Jeb Bush shifts style, critiques brother's budget management

[webfact]

Jeb Bush shifts style, critiques brother's budget management
THOMAS BEAUMONT, Associated Press

CONCORD, New Hampshire (AP) — Only a few days after saying he wouldn't "go out of my way" to point out what he saw as mistakes made by his brother, Jeb Bush did just that Thursday, criticizing former President George W. Bush's record on the federal budget.

Bush is part of a crowded field of potential candidates seeking the Republican nomination for president in 2016. Three Republican senators have already entered the race: Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas, and Rand Paul of Kentucky. The nominee will likely face former first lady, Democratic U.S. senator and secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"I think in Washington during my brother's time, Republicans spent too much money. I think he could have used the veto power," Bush said toward the end of a two-day campaign swing through New Hampshire. "He could have brought budget discipline to Washington, D.C."

The remark, made when Bush was asked to distinguish himself from his brother, came during a shift in campaign style for the former Florida governor, who — after months of relentlessly raising money to support his likely run for president, and unquestionably his roughest week in politics this year — is spending more time talking about himself.

While that includes telling stories about meeting his wife as a foreign exchange student in Mexico, and his record while serving two terms as Florida's governor, they are stories that aren't all that new. The criticism of his brother's time as president is.

"I'm blessed to be a member of the Bush family, but I also have lived my own life," Bush said Thursday.

Although Bush said earlier in the week that "the ship is stable," the shift in approach is an acknowledgement of what may be his biggest challenge in the 2016 presidential primaries. While most voters can't help but know Bush's name, thanks to his father's and brother's presidencies, they don't yet know much about him.

"I didn't know what to expect," said Peter Rice, a retired Marine who attended a business round table with Bush on Wednesday. "I think he has more to offer the Oval Office than his brother did. And he does not come off as elitist, as his father sometimes did."

How Bush believes he differs from his father, former President George H.W. Bush, and brother led off his appearance before roughly 50 small business owners in Concord the next day.

"Apparently there's a little confusion that all family members are supposed to be clones of one another," Bush said.

That discussion point has become all the more important since he struggled last week to answer questions about the 2003 war in Iraq — a nation both his father and brother invaded while commander in chief.

The Iraq war is among the most defining aspects of George W. Bush's presidency. More than 4,400 U.S. service personnel died, with many more severely wounded, in a war that cost at least $1.7 trillion and was justified by faulty intelligence that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. None were ever found.

It was a week he ended by telling reporters he wouldn't "go out of my way" to point out what he saw as mistakes by either former Bush president. "It's just not going to happen," he said. Yet when asked to distinguish himself from his brother on Thursday, Bush did so with the critique of his older brother's fiscal record.

Since expressing interest in running for president in 2016 four months ago, Bush has spent much of his time speaking to private fundraisers aimed at fueling the super political action committee that's expected to advocate for his candidacy once he enters the race later this summer.

The mission now is to combat the appearance of Bush's imminent campaign is a foregone conclusion, aides said. That's a real concern for Bush, said Tom Rath, a New Hampshire Republican who supported George W. Bush in 2000 and advised 2012 nominee Mitt Romney.

"The name is so well-known and comes with the perception of a front-runner," Rath said. "That can be off-putting in New Hampshire. It's a problem they are going to continue to have."

And so in the past week, Bush has moved to spending more time at events with politically influential audiences, such as small groups of Republican National Committee members at a party meeting in Arizona, and Republican officials and groups in Iowa, home of the leadoff caucuses.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-05-22

[puck2]

We have chameleons in our garden, and we like them.

The US have a new kind of this animals - b/Bush chameleons, and the Reps seem to like them.

US, don't complain (again) if it shows it's true colour.

[elgordo38]

We have chameleons in our garden, and we like them.

The US have a new kind of this animals - b/Bush chameleons, and the Reps seem to like them.

US, don't complain (again) if it shows it's true colour.

I watched the great television series "Fringe" and I think good ole Jeb is more like a shape shifter. He is still looking for a mold to fit into. Another Abe Lincoln he is not nor were the other 2 Bushes in the White House.

[Pinot]

Jeb, my man, we don't give a shit about your bro's management of the federal budget. The fact that he drove the economy off a cliff is just icing on the whole rancid cake. What he did, which you're still embracing, is gin up the intelligence that led the country into war.

Brother George W. was THE worst President in the history of the United States and you can't bring yourself to say the war was his biggest mistake. He and Chaney lied us into war and that's a fact, Jack.

Ye gods, this guy thinks he has a prayer of being President.

