poor Jeb Declared (with apologies to Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II)
Poor Jeb declared
Poor Jeb Bush declared
All gather round his campaign now and sigh
His tale's already told
It's gettin' really old
Jes' sit back and lissen to him lie
Poor Jeb declared
Poor Jeb Bush declared
He looked so happy, smiley-faced and bright
He's less his father's son
Like his brother he is one
Nasty rich boy spoilin' fer a fight
Poor Jeb declared
Poor Jeb Bush declared
At Exxon/Mobil high fives all around (all around)
The daisies in the dell
Will give out a different smell
With all the oil that Jeb pours on the ground
Poor Jeb declared
Now Hill'ry's runnin' scared
He's layin' out how he'll sell his lies (lies)
The Kochs are feelin' good
Well, you knew they would
Same old, same old in a new disguise
Poor Jeb declared
No chance that we'll be spared
The GOP is gonna roll the dice
If he's not an also ran
They'll get to bomb Iran
Who said you can’t fool the voters twice.
Poor Jebbbbbbb
Poor us
Poor Jeb declared
Poor Jeb Bush declared
All gather round his campaign now and sigh
His tale's already told
It's gettin' really old
Jes' sit back and lissen to him lie
Poor Jeb declared
Poor Jeb Bush declared
He looked so happy, smiley-faced and bright
He's less his father's son
Like his brother he is one
Nasty rich boy spoilin' fer a fight
Poor Jeb declared
Poor Jeb Bush declared
At Exxon/Mobil high fives all around (all around)
The daisies in the dell
Will give out a different smell
With all the oil that Jeb pours on the ground
Poor Jeb declared
Now Hill'ry's runnin' scared
He's layin' out how he'll sell his lies (lies)
The Kochs are feelin' good
Well, you knew they would
Same old, same old in a new disguise
Poor Jeb declared
No chance that we'll be spared
The GOP is gonna roll the dice
If he's not an also ran
They'll get to bomb Iran
Who said you can’t fool the voters twice.
Poor Jebbbbbbb
Poor us
3
His record in Florida? This should be fun to watch.
Get the tap shoes out, Jeb. You're going to be dancing around questions about statistics that show how bad you were for the middle and lower classes and education.
Get the tap shoes out, Jeb. You're going to be dancing around questions about statistics that show how bad you were for the middle and lower classes and education.
5
Jeb got it right: it isn't anybody's turn. Not Hillary, Jeb nor anybody else. The US election process is lengthy and arduous. If Jeb is still a candidate in November 2016 then he will have made it on his own merit and the Presidency will be his to lose or win. Being a Bush has little to do with it. We saw something similar 8 years ago. Name recognition (Clinton) did nothing for Hillary and a young senator sent her packing.
1
He is right! Americans deserve someone better than another Bush!
4
Jeb is correct: We do "deserve better." Better than him.
3
Former S&L criminal Neil Bush was there speaking about his brother? Seriously what credibility does he have? Do people really not remember what this family has done to the USA and at what cost? Jeb's campaign is a terrible waste of money that could be used more effectively then propping up yet another Bush family member. Do we really need more of the hard hearted Barbara Bush either? The image of Jeb bounding onto the stage is scary…so fake & staged, just like GW's staged photo ops. Many people do not see Jeb as having been a successful Gov of FLA at all, quite the contrary.
3
Absolutely! America deserves better than Jeb or any other Bush or any other anybody. HELP!
2
Let's simply LOOK AT HIS RECORD:
1. Terry Schivo-religion trumps medicine every time. I don't mind you believing in stupid legends, however in THIS country, the LAW comes first, and you made one up and passed it to pander. It was declared unconstitutional, of course, and you were wrong. Period.
2. Resolution Trust-Americans can't remember anything that happened more than 1 second ago, so they have forgotten your family's, including Jeb's, crooked past regarding this little "situation." Look it up, people. (http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Nov2004/Pringle1129.htm)
3. Education-supposedly "fixed" education in Florida. We are still among the worst, and PROUD of it! As a parent once screamed at me in the principal's office: "My granddaddy couldn't read, I can't read, and I will be durned if you gonna teach my son to read!" Florida education in a nutshell after bush.
There are many more instances of his terrible tenure as governor of FL. As president, the US will see guns, religion, war, and tax cuts for billionaires as the agenda. Enjoy!
1. Terry Schivo-religion trumps medicine every time. I don't mind you believing in stupid legends, however in THIS country, the LAW comes first, and you made one up and passed it to pander. It was declared unconstitutional, of course, and you were wrong. Period.
2. Resolution Trust-Americans can't remember anything that happened more than 1 second ago, so they have forgotten your family's, including Jeb's, crooked past regarding this little "situation." Look it up, people. (http://www.dissidentvoice.org/Nov2004/Pringle1129.htm)
3. Education-supposedly "fixed" education in Florida. We are still among the worst, and PROUD of it! As a parent once screamed at me in the principal's office: "My granddaddy couldn't read, I can't read, and I will be durned if you gonna teach my son to read!" Florida education in a nutshell after bush.
There are many more instances of his terrible tenure as governor of FL. As president, the US will see guns, religion, war, and tax cuts for billionaires as the agenda. Enjoy!
4
Love that rich, well connected, Jeb BUSH spins himself as a *cough* 'outsider'
3
He's correct: America DEFINITELY deserves better than Jeb Bush!
5
America certainly does deserve better only because of what Jeb's father and brother did to it during their tenure in office.
2
Yes, American deserves better, much better (then another Bush).
2
Surely that should be 'America deserves Busher'?
Let's hope all of those GOP judges in the justice system have been squared away in case the election needs that special Bush 'nudge'..
Let's hope all of those GOP judges in the justice system have been squared away in case the election needs that special Bush 'nudge'..
1
Yes, America deserves better, than one more Bush. Policy of Jeb Bush will not be better than the policy of his father or brother, all in all they are the one clan, that is trying to usurp the White House. America has had enough Bushes.
1
America deserves better than Bush? Not sure.
1
Bush. If he wants better things for America he should withdraw immediately. This nation has been Bushwacked twice before, that's quite enough, thank you.
3
Here are some reasons why he would never get my vote and shouldn't get yours! 1) kept Terri Schiavo on life support against her husband's and doctor's wishes 2) appointed a guardian for the fetus of a rape survivor 3) signed into law a bill requiring single women to publish their sexual history before putting a child up for adoption 4) told low-income women to "find a husband" and 5) started Stand Your Ground which helped create the George Zimmerman's of the world.
6
America deserves better than a Clinton or a Bush. Prince John Ellis Bush and Princess Hillary Rodham Clinton are privileged plutocrats by nature and nurture.
I heard a brief audio clip while in the car, otherwise I wouldn't do anything to follow this circus.
It sounded like he was running against President Obama, not he other Republicans.
And they ate it up. Really?
It sounded like he was running against President Obama, not he other Republicans.
And they ate it up. Really?
If Jeb is nominated he will easily win in Florida, and he will get the Hispanic vote. He has a better chance to defeat Ms. Clinton than any other Republican candidate. Jeb is very conservative about the only thing that matters, the economy. He has my vote.
I suspect "Jeb" has skills that merit a closer look. A challenge for any GOP candidate is navigating the Right Tilted GOP to then steer central for the national election - something many followers of politics understand. A GOP that refuses to acknowledge global warming, the rights of all people, economic disparity, and so on is not inspiring to me - I wish they would acknowledge the world so many of us are experiencing. But what really makes me chuckle about Jeb is his same old "those folks in Washington have broken things and as an outsider I will fix it"... an "outsider" - who is he kidding? Those folks being Jeb who has an enormous political machine, his father who spent a lifetime in Washington and his brother who during his recent 8 years there broke open a hornets nest in the Middle East that no one knows how to put back together. Perhaps Jeb will convince us he's The Man, but the tap dancing he will need to do will be something to witness.
2
My cat is thinking of joining the republican race. He would have a good chance
1
I thought the biggest mistake U.S. voters ever made was re-electing George Bush in 2004 but when I see the mindless masses gushing over King George III it scares me.
2
His Father said supply side economics is "voodoo economics". His brother was a big spender with public funds. I need to be convinced that Jeb Bush is a true conservative who will scale back the influence of Government, deregulate industry, and release the forces of unfettered competition to create wealth and prosperity.
1
Yes judge him on his record of education and test in his past state. Find out how parents feel about that record.
2
This stands with the Scopes Monkey Trial as the greatest referendum on American stupidity, gullibility and cupidity ever held. This mans's father and brother both put in motion the failure and wholesale looting of huge sections of the national economy, causing extended periods of severe recession that were devastating to much of the middle class, and enormously profitable to the upper 1%, causing the unsupportable wealth gap now in place. W's second term election coup de etat was criminally conspired in the state where this man just happened to be governor. Despite all this, here they come again. It beggars belief. Bab's anguished look in the picture above says it all. She apparently cant believe they intend to try it again either.
6
A liar, a phony and a very bad dangerous guy.
Jeb appears amiable and harmless. He's not.
Jeb advocates punishing and shaming vulnerable people who don't reflect his religious view of how society should be -making him an intolerant dangerous jerk.
But most important - Jeb actively stole the Florida election in 2000 to make his brother president, proving himself a man with no respect for the right to vote, no respect for the democratic process, no respect for the law - - a man who'll do anything to empower and enrich himself and his family and their wealth obsessed cronies.
Definition of fascism - "an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization." Bush has the "social organization" part down - Terry Schiavo situations, single mothers and the unreligious will be brought to heel. As far as Bush being for a nationalistic right wing government - it isn't even 'nationalistic' as the Bushes don't care about or have any respect for the government - the government being just a tool for amassing wealth and power for the Bush family and their interests.
W 'justified' invading Iraq to protect this country from harm. It was a lie. We now know that his reasons for the war were all personal obsessions - a grudge about his dad, evangelical Christian disgust with Islam and to enrich war profiteer buddies at the expense of our troops and the American people - see Halliburton, KBR, etc. War crimes!
Know it when you see it, folks.
Jeb appears amiable and harmless. He's not.
Jeb advocates punishing and shaming vulnerable people who don't reflect his religious view of how society should be -making him an intolerant dangerous jerk.
But most important - Jeb actively stole the Florida election in 2000 to make his brother president, proving himself a man with no respect for the right to vote, no respect for the democratic process, no respect for the law - - a man who'll do anything to empower and enrich himself and his family and their wealth obsessed cronies.
Definition of fascism - "an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization." Bush has the "social organization" part down - Terry Schiavo situations, single mothers and the unreligious will be brought to heel. As far as Bush being for a nationalistic right wing government - it isn't even 'nationalistic' as the Bushes don't care about or have any respect for the government - the government being just a tool for amassing wealth and power for the Bush family and their interests.
W 'justified' invading Iraq to protect this country from harm. It was a lie. We now know that his reasons for the war were all personal obsessions - a grudge about his dad, evangelical Christian disgust with Islam and to enrich war profiteer buddies at the expense of our troops and the American people - see Halliburton, KBR, etc. War crimes!
Know it when you see it, folks.
6
Could we *please* have a moratorium on the use of "muscular" to describe anything other than the actual physique of an animal?
1
I'm not a republican, but Jeb Bush is the only candidate who has the slightest chance of convincing everyone that republicans have a chance of beating Hilary Clinton with someone who won't be a national disaster. If he wins the primary battles, if he's the candidate, it's going to be a fascinating 2016 battle.
2
This guy is an oath-breaker and sectary.
The GOP is the party to keep the conservative ideas, such as religious beliefs and traditional heterosexual morality. I'm not sure this candidate is capable of giving America what she really needs!
The GOP is the party to keep the conservative ideas, such as religious beliefs and traditional heterosexual morality. I'm not sure this candidate is capable of giving America what she really needs!
If Jeb Bush was more had posititions more like his father and less like his brother, I would feel more comfortable. His record as Governor is too far from the center and if he is supported by those who worked for his brother when he was President that raises red flags.
1
'America Deserves Better'? Even this tiny voice here could have come up with something brighter than the above, but such a slogan seems to offer us hope. We are going to vote for this hopeful, and earlier this morning I did something contrary to nature and took a peep at the family members of the President, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Jeb Bush, feeling slightly shabby about it, while looking to the daughters of these three political figures.
It began last night in a conversation with a hard worker whose grown daughter is in trouble. He is not into the politics, and both he and his girl are suffering. Who would understand best? This is about the War on Drugs and where to turn for help. The President came even with Mrs. Clinton as a parent, quite extraordinary, while Mr. Jeb Bush and his daughter have been through some hard times. 'Tough Love' in trying to save the ones we love, leaves this person tepid.
In the meantime, Mr. Jeb Bush appears affable, amiable and ready to lead the Nation ahead. He is recognizable, and so is the more experienced Mrs. Clinton. She only continues to grow stronger and more real in her bid for the Presidency to my mind.
Listening to others say that Mr. Jeb Bush is 'brighter' than his brother is not enough for this American to cast my vote to the wind. We are going to vote Bush again, and I am staying home to trim the hedgerows in the country.
It began last night in a conversation with a hard worker whose grown daughter is in trouble. He is not into the politics, and both he and his girl are suffering. Who would understand best? This is about the War on Drugs and where to turn for help. The President came even with Mrs. Clinton as a parent, quite extraordinary, while Mr. Jeb Bush and his daughter have been through some hard times. 'Tough Love' in trying to save the ones we love, leaves this person tepid.
In the meantime, Mr. Jeb Bush appears affable, amiable and ready to lead the Nation ahead. He is recognizable, and so is the more experienced Mrs. Clinton. She only continues to grow stronger and more real in her bid for the Presidency to my mind.
Listening to others say that Mr. Jeb Bush is 'brighter' than his brother is not enough for this American to cast my vote to the wind. We are going to vote Bush again, and I am staying home to trim the hedgerows in the country.
Will the real JEB Bush please stand up.
The Terri Schiavo Case
Florida public education 28th in the nation in outcomes
School vouchers
Signatory to The Project For The New American Century
Florida 37th in median income
Florida 17th in poverty rate
Charter schools and private business charity to support education
Decreased state funding with public sector layoffs
Florida unemployment rate above national average
Florida 3rd highest in receiving Federal money($4.50 for every $1), 3rd in the nation
Supports aggressive military policy and increasing Pentagon budget dramatically
Will nominate anachronistic justices to the Supreme Court
Any questions?
The Terri Schiavo Case
Florida public education 28th in the nation in outcomes
School vouchers
Signatory to The Project For The New American Century
Florida 37th in median income
Florida 17th in poverty rate
Charter schools and private business charity to support education
Decreased state funding with public sector layoffs
Florida unemployment rate above national average
Florida 3rd highest in receiving Federal money($4.50 for every $1), 3rd in the nation
Supports aggressive military policy and increasing Pentagon budget dramatically
Will nominate anachronistic justices to the Supreme Court
Any questions?
5
In all seriousness, what scares me is this. There just might be enough people in this country that could not bring themselves to vote for a woman for president, meaning Hillary Clinton has no chance. This would never be acknowledged openly enough, so the polls will never reflect the fact. It will lie deeply hidden and spring out in a shocking runaway win for Mr. Whatever he is calling himself by election time. The assumption by many people that it is a woman's turn or that three Bushes is too much to swallow may be proven wishful thinking. Those who feel Hillary is a given in this race because JEB, at least up to now, has stumbled rather badly may be in for a shock. I have never wanted so badly to be wrong. I'm actually for neither JEB, nor Hillary, and will not be voting for either one. I am also not a rabid feminist. I just feel that not enough Americans are not ready for a woman president.
America deserves better all right. It deserves better than another Bush. It deserves someone who understands middle and working class people, not someone who pretends to while clearly only understanding the wealthy. America deserves someone who doesn't waste his time shaming others. He needs to recognize that he's the one who raised a child who is a drug addict and others who were arrested in the past. He needs to recognize that one brother led us into a war based on lies and hubris and another is a convicted criminal. He needs to recognize that his wife was a criminal when she cheated at customs with tens of thousands of dollars worth of undeclared couture clothes. He needs to recognize that he had no right to stop the vote recount in Florida so that possibly the worst man ever to occupy the presidency of the US would "win." But he won't--because he's an entitled rich guy who thinks he and his family have the right to do whatever they want with no consequences ever. If anyone should be ashamed of himself and his family, it should be he.
4
In his speech Jeb Bush channeled the ghost of Ronald Reagan, who successfully styled himself as a Mr. Smith-Gone-to-Washington.
And "remake" it he did - with deficit-driven "Military Keynesianism" - and by mounting the greatest attack since the Gilded Age on his masochistic Reagan Democrat working class constituency. Even today there are poverty stricken folks in places like West Virginia who venerate Reagan a later-day George Washington.
Unemployment rates in the early 80's reached Great Depression levels.
In 1990, Kevin Phillips - an apostate conservative - wrote "The Politics of Rich and Poor," documenting how our so-called "middle class" (the U.S. working class) was headed for poverty row - a slow-motion socioeconomic ticking bomb bomb that is still menacing us all with a societal crash in 2015.
In 1992, Bartlett and Steele published "America: What Went Wrong" - a catalog of D.C. venality and the ruination of the American Dream: Reagan's bequest to us all. Bill Clinton waved a copy it on the campaign trail - but as Bob Woodward pointed out in his 1994 book "The Agenda," Clinton sold out immediately to "a bunch of (expletive deleted) bond traders."
Yes, it's all in the historical record - and President Jeb Bush's administration will be a re-run of all of that - and worse.
The "worse" is the bit in his speech where he denounces the Obama Administration's failure as "peacemakers" - and then goes on to prescribe more militarism as the royal road to "peace."
And "remake" it he did - with deficit-driven "Military Keynesianism" - and by mounting the greatest attack since the Gilded Age on his masochistic Reagan Democrat working class constituency. Even today there are poverty stricken folks in places like West Virginia who venerate Reagan a later-day George Washington.
Unemployment rates in the early 80's reached Great Depression levels.
In 1990, Kevin Phillips - an apostate conservative - wrote "The Politics of Rich and Poor," documenting how our so-called "middle class" (the U.S. working class) was headed for poverty row - a slow-motion socioeconomic ticking bomb bomb that is still menacing us all with a societal crash in 2015.
In 1992, Bartlett and Steele published "America: What Went Wrong" - a catalog of D.C. venality and the ruination of the American Dream: Reagan's bequest to us all. Bill Clinton waved a copy it on the campaign trail - but as Bob Woodward pointed out in his 1994 book "The Agenda," Clinton sold out immediately to "a bunch of (expletive deleted) bond traders."
Yes, it's all in the historical record - and President Jeb Bush's administration will be a re-run of all of that - and worse.
The "worse" is the bit in his speech where he denounces the Obama Administration's failure as "peacemakers" - and then goes on to prescribe more militarism as the royal road to "peace."
4
Does anyone else remember this: I do, because in 1968, I and some like-minded, somewhat nerdy friends, as eighth-graders, got into collecting campaign paraphernalia. We got all kinds of stuff! Wish EBay was around then!
But what I remember best at this moment -- kind of germaine -- is how Nixon tried to relate to the young with a series of posters and buttons marketing him as "Milhous!"
I had some of those -- wonder where they went. At the time, only 13, I laughed about it. On the campaign trail, I got to shake Hubert Humphrey's hand. ( I had misgivings about him too.) I thought: Nixon will never win! This is a joke!
Well laugh all you want about "Jeb!" It could be happening --
I am scared out of my wits. Stop him.
But what I remember best at this moment -- kind of germaine -- is how Nixon tried to relate to the young with a series of posters and buttons marketing him as "Milhous!"
I had some of those -- wonder where they went. At the time, only 13, I laughed about it. On the campaign trail, I got to shake Hubert Humphrey's hand. ( I had misgivings about him too.) I thought: Nixon will never win! This is a joke!
Well laugh all you want about "Jeb!" It could be happening --
I am scared out of my wits. Stop him.
10
Just one problem with Mr. Bush's record in Florida is results of his privatizing inspections of Florida road construction and maintenance. Instead of disinterested professional FDOT people doing the inspections, the change results in the contractor on one job inspecting the work of another contractor on a different job, then the reverse happening on another or subsequent job. The predictable result is less-than-rigorous inspections and reporting, resulting in serious increases in construction and maintenance cost and decreased life of new construction and repairs. It also has resulted in a climate of mortal fear among remaining state employees who venture out to remote sites for inspections. What problems have resulted from other privatizations created on Bush's watch, and how many opportunities for mischief might occur at the federal level? Privitization is a hallmark of Jeb Bush's tenure as Florida governor, furthered by the current governor. Early candidate declarations should give the media plenty of time to find examples his policies which have undercut value in Florida and should serve as a warning to anyone taking him seriously as POTUS material.
13
Jeb Bush claimed to be Hispanic... how come that's not enough to get him to resign his campaign?
8
He tortured the Schiavos. And when it was all over, the doctors told us exactly what we knew before. Terry had left the building years before. But Jeb used all the power at his disposal to inject the government between a long-suffering family and their loved ones. So Jebby is all for small government, unless you are in his way.
24
There's an old saying in Tennessee..... I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee.... that says: fool me once, shame on..... shame on you. Fool me...... you can't get fooled again!
5
No more dynasties, whichever the party maybe!! And like he said, Americans do not want to elect those that caused the problems, that is, the two previous GOP administrations whose damages on the economy were so severe we are only recovering now.
7
If we are going to have a dynasty, we'd do a lot better by apologizing to Britain for the events of 1776-83, and asking them to take us back into the fold. The British Royals are far better educated and better bred and smarter than the Bushes.
The middle class cannot survive endless waves of foreigners coming here to take your job at half-pay. Great for the corporations like Disney, who laid off their entire IT staff and gave the jobs to H1B Visa foreigners.
It's that simple.
It's that simple.
5
Disney would be rolling over in his grave
9
In his cryogenic tank.
America deserves much better than another Bush in office. We just can't afford another war and more austerity measures.
13
We can afford many wars, we've been doing so since Vietnam. See "Obama Goes to War" on PBS Frontline a few weeks back for the latest iterations.
3
Charles - If the massive costs of war don't bother you about the loss of life? Does your pro-life stance not apply to our men and women in uniform?
The most slimy move of this campaign was firing his exploratory committee last week.
Sounds kind of innocuous, but in reality what's going on is that all of those former staffers will now run the Jeb super PAC.
Why is this a big deal ?
The rules say that you can't coordinate with your super PAC once you announce. So what do you do ? You arm your former campaign team with everything they would need to run the super PAC, then fire them at the last minute.
Now they have all of the data and instructions they need to run the super PAC in lock step with the campaign, but technically there is no coordination, because they don't work for the campaign anymore, they work for the super PAC. Get it ?
Slimy!
Sounds kind of innocuous, but in reality what's going on is that all of those former staffers will now run the Jeb super PAC.
Why is this a big deal ?
The rules say that you can't coordinate with your super PAC once you announce. So what do you do ? You arm your former campaign team with everything they would need to run the super PAC, then fire them at the last minute.
Now they have all of the data and instructions they need to run the super PAC in lock step with the campaign, but technically there is no coordination, because they don't work for the campaign anymore, they work for the super PAC. Get it ?
Slimy!
15
Saw this movie before, was called "Much Ado About Nothing."
2
Looks as though tomorrow's the day that Donald Trump throws his "hair" in the ring. Finally, a credible Republican candidate!
7
but he just puts his name out there for the then it will back out in a few months this is what the 3rd or 4t this is what the 3rd or 4th time
2
Hair, hair, wot!
No! No, no, no, no! We don't need another Bush in the W.H. Neither do we need another Clinton! If these are the best candidates this country can do, we are in serious, no, near fatal trouble.
8
As Sesame Street tells us, "One of these things is not like the other..."
3
Larry my friend, then don't vote for Bush or Clinton. You act as though you are forced to support one or the other. So we know who you are against but what's more important is who are you for? There are three other dems running and umpteen repubs.
4
"I'm ashamed of my family name."
Yeah, that's the kind of person we want leading our country. =P
Yeah, that's the kind of person we want leading our country. =P
4
As opposed to someone with many scandals behind her - a quick $100K in pork belly futures was an augur - and her priapic husband?
"America deserves better."??? He actually said that? this from a man who trashed the savings and loan industry in the US, costing the taxpayers billions while enriching himself? This from the small government proponent who used the power of his office to interfere with a husband's attempt to end his brain-dead wife's suffering? This from the man who governed Florida at the time of a fraudulent vote count that resulted in his brother being appointed President of the United States, despite the fact that he had lost both the Florida vote and the total US vote?
A garden slug could do better.
A garden slug could do better.
28
Yeah... America deserves better than the Conservative Clown Circus.
I think this is Jeb-speak for America Deserves Whiter.
America deserves better... than Jeb.
23
"It depends what 'better' is."
1
"Bush Jeb was no savior in Florida."
I have no idea whether he was or not. But two responses:
1. His approval rating was very high when he left office.
2. You claim to be from Vermont -- how would you know?
I have no idea whether he was or not. But two responses:
1. His approval rating was very high when he left office.
2. You claim to be from Vermont -- how would you know?
2
Thinker - A lot of Vermonters spend half the year in Florida, essentially living in both places.
Jeb! kind of reminds me of Lamar!, another Republican seriously suffering from entitlement syndrome that tries to pass himself off as something other than just another NeoCon pol.
The difference is Jeb! has about as much business being President as my dog.
The difference is Jeb! has about as much business being President as my dog.
24
I'd probably vote for your dog before I'd vote for Jeb.
No, no, no not again! Not another Bush. Not now, not ever!
27
Hillary and Jeb should just duel with swords and be done with it. Make politics engaging again.
2
For Jeb!, discretion's the better part of valor. His opponent's been cutting down real and imagined enemies for 25 years.
3
His campaign slogan:
"Third time's the charm"
"Third time's the charm"
13
Very many commenters suggest we should have "public" funding of campaigns. I disagree.
I understand "fat cat" donors influence elections. I don't like that. But spending limits have been ruled out, and would be near-impossible to enforce even if they hadn't.
That leaves taxpayer funding. I'm a taxpayer, and I'll bet you are too. Do you really want your tax dollars to go to help elect somebody you can't stand? I sure don't.
I understand "fat cat" donors influence elections. I don't like that. But spending limits have been ruled out, and would be near-impossible to enforce even if they hadn't.
That leaves taxpayer funding. I'm a taxpayer, and I'll bet you are too. Do you really want your tax dollars to go to help elect somebody you can't stand? I sure don't.
2
Do you prefer, then, the alternative, with major donors having disproportionate influence over who runs for office, who wins, and who gets attention from officials when the elections are over?
10
I would like for each candidate to spend $50 million of taxpayer provided money in the 6 weeks leading up to the election. Only the candidates organization may sponsor messages - no PACS doing dirty work. 1 discussion for 2 hour each week between the candidates, broadcast on TV and streamed on the internet for each of the 6 weeks leading up to the election. The 6 topics are: economy, foreign policy, labor, health care, environment, and other.
10
Bush Jeb was no savior in Florida. A big player in the great recession, Florida was the Ponzi State and the Jeb and George Bush joke on the 99 percent.
