Jeb Bush launches 'optimistic' campaign for president

[webfact]

Jeb Bush has optimistic message, faces challenges in '16 bid
By STEVE PEOPLES and BRENDAN FARRINGTON

MIAMI (AP) — Vowing to win the Republican presidential nomination on his own merits, Jeb Bush launched a White House bid months in the making Monday with a promise to stay true to his beliefs — easier said than done in a bristling primary contest where his conservative credentials will be sharply challenged.

"Not a one of us deserves the job by right of resume, party, seniority, family, or family narrative. It's nobody's turn," Bush said, confronting critics who suggest he simply seeks to inherit the office already held by his father and brother. "It's everybody's test, and it's wide open — exactly as a contest for president should be."

Bush sought to turn the prime argument against his candidacy on its head, casting himself as the true Washington outsider while lashing out at competitors in both parties as being part of the problem. He opened his campaign at a rally near his south Florida home at Miami Dade College, an institution with a large and diverse student body that symbolizes the nation he seeks to lead.

"The presidency should not be passed on from one liberal to the next," he declared in a jab at Democratic favorite Hillary Rodham Clinton.

And he said: "We are not going to clean up the mess in Washington by electing the people who either helped create it or have proven incapable of fixing it."

That was an indirect but unmistakable swipe at Republican presidential rivals in the Senate. Among them is his political protege, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who welcomed Bush into the 2016 contest earlier in the day.

Bush enters a 2016 Republican contest that will test both his vision of conservatism and his ability to distance himself from family.

Neither his father, former President George H.W. Bush, nor his brother, former President George W. Bush, attended Monday's announcement. The family was represented instead by Jeb Bush's mother and former first lady, Barbara Bush, who once said that the country didn't need yet another Bush as president, and by his son George P. Bush, recently elected Texas land commissioner.

Before the event, the Bush campaign came out with a new logo — Jeb! — that conspicuously leaves out the Bush surname.

Bush, whose wife is Mexican-born, addressed the packed college arena in English and Spanish, an unusual twist for a political speech aimed at a national audience.

"In any language, my message will be an optimistic one because I am certain that we can make the decades just ahead the greatest time ever to be alive in this world," he said. "I will campaign as I would serve, going everywhere, speaking to everyone, keeping my word, facing the issues without flinching,"

In the past six months, Bush has made clear he will remain committed to his core beliefs in the campaign to come — even if his positions on immigration and education standards are deeply unpopular among the conservative base of the party that plays an outsized role in the GOP primaries.

Tea party leader Mark Meckler on Monday said Bush's positions on education and immigration are "a nonstarter with many conservatives."

"There are two political dynasties eyeing 2016," said Meckler, a co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, one of the movement's largest organizations, and now leader of Citizens for Self-Governance. "And before conservatives try to beat Hillary, they first need to beat Bush."

Yet a defiant Bush has showed little willingness to placate his party's right wing.

Instead, he aimed his message on Monday at the broader swath of the electorate that will ultimately decide the November 2016 general election. Minority voters, in particular, have fueled Democratic victories in the last two presidential elections.

Of the five people on the speaking program before Bush, just one was a white male.

He was not planning to address immigration on Monday, but protesters left him little choice. Just as he introduced his mother, a group of several people removed their outer shirts, revealing yellow T-shirts that spelled out, "Legal status is not enough."

Bush responded by departing from his prepared remarks: "Just so that our friends know, the next president of the United States will pass meaningful immigration reform, so that that will be solved — not by executive order."

He prefers creating a path to legal status for the millions of immigrants now living in the country illegally as part of an overhaul, rather than a path to U.S. citizenship.

Bush is one of 11 major Republicans in the hunt for the nomination. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are among those still deciding whether to join a field that could end up just shy of 20.

Bush's critics in both parties have criticized him as aggressively as they would if he were the clear Republican favorite.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said Monday there's "Bush-Clinton fatigue" in America. "I think some people have had enough Bushes and enough Clintons," Paul said in an interview with The Associated Press.
___

Peoples reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Lexington, S.C. contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-06-16

[stevenl]

He is right, the only way a Republican can beat the democrats is by getting through the primaries by not giving in to the tea party ideas.

[canuckamuck]

It's not enough that Americans can't manage to have more than two choices for president every 4 years. It seems they only want to choose from two families.

[lostoday]

It's not enough that Americans can't manage to have more than two choices for president every 4 years. It seems they only want to choose from two families.

It's not bragging - honest - but I personally know both Jeb Bush and Hillary and they are in a dead heat for dumb. God help the country.