[Ulysses G.]

Brother George W. was THE worst President in the history of the United States

According to the American people, that honor goes to Barack Obama. George W. was number two.

http://time.com/2949984/barack-obama-poll/

[oneiron]

I agree 100% with his comments. It was my opinion that GW Bush could not spell economy, let alone handle it. A good move by Jeb but I sincerely hope that we do not see another Bush in the Presidency.

[RuamRudy]

Brother George W. was THE worst President in the history of the United States

According to the American people, that honor goes to Barack Obama. George W. was number two.

http://time.com/2949984/barack-obama-poll/

The American people voted both of them into office - twice. Clearly the American people's judge of character is not worth considering.

[Srikcir]

Brother George W. was THE worst President in the history of the United States

According to the American people, that honor goes to Barack Obama. George W. was number two.

http://time.com/2949984/barack-obama-poll/

Five Worst US Presidents in US history from other sources:

The National Interest

Buchanan

Pierce

Wilson

G.W. Bush

Fillmore

The Washington Post

Ford

Cleveland

Quincy Adams

McKinley

Taft

American Political Science Association

Buchanan

Harding

Andrew Johnson

Pierce

Harrison

[Srikcir]

It's the economy stupid.

[Walter Travolta]

Jeb, my man, we don't give a shit about your bro's management of the federal budget. The fact that he drove the economy off a cliff is just icing on the whole rancid cake. What he did, which you're still embracing, is gin up the intelligence that led the country into war.

Brother George W. was THE worst President in the history of the United States and you can't bring yourself to say the war was his biggest mistake. He and Chaney lied us into war and that's a fact, Jack.

Ye gods, this guy thinks he has a prayer of being President.

Surely Obama is the worst ever president??

After all, what has he actually ever done? The whole world now sees US of A as a weak nation due to him and many citizens of the US feel the same way. He is weak and made the country weak and feel inadequate

[Chicog]

Surely Obama is the worst ever president??

After all, what has he actually ever done? The whole world now sees US of A as a weak nation due to him and many citizens of the US feel the same way. He is weak and made the country weak and feel inadequate

He's fixed the titanic economic mess that GW left him; implemented health care for millions that didn't have it; extricated America from two costly and entirely pointless wars; and stopped the US being Israel's bitch.

Speaking as a member of that whole world, I'd say he's strengthened the country and made it far less inadequate than it was when Bush left it in tatters.

But what does that have to do with Jeb trying to distance himself from his brothers screw-ups? Obama isn't running against him.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Chicog

[bendejo]

Clinton left behind a balanced budget. The administration that took the White House in 2001 mucked that up by the end of their first year. Spin it however you like, it is what it is.

Obama's big weakness has been his failure to reign in the GOP congress-people. In that sense he is the opposite of LBJ.

Fun fact: looking at those 'worst presidents' lists here, Jeb's family tree contains two from those lists, his bro and Franklin Pierce.

[NeverSure]

Clinton left behind a balanced budget.

That's not true at all. Clinton was smoke and mirrors. Clinton was the worst economic planner the country has ever seen. He set us up for the Big Fall.

"Time and time again, anyone reading the mainstream news or reading articles on the Internet will read the claim that President Clinton not only balanced the budget, but had a surplus. This is then used as an argument to further highlight the fiscal irresponsibility of the federal government under the Bush administration.

While not defending the increase of the federal debt under President Bush, it's curious to see Clinton's record promoted as having generated a surplus. It never happened. There was never a surplus and the facts support that position. In fact, far from a $360 billion reduction in the national debt in FY1998-FY2000, there was an increase of $281 billion."

LINK

"Basically, it was under Clinton that Fannie and Freddie really began blowing the housing bubble, issuing epic amounts of mortgage-backed debt. The story that Gasparino tells is basically: Liberal Bill Clinton thought he could use government to make everyone a homeowner and so naturally this ended in disaster.

How did they do this? Through rigorous enforcement of housing mandates such as the Community Reinvestment Act, and by prodding mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make loans to people with lower credit scores (and to buy loans that had been made by banks and, later, “innovators” like Countrywide).

The Housing Department was Fannie and Freddie’s top regulator — and under Cuomo the mortgage giants were forced to start ramping up programs to issue more subprime loans to the riskiest of borrowers."

The Untold Story Of How Clinton's Budget Destroyed The American Economy. - Business Insider

[JLCrab]

I agree 100% with his comments. It was my opinion that GW Bush could not spell economy, let alone handle it. A good move by Jeb but I sincerely hope that we do not see another Bush in the Presidency.