20
While Vermont had to make do with Bernie Sanders, and Ben & Jerry.
5
Charles - One of your dumber comments. When that's all you've got, it's time to call it a day.
He looks like he's crushing the Grapes of Wrath. Is that his war dance? Do you have to wear a red t-shirt if you're black and hired to be in his background choir for his annunciation?
A stilted privileged preppy against a wooden speaking woman who sounds phoney when she tries to sound folksy? Please can someone from Svengalliville please teach Hillary like overnight that the camera is your friend - you have to play with your ball - that is the game. Leave this weird left-over from a sequel to the 'Lost Boys' in the dust, but, make it one on one when you're in a crowd and DON'T MAKE SPEECHES - TALK. Does someone have to get paid $100,000,000 a year to get that through Hillary's head? I volunteer.
A stilted privileged preppy against a wooden speaking woman who sounds phoney when she tries to sound folksy? Please can someone from Svengalliville please teach Hillary like overnight that the camera is your friend - you have to play with your ball - that is the game. Leave this weird left-over from a sequel to the 'Lost Boys' in the dust, but, make it one on one when you're in a crowd and DON'T MAKE SPEECHES - TALK. Does someone have to get paid $100,000,000 a year to get that through Hillary's head? I volunteer.
5
Like it or not, he's the only Republican running who has a plausible chance of beating Hillary. What's most interesting is whether Republicans will realize that before they undermine him beyond repair in the primary process.
5
I wouldn't vote for Jeb Bush if he paid me and I did vote for his father and brother
9
Bush = Terry Schiavo, trickle down economics, education cuts, and all the neocons the last President Bush used. In the past 30 years Democrat presidents created 46 million jobs. Republicans, 20 million. And does anyone in this country want to have to say President Bush, again?
25
@Jayredd wrote "No more Clinton's and no more Bush's. I'm sick of these "royal" families."
I'm sick of this declaration. Honestly I don't get it. First, neither Bush or Clinton have automatically inherited the presidency. They need to win their primary by getting more votes than the other candidates running. Second, in the general election same thing. People need to vote for them IF either of them earn their party's nomination. Third, you are free to vote for anybody but Clinton or Bush. Democrats can vote for Sanders, Chaffee, or O'Malley. Republicans can vote for any of the seemingly 100 other people running. You have a choice. Finally, political families are not new to American poltics. The Roosevelts and Kennedy's come to mind. Anybody who doesn't want a Bush or a Clinton then vote for someone else but please quit the hysterics over poltical families.
I'm sick of this declaration. Honestly I don't get it. First, neither Bush or Clinton have automatically inherited the presidency. They need to win their primary by getting more votes than the other candidates running. Second, in the general election same thing. People need to vote for them IF either of them earn their party's nomination. Third, you are free to vote for anybody but Clinton or Bush. Democrats can vote for Sanders, Chaffee, or O'Malley. Republicans can vote for any of the seemingly 100 other people running. You have a choice. Finally, political families are not new to American poltics. The Roosevelts and Kennedy's come to mind. Anybody who doesn't want a Bush or a Clinton then vote for someone else but please quit the hysterics over poltical families.
5
That "no more Clintons, no more Bushes" is a trick intended to get the Ralph Nader crowd back in the game to fix another election. Anybody saying this is 100% for Bush.
It has its genesis in Barbara Bush's statement that we didn't need any more dynasties, a statement that she conveniently walked back once Jeb decided to run.
It has its genesis in Barbara Bush's statement that we didn't need any more dynasties, a statement that she conveniently walked back once Jeb decided to run.
3
A dynasty involves one generation passing the throne to the next generation. It's a stretch to call the Bushes a dynasty, since those pesky elections could get in the way, and it's a lie to call the Clintons a dynasty because Chelsea isn't running.
3
@fran soyer
I believe there is a Republican push to diss Hillary while praising Sanders for the same reason. They're dying to get us to nominate the weaker candidate. Not all the pro Sanders people are for real.
I believe there is a Republican push to diss Hillary while praising Sanders for the same reason. They're dying to get us to nominate the weaker candidate. Not all the pro Sanders people are for real.
2
John Ellis Bush (JEB) thinks "Jeb" gets his separated from the name BUSH. REALLY?
He wants to take Washington away from making problems. How does one do that when his party stands on the principle that "the Government IS the problem"?
He wants to run the "problem"?
I do not see how his logic holds together.
He wants to take Washington away from making problems. How does one do that when his party stands on the principle that "the Government IS the problem"?
He wants to run the "problem"?
I do not see how his logic holds together.
8
LOGIC and REPUBLICAN should never be used in the same sentence.
Please, not another Bush!!!! We lost MORE personal Freedoms and Liberties under the last Bush than we did under Obama.....its true, think about it little sheep!
14
That American society and the American political system has put us in a place where Clinton's, Bush's, Perry's, et al are even CONSIDERED as valuable candidates is truly a testament to failure in our society's ability to choose real leadership in a country that desperately needs it. I just don't get it. What is wrong with us? Americans love a show, pathetic as it is and the american media just plays along to a certain predictable, uninspiring conclusion....more of the same. Frankly, I'm ashamed to be affiliated with any political party in this country.
2
WOW
SHOCKER
Did ANYONE SEE THIS COMING?
Jeb first of his name of family Bush is working to sit on the Oval Office Throne.
No mention of George, second of his name of family Bush........
yet poison from lips, as always.
SHOCKER
Did ANYONE SEE THIS COMING?
Jeb first of his name of family Bush is working to sit on the Oval Office Throne.
No mention of George, second of his name of family Bush........
yet poison from lips, as always.
4
I cringe at the thought of who his advisors will be. Nothing good can come of this.
13
Jeb Bush gave Florida:
Terry Schiavo
Stand Your Ground
Charter Schools so that Christian schools could get government tax status
Terry Schiavo
Stand Your Ground
Charter Schools so that Christian schools could get government tax status
18
Presidents of America in last 50 years have made mistakes & miscalculations of its strengths & wisdom, that today it has lost all respect all over the world. It is largely because of bad & dishonest advisors, from Nixon to Obama.
If Gov. Jeb Bush can avoid Cheney & Rumsfeld, and admit that they were bad choices that destroyed his brother's presidency, he may make a good choice, good luck.
If Gov. Jeb Bush can avoid Cheney & Rumsfeld, and admit that they were bad choices that destroyed his brother's presidency, he may make a good choice, good luck.
2
Something will never change. When GW was running we had a big debate about his DUI record. While nobody could have prevented his genes from working his twin daughters into trouble, we had the change of not putting him in the WH.
This country can't afford to have another drunken driver, period.
This country can't afford to have another drunken driver, period.
8
We certainly deserve better than another Bush, We have had two who wanted war and lied to invade Iraq at least the second time and made the military and their families bear all the burdens and make all the sacrifices to the wars while they were banking massive capital gains an dividends from the military/industrial stock and the of Americans were getting tax cuts and laughing all the way to the bank!~
NO MORE BUSHES IN THE WHITEHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!
NO MORE BUSHES IN THE WHITEHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!
25
This election is really not about Jeb Bush or Hillary Clinton or for that matter any of the candidates running for President. Its about Republican or Democrat and which is best for the country and the people.
We have seen enough of what Republicans do when they are in power and out of power and we have seen what Democrats do when they are in power and out of power.
Republicans put people like Scalia, Alito, and Thomas on the Supreme Court and they give us Corporations are People; Bigotry in the name of Religion; and legalizing corrupt elections. Republicans give us the Iraq War on a Lie; and the Great Recession. Republicans give us shutting down the government; tax cuts to the rich; benefit cuts for everyone else; and destroying our environment.
Meanwhile Democrats have given us Justices grounded in the principles of equality, justice, and opportunity for all. Democrats give us getting out of the Great Recession; making other countries stand up for their own freedom; healthcare; protecting workers, woman, minorities, the young and the old, and defending our environment.
The question is do you want to be back in 2008 or do you want to be in the future. Clearly, the Republicans want to take us backwards and just as clearly Democrats are trying to take us forward. The choice for this election could not be more clear.
We have seen enough of what Republicans do when they are in power and out of power and we have seen what Democrats do when they are in power and out of power.
Republicans put people like Scalia, Alito, and Thomas on the Supreme Court and they give us Corporations are People; Bigotry in the name of Religion; and legalizing corrupt elections. Republicans give us the Iraq War on a Lie; and the Great Recession. Republicans give us shutting down the government; tax cuts to the rich; benefit cuts for everyone else; and destroying our environment.
Meanwhile Democrats have given us Justices grounded in the principles of equality, justice, and opportunity for all. Democrats give us getting out of the Great Recession; making other countries stand up for their own freedom; healthcare; protecting workers, woman, minorities, the young and the old, and defending our environment.
The question is do you want to be back in 2008 or do you want to be in the future. Clearly, the Republicans want to take us backwards and just as clearly Democrats are trying to take us forward. The choice for this election could not be more clear.
31
We must all vote to eliminate undesirable candidates from winning.
Jeb is this country's last hope for redemption.
2
Redemption from an unemployment rate of 5.2%, no wars and lives lost on fool-hardy endeavors, no political scandal for seven years, the best stock market in decades, Arabs fighting with their own civilians, health insurance for 40 million American (which they pay for), and equality for our gay and lesbian tax-paying citizens.
So save America from what?
So save America from what?
11
Are you saying, Veteren, that if he loses you will all give up your cultural sickness and we can get on with life? We should be so lucky.
4
NOW THAT TAKES GUTS, Jeb! I write as a long-time resident of Florida - you remember Florida, where you made your brother President - don't you? And to cite such non-accomplishments in such an important office really does take "chutzpah". As a Democrat, I can only say "Thanks". You have made it much easier for Hillary.......
21
He's so boring he makes Hillary look exciting.
12
Such a miraculous effect on such an uncharismatic person is ample proof that he'll similarly work wonders in Washington.
2
"Mr. Bush entered a presidential contest ... that is unlike any faced by his father, George Bush, who won the office in 1988, or his brother, George W. Bush, who claimed it in 2000."
Interesting choice of words, juxtaposing legitimate and illegitimate presidencies.
Interesting choice of words, juxtaposing legitimate and illegitimate presidencies.
13
And to think I never associated 'The Grey Lady' with all that much of a sense of humour. NYT, you never cease to amaze me. And this from one who survived (That's the best way I can decently describe it) eight years of Jebism. So he'd like to do for America what he'd done for Florida. All I can say is, with all due respects, you've been warned.
13
So Orlando is not a success? It's a Potemkin Village of Disney facades for which Jeb! is to blame? Surely there's some reason that so many pensioned-off Democrat northerners keep flocking there, or could it be no income tax, courtesy of Jeb!?
2
The body language, the set of the mouth, the visual discomfort that comes across as disdain for the common man--it all looks just like the brother. It's hard not to have that same creepy feeling you get from W.
Blech!
Blech!
19
Trust me. If Bush becomes "grown up,"there is no way he will win over the conservative voters, They desperstely want a kid.
3
Be honest with yourself, who would you trust more alone with your bank account - Hillary or Jeb? The decision is as easy as that!
2
President Obama!
1
It sure is. Under Democrats 46 million jobs have been created in the last 30 years. Only 20 million under Republicans. Former President Clinton left a $250 billion surplus. The last Republican president created $14 trillion in debt. Bush and his republicans still cling to trickle down economics that benefits only the richest people. They have fought all attempts at financial reform. The most recent Democrat president increased federal spending by 1.8%. The last 3 Republican presidents raised federal spending by an average of 7%. So ask yourself Who would you trust with your wallet?
6
As mixed as my feelings are about Hillary, we should never let any Bushes at our money again. Also she is less likely to start a preemptive nuclear war, always a bonus.
6
Sorry, I just don't believe on a hereditary presidency, My bumper sticker reads:
NO MORE BUSHES
NO MORE BUSHES
15
But Hillary inheriting the presidency from hubby Bill does not bother you? I sense a bumper-sticker mentality at play.
No more Clinton's and no more Bush's. I'm sick of these "royal" families.
5
The Bushes were millionaires from birth, thanks to patriarch Prescott Bush. The Clintons were born at the bottom, and climbed their separate ways up through hard work and diligent study. There's nothing "royal" about either Bill or Hillary Clinton running for (and in Bill's case, achieving) the presidency, but there's a lot to admire.
I wonder if Terry Schiavo's family will be voting for him. I've talked to people, including a Republican, who don't want any part of him because he had no business being involved in a family's private medical decision.
22
I'm not sure what exactly Mr. Bush accomplished as Governor of Florida. Whether he balanced the budget, improved schools or made the state a more attractive place to work and live?
Maybe some facts without political bias would help more Americans make informed choices. I'm curious what Mr. Bush did in office and how his accomplishments stack up against the other front runner....
Maybe some facts without political bias would help more Americans make informed choices. I'm curious what Mr. Bush did in office and how his accomplishments stack up against the other front runner....
4
It's easy to find that information.
2
It's not as though his record is a secret. One major thing he did was thwart a lot of folks in their effort to vote in the 2000 election, and pulled some other fast ones in order to put his bro in the WH. You can find a lot of info on line, also by reading comments from Floridians right here.
5
sallby is retailing the Democrats' cherished myth that Al Gore did not lose the election from the 97,000 votes that Ralph Nader took from him -- as predicted. "Just the facts, ma'am," no vast right-wing conspiracies required.
1
For those on the fence, here's a bit of advice: Just check out Florida on every level, including such little matters as education, job security, public safety, and what's generally called in this country the 'criminal justice system' (try keeping a straight face). And then there's health care, at least for those who can't guarantee being strong and athletic well into their eighties. And let's not forget the business environment; does 'pay to play' mean anything to you?
Well, if Florida as Jeb left it is your idea of paradise, and you'd like to see the entire nation run that way, then by all means vote for him. But don't come back complaining that you'd not been warned.
Well, if Florida as Jeb left it is your idea of paradise, and you'd like to see the entire nation run that way, then by all means vote for him. But don't come back complaining that you'd not been warned.
17
If you look at the acronym JEB, it stands for John Ellis BUSH. Unless he is running as JE?, anyone with half a brain is going to know that the B is for Bush. Not referring to his last name is foolish, sorta like a number of other positions he has taken in the past. But yeah, let's all forget about his legacy and elect the man who kept Terri Schiavo "alive" against competent medical advice and her husband's will, manipulated the Florida vote for president on any number of levels, and decimated the Florida educational system from kindergarten to Ph.D. Just the kind of guy we want in the White House.
11
320 MILLION people in the United States of America, No More Bushes, No More Clintons
6
He has been a candidate for some time. he has finally officially nnounced so that he could reap the $$$. he is just another "bought hack."
8
"America deserves better" (subtext: but I'm running anyway.)
12
The free enterprise system of individual striving, winning or losing, along with the foundations of the U. S. Political system of private property ownership, the rule of written, understandable laws, a constitution of those rules of law, and respect for the country, its prosperity, fairness and freedom is critical to our future in competing with the rest of the world. Barack Obama never touched private enterprise. Hillary Clinton either. Neither managed anything and the U. S. Is suffering, badly. Jeb Bush has managed successfully, succeeded and will be a good, rational president of all of us, not just Democrats.
Http://www.periodictablet.com
Http://www.periodictablet.com
He's right, America does deserve to have better then another Bush in office.
22
'America Deserves Better'
Really? I tend to agree. Let's move on from these conservative liberals and compassionate conservatives. They are all oligarchic dynasties. People that are so rich and so out of touch they simply can not fathom what it means to be an American that works for a living. People that don't have the option to play dress up with daddy's money.
Really? I tend to agree. Let's move on from these conservative liberals and compassionate conservatives. They are all oligarchic dynasties. People that are so rich and so out of touch they simply can not fathom what it means to be an American that works for a living. People that don't have the option to play dress up with daddy's money.
8
Bill and Hillary have 10x the wealth that Jeb! has, and all ginned up based on government connections. And from unaccounted foreign sources no less. Motivated of course by having to leave the White House "flat broke," with the furnishings.
2
For gosh sakes, the sprawling Leviathan that is Washington as we know it today is a creation of the Bush family dynasty that came in on the coattails of Reagan and stayed to give us bad trade deals, Wall Street de-regulation that caused a financial panic and collapse, NeoCon wars, haystacks of data collection in the Homeland Security apparatus, preferential tax rates for rich republicans, a Supreme Court which has taken over the legislating of election laws from Congress for the purpose of making billionaires the kingmakers.......does anybody really want more of the same?
26
Even of Jeb! were moderate—even a passing review of his record as governor of Florida would show he is anything but moderate—Jeb! will have to go full stupid during the primaries next year. Then, like Mitt Romney in 2012, Jeb! will have to try to pretend he's a moderate after the Republican convention. That didn't work for Romney. Doubt that it will work for Jeb!
4
Were it not for Gov. Chris Christie's panicked bear-hug of Obama in the boardwalk after Superstorm Sandy, hungry for FEMA's blessing, Mitt Romney would have won the election. Christie is still doing his penance.
Please no. Maybe Mr. Jeb Bush can redeem your family name by re-paying your brothers on going trillion dollar video game-
6
Given the track record that both the the American voters and GOP controlled Congress display it seems likely that America will continue its expensive interventionist policies in the Middle East and the headlong embrace of domestic corporate rule. Bush number three would only exacerbate the downfall.
8
No more dynasties, whatever the party maybe!! And like he said, Americans do not want to elect those that caused the problems, that is, the two previous GOP administrations whose damages on the economy were so severe we are only recovering now.
11
Whatever happened in Washington in the past 25 years had nothing to do with Jeb! End of story.
When he brings in all of George's horrific foreign policy advisors he has everything to do with what has happened. He also backs the same failed trickle down economics as W and all the rest of the Republicans. And ask your self Do we really want to have to say, again, President Bush?
3
Charles San Jose, Calif. – Not so fast. JEB was an original signatory of neoconservative PNAC – you know, the group that included Wolfowitz, Cheney, and Rumsfeld, among others, who brought us the Iraq war.
4
He's right, we do need better. Better than him, better than all of those running.
12
There is no one better, and you have plenty to choose from. Unless you're a Democrat, bereft of options.
1
Bernie Sanders is a good pick.
2
If he was the third George Bush, we all know what happened with the original George III. He lost the 13 colonies. Lets hope this one does not get elected if he anything like his father or brother.
3
I remember the last guy who ran for President who put an asterisk after his name--Lamar Alexander. It looked ridiculous. And he didn't last long either.
6
So...Weary...Of...Bushes...And...Clintons.
No more!
No more!
7
"Jeb Bush. America deserves better."
That about sums it up.
That about sums it up.
13
"America Deserves Better"!! How appropriate. Applicable to both him and lady Hillary. There are 300 Million people in this country, and we are supposed to anoint one of those two choices? As if.
6
Jeb is a social reactionary and a fiscal spend-and-borrow supply-sider. His reputation in Florida is polarized. If you want privatization deregulation and government interference in your private life, he's your man. Hillary will eviscerate him if he is nominated.
20
His reputation in Florida is polarized.
----------------------
So is that between the governor and the citizens in at least 40 other states. How or why could it be otherwise?
----------------------
So is that between the governor and the citizens in at least 40 other states. How or why could it be otherwise?
I hope John Ellis tells us how he felt when he signed the Stand Your Ground law while he was governor of Florida, the law that has enabled too many people with guns to shoot and kill randomly and almost always with impunity. I'd also to hear more about how he signed a measure prohibiting Terry Schiavo from being taken off life support in defiance of her family's wishes.
19
While Jeb's involvement in the Terry Schiavo affair was grotesque, I believe he was on the side of Terry's parents who wanted to keep the brain dead woman's body alive indefinitely, and against her husband who had presumably a better understanding of Terry's wishes.
Jeb sided with the parents for a dragged out painful death. Jeb sided with extreme conservative Catholic belief, as usual mixing politics with religion where the two shouldn't mix.
Jeb sided with the parents for a dragged out painful death. Jeb sided with extreme conservative Catholic belief, as usual mixing politics with religion where the two shouldn't mix.
2
Anyone but a Republican!
13
First, Democrats have to bestir themselves to vote. A Sisyphean task, as seen last November.
2
The Jeb announcement got me thinking how dramatically things have change during my lifetime. When Prescott was the senator from Connecticut Jeb's foreign policy advisers and that part of the party which is very much Jeb's based would have been too Jewish and too intellectual for Republican politics. William F Buckley's bete noire were Libertarians were too Jewish and too intellectual for anything but the extreme outer limits of American politics and today well there is hardly a jew or an intellectual found anywhere in Ron Paul's segment of the GOP. Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, Rick Perry and Lindsey Graham would have been Dixiecrats, Chris Christie, George Pataki and Jeb Bush would be mainstream Northeastern Republicans. Scott Walker would represent the Joseph McCarthy midwest faction of the GOP Santorum would have been a Democrat and Jindal, Carson and Fiorina just didn't look enough like Robert Young. I don't know if this is what progress looks like but it is very interesting. Rubio of course would have been in the Havana white House running things for us.
5
There's mom in the background. Somehow, it seems these Bushes are still trying to please mom.
8
Being the son and brother, or for that matter the wife, of presidents is one way to get around term limits.
5
I think the discussion about the Bush dynasty is just plain nonsense. Same nonsense as this character calling himself as an optimistic conservative.
4
This announcement was inevitable as he thinks there is a family destiny to uphold. But here in Florida, we remember the Terry Schiavo case, his abortion positions out of the mainstream, his support for mindless testing in public schools, now opposed by conservatives, his complete lack of interest in foreign affairs until now, his coziness with Wolfowicz et al causing one of the great catastrophes in our last 50 years.
The list goes on. Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders would crush him in the debates.
The list goes on. Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders would crush him in the debates.
20
To all those demanding that Jeb Bush be asked (ad nauseum?) about his brother, shall we also demand that Hillary be asked about Bill? His perjury? How about that blue dress?
Does Hillary regret how she treated young Monica Lewinsky? Would she handle it differently today? What if it had been her daughter? Or her granddaughter?
Does Hillary regret how she treated young Monica Lewinsky? Would she handle it differently today? What if it had been her daughter? Or her granddaughter?
6
Are you really comparing an extramarital affair to two wars and the trashing of our economy?
Here's an easy way to tell the difference, an affair doesn't kill and injure tens of thousands of people.
Here's an easy way to tell the difference, an affair doesn't kill and injure tens of thousands of people.
11
DR:
Hillary, the mother, daughter, grandmother, should be asked about her treatment of another young woman.
She is, after all, running primarily as a woman now.
Hillary, the mother, daughter, grandmother, should be asked about her treatment of another young woman.
She is, after all, running primarily as a woman now.
1
He's the fancy WASP prep school drug dealer with little interest in studies, who after a very sketchy professional career doing, "I'm well connected" type favors for developers, fell back on the family business: politics. Switching to Catholicism is either religious nonsense for a Super Protestant or pandering to the Hispanic electorate of Fla, either way he's a piece of work we do not need. This is all about playing your family name as a bluff in a game of national political poker. No thanks.
14
When I lived in NYC there were hundreds just like him in places like Rye, Larchmont, and Harrison. You're living in a glass house, and throwing stones. No thanks.
1
Jeb is just another Bush that America doesn't need. His Middle East advisors are George et al.
12
Yeeha! Stand your ground, baby! Nationwide!
Think I may take up undertaking. Seems like a very stable profession.
Think I may take up undertaking. Seems like a very stable profession.
4
I hope everyone will cease misspelling his name. It is not spelled J-E-B. The correct spelling is J_E_B_! as in JEB!
Always in CAPS.
Always in CAPS.
2
I don't find Mr Bush's skirting campaign finance law comical. I think it is a slap in the face to millions of hard working, law abiding Americans.
11
I noticed Barbara Bush in the right hand corner of the picture. She obviously stands by her sons, even when she has declared, rightfully so, that his country has had enough Bush's...period.
This country can do much, much better than to keep rehashing, "been there, done that" candidates. Yet with the way our elections are funded, only the people with heavy hitting donors can run for office. What a pity!
This country can do much, much better than to keep rehashing, "been there, done that" candidates. Yet with the way our elections are funded, only the people with heavy hitting donors can run for office. What a pity!
6
"...optimistic conservatism, uninterested in the politics of grievance, obstructionism and partisanship." Really? After he unabashedly help fixed Florida to give his brother the presidency when Gore actually won the popular vote?
11
Yes, Jeb is correct: America DOES deserve better than its current, crowded field of Presidential candidates, most of them occupying the Republican clown car, now dangerously full of poseurs, blowhards and so much hot air the air conditioning in it can't keep up with the load.
The Republicans may actually need to hire another clown car if their field of contestants keeps growing. Someone from the Republican National Committee should call Uber to arrange for such a vehicle, which will probably be driven by a libertarian, perhaps CEO Travis Kalanick his own self.
I love the photo of him in this article where a lighter-weight Jeb is sprinting across a stage with his loving admirers, which does not include his wife, his father, his mother, or his brother W., whose first administration gave us the ever-present Iraq quagmire, not to mention the 2008 'Great' recession we are still feeling the effects of.
So, let the races begin, and let the better man win! Er, I mean, the better candidate win, which will be Hillary, by a nose, when it is all said and done. Even mediocre Republican candidates can narrow the gap at the beginning of November. Look how well Mitt Romney did, if you doubt this wisdom. In the meantime, we should all enjoy Jeb's generic Republican bromides and homilies while he stumps in mostly Red states, plus all the swing states like Ohio, and of course, Florida.
7
He should listen to his mother. "We've had enough Bushes in the White House." It's too bad that Bush and Clinton are the best of the lot (which says nothing for the rest of them). He's right about one thing...we do deserve better, but we aren't going to get it.
9
If elected, Jeb will be better than his brother. But that does not take much considering what G>W> Bush did to get America into real economic trouble:
tax cuts he could not afford, a war that was not paid for, and a recession that he and his economic advisers did not manage to see coming, leaving a legacy of huge losses for anyone who saved and invested. Hiring Wolfovitz as an adviser and listening to big brother George is a big turn off.
tax cuts he could not afford, a war that was not paid for, and a recession that he and his economic advisers did not manage to see coming, leaving a legacy of huge losses for anyone who saved and invested. Hiring Wolfovitz as an adviser and listening to big brother George is a big turn off.
5
Even the most expensive political spinners in the world can't make him look good.
9
I presume we'll be seeing tax returns?
6
The tax returns I'd like to see are George W. Bush's tax returns so we can see how much money he's made pedaling poppycock since leaving office.
2
Has anyone noticed that the new "Jeb!" logo is just like "Archie!"? It's pretty pathetic when they are using comic books to appeal to US voters.
9
I always think a governor wanting to be President is like a orderly wanting to be a cardiologist. With over 300 billion served, I would hope you could find someone with foreign policy experience (or has at least been to a foreign country), someone that has an incredible education and continues to educate themselves. Simply put, a scholar for the most powerful and scholarly job.
I fear the John Adams days are well over. Only to be replaced by a mediocre puppet fed with sound bites and a good haircut.