[Zob65]

God help the world if they elect another Bush

[JakeSully]

If they can get Jeb through the primary to the ticket, that would be great for the dems. Nothing will get people out to the polls than saying Not another Bush.

[khwaibah]

Zero on both side to vote for.

[boomerangutang]

Let's get a thread on Bernie Sanders. Jeb is as interesting a toasted slice of Wonder Bread. Sanders is the wave of the future. Mark my words: Bernie's campaign will gain upward momentum, and the Republicans will keep throwing mud in the mosh pit.

[Pinot]

"The presidency should not be passed on from one liberal to the next," he declared in a jab at Democratic favorite Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Yes it's time to pass it back to the Republican party. Pass it back to the brother of the worst President in the history of the United States so he can complete the job of running the US off a cliff.

HRC will make a great President and there is nothing the GOP can do to stop her. That's the bottom line for you teabaggers out there in TV land. Hate all you want, but Hillary will be the next President...in a landslide.

[boomerangutang]

"The presidency should not be passed on from one liberal to the next," he declared in a jab at Democratic favorite Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Yes it's time to pass it back to the Republican party. Pass it back to the brother of the worst President in the history of the United States so he can complete the job of running the US off a cliff.

HRC will make a great President and there is nothing the GOP can do to stop her. That's the bottom line for you teabaggers out there in TV land. Hate all you want, but Hillary will be the next President...in a landslide.

Maybe so, but don't discount the dark horse: Sanders is drawing crowds such that people are having to be turned away at his events. I heard an interview with the guy, and he can think on his feet, and isn't afraid of, or beholden to any special-interest big-money group - that I can detect. If I was in the US right now, I'd see about joining his campaign as a volunteer.

[canuckamuck]

If they can get Jeb through the primary to the ticket, that would be great for the dems. Nothing will get people out to the polls than saying Not another Bush.

I think you are discounting the anything but Hilary vote

[Credo]

I fear his 'optimistic' campaign will be like Sr.'s 'kinder, gentler nation'; something that never quite materialized.

That said, he is definitely a step up from his brother. I am not particularly enamored with him, but I can envision myself voting for him over a number of other candidates in both parties.

[sdanielmcev]

I give him props for being out of the mainstream of either side. He's probably closer to middle America than anyone else.

[little mary sunshine]

OH SH..!! Another BUSH and the SAME OLD CLINTON....Come on

US Voters we should be able to better than THESE TWO.

VOTE NO TO BOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sydebolle]

Well, the oil and weaponry industry must have champagne corks popping all over the country then. Going once, going twice - we'll see what the American people will think about "three". Good luck to all of us ;-)

[fvw53]

Does he have money enough to avoid become a beggar in the auction of the US Presidency 2016 organized by the Koch Brothers and Sheldon Adelson ?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/14/sheldon-adelson-koch-brothers_n_7563866.html?ncid=newsltushpmg00000003

[Colabamumbai]

Saudi money is behind the Bush campaign, as it was his fathers. They own the Bush family. I am not an American, thank God, but a neighbor who does what it is told by the U.S. govt, or face sanctions, yes Canada.

Being our biggest trading partner we do what we are told. No legalization of Marijuana for years, now we have it. All due to U.S. pressure we were told we could not.

The Bush family likes to keep all Americans in a "Terror" state, they are easier to control with a threat of "Terror" from where ever.

Our present P.M. is a Bush puppet, Stephen Harper.

Neither of them deserve to run a country unless it was maybe a third world country.

[BwindiBoy]

God help the world if they elect another Bush

Even Americans couldn't be THAT stupid...surely!?!

[lostoday]

"The presidency should not be passed on from one liberal to the next," he declared in a jab at Democratic favorite Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Yes it's time to pass it back to the Republican party. Pass it back to the brother of the worst President in the history of the United States so he can complete the job of running the US off a cliff.

HRC will make a great President and there is nothing the GOP can do to stop her. That's the bottom line for you teabaggers out there in TV land. Hate all you want, but Hillary will be the next President...in a landslide.

To put it in Thai visa terms HC is Jt and Jeb is Neversure. Now think about that.

[BwindiBoy]

As Roy Harper sings..."There's no one left to vote for; only fools to vote against."

[Bung]

It days a lot that another Bush thinks he should be worthy of becoming president...Seriously, is Jeb all they can muster up in that country? God help us. Didn't his dad and brother ruin things around the world enough?

[Scott]

A post with an oversized graphic has been removed.

[wabothai]

the mere fact that he is running says enough about the US.

Qualified or not he is a Bush, and the Bushes have changed the world for the worst.