... or Clinton.

[stevenl]

Jeb, my man, we don't give a shit about your bro's management of the federal budget. The fact that he drove the economy off a cliff is just icing on the whole rancid cake. What he did, which you're still embracing, is gin up the intelligence that led the country into war.

Brother George W. was THE worst President in the history of the United States and you can't bring yourself to say the war was his biggest mistake. He and Chaney lied us into war and that's a fact, Jack.

Ye gods, this guy thinks he has a prayer of being President.

Surely Obama is the worst ever president??

After all, what has he actually ever done? The whole world now sees US of A as a weak nation due to him and many citizens of the US feel the same way. He is weak and made the country weak and feel inadequate

Maybe citizens of the us do, but no, not the whole world perceives the US as a weak nation. People may be disappointed in him, but worldwide he seems much more appreciated than in the US.

[JakeSully]

Brother George W. was THE worst President in the history of the United States

According to the American people, that honor goes to Barack Obama. George W. was number two.

You're nuts!

But I don't expect any different from you.. you're an Obama hater.. but unfortunately for you.. you don't know what it means to be a Republican anymore.. Let me try to enlighten you.. why you're going to be hating the next President after Obama even more because..

Republicans long ago hitched their wagon to the racist and xenophobic stars. It began in 1964 with Goldwater and it was Nixon who deliberately set out to capture the Wallace voters. Lee Atwater refined and perfected the strategy. And, for a while, it succeeded brilliantly. Reagan and both Bushes profited handsomely from their manipulation.

But, something happened along the way. The people whom the Republicans exploited for support actually became the base of the Republican Party. Republicans no longer manipulated the racists and xenophobes; they were owned by them. That is the state of today's Republican Party. It isn't just a party that caters to racists and haters, it is a party composed essentially of them.

Establishment types like Bush, Rubio and Walker are all competing for the same voters -- voters who are actively looking for candidates who mirror their racism. So all this talk about Obama is the worst president forever does nothing but pander to the racists and xenophobes in their base. That base is not going to win you the next election. You already tried in 2008 and 2012. Your base is only 34% of the electorate and it's dying.. it's composed of elder voters. Obama's base is 49% and it's growning.. millenials are voting democrat about 70%.

Sure you can brag about having congress being GOP but they are gerrymandered districts. That doesn't work with the Presidency.. you need 270 to win and I don't see you winning 270 with a blame obama as the worst president ever strategy. You could win if you make College and Healthcare and Food Stamps free and available to everyone.. just saying!

[puck2]

Supposed it would be true that

Brother George W. was THE worst President in the history of the United States

According to the American people, that honor goes to Barack Obama. George W. was number two.

http://time.com/2949984/barack-obama-poll/

(what I doubt) maybe the US Americans have a problem with their memory if existing at all.

A persident who fabricated a war in in the ME with

• more than 4.000 US soldiers been killed -

• a giant numbers of Irak civilists been hurt, disabled, violated, broken (the US nationalists like to conceal this crime)

• destabilising the total ME region with the consequence of new conflicts/wars

• the unability to recognise and fight the deep-set causes of the financial crises

should be better than his successor, who tried to finish the mess

Please, don't tell us more sad jokes like this. If someone reads such a comment he asks himself, has this man a mental problem or all the US people ??? In a "normal" democracy crimnal peolpe like G.W Bush. Cheney, Rumsfield, Rove, Wolfowitz, CIA people, etc should have to stand trial because of their responsibility for this awful and shameful war.

O.`s administration had to shoulder the gigantic money and budget (war) problems caused by the most unept US president.

Again, Obama worse than Bush?

[Scott]

Off-topic post and reply removed. This is about Jeb Bush.

[impulse]

Surely Obama is the worst ever president??

After all, what has he actually ever done? The whole world now sees US of A as a weak nation due to him and many citizens of the US feel the same way. He is weak and made the country weak and feel inadequate

He's fixed the titanic economic mess that GW left him; implemented health care for millions that didn't have it; extricated America from two costly and entirely pointless wars; and stopped the US being Israel's bitch.

Speaking as a member of that whole world, I'd say he's strengthened the country and made it far less inadequate than it was when Bush left it in tatters.

100% agree. But I'm still disappointed. He broke crapped all over his promise to make government more transparent.

But between the Florida election results, Bush 1's CIA clandestine crap, and Bush 2's cooked-up intelligence, he had nothing on the Bush clan for pulling the wool over our eyes.

Edited May 23, 2015 by impulse

[Scott]

An off-topic post has been removed.