I fear the John Adams days are well over. Only to be replaced by a mediocre puppet fed with sound bites and a good haircut.
11
Jeb!, the politician formerly known as Jeb Bush, should have learned from Prince's example. You can't replace a name with a symbol and think people will stop referring you by your name.
13
As an american living abroad, it is frightening that a man who supports the voucher education system is a serious contender for the presidency. Educating our youth should not be a for profit venture, it should be an investment in the future. Every study and education official who matters has the same opinion on the voucher system: it does not work. Lets take a leaf from the Europeans and invest more in education instead of trying to find more elaborate ways to spend less on our nation's future and more on our nation's defense.
14
"And you and I know that America deserves better."
said Jeb Bush
Well at least he got that right in part ...as better than Jeb Bush.
said Jeb Bush
Well at least he got that right in part ...as better than Jeb Bush.
17
As a former PR pro (for a limited time) -- I can see the re-packaging, re-imaging drill begin: Bold, single name banner (it's all about Jeb), losing extra weight and running on stage (he's dynamic), strategically placed black people and other ethnic reps. (he's for all of us), and its more than his record at stake (folks it's about family values and saving the world), as he is the most Christian (of all candidates). After all, image is everything, isn't it?
12
You NAILED IT!!
2
Family Values ? Are you joking ? His family is full of nothing but convicted criminals...wife, daughter, son, brother, sister-in-law, nieces. And, these people are about as UNChristian as they come.
Very sad, a "Picture is worth a thousand words."
4
The Schiavo Case really exposed Jeb Bush for what he is. A district judge had to put him in his place!
21
Stephen Crowley's photograph of Jeb Bush "bounding onto the stage", in Miami,
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/us/politics/jeb-bush-presidential-camp... , looks like a pale imitation of Barack Obama's usual approach.
Sorry, Jeb, nice try but no cigar. In fact, kinda' laughable.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/16/us/politics/jeb-bush-presidential-camp... , looks like a pale imitation of Barack Obama's usual approach.
Sorry, Jeb, nice try but no cigar. In fact, kinda' laughable.
9
this feels like the baby brother who says "i want to try!" after seeing big brother and daddy play baseball.
12
Jeb Bush is shallow, silly and awkward and it is impossible for me to envision this man as President. Impossible !!
17
Once again we hear the tired Republican-a-la-Regan refrain that government is the problem and the solution is to cut it.
Well, we've had 30 years of that. Where are we - in paradise? Yet the Republican Party has nothing else to say except "More of it".
Well, we've had 30 years of that. Where are we - in paradise? Yet the Republican Party has nothing else to say except "More of it".
19
Canada cuts its tax rates in recent years and now has a surplus, a former Treasury economist said on a Sunday talk show. The same fellow discussed why Connecticut is Democrat financial basket case with high unemployment and high taxes, and why California has sky-high taxes even as 23% of Californians live below the Federal poverty level.
The GOP never looked so good.
The GOP never looked so good.
Jeb Bush will be out next President. Generally Republicans have good ideas and state common sense ideals as part of their platform. The problem is that most Republicans are racist. Jeb is not racist and has those same good solid Republican ideals.
Finding a Republican who is articulate and not racist is like finding a purple unicorn. Jeb is that unicorn.
Finding a Republican who is articulate and not racist is like finding a purple unicorn. Jeb is that unicorn.
3
I left the Republican party because there were no good ideas and absolutely no common sense ideals.
The great recession was not that long ago. How can so many people have forgotten it already?
The great recession was not that long ago. How can so many people have forgotten it already?
2
Um, I am a Floridian. and well remember Jeb's tenure as governor here. I would think that he and/or his handlers would have more sense than to bring that up -- he was not a good governor at all.
25
The scariest thing about Jeb Bush is that he might resurrect the " brain trust" of his brother's terms in office. These brainless zombies might be a Cabinet members or invisible "advisors".
I'm sure that Dick Cheney and John McCain are keen to start a war with Iran and Russia.
Hillary seems just as hawkish. We voters need better choices !!
I'm sure that Dick Cheney and John McCain are keen to start a war with Iran and Russia.
Hillary seems just as hawkish. We voters need better choices !!
8
Might? He's already got Paul Wolfowitz on his team.
"America Deserves Better" alright. Better than another Bush.
13
So this is what we've come to. A presidential candidate with the moniker of Jeb! Following in the foot steps of a brother who led us into an unnecessary war which cost countless lives and cost hundreds of millions ( I'm being generous here folks, it was more like billions of U.S. tax dollars). And I'm gonna vote for this guy? Fat Chance!
11
I just want to know if Mr. Bush is going to support Motus Perpetuus'
Heroicos Project. If he does, then I will vote for him even though I'm a Democrat. Albeit a Blue Dog Democrat.
Heroicos Project. If he does, then I will vote for him even though I'm a Democrat. Albeit a Blue Dog Democrat.
Jeb thought Gov Pence was on the right track with his religious rights I don't want to bake you a cake business and Pence's political career is now basically swirling the drain.
He panicked about Shiavo and everyone hated his intrusion into that family tragedy. Are his ideas that different than Brownback who is widely believed to be savaging the Kansas surplus into the biggest self-invited economic fiasco in the state's history? His disastrous hand-off of the election to W? This is serious.
He panicked about Shiavo and everyone hated his intrusion into that family tragedy. Are his ideas that different than Brownback who is widely believed to be savaging the Kansas surplus into the biggest self-invited economic fiasco in the state's history? His disastrous hand-off of the election to W? This is serious.
11
jeb has no chance against hillary and bill---he's just in the race to score all those easy millions in federal campaign cash---he'll be richer than ever!!
6
Has anyone asked him how he would define evolution?
Please do. He has to do something better than Scott Walker, please, please.
And Mr. Jeb probably wouldn't equate ISIS terrorists with union workers, would he? Just thinking up questions for the primary debates, got that media?
Please do. He has to do something better than Scott Walker, please, please.
And Mr. Jeb probably wouldn't equate ISIS terrorists with union workers, would he? Just thinking up questions for the primary debates, got that media?
4
Having lived in Florida during the Jeb Bush years and now the Rick Scott years the goal of these Republicans is to destroy public education as we know it by promoting the following alternatives: increasing vouchers to private schools, approving more and more charter schools and encouraging on-line, home school education. The reason? To destroy the teachers unions and the public school system itself, which is a long held Republican belief of privatizing education. In Florida we have already seen privatization of many state government functions, including prisons, all for the private profiteers.
86
Let's ask Jeb what the thinks about H1B visas and the TPP. You think he's against them?
But if people were educated, they wouldn't vote for Republicans.
Can we cool it with allegations like this?
"He intentionally CHEATED and broke the campaign financing rules (weak as they are) by not declaring his candidacy in order to garb millions in donations that would not have to be reported."
Two responses:
1. If he actually broke the rules, rest assured Hillary Clinton's people would have pointed that out.
2. Hillary Clinton did exactly the same thing.
"He intentionally CHEATED and broke the campaign financing rules (weak as they are) by not declaring his candidacy in order to garb millions in donations that would not have to be reported."
Two responses:
1. If he actually broke the rules, rest assured Hillary Clinton's people would have pointed that out.
2. Hillary Clinton did exactly the same thing.
2
great , I get to vote next year...so I can VOTE AGAINST BUSH.
9
So he's a reformer with results, then?
1
The brother of the man that gave us more trickle down, tax cuts for the one per cent, homophobia, a trillion dollar deficit, a war that we are still in to this very day, 9/11, flawed intelligence and so many lies and missed opportunities it could make your head spin. GIVE ME A BRAKE........no thanks as his mother stated in 2013 "We do not need another Bush for President........And as native Floridian remember how we got his brother for President, I haven't forgotten the hanging chads.......NO THANKS......HILLARY all the way for me !!!!
12
Gemma from Austin comments, " Jeb Bush is the only Republican with the intelligence, leadership experience, and money to give Hilary a challenge in a general election."
Actually, that's not true. Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah and ambassador to China, has the intelligence, leadership experience, and money. And he has them without all of Bush's negatives, including the family history. He also understands that America is more important than political parties, something Bush has yet to demonstrate.
Actually, that's not true. Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah and ambassador to China, has the intelligence, leadership experience, and money. And he has them without all of Bush's negatives, including the family history. He also understands that America is more important than political parties, something Bush has yet to demonstrate.
12
Where is Jon Huntsman these days? My husband and I are both very liberal but we admired him and wanted to hear more from him.
4
HEADLINE: "Jeb Bush announces bid for 2016 Republican presidential run".
RESPONSE: Which of the following would you consider the most unpleasant to endure?
A). A root canal without anesthetic.
B). Chronic, excruciating hemorrhoids.
C). Cataract eye surgery without sedation.
D). Being buried alive in an anthill.
E). Another Bush presidency.
RESPONSE: Which of the following would you consider the most unpleasant to endure?
A). A root canal without anesthetic.
B). Chronic, excruciating hemorrhoids.
C). Cataract eye surgery without sedation.
D). Being buried alive in an anthill.
E). Another Bush presidency.
15
Jeb demonstrates his isolation in family ties and outlook by trying to ignore the failures of his family in taking the country to two wars, in leading us into what has proven to be the complete destruction of Iraq and its people, and in having no feeling for the problems of the majority of our citizens who do not belong to the privileged aristocracy he has known all his life. Jeb may fool himself about being his own man but fooling the voting public into believing he is anything other than a victim of his own limited vision would take tons more charisma than he or any of the Bushs has after their failures at the helm.
2
Jeb Bush is the only Republican candidate with the money to challenge Hillary seems to be the common sentiment among readers.
What a sad state we are in. We are offered up the wealthy and connected for candidates and people believe we have a choice.
America has become a joke. The world sees us for what we have become. We are a nation ruled by the wealthy for the wealthy. We are war mongers. Diplomacy is no longer a part of the American political scene. Diplomacy doesn't make political donors money, only war accomplishes that.
I have asked many times for readers to contact their Congressional members and DEMAND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. This is the only remedy that will see a critical thinker in office and not a professional campaigner who is compromised upon taking office.
Einstein's definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Look at the shape of our nation- do you really think the answer is sending another Republican or Democrat? Do you really think there is a difference when their campaign contributors are the same?
We are crazy if we see a different future with either of these parties.
What a sad state we are in. We are offered up the wealthy and connected for candidates and people believe we have a choice.
America has become a joke. The world sees us for what we have become. We are a nation ruled by the wealthy for the wealthy. We are war mongers. Diplomacy is no longer a part of the American political scene. Diplomacy doesn't make political donors money, only war accomplishes that.
I have asked many times for readers to contact their Congressional members and DEMAND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM. This is the only remedy that will see a critical thinker in office and not a professional campaigner who is compromised upon taking office.
Einstein's definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Look at the shape of our nation- do you really think the answer is sending another Republican or Democrat? Do you really think there is a difference when their campaign contributors are the same?
We are crazy if we see a different future with either of these parties.
I know there are clearly problems with both parties, but you can't tell the difference between Republicans and Democrats?
How disappointing, not one reference to Kathleen Harris.
9
This country needs a significant independent candidate for 2016. This hypothetical independent candidate would have business and international expertise. This independent candidate would have no connection with a previous presidential figure or family. He or she would call out both Republican and Democrat candidates on the issues and party problems. This seems particularly true in the 2016 cycle because other Democrats do not appear to want to directly challenge H. Clinton. Potential independent candidates should get into the race shortly. Many voters dismiss independent candidates because they arrive late on the scene and are viewed as potential spoilers. Without risking suggesting someone who might offend party loyalists, there must be great candidates out there. Help Needed!!!
I think one thing Jeb Bush doesn't seem to understand is that you can't run a federation of states the same way you run a single state. There will be far more resistance by states legislatures than from a few cities in Florida when he was governor of the state.
Just like when I hear all of these businessmen/women argue that they can run the country the same way they run a company, no you can't. It might be similar but it's not quiet the same thing. Good luck to him..and good luck to anyone who will vote for him because I certainly won't vote for another Bush in the white house.
Just like when I hear all of these businessmen/women argue that they can run the country the same way they run a company, no you can't. It might be similar but it's not quiet the same thing. Good luck to him..and good luck to anyone who will vote for him because I certainly won't vote for another Bush in the white house.
8
Hardly shocked, nor will I be when the many future Bushes run in the coming decades. Seriously though, what a mediocre royal family to keep drawing from. Whatever happened to the Roosevelts...or even the Adams?
11
Ask any Floridian with an average I.Q. and they will tell you Jeb Bush is NOT a moderate and never will be. He gave us SCHOOL GRADES where the "under performing" school did not get additional funding but the A school got a bounty.He gifted us with Charter schools , Vouchers and tests that were never standardized. He paralyzed the state on the Schiavo case and he placed George Bush in the White House. Please look at the record and drop the moderate label
19
Since his father was president and then his brother was president, since his brother created the conditions for the Twilight Zone episode we now live in, he will be judged based on family primarily. But since Clinton's husband was president and also set up the conditions for which we are now searched at airports and in our phone calls to mom, she gets judged on her family as well as Bush. But since it appears more and more that the game is rigged and we have the trappings of royal inheritance and no real choice and a reactive, battling representation that gets nothing done and foments real hate in the citizenry instead of constructive ideas, I may not vote next year for the first time ever. Not that others should care, because not voting is as worthless in stopping this tide as voting for royalty is.
Thanks, Jeb! When I think of you, that's exactly what comes to mind: America deserves better.
17
And in 2016, it will get the better it badly needs, continuing the historic 2010 and 2014 rout of the Democrats, who are totally out of gas.
I agree with most of the critical comments here, but to those prognosticating that Jeb Bush will never get the nomination, I say that you are vastly (mis)overestimating the intelligence of the average Red state voter.
10
Funny, as a libertarian, I was just thinking how stupid one would have to be to vote for Hillary just because she's a woman/democrat.
I'm not sure what you think makes Democratic voters more intelligent - a willingness to vote for the party that will further guarantee "free" money and housing and ignoring immigration law? Supporting endless war but being able to pose as the anti-war party?
the two party system is itself a large part of the problem.
I'm not sure what you think makes Democratic voters more intelligent - a willingness to vote for the party that will further guarantee "free" money and housing and ignoring immigration law? Supporting endless war but being able to pose as the anti-war party?
the two party system is itself a large part of the problem.
Well, I didn't say anything about Democratic voters, did I. But, I would agree that many, if not most, who will vote for HRC will do so just because of the high likelihood that the Republican candidate will be absolutely unacceptable. That would be true even if a man ran as the Democratic nominee.
It is high time to look at the role of Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Secretary of State Katherine Harris, and Elections Director Clay Roberts in scrubbing the voter rolls in the 2000 Presidential election to rig the election in favor of Jeb's brother George W.
Democratic Presidential Nominee Al Gore decidedly won the national popular vote by over 500,000 votes in 2000.
But in a highly partisan split decision, the Supreme Court stopped a voter recount in Florida despite a difference in votes of only 537 out of 5,825,043 votes cast.
Jeb Bush, Katherine Harris and Clay Roberts awarded the job of purging Florida state voter rolls prior to the election of Jeb's brother to the highest bidder, rather than the lowest bidder.
In 1999 DBT online received a contract worth $4 million, though the previous private firm awarded the contract to screen voter rolls charged only $5,700 for their services. Florida was the only state in the country to allow a private firm to decide who was an eligible voter.
The first list DBT Online provided to the Division of Elections in April 2000 contained the names of 173,127 persons, with 57k as felons.
Blacks accounted for 88% of those removed from the rolls, they made up only about 11% of Florida's voters.
People were purged from the rolls if their names were even similar to a felons.
Raced based voter purging is patently illegal according to the Voting Rights Act, but the Supreme Court has subsequently tried to dispatch with that as well.
Democratic Presidential Nominee Al Gore decidedly won the national popular vote by over 500,000 votes in 2000.
But in a highly partisan split decision, the Supreme Court stopped a voter recount in Florida despite a difference in votes of only 537 out of 5,825,043 votes cast.
Jeb Bush, Katherine Harris and Clay Roberts awarded the job of purging Florida state voter rolls prior to the election of Jeb's brother to the highest bidder, rather than the lowest bidder.
In 1999 DBT online received a contract worth $4 million, though the previous private firm awarded the contract to screen voter rolls charged only $5,700 for their services. Florida was the only state in the country to allow a private firm to decide who was an eligible voter.
The first list DBT Online provided to the Division of Elections in April 2000 contained the names of 173,127 persons, with 57k as felons.
Blacks accounted for 88% of those removed from the rolls, they made up only about 11% of Florida's voters.
People were purged from the rolls if their names were even similar to a felons.
Raced based voter purging is patently illegal according to the Voting Rights Act, but the Supreme Court has subsequently tried to dispatch with that as well.
25
Give it up. Stuart Taylor in the National Journal did the most-referenced study of why Gore lost to Bush: Ralph Nader took 97,000 votes from Gore, as predicted by many Democrats in the preceding weeks. St. Ralph's ego cost Al Gore Florida. All the grassy knoll theories are comical.
For a stolen election, BTW, check West Virginia, and Chicago under fellow Catholic Mayor Daley, which together stole the 1960 election for JFK from Nixon.
For a stolen election, BTW, check West Virginia, and Chicago under fellow Catholic Mayor Daley, which together stole the 1960 election for JFK from Nixon.
The contempt these Bush's have for America and its people is well documented. In my opinion the election was stolen and did loose the dogs of war upon Iraq,breeding instability throughout the Middle East,and then unleashing the intellectual prowess of a Bush and destroy all the goodwill America has ever attracted. Architecture tour of Guantanamo Bay anyone ? Rendition and torture for anyone ? They are unapologetic for torture and war crimes committed in the name of "freedom.:" At least they have that going for them in their favor as they end up o n the ash heap of history as the most repressive violent spendthrifts in world history. Go get em Jeb,lets see how stupid the people you hold so much contempt for really are.
2
Jeb Bush actually smiles and positions his hands as his older brother, George W Bush. Too many similarities!!!
5
So if you lie and say you're African-American when you're not, you have to give up your post at the NAACP. But if you're non-Hispanic and put down that you're Hispanic as Jeb did, you can run for President. Hmmm.
14
Yes, there actually is a difference between holding the Top Position at a national advocacy group for which you care genetically not qualified, and checking off the wrong box on yet another government form. Imagine that.
If we elect Jeb Bush with what we know about him, his father and his brother - and with the nightmare we live every day in the Middle East as a result of the Bush presidencies and last - with his brother's evisceration of the economy that all but the super rich are still feeling the effects of, then this country is deep in it's sunset years.
19
If George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush were good presidents, Jeb Bush might be worth considering if we are to believe that a positive family construct lifts all boats.
However, neither Bush I nor Bush II were good presidents. In the case of the latter, we suffered under an atrocious president.
Bill Clinton was a good president in terms of the economy. That's what I care about, the economy. Hillary's own familiar construct WILL lift all boats.
However, neither Bush I nor Bush II were good presidents. In the case of the latter, we suffered under an atrocious president.
Bill Clinton was a good president in terms of the economy. That's what I care about, the economy. Hillary's own familiar construct WILL lift all boats.
14
How can a guy who shows up to apply for the most important job in America, The Presidency, not even wear a suit and tie, not much respect for the job or any American who is willing to vote for him!
10
America does deserve better. James Webb.
5
When the giant, hyperintelligent bees of the future sift through the radioactive ashes of our once proud civilization, they will find a ballot from the Presidential Election of 2016 - and they will understand.
5
This campaign MUST focus on climate change. Deniers like Jeb should be ridiculed off the stage. His state will be one of the first to go when the sea rises and floods their water supply and agricultural land. Goodbye Miami.
It may be too late to take action on climate change, but if Jeb wins the White House, it's definitely game over for our kids.
It may be too late to take action on climate change, but if Jeb wins the White House, it's definitely game over for our kids.
18
The climate went up by one-millionth of one degree last year, and for pretty much decades before that it was the same, an infinitesimal change. "Polar vortex" is a neologism coined to describe just how frozen the Midwest and Northeast are. So what's the worry? Urban gun violence and unemployment are of far more danger to "our kids."
...except people with actual science backgrounds do doubt aspects of the global warming, wait, climate 'change' notion.
The models have been wildly inaccurate, and there has, in fact, not been a rise in temperatures or in sea level, or melting of the ice caps. Sorry - not my opinion, just fact.
I have an extensive science background and I want people to be free to challenge the climate dogma.
People with no grasp of the science have zero business trying to smear me as a "denier" when they lack the knowledge and often intelligence to understand how good science proceeds.
The models have been wildly inaccurate, and there has, in fact, not been a rise in temperatures or in sea level, or melting of the ice caps. Sorry - not my opinion, just fact.
I have an extensive science background and I want people to be free to challenge the climate dogma.
People with no grasp of the science have zero business trying to smear me as a "denier" when they lack the knowledge and often intelligence to understand how good science proceeds.
Charles - I'd bet money that if we traced your ancestry we'd find that your ancestors vehemently stated the earth was flat.
1
Jeb Bush is a tragedy and will be a tragedy for America. This political family dynasty is a joke and he is so out of touch with the people of this country it is stunning. I fully agree with him that America deserves better - and certainly better than Jeb Bush. Another disgusting power grab by the wealthy Americans who will try and buy their way into the white house. America deserves better ? bette than Obama and the incredible strides he has made since the previous Bush all but destroyed the middle class and the American financial system. What jokers,it is impossible to take them seriously if not for teh fact that they are so dangerous.
12
It makes you wonder who (Jeb or Hillary) is more in debt to special interests?
I will vote for neither as they are both 'old news' and full of the same ideological mess that has made American politicians a laughing stock with as much credibility as a used car salesmen.
Hardly the best and the brightest America has to offer...
I will vote for neither as they are both 'old news' and full of the same ideological mess that has made American politicians a laughing stock with as much credibility as a used car salesmen.
Hardly the best and the brightest America has to offer...
3
Go ahead and vote for walker. He has no ties to special interests like the Kochs. Not!
What about your native son, Mr Christie?
Funny that you forgot to mention your own, home grown pol?
What a bunch of winners we have to choose from....
Funny that you forgot to mention your own, home grown pol?
What a bunch of winners we have to choose from....
Mr. Bush promised to remove Washington as an obstacle to effective government and economic prosperity by declaring that “America deserves better.”
Mr Bush will have to explain what this means. Does he plan to eliminate our central government? Does he plan to remove/eliminate the US government"s need to regulate various activities? Is this a declaration of State's Right's?
Mr Bush will have to explain what this means. Does he plan to eliminate our central government? Does he plan to remove/eliminate the US government"s need to regulate various activities? Is this a declaration of State's Right's?
21
His father was a decent spook and diplomat but not a great President. There is no question his brother was the worst President in recent history. What do we have here, then? Another Bush who believes he has the right stuff to be President. No, he doesn't. He was a right wing politician in Florida. He speaks Spanish. That's about it.
24
Money does turn heads, doesn't it? And ego's too. Ask Fiorina.
I remember Terri Schiavo as many here do. I remember Jeb Bush believing she should be kept alive and not be removed from life support.
There's his position on"life" again. And there's that other fixation with ending life and that demand to be able to do so with impunity, without question or pushback of any kind. As if the right to remove someone from life support has been "settled" by the nation. It hadn't even been settled by her own family.
There's his position on"life" again. And there's that other fixation with ending life and that demand to be able to do so with impunity, without question or pushback of any kind. As if the right to remove someone from life support has been "settled" by the nation. It hadn't even been settled by her own family.
15
It wasn't his place to interfere in this. My own family had to deal with this kind of issue. I can't imagine how horrifying it would have been to have had some politician insert himself into something like this.
8
The whole business was the very definition of government overreach. What a surprise it came from Republicans!
6
It wasn't his place.
6
He is probably the best centrist Republican, an articulate politician with original ides on such issues as immigration, national policy and the economy who can cross sell to all major political factions and leap beyond the jingoist canards that circumscribe the Republican party. He has two major problems. First, there is his name, which brings unfounded associations, both positive and negative with two former presidents, that label (and burden) him before he can even speak. Second, he is a centrist and as such is tacking upwind into a Republican primary where anyone who is not a mindless conservative is scrutinized like Frankenstein's creature. Still if he survives the primary gauntlet and earns the nomination, he is probably one of the few Republicans who can win a national election.
13
You are kidding, right? No one likes him now, wait til he gaffes along some more in the public spotlight.
3
As a Floridian, I'm curious what you find centrist about him? I can see no real difference between his policies and those of "more extreme" Republicans, like his protégé Marco Rubio. I wish someone would point out what policies make him a moderate, rather than simply calling him one. I'll give you one that makes him appear extreme to me -- the Scarlet Letter legislation he signed into law in 2001, which forced unwed mothers to publicly shame themselves if they chose to put their babies up for adoption.
http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/06/10/413431225/jeb-bush...
Thankfully, that law was later determined to be unconstitutional, but I think it shows just how extreme Jeb is.
http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/06/10/413431225/jeb-bush...
Thankfully, that law was later determined to be unconstitutional, but I think it shows just how extreme Jeb is.
1
What original ideas on the economy?
I have to say that Jeb Bush seems to be the Bush I like the most. But as a matter of principle, I will not vote for him. The principle is that America is a republic, not a dynasty. Anybody but Bush and Clinton.
6
"As his mother, Barbara, the former first lady looked on... ." Oh, I get it. He's running as the son of Barbara Bush, but not the son of Pres. George H.W. Bush nor the brother of Pres. George W. Bush. Does he really think he can avoid the association with his father and brother as he runs for their former jobs? This attempt to ignore reality is very troubling.
14
America does deserve better than the dynasties. Let us give some self made deserving candidate a chance.
9
'Conservative' values, or whatever values Jeb lays claim to, being what they may- it's hard to understand so much of the American public's collective amnesia concerning the real results of what Republican politicians actually DO when in office, at least on a national level. That any reasonable person can overlook any tendency towards policies that resulted in the economy of 2008, for example, is beyond me. Show me a Republican politician, even one who presents some values I don't agree with, who has the brains and the guts to say "that obviously doesn't work", and veer away from that same old economics playbook, and I might have a look. I'm assuming, however, that those politicians will continue to count on much of their voter base swallowing all of that without any questioning- and I'm not holding my breath.
13
Remember Terry Shiavo & Bush's attempt to put his values on a family tragedy. Remember the hundreds of children who have died in his privatized Children Services - his damage to Florida's schools and public services giving contracts to his buddies. America - 3 Bushes and you're out.
35
If Jeb hadn't helped engineer W's ascent to the office of President, and if Jeb's Secretary of State, Katherine Harris, hadn't stopped the vote recount, thereby, handing the critical state of Florida to W, then Jeb might be able to somehow distance himself from his brother. But under the circumstances, he has blood on his hands, just like W, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the rest.
44
Jeb has one thing absolutely correct, America deserves better than another Bush disaster. After all, we are still not recovered from the last one and as long as the republicans continue to defy reality we will continue to suffer. History repeats itself only for those stupid enough to never learn from their mistakes!