[freebyrd]

Read my lips - "No new choices".......

[lostoday]

It days a lot that another Bush thinks he should be worthy of becoming president...Seriously, is Jeb all they can muster up in that country? God help us. Didn't his dad and brother ruin things around the world enough?

You can look at his record. He was the governor/manager/leader of Florida which is bigger in almost any way you look at than the Netherlands. GDP, Population, Military whatever. Florida ranks about 19th in the world in you compared it to 192 other nations. The Florida Army Guard contains infantry, artillery, cavalry, air defense, engineer, communications, military intelligence and Special Forces as well as troop-carrying and reconnaissance helicopter units. The Florida Air Guard contains air-to-air combat aircraft as well as medium lift transport, which can operate out of any of the state's 27 military airfields.

So, as far as executive experience Bush has got more than most leaders of most countries in the world. For example I know apartment managers that have more responsibility than the President of Singapore (except even though they want to cane and hang people the apartment managers can usually only put them in jail).

http://getofftitanic.com/titanic/states/free_florida.php

The only things,Hillary really managed was public opinion of a philandering husband and poorly managed State Department.

[Publicus]

If they can get Jeb through the primary to the ticket, that would be great for the dems. Nothing will get people out to the polls than saying Not another Bush.

I think you are discounting the anything but Hilary vote

Ninety percent know how they are going to vote. Of the remaining 10%, undecideds generally break 7.5% for the eventual winner while the rest go with the loser. Bottom line:: no difference, same outcome. The money is on the Democratic party to win the election November 8, 2016.

Forty percent of Republicans say they won't vote for another Bush to be the nominee of the R party for prez never mind in the general election itself.

HRC inherits the Obama coalition of voters while JEB inherits his brother and his father which keeps him from crawling out of the hole he's been in all along.

Fact is HRC is the safe candidate while every Republican running or mentioned is not a safe bet. The decided majority of American voters consider that none of the Republicans are safe to vote for. Each one to include JEB is his own kind of screwball or worse, much worse.

Edited June 16, 2015 by Publicus

[notmyself]

On the gambling side.... minutes after Jab announced, he dropped 4 points with HRC gaining 2. HRC is now 8/11 (down from 10/11) and down further from when I put 6000 GBP on her winning some months back at 11/10. I presume that the market thinks Jeb actually has a chance of being nominated? Even the most myopic know he has been gathering a war chest for months so as to not be 'confined' by rules when he announced but I seriously doubt he can take on the Koch brothers.

[boomerangutang]

45 years ago, Republicans saddled Americans and the world with a manic depressed, severly paranoid alcoholic man who prolonged the Vietnam War (when it could have ended many months earlier) and brought us to the brink of nuclear bombs raining down on Vietnam. Those of us, of a certain age, know I'm referring to Nixon. Here's an interview with an author who just plowed through reams of newly released chronicles about him, and compiled a new book:

I'm not saying Jeb or any of his pals running for the Republican nomination would be as bad a president as Nixon or Reagan (who secretly conspired with the Iranians to keep a war going in Nicaragua), but rather .....am advocating being wary of any politician from the party which has, more than once, secretly prolonged wars where young American soldiers get killed for no good reason.

[lostoday]

45 years ago, Republicans saddled Americans and the world with a manic depressed, severly paranoid alcoholic man who prolonged the Vietnam War (when it could have ended many months earlier) and brought us to the brink of nuclear bombs raining down on Vietnam. Those of us, of a certain age, know I'm referring to Nixon. Here's an interview with an author who just plowed through reams of newly released chronicles about him, and compiled a new book:

I'm not saying Jeb or any of his pals running for the Republican nomination would be as bad a president as Nixon or Reagan (who secretly conspired with the Iranians to keep a war going in Nicaragua), but rather .....am advocating being wary of any politician from the party which has, more than once, secretly prolonged wars where young American soldiers get killed for no good reason.

The Pentagon Papers confirm 38 US Air Force pilots flew at least 682 sorties over the course of the battle. The Pentagon Papers more importantly reveal French cables to Washington (just 10 days into the month-long siege) requesting the US drop three atomic bombs on North Vietnamese positions surrounding the garrison. President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles actually kept this nuclear option on the table until the British ambassador in London notified Dulles that Britain would not support the French request.

http://donkasprzak.com/drop-3-atomic-bombs-at-dien-bien-phu/

[Loptr]

If anyone has any doubts as to the true nature of the Bush family, I urge you to read "Family of Secrets" by Russ Baker, then do a bit of research into Prescott Bush...