27
Selective memory. I heard Jeb say recently that ISIS wasn't in the Middle East when his brother was in the Whitehouse. Of course, Jeb failed to mention that his brother also uncorked the genie that has created much of the current mess in the Middle East. Another Bush in the Whitehouse? After Georgie boy set us back a generation, racked up trillions in expense (despite finding no WMD) and crashed the economy. Not a chance.
31
I'm sure, of course, that Jeb's connections had absolutely nothing to do with his great big success as a real estate "entrepreneur." I can't wait for when they hang that albatross around his neck for what it truly (and obviously) is, "crony capitalism."
17
He has been running for months but not saying so as a pretext to qualify or dark money. In theory what he has been doing is illegal, but the FEC is toothless.
14
I am aware that Jeb! (I guess it is Jeb! now, right?) is smarter than his brother. And that he supposedly was a very competent governor. He wasn't that competent--and a disaster for public education. Sure, he is better, I guess, than any of the other GOP candidates. But that says little when the cast of them is so absolutely unpresidentail--all of them essentially xenophobes and deniers of the basic problems we face including climate change (which the current governor here won't let his staff say aloud: "climate change"). I am not that happy with a Hillary candidacy either. But at least she's had plenty of experience. And it is time for a woman--I'd prefer that woman to be Elizabeth Warren--to take the reigns. So I think Jeb! without-a-last-name won't get too far. And from the looks of the photo, he's not running from the starting gate any too swiftly. Ah, and there's Ma-ma cheering him on! Oh my!
8
If there was a vote that contained Hillary Clinton, Jeb Bush or none of the above. None of the above would win... There is an inverse relationship between integrity and how much campaign contributions(I'm not including grassroots contributions)/favors politicians receive. Either candidate would support the same 'security first' policies (when leaders say national security they mean security for the establishment). If anyone wants to contribute to society vote everyday for quality ideas not people. If an idea is strong enough it doesn't matter who is elected in office. Public support can overwhelm an apathetic government but only if that public is strong enough to not be reliant on that government. Educate yourself to be responsible for yourself and only then can you live the way you want.
1
Jeb Bush vows to “take Washington – the static capital of this dynamic country – out of the business of causing problems” in “the campaign that begins today.”
Translation--Jeb Bush vows to give Washington - the aggressive capital for corporations both here and abroad - even more business to cause more problems for the little people--the hard working ones who are denied quality healthcare, education, and living wages because they play by the rules and have no connections to power in "the campaign that begins today."
Translation--Jeb Bush vows to give Washington - the aggressive capital for corporations both here and abroad - even more business to cause more problems for the little people--the hard working ones who are denied quality healthcare, education, and living wages because they play by the rules and have no connections to power in "the campaign that begins today."
9
This is such a greedy arrogant man to think his family had 2 chances to fix all they promised to the American people, only to fail. Now, we are to give a third chance? A third Bush is 3 strikes you're out!
15
Failure is an understatement. The brother's war in Iraq cost a fortune and has done an irredeemable damage to America's international status. To assert the existence of WMD is either incompetent or insincere. Neither is acceptable. Sorry, governor. America has almost 320 million people, and does not lack talents. Others deserve a chance.
1
If it comes down to a third Clinton, or a third Bush, it'll be Bush all the way. Clintons have become toxic, and their failures are legion.
The Bush family is not done yet. Don't forget about George P. Bush, the current Texas Land Commissioner. Funny thing about George P. He declared he was running in Texas but took his time about which office since there were several openings. Any political office would do, obviously. His only goal was to take the easiest win to get his foot in the political door.
A real choice between Hilary Clinton and Jeb Bush would be good for the country. Both are smart, thoughtful, and deliberate. If they run in the real election as opposed to the farce of the primaries, I hope they are both absolutely clear on their beliefs and policies. This is not about Bill Clinton and his many flaws nor George W and his many flaws. Let's see what too serious people propose for the future of the country.
2
To say Jeb Bush is smart in the same sentence in which you speak of Hillary Clinron, is demeaning to Sec. Clinton. Unfortunately, the Bushes are attractive, but smart? Nobody gets everything.
3
Judith, it's exactly the kind of partisan pablum that assures the election its negative and unthinking character. You have apparently not spent anytime examining his policies in FL including virtual schools, higher ed, and economic policies.
A rose is a rose is a rose; a Bush is a Bush is a Bush by any other name. I guess he thinks we have forgotten.
21
Forgotten "what 'is' is"? That'll be the day. Do he and she think America has forgotten? Jeb's! clean as a hound's tooth, and no missing emails, either, that are likely to leak in the coming months.
It will interesting to learn what Governor Bush wishes to change about Washington particularly since his father was VP for 8 of the past 35 years, President for 4 and his brother President for 8. It seems much of what needs to be changed happened during this family's tenure in DC.
18
Oh, not a good pic of him running across the stage.... Does not inspire "leader of the free world" status.
15
Cynically denying that he was a candidate while he criss-crossed the country in obvious campaign mode and collected millions of dollars in contributions is NOT a way to present yourself as a 'truthful' candidate. Why would I believe anything he said - why would anything.
I agree with him on one thing - "America Deserves Better" - better than anything Mr. Bush can offer.
I agree with him on one thing - "America Deserves Better" - better than anything Mr. Bush can offer.
28
Any candidate fatuous enough to run for President on the basis of eliminating Washington as a problem loses my vote instantly. let alone one whose father was a fixture there for decades and his brother the worst president of the last 100 years. It's Pabulum. It proves he has nothing to say and no answers, but how could he when he misunderstands the problems?
30
Part of Jeb Bush's legacy as Fla. governor is the Terri Schiavo case. After the courts allowed her husband to remove her feeding tube, he ordered it reinserted, pursuant to "Terri's Law", which the the state legislature enacted to thwart her husband and evade the courts' orders.
In overturning the statute and Bush's edict, the court said: He had "summarily deprived Florida citizens of their right to privacy". To this day he stands by his decision. He is no "small government" conservative. He is an extremist who feels he, as chief executive, can interfere in the private lives of others and in the judicial process. And this is a very dangerous trait .
In overturning the statute and Bush's edict, the court said: He had "summarily deprived Florida citizens of their right to privacy". To this day he stands by his decision. He is no "small government" conservative. He is an extremist who feels he, as chief executive, can interfere in the private lives of others and in the judicial process. And this is a very dangerous trait .
19
Yet another Bush family excessively-rich-from-unearned-wealth bump on a log bores us to tears with a presidential bid.
If the Koch Brothers choose him he's sure to win - he's as capable as any of his unscrupulous knuckle headed Republican rivals of running our nation into yet another self-crippling brick wall.
And that seems to be the direction most Americans want us to go - judging from a CNN poll released twelve days ago that found that 52% of U.S. adults had a favorable impression of George W. Bush's performance as president, compared with only 48% approving of President Obama's.
President Jeb Bush will stand by passively as D.C.'s War Party sofa samurais - and also of course the NSA, the CIA and the Pentagon - generate yet more military spending - and subsidies by rich individuals and corporations for D.C.'s permanent war lobbying Industry - by provoking yet more large scale conflicts overseas.
After all, the bulk of U.S. Defense spending - and Pentagon spending on existing domestic military facilities like military bases - is dispensed in majority Republican Party constituencies, not Democratic ones. And bumping up such spending during George W. Bush's Iraq War helped to avert a recession that loomed during the year or so before the war started - "Military Kenysianism."
Not only Democrats but other prudent people will be confounded if this out-of-touch votary of the Republican "Pull Up The Ladder - I'm On Board" religion wins the presidency in 2016.
If the Koch Brothers choose him he's sure to win - he's as capable as any of his unscrupulous knuckle headed Republican rivals of running our nation into yet another self-crippling brick wall.
And that seems to be the direction most Americans want us to go - judging from a CNN poll released twelve days ago that found that 52% of U.S. adults had a favorable impression of George W. Bush's performance as president, compared with only 48% approving of President Obama's.
President Jeb Bush will stand by passively as D.C.'s War Party sofa samurais - and also of course the NSA, the CIA and the Pentagon - generate yet more military spending - and subsidies by rich individuals and corporations for D.C.'s permanent war lobbying Industry - by provoking yet more large scale conflicts overseas.
After all, the bulk of U.S. Defense spending - and Pentagon spending on existing domestic military facilities like military bases - is dispensed in majority Republican Party constituencies, not Democratic ones. And bumping up such spending during George W. Bush's Iraq War helped to avert a recession that loomed during the year or so before the war started - "Military Kenysianism."
Not only Democrats but other prudent people will be confounded if this out-of-touch votary of the Republican "Pull Up The Ladder - I'm On Board" religion wins the presidency in 2016.
6
If the mainstream media were not falling over themselves to shove him in our faces every 5 minutes, no one would be bothering with this loser. He's one half of the US oligarchy, an institution that average Americans overwhelmingly reject. The job of the mainstream media is to make him palatable for those who are weak enough to be drawn in to the rigged sports event pretending to be a presidential election.
Candidates who might represent the people themselves are arrested at the golden arches of the gates to the 'debates', should they even survive the nonstop legal attacks by the corporate parties to keep them off the ballots in every state.
Candidates who might represent the people themselves are arrested at the golden arches of the gates to the 'debates', should they even survive the nonstop legal attacks by the corporate parties to keep them off the ballots in every state.
12
The fall of the American Empire: is going to be just like the Roman one who put fools in power. Many of the luminaries running for the presidency are dim bulbs and why is that? Are there no giants out there, no men or women to match our mountains? Or , are our people so dim that they continue to pick hokum promisers and science deniers? One thing for sure, whoever gets the prize, will become rich beyond one's wildest dreams.
12
We do deserve better...than you Jeb. Better than someone who puts their own personal religious views above the law and wishes of family members. Better than someone who views people arent citizens breaking the law as being loving instead of criminals. Better than someone that believes privatizing everything is good even when evidence shows the exact opposite.
10
It all seems so forced for him - as if he's playing out a destiny he thinks "should" be unfolding for him. I smell too much fear and trepidation.
7
In case anyone has historic amnesia or feeble at mathematics please read the formula below:
Bush + War = Recession
Bush + War = Recession
19
I will take a New Deal Democrat like Hillary over a Taft Republican. As Governor,he did not separate church and state with his interference in the Schiavo Case which was tragic. He weakened higher education by limiting funds and now my grandchildren face very high tuition. He outsourced jobs and weakened child protection. He does not believe in opening Cuba thus denying me as an American citizen the right to visit Cuba while I can visit VietNam and China. He was arrogant to students when they petitioned his office. I was glad to see him go except we now have one of the worst governors who will try to suppress our votes by limiting early voting and voting on Sunday the way he did in 2012 thus causing thousands to stand in line for hours in Miami but they waited to cast their vote even though Obama had already won.
20
Bush's "big idea" is to improve government by letting profiteers assume its functions. Check out how well this has worked in prisons, schools and hospitals. Workers lose their benefits and often their jobs. Taxpayers get soaked by stockholders and executives who feed off privatization.
12
As unqualified or incompetent as JB might be conservatives will vote for him should he be the nominee. Nothing matters these days except getting out the vote. And of course making sure a Republican Florida Governor doesn't get down and dirty which the present Governor is certainly capable of given his record of medicare fraud. Attorney General Lynch may be the Democrats most important weapon by challenging the inevitable sexond wave of voter suppression laws.
9
"I know I can fix this because I've done it" is true. He fixed an election for his brother and who knows what else. Be wary of anybody whose conservative credentials assures us that he can get things done. For sure, it will be there way.
18
Jeb's platform: Ask not what the federal government can do for you. Abolish it and let state and local governments slide inexorably towards bankruptcy.
13
Why are attendees at GOP rallies NEVER EVER smiling?
10
they are stupefied and stunned ... all those bright lights, white skin, and shouting of false platitudes.
2
Democrat party rallies are very colorful, very diverse -- everyone is smiling, swaying, singing, happy and optimistic.
What's to smile about?
2
Although I dislike admitting it and can't put my finger on it there's something about Jeb Bush I've always liked. Maybe it's because his personality and seeming authenticity and depth make him seem more compatible with my favorite color blue instead of red. And rather than being concerned about his name affiliation and what that might mean for his political future, he ought to be more concerned about his party affiliation's narrow restrictive backward moving ideology and what that might mean for his political future.
21
Terry Schiavo? Helping throw the election to his little brother?
What part of him do you like?
What part of him do you like?
3
I agree, ad I am a Democrat. I like him as a person. He seems authentic personally.
What is there, in his history or his record - with the notable exception of his multi-cultural family - to indicate that he doesn't fit in with his party affiliation's backward ideologies?
2
Well based on the quotes in the article, I see Jeb was the usual Republican. Talk a lot, say nothing. At least Hillary did mention SPECIFIC things in her speech, like Wall Street destroying the economy with their short-term profits and lack of long term investing. I'm not claim that Hillary laid out and entire four years of agenda in her speech. But she did identify some very specific activities that have been crippling the US economy for a long time. As far as I can recall, all I've heard from any of the GOP candidates is the usual "the Democrats are evil and I'll fix 'things'", or at best their usual sound bite attacks lacking substance.
7
I hate to break to you all. But Jeb Bush is going to be the next President.
3
The same people who fell in love with, and for, the "Hope and Change" candidate are now convinced that Jeb is a poor candidate and all republicans are bad. And we should respect their judgment...why?
2
Let me guess, you thought Romney would win in a landslide.
4
If you are right, he will probably be the last president of the US.
3
" . . . promising to remove Washington as an obstacle to effective government and economic prosperity . . . declaring 'America deserves better.'"
Always blaming Washington. State and local governments, of course, are pure as the driven snow.
How is it (per the N.Y. Times) that representatives of approximately 600 U.S. corporations can go to a secure website and read the contents of the proposed Pacific trade agreement, but the average U.S. citizen cannot? Is that okay with Mr. Bush? Does he not think in that case that "America deserves better"?
Always blaming Washington. State and local governments, of course, are pure as the driven snow.
How is it (per the N.Y. Times) that representatives of approximately 600 U.S. corporations can go to a secure website and read the contents of the proposed Pacific trade agreement, but the average U.S. citizen cannot? Is that okay with Mr. Bush? Does he not think in that case that "America deserves better"?
3
American voters have been disenfranchised. The SCOTUS has all but guaranteed in Citizens United that Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton will be the candidates in the 2016 presidential election. There is nothing voters can do about it. It is a fait accompli.
Enjoy your slice of democracy American voters and the illusion that you make a difference in this government of the corporation by the corporation for the corporation.
Bush v. Clinton. There’s no stopping them now. If anyone can prove me wrong, I will give you a cracker.
Enjoy your slice of democracy American voters and the illusion that you make a difference in this government of the corporation by the corporation for the corporation.
Bush v. Clinton. There’s no stopping them now. If anyone can prove me wrong, I will give you a cracker.
3
America does not deserve another Bush. We have learned the hard way that they are not to be trusted and could care less about the problems, incomes and healthcare of hard working poor and middle class people. Jeb ( he is now going to campaign without using his last name) is of that ilk,
7
Jeb lost me at "America deserves better." Amerika is a self-deluding, ignorant, arrogant, warmongering entity that deserves reality, not "better." God help us.
8
Jeb!
The answer to a question no one asked!
The answer to a question no one asked!
15
In 2016, I will vote for the Democratic nominee because s/he is NOT a Republican. The GOP clown car is populated by individuals - including Jeb Bush - who have supported heartless policies and done more to gut the middle class than anyone in my lifetime. Sadly, too many Democrats have not had the guts to stand up to GOP distortions.
Remember, Jeb Bush was front and center in efforts to limit participation by minorities at the polls, in Florida. He also caused many voters to be turned away at the polls because they shared the same last name as convicted Florida felons. Outrageous!
Remember, Jeb Bush was front and center in efforts to limit participation by minorities at the polls, in Florida. He also caused many voters to be turned away at the polls because they shared the same last name as convicted Florida felons. Outrageous!
19
The Republicans will lose if they continue to support candidates who would deny a woman's right to an abortion, deny a poor person the right to exercise a constitutional right to vote, deny a person the right to marry someone of the same sex, and so on. Jeb Bush, I'm a Democrat who would like to see an exciting presidential race. Take your party back to its roots, and you will have one.
4
"That photo makes him look as if he just woke up from a nap. Do we sense excitement and charisma here?"
Fair observation, but I wouldn't go too far down that road if I were you. Hillary Clinton doesn't offer much "excitement and charisma" either, and she's a lot older and less healthy than Jeb Bush. (She collapsed at home shortly before Christmas in 2012 – exhaustion was the stated reason.)
She wouldn't be the oldest US President ever elected (Reagan would still win by several months), but she'll be a close second. Only one other president was over 65 when elected (Hillary would be 69; Reagan was several months older, though I think he was still 69): William Henry Harrison, who died just a few weeks after taking office.
Bottom line: Jeb Bush may not be exciting and charismatic, but neither is Hillary and she's a lot older and (apparently) less healthy than Jeb Bush. So, if I were you, I'd try to dump on him on some other basis.
Fair observation, but I wouldn't go too far down that road if I were you. Hillary Clinton doesn't offer much "excitement and charisma" either, and she's a lot older and less healthy than Jeb Bush. (She collapsed at home shortly before Christmas in 2012 – exhaustion was the stated reason.)
She wouldn't be the oldest US President ever elected (Reagan would still win by several months), but she'll be a close second. Only one other president was over 65 when elected (Hillary would be 69; Reagan was several months older, though I think he was still 69): William Henry Harrison, who died just a few weeks after taking office.
Bottom line: Jeb Bush may not be exciting and charismatic, but neither is Hillary and she's a lot older and (apparently) less healthy than Jeb Bush. So, if I were you, I'd try to dump on him on some other basis.
1
Why bother with either of them? Vote for Bernie Sanders.
2
Bush's record of election fraud on a massive scale is both shocking and undeniable. Hillary Clinton knew what she was doing when she made voter suppression and the right to vote a centerpiece of her campaign. I look forward to the debates.
1
He is a Neocon Founding Father. As one of the original signers of the Statement of Purpose of the Project for a New American Century he aligned himself with Cheney, Rumsfield, Bolton, Podhoretz and the others that have done so much damage to our nation with their fatally-flawed politcal views.
Are the Rs incapable of finding a candidate with a track record of doing GOOD things for our nation?
Are the Rs incapable of finding a candidate with a track record of doing GOOD things for our nation?
11
Try to think of a neocon who has done anything good for the country and you will have your answer.
2
So just watched the speech. He has all the charisma of Hoover and the slashing attack of an angry hamster. He seemed to want to beat Rubio in regards to the consumption of water. His assumption that we all want to embrace the social dogma of Pope Benedict and that we are as charmed by the Bush clan as he is may prove false. I was worried about Hillary's chances. Not so worried now.
11
Government IS the problem and I want to lead that government, to be that problem. There's more of this great country to sell, more unions and workers to break more wealth to be wrung and I want to be your sales leader, your closer (my brother called it "decider"). That's who I am and always have been. My own man, bought and owned, brought to you by Citizen's United and my great family Walker/Bush
9
This is a very random question about this political family, but if anyone has an answer, I am very curious. Is it possible that Jeb Bush can have brown eyes when both his parents have blue eyes?
3
I haven't really bothered to look into Jeb's eyes, but 9th grade biology taught me that two blue eyed people cannot make a brown eyed child.
3
I looked it up, and it is possible though not common.
1
Surname or no surname, Bush has no chance of becoming yet another Bush president. Far worse, it is our knowledge that Wisconsin's puppet governor will become the United States' 45th president. How do we know this? If one is aware of America's corporate empire and how it gets things done, one easily realizes the huge donations that will ensure the "walker's" win. There are no limits in what big money heads can bribe with. His first agenda will be what he did to Wisconsin's workers -- ax your right to negotiate with your employer. The Wisconsin laborer and public school teacher have basically become a slave to his system. Workers today have done nothing to preserve what many workers took decades to achieve. Bottom line, there will be no more middle-class -- an already neglected and dwindling class.
4
Is Jeb Bush white or is he Mexican? He wrote down on his 2009 voter registration form in Miami-Dade county that he was Hispanic. But then after being challenged about his ethnicity, he told reporters that he is white.
Rachel Dolezal stepped down as president of the NAACP for claiming she was black after her parents told reporters that Dolezal was in fact white.
Will Bush be held accountable for identifying himself as Hispanic on a legal document when he is in fact white?
Or will he be held to a double standard?
Rachel Dolezal stepped down as president of the NAACP for claiming she was black after her parents told reporters that Dolezal was in fact white.
Will Bush be held accountable for identifying himself as Hispanic on a legal document when he is in fact white?
Or will he be held to a double standard?
8
Remember how the wingnuts went nuts when they discovered that Elizabeth Warren once identified herself as Native American? Will there be a wingnut double standard? Or will they overlook that, as they overlook Rafael Cruz being Canadian born?
8
Some men are known to adopt their wife's last name and ethnicity, voluntarily.
1
Jeb shows a keen sense of history. Monarchs of yore also used a regnal name rather than a family name.
4
Is he joking or what? His bro George Bush destroyed the economy not Obama. His bro was obsess of getting possession of the oil in the gulf because his father didn't succeed and his grand-father lost the oil business. His bro sent the army speculation that Iran was building a Massive destructive weapon. which it come out to be wrong. His bro spent US money to support the army and allies.
8
America deserved better than his ex-CIA Director father and his neocon brother, but he's got a long way to go to prove he's unrelated to their principles - or lack thereof. What he has in his favor is Hillie/Billy Clinton. For once a Democratic choice is worse than the opposition and if the Clintons are the Democratic choice I'd vote for Bush despite his right wing friends and ideas.
If only Bernie Sanders could make it....
If only Bernie Sanders could make it....
3
Quit thinking Bernie can't make it and do something to make it happen. Sanders is currently surging in N.H. and drawing bigger crowds in Iowa than HRH Hillary, the Heir Apparent.
It would be the height of irresponsibility to vote for a republican - whether you particularly like him/her, you need to always keep the Supreme Court front and center.
Think Sanders like people thought Ralph Nader and you get Bush. Democrats must not split their party but stand united otherwise we get another Bush.
Why don't we all give Jeb the opportunity to lay out his vision, his plans and his experience before we rush to judgement. There is plenty of time to get to know him, as there is time to get to know the other candidates. Polls are important, but unless we know who was polled, what the qustions were, and who the pollers were, we should not base our own opinion on these polls. The next President will probably nominate several Supreme Court Judges, that in itself is a staggering thought. Each of us must evaluate the candidate according to our own vision and expectations.
1
In Presidential elections, it's the party platform that we really need to hear. But judging from recent history, the ability to nominate even one Supreme Court Judge is the main reason to vote Dem, regardless of who's nominated. Do we really want another Scalia or Thomas type on the bench?
2
If anyone should know that "'America Deserves Better,'" of all people it should be Jeb Bush. But as you can tell just from the placards that say "Jeb!" there's no mention of the now tarnished family name. Perhaps it's just a case of PTSD after an unnecessary, failed war that destroyed Iraq and has left us still mired in its aftermath, and that was followed by an economic implosion that nearly destroyed the U.S. Jeb seems totally mindless of all that and clearly wants us to share in his amnesia-based delusion that he's the one to clean up the mess his brother bequeathed to America with tax cuts for the rich, a credit card war, a massive national debt, and an "ownership society" based on unregulated mortgage lending. Maybe his placard should read "Jeb?"
3
What a hoot....Bush and Clinton both running without mention of their surnames in their campaign posters/slogans.
It would benefit the Dems if Bush won the nomination. The GOP would then lose the one thing it may have had going for them in the general election--no longer being able to campaign against age, or against having the same family trying to return to the White House.
It would benefit the Dems if Bush won the nomination. The GOP would then lose the one thing it may have had going for them in the general election--no longer being able to campaign against age, or against having the same family trying to return to the White House.
1
Ok, let's take Jeb! at his word that he doesn't want to be judged on his brother's presidency, so let's take a look at Jeb!'s political track record.
1. He's against use of public funds for stem cell research.
2. He interfered in the Terry Schiavo case, to the point of ordering her feeding tube re-inserted, after it had been removed.
3. He created divisive "Choose Life" Florida license plates.
4. He is anti-teacher union
5. Worked at Lehman Brothers from 2007 until it's collapse.
6. Represents the interests of the 1% and military industrial complex.
7. Is a right-wing Catholic who has shown he is capable of foisting his religious views on the public at large.
8. Was for the Iraq war.
1. He's against use of public funds for stem cell research.
2. He interfered in the Terry Schiavo case, to the point of ordering her feeding tube re-inserted, after it had been removed.
3. He created divisive "Choose Life" Florida license plates.
4. He is anti-teacher union
5. Worked at Lehman Brothers from 2007 until it's collapse.
6. Represents the interests of the 1% and military industrial complex.
7. Is a right-wing Catholic who has shown he is capable of foisting his religious views on the public at large.
8. Was for the Iraq war.
23
The only thing you left out was his interference in the 2000 presidential election in Florida.
5
I am still trying to figure out how the nation is in worse shape than it was in January 2009 when his brother left office. Yes, maybe there are areas where progress is disappointing. But I would like to see some specifics on how good old Jeb thinks things were going swimmingly in January 2009, but have since gone to Hell in a hand basket.
18
How can a man who disowns his own family be trusted? Not that I blame the guy. Who would'nt? But family is family for better or for worse. That said, the declaration, "I know I can fix this because I've done it " sounds very ominous What has he done in Florida as Governor? Ruin it. Ask the retirees there whose lives have taken a nose-dive. And one cannot forget the part where he actually stole - stole an election for his brother ( along with our wise, complicit Supreme Court Justices ). And his Foreign Affairs experience ? He went to Europe and showed extreme curiosity UNLIKE his brother! On the plus side, he does not wear glasses for effect like Perry, he is a relative moderate compared to the likes of Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio and unlike Scott Walker he is not a college drop-out ( but no genius either ). He is the most moderate of the Republican fray where women's issues are concerned. And most important - with this delayed announcement he has assured that his coffers are full ( although stretching and bending the rules as much as possible).
10
He has hardly disowned his family. Every chance he gets he talks about them, how proud he is of them and how much he loves them. If anything, it's just the opposite.
1
He's not moderate where women's issues are concerned.
You forgot to mention Stand Your Ground laws in Florida.
You forgot to mention Stand Your Ground laws in Florida.
1
I am obviously biased but I do not think it was a very good speech. It was unfocused and contained no news ideas.
There were no lines that stuck with me like in Hillary's speech: "No one's ever called me a quitter" or "A father can tell his daughter they can be anything growing up, including president" or even the laugh line about her hair.
For someone trying to avoid associating with his family he talked about his mother a lot. Jokingly asking his mother to quiet the crowd at the beginning was weird. This was weirdly juxtaposed to him not mentioning the presidents in his family much at all.
Speaking of those presidents he's just not as likeable as George Bush was, and I strongly dislike the former president politically speaking. The only thing he spoke about with real conviction was immigration, but he didn't offer any solutions other than to imply that Congress would work with him for some unknown reason. His brother tried and failed in this area and not from a lack of political will.
He's a weaker candidate than I had previously realized and I don't think he's getting the nomination.
There were no lines that stuck with me like in Hillary's speech: "No one's ever called me a quitter" or "A father can tell his daughter they can be anything growing up, including president" or even the laugh line about her hair.
For someone trying to avoid associating with his family he talked about his mother a lot. Jokingly asking his mother to quiet the crowd at the beginning was weird. This was weirdly juxtaposed to him not mentioning the presidents in his family much at all.
Speaking of those presidents he's just not as likeable as George Bush was, and I strongly dislike the former president politically speaking. The only thing he spoke about with real conviction was immigration, but he didn't offer any solutions other than to imply that Congress would work with him for some unknown reason. His brother tried and failed in this area and not from a lack of political will.
He's a weaker candidate than I had previously realized and I don't think he's getting the nomination.
9
Message to our dear friends in the USA.
Please, please, please not another Bush! The world is too precious, too fragile, too much in need of wise, moderate, compassionate leadership to have this inflicted on us, again.
Please, please, please not another Bush! The world is too precious, too fragile, too much in need of wise, moderate, compassionate leadership to have this inflicted on us, again.
29
Do you seriously think we don't know that?
1
I don't think Jeb Bush is a jewel of Republican Party. Bush family has bad reputation. we can start with his father "Read my lips, no more taxes". His brother fabricated story of "WMD" for Iraq war. American voters have a long memory.I think America needs a leader like Narendra Modi.
4
He stands a great chance, given that the people who own him are the same people who owned his brother and his father. I suppose there is always the chance that the electorate will look at him and say "Not again!", looking at the certainty of more wars and recession, but the electorate has done some surprising things in the not too distant past.
3
Yes, he is owned by the same millionaires as his brother and father and is advised by the necons, but the only thing that will get him elected is a promise to support the same greed and prejudices that elected our do nothing Congress. However, voter suppression will help.
3
Despite his family background, I think Bush will be a good candidate. I feel badly that he is being forced to complete with such an array of unqualified candidates. The Democrats too, need to put up a few more credentialed candidates, but the hand the GOP has been dealt is truly laughable. I find it hard to believe the media has taken so many of them so seriously up to this point. On that note, welcome to the race, Mr. Bush.
11
Really? Why is he a 'good candidate'? And if it weren't for his family's connections, he would not be running, would not have the war chest he has raised. AND according to his own campaign, 17 of his 21 foreign policy advisers served in George W.'s administration - among them, Paul Wolfowitz, the top policy architect of the Iraq War.
1
Questions for Jeb: How do you feel about President Obama's failure to accept prosecution of your brother, W., for war crimes? How do you feel about W's embrace of torture? How do you feel about 4,200-plus American soldiers slain in your brother's war of choice and lies? How do you feel about who knows how many tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians, including Iraqi "unborn" who were slain in your brother's war of ego, lies and catastrophe?
40
"But Mr. Bush will enter a presidential contest . . . that is unlike any faced by his father, George Bush, who won the office in 1988, or his brother, George W. Bush, who claimed it in 2000."
Claimed it. Well put, NYTimes. Claimed it with Jeb's help. And the Supreme Court, thanks to Daddy Bush's appointment of Clarence Thomas, who voted for Bush over Gore in that 5-4 decision.
Claimed it. Well put, NYTimes. Claimed it with Jeb's help. And the Supreme Court, thanks to Daddy Bush's appointment of Clarence Thomas, who voted for Bush over Gore in that 5-4 decision.
22
At this point, the problem may not necessarily by Jeb himself but the inevitable pack he will have to surround himself with (as we already have seen in some of his campaign advisor choices). Whoever is the next president will almost certainly get to appoint anywhere from 2-4 Supreme Court justices, and there is no way Jeb gets to nominate moderate justices (even if his "better" self would do so). This alone will heavily influence my election choice.
6
"And while Mr. Bush’s wife, Columba, and his three adult children plan to attend his speech, aides said his father and brother would not join him for the announcement..." Hmmmm...wonder why?
12
A.: For the same reason that Bill Clinton's appearances with Hillary are strictly metered.
1
It was to help Jeb-Boy in this charade of trying to get voters to forget his name is Bush.
1
"America deserves better....", than a 3rd Bush in the White House.
18
America does deserve better, true ... better than Jeb Bush.
11
Let me make sure I have this right: he, like the others in GOP cavalcade, want to get themselves elected to the highest office in a government which they believe is burdensome, corrupted, inefficient and should be stripped of power.
They believe that "Government" needs to get out of the way. Is this the same "government" that the GOP is legislating to make abortion illegal, wants to amend the Constitution to legalize discrimination against same sex couples (for religious reasons only, thank you), and wants to end: early childhood education, food stamps, environmental protection, unemployment, welfare, Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security, which at the same time not mandating any worker protections, minimum wage or controls to prevent abusive practices of healthcare insurance providers?
Indeed, we do deserve better - unfortunately none of the people running seem to fit the bill. I'd add the man who can't own his own last name enough to stand in the public light on it.
They believe that "Government" needs to get out of the way. Is this the same "government" that the GOP is legislating to make abortion illegal, wants to amend the Constitution to legalize discrimination against same sex couples (for religious reasons only, thank you), and wants to end: early childhood education, food stamps, environmental protection, unemployment, welfare, Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security, which at the same time not mandating any worker protections, minimum wage or controls to prevent abusive practices of healthcare insurance providers?
Indeed, we do deserve better - unfortunately none of the people running seem to fit the bill. I'd add the man who can't own his own last name enough to stand in the public light on it.
12
Jeb Bush has slimmed down and is at his fighting weight but he looks like a guy whose heart is just not into it, nor is the voting public. His father was a good man and decent President but his brother allowed a bunch of Neocons to con him into a needless war that no one will soon forget. I'm sorry Jeb you will never be President because you are unable to understand that basic fact.
5
He comes across as totally unenthused. Why do men like him (and Romney) keep chasing a job they don't want?
He's got all the time and money in the world, why not spend it doing something he enjoys and perhaps doing something that would help people. It doesn't have to be something that helps millions or even thousands of people, local volunteer work or time spent with family would be fine.
And before one of the Republicans chimes in with "say that to Hillary" I'll point out that I'm not a Hillary supporter and would be happy if she retired from politics. I'll also point out that Hillary really wants the job and always has.
He's got all the time and money in the world, why not spend it doing something he enjoys and perhaps doing something that would help people. It doesn't have to be something that helps millions or even thousands of people, local volunteer work or time spent with family would be fine.
And before one of the Republicans chimes in with "say that to Hillary" I'll point out that I'm not a Hillary supporter and would be happy if she retired from politics. I'll also point out that Hillary really wants the job and always has.
3
He sounded positively enthusiastic compared to the somewhat angry sounding Hillary Clinton. Even her intonation is off. Jeb seems very comfortable up there, while Hillary seems very unnatural and forced.
3
He's loyal to the family fold and legacy ... his hearts not in it, he knows the scrutiny he must face ...but carry out the Bush and cohorts designs on our gov't, that he must try (half heartedly) to do.
Wow-you get an additional nickel! Or do the Bushes pay more than the Kochs?
3
American does indeed deserve something better than a foreign policy team made up of those who got our Iraq policy completely wrong; a economic policy team who got the deficit; inflation, and economic growth completely wrong and a family value team that got everything completely wrong.
6
The first Bush - a small war and a small financial meltdown; The second Bush,- two ongoing wars and a major financial disaster. Now we are considering a third Bush???
21
I thought the first Bush was a good president. He did not cause the financial meltdown, but he righted it by going against his pledge to not raise taxes. President Clinton reaped the benefits of that tough decision when the economy boomed. I'm a Democrat who has worked in finance, so I understand the economic cycle. W Bush was nothing like the Dad, who knew enough to withdraw in the Middle East after pushing Saddam back into his country.
All out war and the end of the American dream.
1
He has demonstrated his capacity for obfuscation and lying over and over. Hi insults our political system and the American people with "Jeb's version of reality", almost every time he speaks. President? Really!
3
600,000 civilians dead in the Iraq, and Bush.3 would have launched the same war. He probably thinks the economic meltdown his brother orchestrated was a good idea too.
9
How does he propose to "remove Washington as an obstacle"? Is he running against the Republican party? It's also interesting that his campaign signs do not mention his surname.
6
The trick is to make America think that he is an old school Republican with All Americans to benefit. In reality, he is owned by the same guys that gave us two wars and a financial meltdown. As long as he remains the good ole boy that can keep the rich happy, he has a chance.
1
Whatever one may think of Jeb Bush, this probably is correct:
If Jeb hadn't lost his 1994 bid for the Florida governorship, he, not his brother George, would have run for President in 2000. By all accounts, Jeb, not George W., was thought of as the most promising Bush son. But when Jeb lost that year, and George W. won the Texas governorship in the same year, it became pretty clear that George W., not Jeb, would be the next Bush (if any) running for President. Jeb's victory four years later came too late to change that.
If Jeb hadn't lost his 1994 bid for the Florida governorship, he, not his brother George, would have run for President in 2000. By all accounts, Jeb, not George W., was thought of as the most promising Bush son. But when Jeb lost that year, and George W. won the Texas governorship in the same year, it became pretty clear that George W., not Jeb, would be the next Bush (if any) running for President. Jeb's victory four years later came too late to change that.
2
Shouldn't all of the PAC money he raised while being a private citizen, not running for office, be put into a blind trust that manages it as a true Super PAC. If he is allowed to direct the use of any of those funds, because they were raised as a "non-candidate", it makes a further travesty of the whole "firewall" concept behind the Super PACs. Stephen Colbert did an excellent series on how this works "within the law" on The Colbert Report during the last election cycle.
1
Yep it's Jeb exclamation mark!
1
A slight twist can turn the exclamation mark into a question mark. That's how close we are to hitting the point of no return.
That photo makes him look as if he just woke up from a nap. Do we sense excitement and charisma here?!?!
4
Well, they changed the photo. Now he's Jumpin' Jack Flash ...
Well, Jeb! has already gotten one thing right: America deserves better.
(Although this American does thank him for that wordmark. Jeb! is much funnier than this campaign season promises to be.)
(Although this American does thank him for that wordmark. Jeb! is much funnier than this campaign season promises to be.)
5
"Playing down his surname?" The nickname "Jeb" is his initials! He knows what the "B" stands for, right?
3
No more Bush. No more Clinton.
There shouldn't be royalty in America.
There shouldn't be royalty in America.
3
Believe me, none of them are.
1
The scary thing is, he's both by far the best qualified Republican to declare so far as well as the least crazy. This last metric he leads by a sizable margin. Can you imagine Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz or Gov. 2-out-of-3 standing in the general election? What a truly terrifying thought. I mean I'm going to vote against whoever the Republican nominee is (and if Bernie Sanders happens to win the Democratic nomination, I will be voting for the Democrat as opposed to against the Republican), but as a wise friend of mine once said, you always want the best candidate from the other side to win their nomination, just in case they actually win the general election.
As P.T. Barnum once said, "nobody has ever gone broke underestimating the stupidity of the American public." Be careful, America.
As P.T. Barnum once said, "nobody has ever gone broke underestimating the stupidity of the American public." Be careful, America.
2
The US gets in trouble by trying to project power around the world. Individuals like Bush who preach this are people of modest understanding caught in the grip of the arrogance of power.
As to enforcing stability in far-off areas, that was exactly the hubris that put the U.S. in the middle of two protracted unwinnable wars in the Middle East and South Asia.
Bush said, "The United States has an undiminished ability to shape events and build alliances of free people." This is a rather unlimited expression of American Exceptionalism, the kind that puts your country into unwinnable wars. As to "free people," somehow I suspect he doesn't aspire to put very many in the "free" camp while supporting his authoritarian "friends" in the Middle East.
As to enforcing stability in far-off areas, that was exactly the hubris that put the U.S. in the middle of two protracted unwinnable wars in the Middle East and South Asia.
Bush said, "The United States has an undiminished ability to shape events and build alliances of free people." This is a rather unlimited expression of American Exceptionalism, the kind that puts your country into unwinnable wars. As to "free people," somehow I suspect he doesn't aspire to put very many in the "free" camp while supporting his authoritarian "friends" in the Middle East.
2
Either you are proud of your familial name and heritage, or you're ashamed of it. It's starting to seem as if Jeb Bush is ashamed of his, with good reason. With brothers like Neil (Silverado S&L) and George W., it must be hard to proud.
4
Sounds like Jeb wants to be the anti-Romney.
Hi I am Jeb, last name "not George Bush".
Agree or disagree with him, Jeb Bush has something that is all too rare in American politics: sincerity.
Hillary Clinton, for all her strengths, comes across as insincere.
That one piece could make all the difference.
Hillary Clinton, for all her strengths, comes across as insincere.
That one piece could make all the difference.
3
Jeb is quite likable and decent. Hillary is neither. He has a record as governor. She has a record as a traveling Secretary of State.
It will come down to her being able to "fight" not for the little guy but through all her own scandals. That's the toughness she really displays.
Oh, and, yes, she's a woman, which really matters to her generation. Little girls already believe they can be president. Just ask them.
It will come down to her being able to "fight" not for the little guy but through all her own scandals. That's the toughness she really displays.
Oh, and, yes, she's a woman, which really matters to her generation. Little girls already believe they can be president. Just ask them.
2
Sincerity? Like when he fumbled and flip flopped on the question of the war in Iraq?
AACNY - His record in Florida is nothing to brag about.
AACNY - His record in Florida is nothing to brag about.
Hillary was also a Senator and what good would a "non-travelling" Sec of State be?
3
America certainly does deserve better - so why are you running Jeb?
4
This is such a huge surprise, I'm just flabbergasted!
Who knew that Jeb considered himself Presidential material, and that he planned to run? I thought he was just raising tens of millions of dollars to pay for his weight-loss program.
Who knew that Jeb considered himself Presidential material, and that he planned to run? I thought he was just raising tens of millions of dollars to pay for his weight-loss program.
7
There's something very odd about Mr. Bush saying "America Deserves Better' in one breath, while declaring his Presidential candidacy in the other.
8
Jeb Bush Announces White House Bid, Saying ‘America Deserves Better.’ How many times have we heard that line?
7
The only reason a Bush is able to throw his hat in the ring is because Pres. Obama refused to hold "W" accountable by telling us we all had to look forward not backward.
Now we see what looking forward might get us.
Now we see what looking forward might get us.
7
Look into my eyes. There never was a George H.W. "Read My Lips: No new taxes!" Bush. And there was definitely never a George W. Bush or the thousands of American soldiers he ordered to their deaths in Iraq. There is only this Jeb "Less Worse" Bush. And he is some Republicans' Great White Hope. The less crazy ones but still dangerously wrong.
5
A great speech. Finally someone who speaks the language of reasonable republicans.
3
You say that about each and every one of the Republican candidates. According to you, each of them is the second coming. It's hard to take anyone so indiscriminate seriously.
1
Really? talking about big brother when in the past few years the most legislation republicans have passed at the state levels have been anti a woman's right to choose? And they are continuing down that path?
Really? When he supported Common Core and now is running away from it?
Really re defense? So we can look forward to even more build up of the military industrial complex? Furthermore he and others calling for more rigorous involvement in foreign wars are dishonest in not also talking about bringing back the draft.
As usual a speech that confirms to me that most republicans operate in an alternate reality.
Really? When he supported Common Core and now is running away from it?
Really re defense? So we can look forward to even more build up of the military industrial complex? Furthermore he and others calling for more rigorous involvement in foreign wars are dishonest in not also talking about bringing back the draft.
As usual a speech that confirms to me that most republicans operate in an alternate reality.
2
DR:
DR:
And you hate each republican like he is the devil himself. It's the same criticism of every republican regardless of who he is. They are actually different, you know, with differing positions.
This crop of republicans happens to be more moderate. If you could bring yourself to listen, you might actually hear it in their messages.
Elizabeth:
You're right. By a progressive's standards, no, Jeb will never be considered reasonable, but neither will any democrat who doesn't hold certain viewpoints. Vote for a war, and it's all over. Because it's never quite good enough for a progressive, and when it is, it's never quite good enough for everyone else to get elected. Tough spot.
DR:
And you hate each republican like he is the devil himself. It's the same criticism of every republican regardless of who he is. They are actually different, you know, with differing positions.
This crop of republicans happens to be more moderate. If you could bring yourself to listen, you might actually hear it in their messages.
Elizabeth:
You're right. By a progressive's standards, no, Jeb will never be considered reasonable, but neither will any democrat who doesn't hold certain viewpoints. Vote for a war, and it's all over. Because it's never quite good enough for a progressive, and when it is, it's never quite good enough for everyone else to get elected. Tough spot.
2
Let's just say he's not my cup of tea.
4
He pretty much promises the same foreign policy as his brother (resuming the war in Iraq full-stop) and the same economic policy as his brother (more tax breaks for the wealthy, dung for everybody else). If you liked George W., you'll love Jeb.
10
I will not vote for Jeb Bush, simply on the grounds that the presidency should not be a family business, as it is in Saudi Arabia, and was in Haiti. We are already on the road to a third-world "democracy". Let's try to stop it.
13
Didn't you know the Bushes were certainly engaged in the Saudi Arabian (read, "Oil") business...and quickly flew the Saudis out of the USA immediately after 9/11? Selective amnesia of the American people, I would call it...
1
Jeb Bush: "America Deserves Better"
Bush's definition of "better" is he wants to cut Social Security and raise the retirement age. And that's just for starters. I'm sure he has an agenda that will please the 1 percent at the expense of the vast majority of Americans.
Bush's definition of "better" is he wants to cut Social Security and raise the retirement age. And that's just for starters. I'm sure he has an agenda that will please the 1 percent at the expense of the vast majority of Americans.
29
When social security started life expectancy was less than 65 years old. Of course retirement age needs to be raised to 70 at least. Younger generations cant' be burden supporting people who think they're owed a living from taxpayers for simply being old.
Obviously Jeb Bush doesn't know any nurses, construction workers, janitors, cooks/chefs, waitresses or other workers who are on their feet all day and will just end up on disability if the retirement age is raised. (Do you really want a 69 year old nurse trying to lift your fattest relative?)
Jeb Bush played a major role in stealing the 2000 election from Al Gore. The Supreme Court will also go down in history as having played a despicable role in that fiasco. I have never forgotten and I suspect this will plague Jeb Bush -- as it should.
23
Ralph Nader cost Al Gore 97,000 votes in Florida. That was enough to lose the election, along with geriatric Floridians' ineptitude with hanging chads. Stuart Taylor spelled it all out in the National Journal, the most thorough analysis. BTW, the Liberals today are cheering the Supreme Court's NC decision. You can't have it both ways.
Ralph Nader aside. We will never know because the Supreme Court stopped the vote counting. Sandra Day O'Connor has acknowledged that was a mistake. --And I really don't appreciate your deprecating senior citizens. Very offensive.
Jeb! cannot even put his last name on his campaign stickers! He is even more pathetic than his older brother!
28
Democrats simply don't get it. After electing Obama who had zero experience and proved to be inept, and then re-electing him, voters are not worried about the last name of a reasonable and experienced candidate.
Let's hope he has as much chance of getting the job as a man called Herod would have in running a children's creche
19
I am disbelieving. How COULD Americans even consider another Bush for the presidency? And why do the Bushes think we need them permanently occupying the White House? It is just crazy on its face.
32
Is there a choice ( really )?
We can, because the current president has made a massive mess of our foreign policy... which frankly exists only in name and is the laughing stock of the entire world.
But then 'who cares' about foreign policy, correct ....? The bigger issues are equal wages for all, no matter how much risk or how hard one works. Equal benefits for all no matter how much one contributes to society or doesn't at all....yep, Hillary is perfect for that.
Only when the US loses its business, innovative, geopolitical and military advantage to a bunch of thugs from around the world will it slowly dawn upon us that perhaps the liberal ideologue we have all been following like sheep was just a pie in the sky fantasy that left us with nothing but a quasi socialistic third world state.
But then 'who cares' about foreign policy, correct ....? The bigger issues are equal wages for all, no matter how much risk or how hard one works. Equal benefits for all no matter how much one contributes to society or doesn't at all....yep, Hillary is perfect for that.
Only when the US loses its business, innovative, geopolitical and military advantage to a bunch of thugs from around the world will it slowly dawn upon us that perhaps the liberal ideologue we have all been following like sheep was just a pie in the sky fantasy that left us with nothing but a quasi socialistic third world state.
1
"W" did the worst possible job and Jeb will be no different. The interesting debate involving Ricky Perry and Jeb should reveal to us the large amount of hate between these two dysfunctional families. No More Bush.
11
And Rick Perry is another bad joke...and we will have to be listening to him, along with the other GOP usual suspects, for another year. Enough to turn one's brain to peanut butter!
1
He's putting us on.
We've got 330 million people in this country. We don't need three presidents out of five from the same dinner table!
We've got 330 million people in this country. We don't need three presidents out of five from the same dinner table!
12
Jeb plays down his surname.
I am reminded of a comment regarding one his family members: "He was born on third base, but he thinks he hit a triple."
I am reminded of a comment regarding one his family members: "He was born on third base, but he thinks he hit a triple."
16
yes, much better to have gotten married on third base, and think you're Babe Ruth.
1
Yes, a bon mot from a distaff political rival, now deceased, who more than once was in rehab for booze and pills. Not Betty Ford, but a governor of Texas, no less.
Another one: "He was born with a silver foot in his mouth."
2
After the debacle in Florida- where he had more than a little involvement- in Y2K, it is impossible to remove the stain. His state government threw tens of thousands of voters off of the rolls late in the game before the 2000 Election where the Republicans tried to steal the election. In the end, the Republican members of the Supreme Court did it for them.
Sorry, just like with the Clintons, we have had more than enough. Go away.
Sorry, just like with the Clintons, we have had more than enough. Go away.
9
The only more critical mass of comments on a presidential candidate than Bush's, are Clinton's -- and I heartily agree with most of them. And yet these two, according to the bookmakers, are the overwhelming favorites to become our next president. I foresee internets going off all across America as millions of us disconnect because we just can't bear to hear or see them. But it's early, and maybe Heaven will help us.
5
Now that he is a candidate, will the media ask those hard questions?
1) Jeb's (and his father's) role in the Iran-Contra Affair. While GHW Bush pardoned all involved (including those not yet charged) it does not change the issue that GHE Bush was the "project manager" and Jeb was the "money man in Mexico."
2) Jeb's role (along with his brother Neiol and his sister-in-law) in the Silverado/Savings and Loan scandal that cost the taxpayer $1.3 billion.
3) Jeb's role in several insider trading schemes.
4) Jeb's role in the unorthodox politics in the Florida Presidential Election that was decided AGAINST the largest vote getter.
5) Jeb's role in getting his wife off when she was arrested for felony smuggling.
These are just the ones that come to mind. There are likely more. The first thing W did as a candidate was to hire opposition research people to see if they could find evidence of his cocaine conviction, his alcoholism, and his desertion from the USAF to avoid Vietnam. Jeb similarly hired them as well.
1) Jeb's (and his father's) role in the Iran-Contra Affair. While GHW Bush pardoned all involved (including those not yet charged) it does not change the issue that GHE Bush was the "project manager" and Jeb was the "money man in Mexico."
2) Jeb's role (along with his brother Neiol and his sister-in-law) in the Silverado/Savings and Loan scandal that cost the taxpayer $1.3 billion.
3) Jeb's role in several insider trading schemes.
4) Jeb's role in the unorthodox politics in the Florida Presidential Election that was decided AGAINST the largest vote getter.
5) Jeb's role in getting his wife off when she was arrested for felony smuggling.
These are just the ones that come to mind. There are likely more. The first thing W did as a candidate was to hire opposition research people to see if they could find evidence of his cocaine conviction, his alcoholism, and his desertion from the USAF to avoid Vietnam. Jeb similarly hired them as well.
21
Not to mention, G. Bush, Jr,'s draft-dodging (along with Cheney)...and the trumped-up WMD lies before the U.N., the complete debacle of the Iraq War of 2003-Present....et al.
3
Jeb may be the best of a bad bunch, but his meddling in social and personal issues make him just like every other Republican, trying to get the government to intrude in people's private lives.
14
Problem is that Republicans don't change. In fact the definition of "conservative" is a person who is adverse to change, typically in relation to politics. We don't need eight more years of "W". Everything need not be done at a profit for the already wealthy. "Removing Washington as an obstacle" is code for further deregulation which will place working people and the environment at risk for the sake of expanding corporate profits and further tax breaks for already wealthy. The cost of these breaks for the already wealthy will be that our children will be sicker, less educated and poorer than we are. The already wealthy could care less. They already have theirs, and it is a global economy. What they can no longer sell to increasingly impoverished Americans, can be peddled elsewhere for a profit. Once upon a time, all Americans were in it together. It was recognized that demand drives the economy so it was important to educate future generations of workers who would be able to find good employment in order to buy goods made by other workers in America. Now the people who make all of the money make nothing. They sit on Wall Street and swap one asset for another in an attempt to make a profit while adding no more to the economy than the old men that I once watched swapping knives on the courthouse benches. America has become the land of the greedy and the selfish where politicians may be bought, used and discarded like condoms. Voting for a conservative will not change anything.
11
Elsewhere today in its coverage of Bush the Times talks about his weakness with Republican moderates. Moderates by whose definition? By what definition. There are no Republican moderates anymore to the degree there ever were any in the years when the eastern old boy Republican network made Dwight Eisenhower president.
The Republican Party is a collection that ranges from arch reactionary to the stark raving mad in political terms, a party of mad dogs, mad at everything and everyone who is not white, bigoted, ignorant of modern life and the realities of economics and modern economies, which is that if not subjected to regulation they destroy everything and everyone in their path.
Bush a moderate? Republican moderates? He is not, they are not. There is no such thing. They are a howling mass of the frightened, ignorant and left behind driven by the money of mad billionaires who want to turn everyone else into chattel.
The words moderate and Republican are mutually exclusive and the media should finally make it clear there are no moderates in that party. The Democratic Party middle is moderate while the Republicans have no middle. They all live and think on the far right edge of the world.
The Republican Party is a collection that ranges from arch reactionary to the stark raving mad in political terms, a party of mad dogs, mad at everything and everyone who is not white, bigoted, ignorant of modern life and the realities of economics and modern economies, which is that if not subjected to regulation they destroy everything and everyone in their path.
Bush a moderate? Republican moderates? He is not, they are not. There is no such thing. They are a howling mass of the frightened, ignorant and left behind driven by the money of mad billionaires who want to turn everyone else into chattel.
The words moderate and Republican are mutually exclusive and the media should finally make it clear there are no moderates in that party. The Democratic Party middle is moderate while the Republicans have no middle. They all live and think on the far right edge of the world.
10
Jeb! has already lost even before he announces he's officially running. Why? Because starting a campaign by running against your very surname and party isn't what you'd call starting off on the right foot. That's not even getting into the particulars of Jeb!, which are going to be fun to see juxtaposed to the other clowns aboard the GOP bus.
11
I voted for Obama in 2012. I would consider voting for Mr Bush if he gets elected especially if the Democratic field stays the same. I can't say that about any of the other republican candidates.
2
How can you be old enough to vote in 2016 when you were, obviously, not alive during the last Bush administration.
22
@Rick Gage, Looks like you haven't even grown old enough to tell the difference between individual people. Better leave trying to discern whether someone was alive or unborn based on what you think of their opinions, for much later when you have gained a little wisdom. lol
Well then, do us all a favor and just sit this election out. NO MORE BUSHES!
Until now, Jeb has played it coy and only pretended to be a candidate. But after collecting huge sums of PAC money, he can finally end the pretense. By officially announcing his candidacy, he can put his mouth where his money is.
11
He could have all the money in the world and it want help him. His brother help enact the Medical Prescription Part D and that's when i became a Independent and will never vote for democrat or republican ever again.
His father appointed Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court. His brother appointed Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts. I don't think the country can take a third Bush appointing people to the Supreme Court.
By the way, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just a concerned citizen with a tiny bit of civic education.
By the way, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just a concerned citizen with a tiny bit of civic education.
63
The problem is, liberal appointees simply don't care what the Constitution says. They will "interpret" the plain language to get to the result their politics demands.
And yes, the right does this too, but by nature, this is actually to far less of an extent as they, in fact, tend to adhere to the original intent without the ostentatious rhetorical sleight of hand to get to a result.
You want progressive legislators but conservative judges.
Otherwise, your government drifts into warmongering fascism...
which, of course, is already here...
And yes, the right does this too, but by nature, this is actually to far less of an extent as they, in fact, tend to adhere to the original intent without the ostentatious rhetorical sleight of hand to get to a result.
You want progressive legislators but conservative judges.
Otherwise, your government drifts into warmongering fascism...
which, of course, is already here...
3
When it comes to the current Supreme Court, one thing is never mentioned but should not be forgotten: it was a Democrat-majority Senate which confirmed Kennedy in '88 (the key vote in Citizens United, with some eye-poppingly, jaw-droppingly absurd "money doesn't corrupt one bit" reasoning in his opinion) and Thomas in '91.
1
You certainly sound like a "1-PerCenter"....or at least well-heeled, like all of those presently in Congress...and the White House!
Hope Jeb has a grasp on what Churchill quoted about Democracies. Something to the effect, " A lousy form of government, just nothing better." No executive could possibly manage a institution, to some form of normalcy, as large as our government. Foreign policy or lack of one, is front an center. Are we are were not the Worlds policeman? Should we continue to turn inward or flex our military might ? Big issues.
Good luck avoiding association with Bush relatives when your first name is an acronym that just happens to include your last name.
11
So far the only 'plus' in his resume is that he's not as stupid as his brother, or so they say. Pretty low bar as qualifications go.
9
We will have "not as bad as his brother" running against "almost as trustworthy as her husband". Is this a great country or what?
6
Jeb's last name is not the issue. It's what he stands for that is the problem. Crony capitalism, nepotism, trickle-down, rigid religious views that guide public policy, and aggressive, 20th Century foreign policy. Jeb Bush belongs in the footnotes of political history along with his failed GOP policies and narrow social values he hopes to promote.
18
Three minutes to the announcement! Is he going to run or isn't he? The uncertainty is killing me!
11
So he's playing down his last name. How about also playing down that acronym that he uses for a first name.
The guy's name is not even "jeb". This guy is a total joke. He can't even figure out the right and obvious answer to the question about whether he'd have gone into Iraq knowing what we now now until a conservative talk-show host prompted to say that he "misheard" the question. Yes, right, "misheard" twice, from two different reporters.
Just because the father may have had something on the ball doesn't necessarily mean that the sons will too. It's not in the DNA. Mickey mantle had four sons. Any of them, make it to the major leagues?
The guy's name is not even "jeb". This guy is a total joke. He can't even figure out the right and obvious answer to the question about whether he'd have gone into Iraq knowing what we now now until a conservative talk-show host prompted to say that he "misheard" the question. Yes, right, "misheard" twice, from two different reporters.
Just because the father may have had something on the ball doesn't necessarily mean that the sons will too. It's not in the DNA. Mickey mantle had four sons. Any of them, make it to the major leagues?
11
"Judge me as my own man" who has as advisers some of the same people who brought is "W". I was willing to take "W" at his word on compassionate conservatism and that was all it was - words. Sorry but I view Hillary and Jeb as two cars going in the same direction: One is going at a moderate speed which allows me time to jump out of the way in time (maybe) and the other is going at break neck speed. I have no need to get "there" any faster than necessary.
3
I think it is bad political decision for Jeb Bush. Bush family lost trust from american public. Voters still remember "Read my lips, no more taxes" and fabrication stories of "WMD". I don't think he has a zero chance.
6
I can not tell you how much of a "downer" the name "Bush" means to an European. We will never forget what George W. Bush did to the world. Not just the many lives ruined but also the division he brought upon America and the rest of the planet. "Freedom Fries"??? You got to be kidding me!
31
Exactly, not to mention that "french fries" were actually conceived in Belgium and named such to distinguish between French and Flemish Belgium.
What would the name Hillary Rodham mean to a European? It's nobody's turn.
If other members of his family did such a great job then why is he trying to distance himself from them ? Is this just another Bush looking after his own interests while exhibiting familial disloyalty or is this a Bush acknowledging that George and Dubya did a terrible job ? If so why would people be so stupid to give yet another Bush a chance ?
14
What is he waiting for? He's going to announce that he's going to announce he's running. First he spends six months making sure his finance committee is in order, now he has to separate from him during campaigning. I wonder if after six months of being in bed with them, so to speak, they are clear on what they have to do. (sarcasm intended) Personally I think he is skirting the law. His name says it all. Jeb: John Ellis BUSH.
9
Playing down his surname? Without it he would be a mid level manager for a bottled water company...
24
A vote for Jeb Bush is a vote for Paul Wolfowitz.
Jeb says he wants to fix things and he's hired old Wolfie to help him do it cuz everyone knows he is the Fixerer
Jeb says he wants to fix things and he's hired old Wolfie to help him do it cuz everyone knows he is the Fixerer
31
And that, of course, would mean yet another war or two.
4
The only reason his name is a problem is because the left are tying him with his Brother. Meanwhile, GW Bush was 100 times better than Obama and he had principle and love of our country
2
Thank heaven someone likes him. Reading the comments I was afraid there wasn't going to be anyone on his side to make fun of.
How can an ostensibly smart person launch his campaign treating voters like we are stupid? Will he tell us the ACA is not working when it clearly is? His brother is his advisor on the middle east? Paul Wolfowitz is an advisor? This act is getting thin and he's supposed to be the best from the GOP. Save us all. Bring on Bernie!
29
If Americans wanted a monarchy, they would not have fought the Revolutionary War. No more Bushes in the White House!
17
I will never forget his interference, using state power to keep Terry Schaivo alive against the wishes of her family. Imagine what he could do for families everywhere by using the federal government to look into Americans' bedrooms and hospitals.
35
Jeb Bush is a redoubtable candidate. He has the network and the money of both his father and his brother. He can speak Spanish (he supports immigration reform), can win Florida . His wife is originally from Mexico. If she can go out there and campaign for her husband, she could attract enough Hispanic votes for her husband to win the presidency.
US voters have short memories and usually vote against their own interests. After shutting the government , the GOP got rewarded with control of both chambers of congress.
Be AFRAID, America, another Bush is on his way to the White House. Since any Bush comes with a WAR. The question is which country will the US be bombing in 2018-19? Iran comes in mind, in case the Mullahs in Teheran are not smart enough to seize Obama's offer.
US voters have short memories and usually vote against their own interests. After shutting the government , the GOP got rewarded with control of both chambers of congress.
Be AFRAID, America, another Bush is on his way to the White House. Since any Bush comes with a WAR. The question is which country will the US be bombing in 2018-19? Iran comes in mind, in case the Mullahs in Teheran are not smart enough to seize Obama's offer.
7
The problem is that he will win the nomination because he is the least worst Republican candidate
7
One never knows WHAT the Donald will do if he gets BORED enough.........
Playing down his surname? That's his most important asset - the same surname made his brother our president for 8 years...
2
Wait let me guess - I bet the Jebster said nary a word about either the 2000 election manipulation in Florida or Terry Schiavo. Arrogant, Entitled, Incompetent, and Corrupt is not a great campaign slogan but it's pretty much all he has.
38
Nope, he didn't, but he did mention the economic growth in Florida thanks to his administration. Thinking back....wasn't that nearly 15 years ago, when Bill Clinton was president?
1
It appears from his quick moves in an around his brother's disastrous legacy that Jeb is as adept at changing opinions as Hillary, his potential democratic opponent. They both are top line political chameleons, although in listening to Hillary's latest remarks I at first thought she was a new candidate with the name Bernie Rodham Clinton.
The voters were badly fooled by Mr. Obama in his pose as a "change" candidate and it may be difficult for Jeb and Hillary to pull the same stunt again with their diehard supporters. And voters generally are likely to value the real Bernie Sanders rather than the make-believe Hillary version, or the false front on the Jeb version of his brother's mistakes.
The voters were badly fooled by Mr. Obama in his pose as a "change" candidate and it may be difficult for Jeb and Hillary to pull the same stunt again with their diehard supporters. And voters generally are likely to value the real Bernie Sanders rather than the make-believe Hillary version, or the false front on the Jeb version of his brother's mistakes.
The GOP has blocked everything he has tried to change. In fact Mr Mitchel said on the day that Obama was inaugurated I will make sure Obama becomes a one term president.
1
What does it say about a guy who's too ashamed to use his own name?
12
Jeb Bush should be way out in front, given his family connections and ability to raise big money. But he is just not that appealing to conservatives or evangelicals and apparently isn't attracting a lot of moderates. He is not charismatic or a great speaker. Jeb's also prone to the family disease of verbal pratfalls and soundbite gaffes. While he may have been a good governor of Florida, that was a long time ago.
As for his platform, Jeb's loyalty to Common Core educational policy probably won't gain him many voters but it sure will help him lose many. I really don't know what his other major positions are.
Jeb's miscues and re-positionings are funny and disturbing. It's odd to see a major candidate clearly go through an extended beta phase in public. He offers no compelling reason to vote for him right now. Jeb can play down his last name all he wants but the more he fumbles and stumbles, the more he reminds voters of Dubya.
As for his platform, Jeb's loyalty to Common Core educational policy probably won't gain him many voters but it sure will help him lose many. I really don't know what his other major positions are.
Jeb's miscues and re-positionings are funny and disturbing. It's odd to see a major candidate clearly go through an extended beta phase in public. He offers no compelling reason to vote for him right now. Jeb can play down his last name all he wants but the more he fumbles and stumbles, the more he reminds voters of Dubya.
125
Wow... What a total surprise! I had no idea he was planning a run.
1
There is really NOTHING to recommend him except that he is a Bush. If he was not a Bush, he wouldn't be running and we would all be better for it. His mother said it best - "There are other people out there that are very qualified and we’ve had enough Bushes.” Amen!
1
By now we can be 100% certain that what candidates say during their campaigns is totally meaningless. I had some hopes for Obama who nonetheless reneged on practically all his promises which got him elected. So why is the NYTimes pandering to perceived gullibility by pretending to report candidates' "positions" when they know much better?
3
After seeing his list of advisers, most of whom served his big brother, I think his campaign slogan should be 'JAB!' (Just Another Bush).
12
Jeb Bush lives by a double standard. He said people who are arrested should be made to wear a frilly pink jumper and sweep their neighborhood streets. All three of his children and his wife have been in serious trouble with the law and I never saw them sweeping the streets. I can't stand a politician who makes harsh judgements on the poor but lets the rich (including their own wives and children) get away with anything.
18
Jeb Bush does not associate himself with "that crowd in Washington".
Jeb, do you mean the swarm of WallStreet bankers, that your brother and dad brought, who infest every nook and cranny of Capitol Hill and the Treasury?
Or maybe you are refering to the military industrial complex that is rapidly expanding its "haystacks " bureaucracy in the dept of him eland security?
Or maybe you mean the movement conservatives, the American Taliban, who have arrived in Washington to establish the USA as a Christians nation - after alll , there is no reference to a "wall of separation between the church and state" in the constitution.
Or perhaps you mean the crowd that fills your PAC after legislating election laws was moved from Congress to the Supreme Court because money isn't commerce, it is speech (money talks).
Why would anybody think a Bush was part of "that crowd"?
Jeb, do you mean the swarm of WallStreet bankers, that your brother and dad brought, who infest every nook and cranny of Capitol Hill and the Treasury?
Or maybe you are refering to the military industrial complex that is rapidly expanding its "haystacks " bureaucracy in the dept of him eland security?
Or maybe you mean the movement conservatives, the American Taliban, who have arrived in Washington to establish the USA as a Christians nation - after alll , there is no reference to a "wall of separation between the church and state" in the constitution.
Or perhaps you mean the crowd that fills your PAC after legislating election laws was moved from Congress to the Supreme Court because money isn't commerce, it is speech (money talks).
Why would anybody think a Bush was part of "that crowd"?
6
You can run but you cannot hide who you are!
12
Love the libs attacks on the Bush family. How in the world can you then turn out to support another empty suit (pant suit I guess) in Ms Clinton? She stands for nothing but her sizable back-pocket, she has accomplished nothing as a government employee and she is ceremoniously outed as one very prolific liar.
You need not worry about ol' Jeb as he will not be our nominee...but keep up the chatter...I need the laugh!
You need not worry about ol' Jeb as he will not be our nominee...but keep up the chatter...I need the laugh!
2
Play the Bush name down all you want, but you can't run away from incompetence and shame.
18
If the Republicans have their way the Supreme Court will disallow ACA subsidies in states like Florida that haven't established their own health exchanges. As a result, over a million Floridians will lose their ACA subsidies and probably their health insurance. Over half a million Floridians are eligible for Medicaid under federal law, but can't get it because of opposition by Florida's Republican establishment.
Jeb Bush is part of this establishment. Because of policies he supports, the poorest residents of his state are forced into using emergency rooms as their primary care providers. This is not the action of a Christian or of a moral human being.
Jeb Bush is part of this establishment. Because of policies he supports, the poorest residents of his state are forced into using emergency rooms as their primary care providers. This is not the action of a Christian or of a moral human being.
28
A Bush is a Bush no matter how hard you try to hide it. The question is, is he the smarter brother?
6
"Just call me Jeb Reagan, I will bring the best of both families to the middle class"
1
Many Americans are uneasy about the implications of political dynasty and entitlement of another Bush or Clinton presidency. While, depending on viewpoints, there were good and not so good aspects of both, we're (hopefully) in a different era now and not looking for continuation of previous decades.
Could each party let go of its intended, JEB and Hilary mutually stand down, and leave the country with a choice of new candidates with new ideas, who may not already be financed by huge money?
Could each party let go of its intended, JEB and Hilary mutually stand down, and leave the country with a choice of new candidates with new ideas, who may not already be financed by huge money?
1
Is Jeb going to jettison his brothers advisors?? Until he does this it doesn't matter what his last name is.
4
The whole Bush family are puppets for the NWO. You can kiss your country good bye if another Bush wins. Going back to granddaddy Prescott who helped finance Hitler. Their choices appear to have always been to enhance their own pockets and do what they are told, not what is best for the country or it's people.
1
The apple always falls close to the tree!!
3
After Obama went ahead with the Iran deal, it would be foolish to think that Saudi Arabia wasn't going to sit this election out.
2
The American Dream (for politicians, of course) is not dead, yet. American voters may be prepared to send another Bush to the White House in 2016. If Jeb Bush is elected president eventually, the old saying about second marriage will prove correct. It will be the triumph of hope over experience.
3
We are doing the same thing over again and expecting different results.
6
One might suppose it's safe to joke about a candidate who has so little to offer, but I still worry that his weaker brother won two elections.
1
Dubya did not win 2 elections. In 2000 there were voting irregularities while Jeb was governor of Florida. Jeb and Kathleen Harris helped Dubya to win. The Supreme Court finalized that. In 2004, a Vietnam war hero who was the Dem candidate was attacked as a coward and traitor. There were more indications of vote fraud by the GOP in Ohio. The US needs to compare the state of the US in 1999 versus 2009 and then decide whether they need another Bush for President.
3
Playing down his surname is not enough for me. He's going to have to prove he was adopted.
10
I could care less about his DNA. What concerns me are his policies which are just as bad as those of G.W.
1
Even if he were adopted, his biggest problem is that has lined up many of the people who steered his brother's presidency. Why in the world should we expect anything different?
1
Now that he has assembled his war chest, he can announce. Never a word from the press as to this sneaky maneuver.. Once stated as a competitor, he can gather only the amount of cash as decreed by law, regulation, or rule. But his end run goes unnoticed, probably on purpose. So are there any honest men left to man the ship?
6
With an emphasis on the word "war" which is exactly what we'll get if he's elected.
2
Maybe Jeb can revive ENRON since Halliburton was already saved by the previous Bush adventure.
6
I can think of one difference between Jeb and W..........
W never took it upon himself to directly interfere in someone else's marriage and next-of-kin relationship by calling an emergency session of the legislature in order to enact a law that forced someone to be kept artificially alive.
W never took it upon himself to directly interfere in someone else's marriage and next-of-kin relationship by calling an emergency session of the legislature in order to enact a law that forced someone to be kept artificially alive.
4
That name is a lot to overcome. History has been generous to George H. W. Bush, but Americans were not, because the country under him suffered what was, at the time, the worst recession since the WWII era, and it was not until about 1996 that people seemed to feel that the country had found its footing again. Nothing need be said of George W. Bush’s legacy, other than that we still haven’t found our footing.
3
I fail to see much difference between Jeb Bush and Ted Kennedy. Ted Kennedy ran for the Democratic nomination because he felt entitled to the position, but he really didn't know why he wanted to be President. Jeb Bush is running because he considers it his destiny, but he has not thought about anything new he can contribute as President. You can see that by the fact that he is very unprepared and relying on the same advisors that his brother used.
2
Bush I = First Iraqi war, Bush II = First Afghanistan war & Second Iraqi war, Bush III = As many wars as a Republican Congress will gift him!
We don't need another Bush White House of wars, tax cuts for the rich, and devastating deficits!
We don't need another Bush White House of wars, tax cuts for the rich, and devastating deficits!
22
Let's even put aside the name issue. Jeb Bush is a trickle-down theorist, wanting to cut taxes for the highest earners, a completely discredited economic theory that got us into trouble in the first place. He is the standard-bearer of the extreme right on anti-abortion issues, going so far as to advocate for public shaming of unmarried mothers, trying to prevent minors (as young as 13 years old) and rape victims from having abortions. His advisors are the same neocons that got us into the Iraq War. I think that, all things being equal, his name is the least of his negatives.
18
Intead of "Jeb!" why not "I'm not George!"
9
Wow, I'd like to see a Kennedy try this one out.
Let's not forget Jeb's 'hanging chad' charade compliance.
Or is Chad the name of a Bush brother we've not yet met?
Let's not forget Jeb's 'hanging chad' charade compliance.
Or is Chad the name of a Bush brother we've not yet met?
22
JB can run but he cannot hide. Rachel Maddow's piece on his Polish fiasco last week is all you need to know about team Jeb. If you watch it you'll run from this Republican in .999 flat.
15
Can he run away from his direct links to the bin Laden family? Can he hide his unfeeling mismanagement of the unfortunate Terry Schiavo tragedy? Can he cover up forever his theft of the Florida votes that helped elect his brother? Can Americans forget the Bush-whacking this country and the world has already suffered under the other members of his dynasty? These are the questions that need to be asked and answered.
40
“First you must find... another shrubbery! Then, when you have found the shrubbery, you must place it here, beside this shrubbery, only slightly higher so you get a two layer effect with a little path running down the middle. ("A path! A path!") Then, you must cut down the mightiest tree in the forest... with... a herring!”
Now where did I put my hedge trimmer?
Now where did I put my hedge trimmer?
7
Well, as far as presidential family legacies go, I'll take another Clinton presidency like the first one any day. At least the country wasn't brought to the brink of extinction under President Clinton, as was the case of the last Bush in the White House. Jeb Bush can pretend his last name is something other than Bush but the United States and the world are still recovering from the historic lows of the previous Bush administration. Will the American voters and the media even permit Jeb Bush to move beyond "I am not George" on the campaign trail and address the serious issues facing this country, many of which were initiated or exacerbated by his brother's administration?
34
Yeah Clinton he who repealed Glass/Steagall and started the de-regulation with the banks that led to the meltdown in 2008.........Clinton who brought us NAFTA............Clinton the same one who brought us the mess with Fanny and Freddy..and Clinton who had a chance to get Bin Laden but didn't........and all fo you with short term memory loss concerning the glory days that were Clinton (not) just need to google him, but you won't because you don't want to remember that he wasn't the second coming but you 'll never admit to your mistakes, you'd rather continue the blame game. Good luck with that.
2
If Clinton were as horrible as you say, why didn't 8 years of George W. Biush and a Republican controlled Congress for most of his two terms correct Bill Clinton's mistakes? Instead, we were driven into two very unpopular and costly wars, experienced 9/11 and the worst economic meltdown since The Great Recession. It would seem to me you are the one with the even shorter term memory and playing the blame game here. And good luck with that, my friend.
1
Maybe he should call himself Jeb B. He could then be President B, if he won.
We all know who his brother is.
We all know who his brother is.
4
This is frightening. Jeb's only strategy is to draw attention to ISIS, which means that a shadow operation with a billion dollars is going to work to make America scared of ISIS for a year and a half.
A billion dollar industry based solely on freaking us out. I wonder what that's going to look like ?
A billion dollar industry based solely on freaking us out. I wonder what that's going to look like ?
7
Jeb Bush is a Bush. Nothing more should be said. Even though he wants to play down his surname it will do him little good. He comes from the same stock as his brother, obviously, and that is a huge liability, not to mention the fact that he once stated that W is his primary foreign affairs adviser. That in itself is enough to make a dog laugh. As they used to say in the hillcountry, I wouldn't trust Jeb Bush in an outhouse (euphemism) with a muzzle on.
7
So from now on it's "Jeb Who?". I imagine we're all supposed to forget how Jeb became Governor Jeb, multi-millionaie Jeb and Presidential candidate Jeb. I suppose that if his name was Jeb Schmo he'd still be in the position he occupies today.
9
The only person who said former Florida Governor John E. Bush is hiding his last name are the New York Times Reporters.
Did they report that opinion of theirs as a fact when "Hillary" declared herself (a few times) without her last name? No!
Did they every wonder why her illegally used email address was HDR22 (the HDR clearly are initials without the word Clinton, the 22 has still never been addressed by the media; I'm still waiting). My first question to her would be "Does HDR imply that you are going to divorce the former President?"
Did they report that opinion of theirs as a fact when "Hillary" declared herself (a few times) without her last name? No!
Did they every wonder why her illegally used email address was HDR22 (the HDR clearly are initials without the word Clinton, the 22 has still never been addressed by the media; I'm still waiting). My first question to her would be "Does HDR imply that you are going to divorce the former President?"
1
Is it too late for him to take his wife's last name?
14
You can run but you can't hide.
The fact that his last name is so cringe-worthy to so many people, ought to tell him something about his candidacy but there are even more reasons why the voters need to take a hard look at the third Bush who would be president and that is the Terri Schiavo case. He spent two years of tax-payer money, trying to get the courts to rule that her husband could not take her off of artificial life support even though she was brain dead.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/01/jeb-bush-terri-schiavo-11...
As Dennis Baxley, a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives during Bush’s governorship said about Jeb! “He may be wrong about something, but he knows what he believes.”
The fact that his last name is so cringe-worthy to so many people, ought to tell him something about his candidacy but there are even more reasons why the voters need to take a hard look at the third Bush who would be president and that is the Terri Schiavo case. He spent two years of tax-payer money, trying to get the courts to rule that her husband could not take her off of artificial life support even though she was brain dead.
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/01/jeb-bush-terri-schiavo-11...
As Dennis Baxley, a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives during Bush’s governorship said about Jeb! “He may be wrong about something, but he knows what he believes.”
14
More moderate and judicious than many of his competitors.
Hence the base's animus for him.
1
That's not really saying much.
3
They are all bozos on that bus!
4
As Jeb's ineloquent brother once struggled to remind us, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
The once-gullible voters are not foolish enough to be shamed. But as he has demonstrated with his stealth presidential bid, Jeb is shameless enough to try to do it.
So much for "the nobility of public service".
The once-gullible voters are not foolish enough to be shamed. But as he has demonstrated with his stealth presidential bid, Jeb is shameless enough to try to do it.
So much for "the nobility of public service".
9
Jeb! Jeb who? Oh, right --another Bush. A "new" Bush with the same military advisors who advised Pres Bush 43, then left with a signed agreement to withdraw all US troops the next President had to obey regardless of the consequences. Not to be confused with Pres Bush 41.
What did Jeb's mother say? "The US doesn't need another Bush as President." Mother knows best.
What did Jeb's mother say? "The US doesn't need another Bush as President." Mother knows best.
24
In addition to reminding voters of Bush's last name, the Democrats should appropriate and quote his mother's own opinion, "America doesn't need another Bush in the White House," as well as the gun control movement's slogan, "Not one more!"
6
No matter what kind of viral marketing Jeb uses, the fact of the matter now is that he has to prove he isn't George W. Bush's slightly less intelligent brother,
And that may be too tall an order for Jeb to fulfill.
And that may be too tall an order for Jeb to fulfill.
3
If he really wants to undo his own history, he can undo his own election as Governor, then unto his business career, and then tear up the Rolodex he inherited. He can shut down the network of donors and advisers he inherited.
His name got him into all that.
His name got him into all that.
9
History is being made; the first candidate to seek the presidency with his given name:
"President Jeb"
"President Jeb"
2
Come and listen to a story about a man named Jeb
Campaigning privateer, raised a billion on the web,
And just when the feds were gona bust his balloon
He said OK I’m runnin’ to be your head goon.
Pres, that is, skim the cream from the Dream.
Well the first think you know ol’ Jeb’s a billionaire
An the reason that he run has always been quite clear,
Saudi Arabia’s the place he wants to be,
So he’ll fly them on a plane to a place called D.C.
Washington that is, slush funds and congressmen.
Well now it’s time to say not a Bush not agin.
Last time it was ole Doofus and Cheney droppin in.
Been at war ever since democracy a casualty,
Of the Bush dynasty and their brand of destiny.
Rich that is. Don’t pass go. Go to jail.
Campaigning privateer, raised a billion on the web,
And just when the feds were gona bust his balloon
He said OK I’m runnin’ to be your head goon.
Pres, that is, skim the cream from the Dream.
Well the first think you know ol’ Jeb’s a billionaire
An the reason that he run has always been quite clear,
Saudi Arabia’s the place he wants to be,
So he’ll fly them on a plane to a place called D.C.
Washington that is, slush funds and congressmen.
Well now it’s time to say not a Bush not agin.
Last time it was ole Doofus and Cheney droppin in.
Been at war ever since democracy a casualty,
Of the Bush dynasty and their brand of destiny.
Rich that is. Don’t pass go. Go to jail.
21
"A rose by any other name..."
3
Jebya Bush is no more "cerebral" than Marco Rubio is "charismatic."
18
Judging Jeb as a "Bush" is like judging Barack Obama as an African-American or Anderson Cooper as a gay man.
Barack Obama and Jeb Bush and Anderson Cooper and everyone else should be judged as individuals, on their own merits - not judged as a group that happen to belong to.
Barack Obama and Jeb Bush and Anderson Cooper and everyone else should be judged as individuals, on their own merits - not judged as a group that happen to belong to.
3
Jeb doesn't "happen" to be a Bush. The name comes with a treasury of money, contacts, privileges, assumptions, obligations, secrets and tragic errors, and he has embraced all of it. Never in his life has he sought to be judged as an individual on his own merits. He never needed his own merits.
9
Sadly, that really doesn't work out any better for the guy.
2
That's a nice thought but check out who his advisers are and what his policies are.
3
His campaign logo is idiotic and insulting, just like his platform.
19
He and his family belong in jail, not running the country.
63
The paradox of this, of course, is that his 'first name' contains his last name - Jeb stands for John Ellis Bush. So he can't get away from it either way!
18
And Good luck with that. The Bush name is poison.
29
To be honest I can't believe that candidates promise. Why? Because I remember the words of Obama. These were empty promises. Guantanamo is open, Obamacare gives the benefit only for him. Is this fair?
1
We Americans are a naïve bunch. We want our presidents to do everything they say in their campaigns. But give them no leeway when they can't for whatever reason. An obstructionist Congress, for example. Or things we may not even know anything about.
And, Helen, I am not sure what you mean by "Obamacare gives the benefit only for him." What bothers me is our Congress denying benefits of all kinds to the general public, while they bathe in the largesse of the very government they work for and detest simultaneously.
Why can't the Republicans put up a credible candidate without him having to tow the religious, anti-woman, anti-middle class, pro-business platform?
And, Helen, I am not sure what you mean by "Obamacare gives the benefit only for him." What bothers me is our Congress denying benefits of all kinds to the general public, while they bathe in the largesse of the very government they work for and detest simultaneously.
Why can't the Republicans put up a credible candidate without him having to tow the religious, anti-woman, anti-middle class, pro-business platform?
1
Not for anything but big business has done quite well under Obama and the MIddle Class not so much. Not one wall street biggie has been arrested. So as long as we understand that most politicians lie and will say anything to get your vote. Caveat emptor.
What i don't sense is why this seriously questionable man even wants to be president, except to further the interests of his legacy, from whom he wants to distance himself, and the backers who's better interests he will serve if he should win. This is what big, silent money has done to our campaign cycle ... and the quite probable destruction of democracy and the presidency. It's a bit scary ... it's also scary to think that our dumb voter public are willing participants in this, I betcha a good portion would vote for him if he became the Republican front runner.
8
Isn't the "B" in "JEB" a reference to his surname? 'JEB' is his initials, not his given name. "Jeb Bush" always struck me in the same way as "LOL out loud" -- a bit redundant.
10
Why don't we just require that all politicians drop their last names completely?
Then they can add in the diminutive to their first name that will make their politics more palatable to their constituents. Jebbie. Hillie. Teddie. Randi. Much more friendly sounding. Even our kids might like them. Except, perhaps for "Randi." Not a good idea for kids, I think.
Or, we can bracket what would have been their last name with (no last name required).
Or, better yet, we append a favorite character from, say, Game of Thrones, to their name and we could get voters really excited. House of Wall Street: Hillary the Slayer.
House Beyond the Wall: Jeb NoJoy. No House at All: Ted Whatsisname.
After all, we have one candidate already, who in a Robin Hood moment, promises that every American will get the same chance she did to "make ends meet." Or was it, earn a living wage? Can't remember - there have been so many promises. Must have been earn $200K for a speech or two. And then "the challenger" seems bent on leaving his personal legacy at the back door - except for the cash withdrawals from his family's ATM. Can't decide to use your surname? Just turn it into a new logo. Rebrand…it's the way of the world, and everyone is doing it. Hillary is now "Nixonian" in her political probity. I can envision a "Hillary's The One" campaign with her surrounded by her favorite average Americans. Jeb could Hispanicize his logo with "Esto Es Jeb! - Vota, vota, vota!"
Frankly, the whole thing is silly.
Then they can add in the diminutive to their first name that will make their politics more palatable to their constituents. Jebbie. Hillie. Teddie. Randi. Much more friendly sounding. Even our kids might like them. Except, perhaps for "Randi." Not a good idea for kids, I think.
Or, we can bracket what would have been their last name with (no last name required).
Or, better yet, we append a favorite character from, say, Game of Thrones, to their name and we could get voters really excited. House of Wall Street: Hillary the Slayer.
House Beyond the Wall: Jeb NoJoy. No House at All: Ted Whatsisname.
After all, we have one candidate already, who in a Robin Hood moment, promises that every American will get the same chance she did to "make ends meet." Or was it, earn a living wage? Can't remember - there have been so many promises. Must have been earn $200K for a speech or two. And then "the challenger" seems bent on leaving his personal legacy at the back door - except for the cash withdrawals from his family's ATM. Can't decide to use your surname? Just turn it into a new logo. Rebrand…it's the way of the world, and everyone is doing it. Hillary is now "Nixonian" in her political probity. I can envision a "Hillary's The One" campaign with her surrounded by her favorite average Americans. Jeb could Hispanicize his logo with "Esto Es Jeb! - Vota, vota, vota!"
Frankly, the whole thing is silly.
3
Please lord, spare us the disaster of another Bush presidency. We will NEVER fully recover from the damage done by the last one.
51
Then I get down on my knees and pray, we won't get fooled again. Meet the new Bush, same as the old Bush.
27
Simple downplaying his surname won't be enough. He's going have to do something earth-shattering. How's this for a campaign promise: "Vote for me, I will send my brother to The Hague to stand trial for war crimes". He'd even get my [absentee] vote.
19
Amen to that, brother.
PS The only thing that got Bush2 into the White House in 2000 (note I did not write "elected" because he was not) was having Jeb Bush as Governor of Florida. I will never forget hearing the network news declare Florida for Al Gore on the night of the election - and then suddenly, the ballots disappeared! And we had the dance of the ballots as they were put in trucks and send all over Florida highways so they could NOT be counted. So, with ballots from counties that vote Democrat "unavailable" for counting, then suddenly, Bush took Florida! Wow! How Jeb Bush is not in jail for voter fraud is astonishing to me, just as how George Bush is not in jail for war crimes! What is it about this family that they cannot play fair, but they never pay for their crimes?
PS The only thing that got Bush2 into the White House in 2000 (note I did not write "elected" because he was not) was having Jeb Bush as Governor of Florida. I will never forget hearing the network news declare Florida for Al Gore on the night of the election - and then suddenly, the ballots disappeared! And we had the dance of the ballots as they were put in trucks and send all over Florida highways so they could NOT be counted. So, with ballots from counties that vote Democrat "unavailable" for counting, then suddenly, Bush took Florida! Wow! How Jeb Bush is not in jail for voter fraud is astonishing to me, just as how George Bush is not in jail for war crimes! What is it about this family that they cannot play fair, but they never pay for their crimes?
1
Jeb isn't going to win the nomination. This week he went to Poland and stood beside the man who had run Poland and gushed at the great friendship and respect that each shared.
The only problem with all that was that the man Jeb was standing beside was no longer running Poland. He had resigned the day before because he'd been secretly taped calling the US a bunch of losers, no where, no one should trust them, etc.
That could have been just an embarrassing moment but it was more than that. Jeb and the men who "manage" him knew that the man was out, gone, history, and instead of coming down with a stomach ache or a sprained ankle and spending that time, publicly in an emergency room, smiling and saying it was nothing, he'd be fine, he stupidly met with the man who'd been ousted for bad-mouthing the US and praised him to the eye-teeth.
This is terminal stupidity.
It's also the dozenth time he's pulled a stupid.
This man is not a statesman.
He's an embarrassment.
And so are his handlers.
The only problem with all that was that the man Jeb was standing beside was no longer running Poland. He had resigned the day before because he'd been secretly taped calling the US a bunch of losers, no where, no one should trust them, etc.
That could have been just an embarrassing moment but it was more than that. Jeb and the men who "manage" him knew that the man was out, gone, history, and instead of coming down with a stomach ache or a sprained ankle and spending that time, publicly in an emergency room, smiling and saying it was nothing, he'd be fine, he stupidly met with the man who'd been ousted for bad-mouthing the US and praised him to the eye-teeth.
This is terminal stupidity.
It's also the dozenth time he's pulled a stupid.
This man is not a statesman.
He's an embarrassment.
And so are his handlers.
64
I see Jeb is inspired by the surname-less likes of Sting, Bono, Beck, and Madonna. Does this now make him more of an entertainer than a politician?
Jokes aside, when a politician is too ashamed of advertising his last name when running for PRESIDENT (you know, the main leader) of the United States of America, I believe that should be seen as a big red flag... but, maybe that's just me.
Jokes aside, when a politician is too ashamed of advertising his last name when running for PRESIDENT (you know, the main leader) of the United States of America, I believe that should be seen as a big red flag... but, maybe that's just me.
295
I want to know if the exclamation point is part of his identity (Jeb!)
1
And Cher. Don't forget Cher!
1
Any candidate who steals the idea for his logo from Lamar Alexander is in trouble. (Remember that other Republican presidential candidate's logo? "Lamar!")
Actually, I'm surprised that Jeb didn't add a little variation--an inverted exclamation point in front of his name--as a dog whistle to the Latinos.
Actually, I'm surprised that Jeb didn't add a little variation--an inverted exclamation point in front of his name--as a dog whistle to the Latinos.
Jeb! does what the money tells him to do. Last night I was watching American Greed about a Venezuelan con man and there was Jeb! front and center with him! Today in the PB Post front page--Jeb;s! biotech frenzy ultimately crashed and burned--no great paying jobs but the developer's got billions to put up more construction. Shall I mention Terry Schiavo? Jeb! presided over the real estate bubble and thought it was awesome. His term ended just as it was starting to wobble. There's more. Bottom line: We need someone else.
14
Obama and Solyndra anyone?
1
Bush, a name that should be scream deceit, lies, rigged elections, the death of hundreds of thousands, and general skullduggery. And he thinks he can be President. He should have thought of this before he tipped Florida to his brother in 2,000,
28
Shady business deals, a brother who was our worst president ever, and governor of Florida. Any one of those should disqualify him from being president. Can't the republicans do better?
15
I remember him in Florida for constantly giving big sugar and other corporations tax breaks. Stand your ground starting under his watch. And not recognizing the right of a husband who no longer wanted his wife who was practically brain dead to remain alive. Don't be fooled by him, he is just another Bush.
18
There is nothing I admire more than a man that is ashamed, rather than proud if his surname and will denigrate it to be elected.
Mr. Worm Goes to Washington. Great idea for a movie.
Mr. Worm Goes to Washington. Great idea for a movie.
10
Look, this man has not uttered a single thing that convinces me he's any sharper or brighter than his brother, George W. Bush, who is far and away the worst president I've seen in my lifetime (and that includes the failed presidency of Richard Nixon, HW Bush, etc.).
How can someone be SO WRONG on everything in advance of a run for a presidency? His comments thus far make Sarah Palin look like Teddy Roosevelt!
It's clear that Jeb Bush's hubris and narcissism make him think the job should be his, but for the sake of the American people, he should just retire to a comfortable sinecure in Florida, or Texas, or wherever it is he plans to end up, and spare the country this costly, unnecessary charade.
How can someone be SO WRONG on everything in advance of a run for a presidency? His comments thus far make Sarah Palin look like Teddy Roosevelt!
It's clear that Jeb Bush's hubris and narcissism make him think the job should be his, but for the sake of the American people, he should just retire to a comfortable sinecure in Florida, or Texas, or wherever it is he plans to end up, and spare the country this costly, unnecessary charade.
11
How is Jeb going to untangle himself from W's policies when he played such a crucial role in the Florida recount debacle that led to his brother being appointed by the Supreme Court. And his tacit support of his brother's invasion of Iraq based on false tales of WMDs and mushroom clouds which has led to the current destabilization in the ME and plunging this country into an economic crisis from which we are slowly recovering. When you didn't speak out then you can't now underplay your last name.
10
He needs to do a lot better than "playing down" his name.
He has to show people what on earth is any better about HIM. Simply dodging (clumsily, at that) doesn't begin to do it.
He has to show people what on earth is any better about HIM. Simply dodging (clumsily, at that) doesn't begin to do it.
4
It's hilarious how he wants the voters to ignore his name at the same time as he wants to bank on piles of cash from ultra-wealthy family connections.
You can't run away from it, Mr. Bush.
You can't run away from it, Mr. Bush.
15
Jeb Bush is the used newspaper that we recycle every day. His party represents the waste water that we flush out. He's the lipstick on the pig on the party of failed ideas or no ideas. America deserves better than this.
61
Fun fact: The Republican Party hasn't won a presidential election without having somebody named Bush or Nixon on its national ticket (as presidential or vice-presidential nominee) since the year 1928.
So Jeb Bush can downplay his family name all he wants, but that fact stands. If Jeb really wants to show that he's his own man, he'll have to unconditionally repudiate and condemn his own family members (including his mother) before many people decide to give him consideration.
So Jeb Bush can downplay his family name all he wants, but that fact stands. If Jeb really wants to show that he's his own man, he'll have to unconditionally repudiate and condemn his own family members (including his mother) before many people decide to give him consideration.
6
If I were on Hillary's team, and I am not, I'd start worrying less about moving left to box out Sanders, a move few will buy, and start worrying about who libertarians vote for - lots of college kids, enough to make a difference in several close states.
But libertarians are anti-war, and anti just about everything every major candidate stands for. Ironically, or oddly, anyway, they may vote for Sanders, if he makes any effort to court them, which he probably won't, mostly out of an entrenched moral solipsism.
But libertarians are anti-war, and anti just about everything every major candidate stands for. Ironically, or oddly, anyway, they may vote for Sanders, if he makes any effort to court them, which he probably won't, mostly out of an entrenched moral solipsism.
The main trouble with Jeb Bush is not really who he's related to exactly, I think. It kind of cancels itself out, because while brother George is seen as the worst President in recent decades by half the country, and as someone who made a lot of mistakes by the other half, father George is looked upon with more favor in retrospect. So if he'd set himself apart from his brother more, it wouldn't be that much of a problem.
The problem is more that he's embraced the mistakes of brother George, saying he'd have done the same thing. He's as irrationally aggressive in foreign policy. His charter school initiative in Florida didn't actually work out well. He's complained about relations with Russia without mentioning any plan to fix things. He says a lot of vague, feel-good kind of stuff, but I really haven't heard anything specific or workable.
So the trouble is not so much that his last name is Bush, but that he is very like his brother, and people do not want a repeat of that administration under any circumstances. Scandals like the anonymous donors (foreign? Who knows?) and his daughter are going to help bring him down, but I think the similarity to his brother is going to make up everyones minds.
The problem is more that he's embraced the mistakes of brother George, saying he'd have done the same thing. He's as irrationally aggressive in foreign policy. His charter school initiative in Florida didn't actually work out well. He's complained about relations with Russia without mentioning any plan to fix things. He says a lot of vague, feel-good kind of stuff, but I really haven't heard anything specific or workable.
So the trouble is not so much that his last name is Bush, but that he is very like his brother, and people do not want a repeat of that administration under any circumstances. Scandals like the anonymous donors (foreign? Who knows?) and his daughter are going to help bring him down, but I think the similarity to his brother is going to make up everyones minds.
10
Exactly! I keep waiting for Jeb Bush to say something to distinguish himself from W, yet he keeps doubling down on W's failed policies, social and economic.
Why on earth would Americans want to bring back those 8 ignominious years, which began with 9/11 and ended with the worst global economic collapse since the Great Depression?
All Republicans--and every Democrat running--just needs to remember what bookended W's two terms, beginning with that election debacle in Florida, and promise NEVER to return us to that era again.
Jeb, however, seems to want badly to go right back to what utterly failed.
Why on earth would Americans want to bring back those 8 ignominious years, which began with 9/11 and ended with the worst global economic collapse since the Great Depression?
All Republicans--and every Democrat running--just needs to remember what bookended W's two terms, beginning with that election debacle in Florida, and promise NEVER to return us to that era again.
Jeb, however, seems to want badly to go right back to what utterly failed.
8
Wasn't it kindly old HW who, as a lame duck, rounded up one last coalition for old times' sake, invaded Somalia and then dumped the whole steaming mess on the desk of the guy who beat him?
2
And what Osama magically appeared on the horizon solely under Dubya? Clinton had plenty of messes during his tenure as POTUS it's just that the left has long term memory lapse and can't quite grasp the facts on them.
Thinking that some of Jeb's personal campaign funds may originate from his
grandfather's investments in Nazi Germany should make us all stop
in our tracks. Why do we not want to acknowledge this history?
grandfather's investments in Nazi Germany should make us all stop
in our tracks. Why do we not want to acknowledge this history?
27
Today's Miami Herald, Jebbie's "hometown" newspaper, carried the story of his announcement, below the fold, in the State and Local Section.
Not even front page news.
Not even front page news.
25
I don`t think that Jeb Bush is the person who is capable to be our President. All he can do is to only whiten other members of his family, lie and pretend that he can change the situation in our country for the better.
7
I fear that Republicans will vote for this man on his celebrity status as a Bush, and not truly look at his stand on the issues.
1
I fear that Democrats will vote for this woman on her celebrity status as a Clinton, and not truly look at her stand on the issues.
1
Maybe Jeb could change his name to something that doesn't identify him as a child of a privileged family. Perhaps something simple, like Jeb Washington Lincoln or Jeb Hoover Reagan. Kind of play down the sense of entitlement.
11
How about Jose Jimenez since he registered as Hispanic and is a joke?
5
The `B' in Jeb stands for Bush...
How about Jeb brother of the War Criminal?
1
It's time to establish a Miami Rule in presidential politics: Anyone who comes to the Sunshine State looking for votes should be required to answer some direct questions about climate change. Do you accept the overwhelming scientific consensus that human activities are changing the climate? Do you accept the overwhelming scientific consensus that rising sea levels could submerge all of southern Florida? As president, what would you do to address this crisis?
Anyone who refuses to answer such important, relevant, and critical questions should no longer be taken seriously as a presidential candidate.
Anyone who refuses to answer such important, relevant, and critical questions should no longer be taken seriously as a presidential candidate.
42
About as effective as fake glasses and a plastic nose.
@ricfouad
@ricfouad
38
Jeb! has all the spiciness of cottage cheese.
14
Jebya.
45
Or maybe Jebrina: "the smart one."
1
Is "Just Jeb" running against Hillary Clinton to avenge Bill Clinton stealing "Just Jeb's" Just-Dad's second term, which of course was Just-Dad's due by Divine Right?
Just the way "Just Jeb's" Not-Brother George W. Not-Bush avenged Saddam Hussein's assassination attempt on Just-Dad by invading Where-Is-Iraq?
Just the way "Just Jeb's" Not-Brother George W. Not-Bush avenged Saddam Hussein's assassination attempt on Just-Dad by invading Where-Is-Iraq?
5
Everything about J.E. Bush's demeanor suggests a bored, listless, and bland legacy candidate. He may want to be president, but he doesn't look like he wants to run for it. Reminds me of the comment about Thomas Dewey in 1948: "He looks like the little man on the wedding cake."
33
In addition to playing down his surname, it would appear he's an only child. Oh his Right To Rise super PAC website you couldn't find a mention of W if your life depended on it. This is how it reads: "Bush earned a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies from the University of Texas at Austin. Jeb is the son of President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush. He and his wife, Columba, live in Miami and have three grown children and three grandchildren."
In the words of Porky Pig, "That's all folks"
https://righttorisepac.org/about-jeb/
In the words of Porky Pig, "That's all folks"
https://righttorisepac.org/about-jeb/
10
I would hide from being a BUSH, mainly because of the HISTORY, of the family, but first I would gain, as much political POWER and WEALTH,as I can, by using it. OH WAIT ?
10
The 2000 election was stolen with the help of his secretary of state.
He violated the rights of Terri Schiavo's husband.
He is morally and ethically bankrupt.
He violated the rights of Terri Schiavo's husband.
He is morally and ethically bankrupt.
69
He seems to be just going through the motions....
9
The Republican Ted Kennedy (when he ran for president).
I have no words anymore. No words.
4
Jeb! suffers the same voter perception problem as Hillary! -- that they are the chosen candidates of the donor class.
91
All candidates are the same in that regard. There are no others, because that's our system today.
Not equally so however. I'm not really for either one, but if it came down to it I'd vote for trying four years without an executive before I'd vote for Bush. Nothing done is better than harm done.
Indeed. I would punctuate his "slogan" as "Jeb."
Ya gotta have that je-ne-sais-quoi to get away with having no last name.
Sting. Cher. Napolean (hope he's not that).
Not sure he has the charisma. He may need to take the pedestrian route of changing his name to Jeb Smith or Jeb Jones. Or Jeb Martinez, if he thinks it will get him Latin-American votes.
The silver spoon guys who foist themselves onto the public as self-made crack me up. Has Jeb EVER, at any time in his life, wondered where his next meal was coming from? Maybe on a family vacation, if they were driving in a place with no rest areas, but that's about it.
Sting. Cher. Napolean (hope he's not that).
Not sure he has the charisma. He may need to take the pedestrian route of changing his name to Jeb Smith or Jeb Jones. Or Jeb Martinez, if he thinks it will get him Latin-American votes.
The silver spoon guys who foist themselves onto the public as self-made crack me up. Has Jeb EVER, at any time in his life, wondered where his next meal was coming from? Maybe on a family vacation, if they were driving in a place with no rest areas, but that's about it.
14
How about Charo?
1
He can run but he can't hide.
22
The least scary of the many Republican candidates? Credentials enough.
4
Ah yes, fodder for the liberals at the New York Times and in the comment section to joke over. I'll give them this one, so fire away. It's been a terrible year for liberals thus far and nearly every talking point or political narrative has backfired terribly. Even liberals don't like other liberals right now and its very easy to understand why. Anyway, have fun cracking your jokes, and supporting who could be perhaps the greatest scam artist and phony of our time, certainly my time, in Hillary Clinton. Now, if we want to tell jokes, then that joke is on me.
"A terrible year for liberals"? Really? You must have missed the massive crowds coming out for Bernie Sanders, crowds which far exceed the handfuls of people showing up for the GOP candidates.
Would that liberals would have such "terrible year"s more often.
Would that liberals would have such "terrible year"s more often.
3
Isn't it interesting that whenever there's news about a Republican politician the only thing people like you can do is yell "look over there at the other guy, he's so much worse."
If Republicans were worth supporting, wouldn't Republican voters be able to find something positive (and true) to say about them?
If Republicans were worth supporting, wouldn't Republican voters be able to find something positive (and true) to say about them?
2
Yes, let's see how many of those liberals will put their money where their collective mouths are come primary time. Or will you be the lemmings you are and vote for Hillary?
1
The politician formerly known as Bush?
57
Thanks for that. Will use as my descriptor any time I reference him.
All he needs is a hieroglyph. Or maybe an emoticon.
1
"I'm not going to change who I am," but I will change my name to Jeb Quincy Adams.
11
Is the NYT aware that Bernie Sanders is running for president, and is actually proposing an agenda that would benefit America?
57
In fairness to the NYT, the politician formerly known as Bush (aka Jeb) is about to announce his candidacy this week.
That said the NYT is going to provide coverage for candidates that are either steeped in corporate money or so crazy and over the top that they put eyeballs on the page and increase advertising revenue.
That said the NYT is going to provide coverage for candidates that are either steeped in corporate money or so crazy and over the top that they put eyeballs on the page and increase advertising revenue.
1
The NY Times is only interested in the horse race, because it sells papers. Just as supporting illegal and immoral wars does.
Right. Jeb Bush, the Presidential candidate, is now going to dodge the weight of his family name, as if that family name hadn’t led up to this moment, with his education, his governorship, his political connections, his media coverage. Since being a Bush is a double-edged sword, he might as well give us some credit and present himself for who we all know he is.
7
"Call me Jeb."
The coming out America's most prominent Trans-Familial.
The Vanity Fair cover. Wait for it.
The coming out America's most prominent Trans-Familial.
The Vanity Fair cover. Wait for it.
10
Jeb!
NO!
NO!
15
He's not going to transcend anything regarding his brother IMO, because his malfeasance while he was governor helped put his brother in office. How about his accepting responsibility for, instead of sidestepping or "transcending", his actions?
335
Wow! Thank you. His state just so happened to throw the election to his brother. People don't steal elections to do what is good. And, we saw what his brother did to this country. I am still waiting for the 28 pages from the 9/11 report that members in congress have asked for. His brother has been charged with being a war criminal overseas. Can he run from that? Power hungry family I am afraid, the whole lot of them.
W won in Florida ( period ).
Dems lost. It came down to a few votes. But they lost. Deal with it please.
He could change his name to Tree or Shrubbery
13
He does seem to be a parody of Monty Python doesn't he?
"Shrub" instead of Bush as suggested by "Shrub: The Short but Happy Political Life of George W. Bush" by Molly Ivins.
Or maybe even "Arbusto" which is Spanish for bush as imagined by his brother's former "business" venture or the Jeb pretending to be Hispanic/Latino by ethnic birth.
Or maybe even "Arbusto" which is Spanish for bush as imagined by his brother's former "business" venture or the Jeb pretending to be Hispanic/Latino by ethnic birth.
7
Please 'Jeb' - its not too late to save us all from the waste and aggravation of your running.
Why not do something useful?
Instead, take the $100's of Millions you squeezed out from the Billionaires and create a Charitable Foundation.
Why not do something useful?
Instead, take the $100's of Millions you squeezed out from the Billionaires and create a Charitable Foundation.
34
It will be our pleasure to demonstrate to the Bush family that we haven't forgotten the election they stole in 2000, or the war they started - and lost - on false pretenses.
Just as arsonists can't help but return to the scene of the crime, the Bushes simply cannot resist the temptation to rub our faces in the fact that we never caught them.
This is what happens when you don't punish war criminals.
Win or lose, just being seen to run another campaign makes it seem like it's back to business as usual for the Bushes.
So, we will crush them at the polls, and at least get the satisfaction of letting them know we remember what they did.
And they will get the satisfaction of knowing that they got away with their crimes and did not have to go to jail.
And that's about as good a political deal anybody can hope for these days.
Just as arsonists can't help but return to the scene of the crime, the Bushes simply cannot resist the temptation to rub our faces in the fact that we never caught them.
This is what happens when you don't punish war criminals.
Win or lose, just being seen to run another campaign makes it seem like it's back to business as usual for the Bushes.
So, we will crush them at the polls, and at least get the satisfaction of letting them know we remember what they did.
And they will get the satisfaction of knowing that they got away with their crimes and did not have to go to jail.
And that's about as good a political deal anybody can hope for these days.
41
Thousands of lives and trillions of dollars were lost due to the misguided efforts of the Bushes and their cronies, most of whom had been in or around the White House since the 70s…Cheney, Rumsfeld.
1
The Times' own study concluded that had the disputed ballots been counted, W still would have won Florida and the 2000 election (http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/12/politics/12VOTE.html)
You can argue with the process but not the result. The idea the Bush stole the 2000 presidential election is a popular myth on the Left that won't die.
You can argue with the process but not the result. The idea the Bush stole the 2000 presidential election is a popular myth on the Left that won't die.
1
It's the latter I'm affraid, they still can't come to grips that the hypocrite Gore actually LOST the election, they love to play the blame game. Get over it he LOST, and all the cherry picked precints he wanted recounted still wouldn't have made any difference.
1
There are 330 million Americans. I will not ever vote for someone with the name Obama, Bush, Clinton, Regan, Carter, etc.... We are not supposed to have political dynasties. The races are supposed to be about ideas, not the size of one's SuperPAC fund.
This election is gearing up to be a total sham.
This election is gearing up to be a total sham.
4
What about the Roosevelts? The Kennedys? The Adams? What about all the Americans who have family businesses and pursuits, be it the Wyeths in Art, or the Fords in automotives? Is there really something in the American character that says you can't be involved in pursuits where your relatives have prospered or made a name for themselves? How about the Fondas or the Coppolas?
Here is the tricky part of what you are arguing...
The second Roosevelt is better than the first (FDR greater than Teddy) and the third (Eleanor) may have been the best of all.
Quincy Adams was great in his own right, really, if you look at his post-presidential contributions. And I'll take Teddy over John and Bobby anytime.
I loathe the Bushes but not because of their 'dynasty'. I just hate their policies and the policy makers they brought to the fore of American life.
The Clinton's I love.
I think this 'dynasty' hatred is reductive and a-historical. I think it's not the reason to vote against your interests.
I never liked Roy Croc but his widow saved NPR and poetry magazine, right?
But I do resist Jeb for bringing along the men who powered his brother's and father's days in the white house. they are all horrible thinkers.
Here is the tricky part of what you are arguing...
The second Roosevelt is better than the first (FDR greater than Teddy) and the third (Eleanor) may have been the best of all.
Quincy Adams was great in his own right, really, if you look at his post-presidential contributions. And I'll take Teddy over John and Bobby anytime.
I loathe the Bushes but not because of their 'dynasty'. I just hate their policies and the policy makers they brought to the fore of American life.
The Clinton's I love.
I think this 'dynasty' hatred is reductive and a-historical. I think it's not the reason to vote against your interests.
I never liked Roy Croc but his widow saved NPR and poetry magazine, right?
But I do resist Jeb for bringing along the men who powered his brother's and father's days in the white house. they are all horrible thinkers.
Gag me with a spoon.
4
A silver spoon.
1
In Jeb's case, a silver spoon.
1
Absent in most of this is the Terry Schiavo incident in Florida where Jeb refused to allow the "plug to be pulled" on this poor woman who had no chance of recovery and ruined the family's life. This deserves to be brought up especially since these so-called "values" issue continue to torment the GOP?Tea Party. This whole episode was a disgrace to Bush and he wants to run the country.
12
Jeb Smith-Jones. OMG....LOL.
5
He is running only because of his surname.
6
So is Hillary.
1
In the photo he seems to be running "away" from his last name.
If Jeb Bush really wants to fool the American electorate by obscuring his Bushie heritage, he should not only drop the surname but also modify the Jeb, perhaps by spelling it backwards.
Bej! for president! has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? This'll work wonders for American voters.
Bej! for president! has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? This'll work wonders for American voters.
4
He's the Times' chosen candidate. Expect lots of praise to be lavished upon him.
3
And, if this article is any indication, lots of understatement of how disastrous brother Dubya's presidency was.
2
Since he has cleaned up many of his earlier statements, with revisions, maybe he should just change his name, and claim he doesn't belong to that family. My mother used to say, "if they'll do it at home, they'll do it when they go out." He's still the same self-serving prevaricator. Makes me sick to think about it.
6
I made a point of watching several longer videos of him speaking to the press. Not quick video edits: just him talking about a variety of issues relevant to him being governor. Here's what I got from that:
1. He is not as good a speaker as he thinks he is. And he is at best of average intelligence. I am sure there are many around him who tell him how smart he is: But Jeb Bush is like the kid who was a C student in highschool, even though he has a private tutor in every subject. I sound snarky but watch some videos of him talking at length as an elected official and then get back to me.
2. He mentions his Christianity a lot. Really a lot -- even when it isnt relevant to the issue. Take that for what it is because he clearly wants everyone to know that one thing about him.
1. He is not as good a speaker as he thinks he is. And he is at best of average intelligence. I am sure there are many around him who tell him how smart he is: But Jeb Bush is like the kid who was a C student in highschool, even though he has a private tutor in every subject. I sound snarky but watch some videos of him talking at length as an elected official and then get back to me.
2. He mentions his Christianity a lot. Really a lot -- even when it isnt relevant to the issue. Take that for what it is because he clearly wants everyone to know that one thing about him.
466
I agree with you!! I never understood why they said he was the "smart brother" (which doesn't say alot about Dubya, but we already knew that). Every time I have seen him speak, he's awkward, not in command of the facts and can't extrapolate from them, and he's very inarticulate.
3
Christianity? He's a panderer and that means extra votes for the holier than thou crowd. He's the guy that people want to have pancakes with at IHOP after church to share empty calories with.
2
I don't disagree with you K about Jeb! and his intelligence. And if his Momma really thought that "Jebbie is the smart one!," then we have a problem. A HUGE problem.
Jeb! is playing to the margins where the extremists are and probably will shift again to the center as the campaign goes on. Or try to do that. That shift-and-spin maneuver is just politics as usual in almost any campaign these days.
Jeb! is playing to the margins where the extremists are and probably will shift again to the center as the campaign goes on. Or try to do that. That shift-and-spin maneuver is just politics as usual in almost any campaign these days.
1
What makes you think he will announce a run?
Hasn't he spent the entire last few months saying he "hadn't decided yet"?
You can't possibly think that this indecision was just a ruse, a brazen attempt to subvert campaign finance laws so that he might rally corporate billions to fund yet another Bush overlord to rule over the American citizens, can you?
Who could be so cynical?
Hasn't he spent the entire last few months saying he "hadn't decided yet"?
You can't possibly think that this indecision was just a ruse, a brazen attempt to subvert campaign finance laws so that he might rally corporate billions to fund yet another Bush overlord to rule over the American citizens, can you?
Who could be so cynical?
24
Once again and certainly in the months to come the Republican front runner is going to have to distance himself from himself. It was that same bizarre parallel world of primary politics that entangled Romney and eventually sank his campaign. Clinton conversely can embrace the Clinton universe. I am for Bernie Sanders myself but Hillary certainly has the edge against Jeb.
252
You first sentence is very insightful and should be the central topic of an article.
I do think Hillary has a similar issue: her husband's past and their manner of earning money is likely not doing her any favors politically speaking.
I do think Hillary has a similar issue: her husband's past and their manner of earning money is likely not doing her any favors politically speaking.
The edge? A bushel and a peck.
"Jeb Bush to Declare Presidential Run, Playing Down His Surname."
When Hillary announced, I didn't see the following headline:
"Hillary Clinton to Declare Presidential Run, Playing Down Her Association with the Clinton Foundation."
Interesting how Big Media sets the narrative.
When Hillary announced, I didn't see the following headline:
"Hillary Clinton to Declare Presidential Run, Playing Down Her Association with the Clinton Foundation."
Interesting how Big Media sets the narrative.
1
I don't understand this man's insistence on being the next president. Jeb Bush is personally responsible for every evil that happened to this country after his brother took office on January 20, 2001. Jeb Bush rigged the Florida election for his brother, W., and now doesn't want to be held accountable for: 1.W's smug assurance that America would never be attacked when his administration had the very intelligence under its nose that those plans were indeed ripe; 2.W's criminal two unfounded wars of aggression against innocent populations; 3. W's incompetent handling of Katrina; 4. W's detonation of the U. S. economy. There's more, but this will do for an opening campaign theme. Right, Jeb?
34
Obama's bungling of Hurricane Sandy and FEMA's lame repsonse to the victims of said storm; Gore's camp cherry picking what precincts he wanted recounted; and we've been hit more than once on our home turf where terrorists are concerned.....all under the current administration. Coinscidence? And now Hillary wants to become our next President? No thank you.
Go Bernie.
Go Bernie.
1
What does one really glean from these stump speeches? Long, hot winded propaganda filled with anecdotes and life stories/character arc musings. When someone starts telling you they want to listen to a speech to channel what the candidate means remind them that perhaps the greatest speech of all-time, the Gettysburg Address was 244 words long. It took about five minutes to deliver and left not a dry eye in the house. Most important everyone knew exactly what he meant.
1
Just eight years ago this country saw the irreversible permanent damage that was caused by the policies of his brother George and you can be assured that Jeb Bush will carry on with those same policies and with the same people in charge of the House and Senate. Anyone who would even want to come close to that disaster again, unless you are wealthy, truly needs to see a doctor and have their mental reasoning evaluated. Our country cannot and will not survive another Bush in the White House.
13
Sorry Big John,
Do a little research first, it was Clinton who repealed Glass/Steagall the de-regualtion got going under CLINTON, as did NAFTA, he had a chance to get Bin Laden but didn't. I love how you liberals just love to blame Bush for the world's ills, you all must suffer from the same malady, long term memory lapsees because you can only remember instances from the Bush years and completly ignore or refuse to remember what transpired under CLINTON, sad. Currently there is no known cure for what you all suffer from. While I loath and detest Bush I don't want another Clinton residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue now or in the immediate future.
I doubt this gets printed but I'll give it the old college try.
Do a little research first, it was Clinton who repealed Glass/Steagall the de-regualtion got going under CLINTON, as did NAFTA, he had a chance to get Bin Laden but didn't. I love how you liberals just love to blame Bush for the world's ills, you all must suffer from the same malady, long term memory lapsees because you can only remember instances from the Bush years and completly ignore or refuse to remember what transpired under CLINTON, sad. Currently there is no known cure for what you all suffer from. While I loath and detest Bush I don't want another Clinton residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue now or in the immediate future.
I doubt this gets printed but I'll give it the old college try.
1
"Jeb Bush on the issues" on the environment section is misleading. It makes him sound like he is reasonable on the climate change issue. Here is an actual quote from huffpost: ""I don't think the science is clear of what percentage is man-made and what percentage is natural. It's convoluted," the former Florida governor said at an event in Bedford, New Hampshire.
"For the people to say the science is decided on this is really arrogant, to be honest with you," he said, according to CNN. "It's this intellectual arrogance that now you can't have a conversation about it, even..."
"For the people to say the science is decided on this is really arrogant, to be honest with you," he said, according to CNN. "It's this intellectual arrogance that now you can't have a conversation about it, even..."
7
I can't wait until he addresses what the Pope has to say on the subject.
1
His name is John Ellis Bush. So he is not only JEB Bush, he is John Ellis Bush Bush. A redundancy that we most definitely do not need.
11
He's a deceptive liar. We know this, because he's been scurrying around raising his billion dollar fealty fund saying he 'hasn't decided.'
What do I remember about the last time a Clinton was in the White House? Other than a bunch of screaming preachers and fanatics going on about 'the sins of Whitewater' and Republicans subsidizing the National Enquirer? Well, our economy boomed and people seemed comparatively well off and positive- compared to the following years of fear and depredation after Bush II stole the election with the help of Rhenquist, Baker, the lawyers' riot and SCOTUS. Basically the Bushes scored a coup the last time, and then had Cheney try to take over under Doufus's nose. $1.6Trillion and counting after Iraq and Afghanistan.
So what is it about Bush III we're supposed to get excited about? He knows where Poland is and didn't say 'Africa is a country?' He played tennis while at prep school? He's on a Paleo diet? His 'entrepreneurial' enterprises consisted of selling out our public education system? He's more corporate than the other twenty-one odd candidates, declared and otherwise jousting for the Republican approval rating with the exception of failed Hewlett Packard executive Carly Fiorino who apparently took her twelve million dollar gold parachute and blew it on public speaking courses and Dale Carnegie tapes? Maybe Mitt Romney can give him some pointers on how to be a 'regular guy.'
What do I remember about the last time a Clinton was in the White House? Other than a bunch of screaming preachers and fanatics going on about 'the sins of Whitewater' and Republicans subsidizing the National Enquirer? Well, our economy boomed and people seemed comparatively well off and positive- compared to the following years of fear and depredation after Bush II stole the election with the help of Rhenquist, Baker, the lawyers' riot and SCOTUS. Basically the Bushes scored a coup the last time, and then had Cheney try to take over under Doufus's nose. $1.6Trillion and counting after Iraq and Afghanistan.
So what is it about Bush III we're supposed to get excited about? He knows where Poland is and didn't say 'Africa is a country?' He played tennis while at prep school? He's on a Paleo diet? His 'entrepreneurial' enterprises consisted of selling out our public education system? He's more corporate than the other twenty-one odd candidates, declared and otherwise jousting for the Republican approval rating with the exception of failed Hewlett Packard executive Carly Fiorino who apparently took her twelve million dollar gold parachute and blew it on public speaking courses and Dale Carnegie tapes? Maybe Mitt Romney can give him some pointers on how to be a 'regular guy.'
68
In the immortal words of Jessie Jackson: "Stay clear of the Bushes"!!! It was good advice then and even better advice now!!!
7
Jeb's campaign song could be 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother'.
Except he is heavy.
Except he is heavy.
13
The only thing these sad-sack GOP Presidential hopefuls crow about is how they took money from the middle class and decimated the social safety net so that the rich can have more money. As a true conservative, I'm appalled at their hypocrisy. Like many other real conservatives, I'm voting for Hillary Clinton in 2016; she works with Wall St. and the business sector, but she stands with America, where the middle class is the backbone of our society. It's time to expand Social Security and it's time to raise revenue with modest tax increases on the affluent among us. Bush and his ilk simply want to impose failed GOP policies on us all so that the Republican paymasters can have another yacht. True conservatives find such brazen theft unconscionable.
13
"Jeb!" may backfire badly as it reminds voters why he does not want to be associated with "Bush." I wonder whether he cleared the decision with his donors?
9
i am sorry but this had me laughing out loud. i can just envision Chevy Chase, in his prime, doing a delicious send up of this. hi my name is Jeb Bu..Bu..Butterfield.
but seriously, if his last name were not Bush would anyone care what he does?? you don't get to skate around the debacle of our foreign policy for eight years under his brother.
but seriously, if his last name were not Bush would anyone care what he does?? you don't get to skate around the debacle of our foreign policy for eight years under his brother.
39
Jeb Bush Announced His Presidential Run, Changing His Name to Jeb Reagan.
13
Just wait until Peter Schweizer's book on Jeb's financial shenanigans comes out. There is a lot of damaging material to be dug up.
The real leading GOP candidates are Walker, Cruz, and Rubio.
The real leading GOP candidates are Walker, Cruz, and Rubio.
You can't run on a name and run from it at the same time. The name Bush is associated with two wars that didn't need to happen, that is thousands of lives that didn't need to be destroyed. The name Bush comes to mind when I think about the financial crash that cost so many their retirement and the very homes they lived in. He says he is not that Bush, but he has surrounded himself with the same advisors his brother used. He was the Bush that helped throw the 2000 election to the other Bush and so he is tied to that name and its hideous record of chicanery.
662
"Bush" has become a four-letter word. You can't run on that.
4
Exactly.....Well written.....(!)
1
Well, he just finished talking about beefing up the military, gaining respect around the world....I don't think so Jebbie, this American has had enough war, especially one, that the experts all agree will go on for a least 30 years.
The surrounding countries pays off ISIS to stay away from their borders...Saudi, Dubi, and then some, that's why they don't need to send their boys and girls in. Again, this American in OVER war.
The surrounding countries pays off ISIS to stay away from their borders...Saudi, Dubi, and then some, that's why they don't need to send their boys and girls in. Again, this American in OVER war.
It looks like he'll be having problems similar to poor Mitt Romney. An intelligent, cerebral policy wonk, who will struggle to inspire grassroots energy, regardless of how much money is involved.
Intelligent and cerebral? Have you heard him speak?
There seems to be an odd misconception that any politician who isn't foaming at the mouth is intelligent. That's not the case.
There seems to be an odd misconception that any politician who isn't foaming at the mouth is intelligent. That's not the case.
1
How many hangovers did George W. have, including the one on September 11, 2001 that had him recovering in Crawford? We don't need another alcoholic Bush as our president.'
7
And on Tuesday , the " Donald " will announce his intentions "
We are entering a new era in the GOP
I eagerly await what Jon ( Stewart ) will say about it
We are entering a new era in the GOP
I eagerly await what Jon ( Stewart ) will say about it
6
Pollsters have shown If you say "Jeb!" really fast 3-times, subliminally you will think " Smart Bush."
1
Only by comparison. Sort of like "the smart one" on Charlie's Angels.
1
Imagine James Buchanan's baby brother running for president after the Civil War, promising to fix the mess of the incompetent Lincoln administration.
6
With such a large crowd on the racetrack, I welcome his announcement. Bush and the GOP will have to winnow the list down to something manageable, such as ten or twenty. All the while Hillary can just "coast" into the job. I will sure be glad when the Bushes are all dried up and blown away on the wind, or hot air. Whatever.......
1
Its a nonstop two party nightmare
5
Go Bernie.
2
Neither Hillary nor Jeb should be allowed with hailing of the Presidency, but in all likelihood. when the dust settles, one or the other will be moving their things into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It's hard to imagine a country like ours is so bereft of adequate leadership that our only choice is which of two clowns will be given the keys to the circus.
3
Jeb can play down his surname, but I can't. I'm simply bushed from all the damage his brother and father did when they were in the White House.
12
`Bush to Announce Run, Playing Down His Surname'
Playing down his surname?
Is his contempt for the American people that great? He expects us all to suddenly say, `Wow, who is this fresh face?' Beyond silliness.
Playing down his surname?
Is his contempt for the American people that great? He expects us all to suddenly say, `Wow, who is this fresh face?' Beyond silliness.
533
Let's see 145 in support of him not running and ten in support of him running on comment boards.What does that tell him? If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck what is it. I along with millions of others will vote Hillery and I am an independent. The Bush family have brought wars of aggression, torture, the Patriot Act to take away civil liberties and now we are to think this guy will be different when he has hired the same team. No more Bushs!
Also playing down his part in George Bush's win in Florida? Do Bushes really think we are all that stupid?
Someone we know all to well may have played down his middle name.
The American people bought it twice...and a whole lot more.
The American people bought it twice...and a whole lot more.
Had Jeb Bush NOT corrupted the 2000 election while Governor, The Charge of The Fools Brigade into Iraq would never have happened. American's wouldn't have known Abu Ghraib from a hole in the ground.
Torture would never have been USG policy.
Torture would never have been USG policy.
70
Let me take that further. My own joke here....had George bush pulled of of Barbara in 1945 as fast as he pulled out of Iraq in 1991 none of these would be our problem now.
2
Oh God, no. No no no no no.
21
lulz
And remember this mumbling bumbling stumbler is the smart one of the Bush clan.
Boy, does that speak volumes about the intellectual abilities of that family, or what?
And remember this mumbling bumbling stumbler is the smart one of the Bush clan.
Boy, does that speak volumes about the intellectual abilities of that family, or what?
12
Wow -- the NYT is giving us our daily dose of Jeb Bush. Frankly I had enough of Jeb Bush when he was the governor of FL and I lived there and watched him screw the public schools by taking tax dollars intended for them and throwing it away on charters, vouchers, and virtual schools -- he handed Bill Bennett over $4 million for a "virtual school" of course the Palm Beach Post disclosed that millions of dollars in "voucher" money never educated anyone and the state of FL never kept a record of where it went or who pocketed it. ENRON crashed and burned at the same time that Jeb was putting the state public worker's pension fund money into his brother's best friend's fraud company which took down careers, initiated a couple of suicides and ultimately wiped out the accounting firm that was helping ENRON cook the books. Then there was the Terri Schiavo mess where Bush thought it was swell for him to interfere in her husband's decision to terminate her living in a vegetative state. And of course the 2000 election -- the greatest fraud in American history in which the presidency was stolen and an incompetent nitwit went to the WH and lied us into a disastrous war and crashed the economy into the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Bush has never accomplished anything in life - trading on the family name and family friends got him land deals in FL that made him wealthy -- not work or ideas -- connections -- it's the only thing of which the Bushes are capable.
46
Sounds like the Florida version of Wisconsin's Scott Walker on many points. A coincidence? I think not. I think ALEC
2
Vote for Jeb! (He's really not that much like all the other Bushes you elected in the past.)
1
Downplay his surname, he needs to change it!
7
Hillary should be concerned because if he gets his party's nomination, then she will have a difficult time defeating him because he is unafraid to interact personally with the media, so he comes across as confident and competent, unlike her very staged and almost imperial campaign.
And refusing to answer questions from the press, can hardly wait for her "staged" town hall meetings with pre screened questions and cherry picked "guests"
Multiple gaffes and conflicting statements don't come across as competent and someone who has to run away from their own name isn't confident.
1
A Bush is a Bush is a Bush. And a Bush by any other name still smells. (Apologies to Shakespeare.)
13
The Bush name & heritage starts with Prescott Sheldon Bush, US Senator, WS Banker an Industrialist during the and before WW2. When he and his like minded conservative republicans, money grabbers, Hitler sympathizers racked billions for providing Hitler and his Nazi thug implement of war making/ military hardware to the hilt. These greed creed had no patriotism to this nation , that the conservative harp about , wrap in the flag and fart about it. They were the same people who apposed FDR getting involved in the WW2 to save mankind from Hitler & his fascists. Then there is Jeb's father who was a CIA directors before he became Reagan's VP. Bush Sr. has his own marred history in the CIA, three wars starting with Granada, Panama and the first Gulf war. Then his involvement in Iran-Contra, weapons for hostages, South American Juntas, death squads and all the rest. That history is something that senile old Reagan, could not recall nothing about when he sat in the hot seat. Similarly this nation should recall that how DOD Secretary Wineburg was excused from being prosecuted because he was too old. Then Jeb's bother W the nit wit, megalomaniac, compulsive-obsessive, sociopath, with his divine religious mandate and being the messenger of his god. The propaganda of terror hype, fomentation of hate, fear, republican patriotic feeding frenzy to control the hearts of a misled and gullible nation, Islam bashing and Judaeo-Christian psychopath.. JEB Who !
8
I had to laugh; you write well
1
How incongruous, to find that the June 15th campaign announcement is now here, when I have already been reading about Jeb Bush's campaign shakeup! And on top of all the campaigning he has done, er, that is if he decides to run for President. Jeb Bush's candidacy has been a mockery of campaign-finance reform and of logic itself.
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The possibilities for Jeb's slogans are myriad and wondrous:
'Jeb -- less incompetent than his brother!'
'Jeb -- so far not a war criminal!'
'Jeb -- the brother who was supposed to be President years ago!'
Then again, GOP Presidential candidate slogans in general could be loads of fun this time:
'Rand Paul -- less obviously racist and crazy than his father.'
'Rick Santorum -- because contraception is icky and sanity is so overrated.'
'Chris Christie -- isn't it time for an angry bully to have his fingers on the nuclear trigger?'
'Scott Walker -- teach those college-boys snots a lesson!'
'Carly Fiorina -- I ruined Hewlett Packard, I can ruin America!'
'Jeb -- less incompetent than his brother!'
'Jeb -- so far not a war criminal!'
'Jeb -- the brother who was supposed to be President years ago!'
Then again, GOP Presidential candidate slogans in general could be loads of fun this time:
'Rand Paul -- less obviously racist and crazy than his father.'
'Rick Santorum -- because contraception is icky and sanity is so overrated.'
'Chris Christie -- isn't it time for an angry bully to have his fingers on the nuclear trigger?'
'Scott Walker -- teach those college-boys snots a lesson!'
'Carly Fiorina -- I ruined Hewlett Packard, I can ruin America!'
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Jeb - responsible for giving us "W" in 2000.
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I see zero evidence that Rand Paul is racist.
Thank you for the laughs. If, God Forbid, this clown were to get elected we would certainly need all the laughs we can get just to cope.
Being labelled "the Smart Bush" is like when I was told I was "the world's funniest microbiologist". You have to consider the competition.
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This made my day. Thank you.
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Very exciting to have him running; he has my vote if he can get that far. A moderate right Republican is what we need.
Compared to a pandering, lying, say anything to get elected Clinton whose main claim to be elected its its time for a woman; hey , I'm a woman, so elect me.
Jeb 2016!
Compared to a pandering, lying, say anything to get elected Clinton whose main claim to be elected its its time for a woman; hey , I'm a woman, so elect me.
Jeb 2016!
“I’m not going to change who I am,” Mr. Bush said
That's the problem.
Jeb Bush publicly declared that Paul Wolfowitz, John Negroponte, and his brother George are the best possible foreign policy advisors he can think of to lead the United States.
Jeb's inability to change his thinking about the worst foreign policy team of the last century indicates that he lacks the imagination to understand and evolve with the ever-changing realities of the world.
That's the problem.
Jeb Bush publicly declared that Paul Wolfowitz, John Negroponte, and his brother George are the best possible foreign policy advisors he can think of to lead the United States.
Jeb's inability to change his thinking about the worst foreign policy team of the last century indicates that he lacks the imagination to understand and evolve with the ever-changing realities of the world.
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He does not REALLY have change his name......we all know him already. That is enough.
Jeb = John Ellis Bush aka out of touch, not that bright rich kid whose name we wouldn't even know if his dad hadn't been rich and the President. He's not ready for prime time and never will be. Watching him tank and waste all that money is going to be awesome.
Well, if you are looking for the 'worst foreign policy team of the century' please look no further than the current administration. They have clearly made themselves look like...shall we say, ' a JV team'.... compared to the rest. Perhaps even worse... ( I can't come up with a phrase for a team that is non-existent' ).
sure, he has a great brand name, like gucci, ford, or mercedes benz - but what matters is performance. thankfully, we can look at the "florida miracle" or what he did not do as governor to inform us. and with so many other gop contenders jeb is going to have to work real hard to maintain relevance. i give him less than 20% chance he makes it to the general election, but it will be fun to watch him morph his old self from what he was to what he will need to be. we won't recognize him in a few months, or what he stands for.
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"I love my brother. Just not his last name."
What a transparent fraud.
What a transparent fraud.
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Well at least he's transparent.
Playing down being a Bush? That's like Louis XIV playing being a Bourbon.
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The only reason this Bush would be elected to job # 1 is he promised to send his brother W to face the ICC for his crimes. But, do not hold your breath. They do not own America or do they?
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Common theme throughout the article: Jeb's a "grown up".
For goodness sake, Jeb's 62 years old.
For goodness sake, Jeb's 62 years old.
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