Even if he says he isn’t running for president, the very successful former governor of Florida offers some great advise to his fellow Republicans on how to campaign against the increasingly unpopular incumbent President of the United States:
Asked by Fox News host Neil Cavuto if some Republicans go too far in their criticism of Obama, Bush said flatly, “I do. I think when you start ascribing bad motives to the guy, that’s wrong. It turns off people who want solutions.
“It’s fine to criticize him, that’s politics,” said Bush, the younger brother of former President George W. Bush, who again reiterated that he won’t run for president himself. “But just to stop there isn’t enough. You have to win with ideas, you have to win with policies. … He’s made a situation that was bad worse. He’s deserving of criticism for that. He’s not deserving of criticism for the common cold on up.”
“If you’re a conservative, you have to persuade. You can’t just be against the president,” he added.
Emphasis added. Note that Jeb how Jeb criticizes Obama’s policies, reminding us that the Democrat has “made a situation that was bad worse.” Interesting that in saying that Obama started with a “bad situation,” he is implicitly implicating the incumbent’s predecessor (i.e., my Bush’s brother) in leaving Mr. Obama with that bad situation.
Jeb is right. We have to win with ideas and policies. The problem with Obama is not his motives, but his policies. And let’s keep the focus on that.
As Republicans fault the incumbent for wanting to spend ever more of our tax dollars to address out nation’s economic problems, they must also explain how conservative policies, cutting spending and reducing regulation, is conducive to economic growth and job creation.
(H/t Gateway Pundit.)
I think Jeb was always the son that was supposed to run for the presidency. But his loss in the governors’ race in 1994 ended that political avenue. His years as governor in Florida were good years and he was generally viewed favorably by the electorate. If I had only one criticism of him as governor it was that he was more than a bit wonkish when it came to policy. He wasn’t able to “warm up” to the electorate and really “sell” his policies (which were the right ones, imho). He would have made a much better president than his older brother was.
Republican candidates should just do what Democrats do; don’t criticize your opponent yourself, subcontract the job to media attack dogs.
I’d rather eat bugs than vote for another Bush but I will concede that Jeb is right but with criticism comes the need to explain why they’re wrong.
We have plenty on people on the right wondering about O’s motives everyday. Rush, alone, spends fifteen tedious hours a week on Obama’s motives.
What we need is for our candidates to articulate the issues, articulate ideas to solve government problems (even the tough ones), and articulate the urgency of a course correction.
Dan, I couldn’t disagree with you or Jeb Bush any more…
There seems to be something about the Bush family that prevents them from standing up for what they believe in. Maybe it’s their wealth, maybe their New England lineage, but whatever it is, it results in an almost self-destructive tendency to surrender in the face of opposition, regardless of how vile, dishonest, violent or criminal that opposition may be. The Bush’s specialize in surrender under color of some perverse notion of dignity, even if it means defeat. They warrant neither my respect, nor my electoral support. As far as I’m concerned, Markos Moulitsas and Micheal Moore should bow down and kiss the very ground George W. Bush walks on, for Christ’s sake.
The Bush family (and RINO’s in general) are to conservatism what Obama and the Democrat Party is to liberty. They all may harbor some vague notion of what they stand for, but none possess the courage to see them through . If anyone is responsible for the Tea Party, it may be said that Bush’s lack of intestinal fortitude planted the seed; Obama merely fertilized it.
I spent 8 years defending a man who chose to surround himself by cowards, so I’ll be Goddamned if I’m going to lend any further credence to a man who isn’t smart enough to know when he’s been shit upon.
To hell with Jeb Bush’s political “expertise,”, and to hell with his family’s mealy-mouthed bullshit. They bring limp pasta and Chianti to a gunfight, and would better serve this country if they kept their noses out of a fight they lack the stomach to even acknowledge has been declared.
His family’s cowardice and spinelessness played a part in the election of the Mocha Messiah, so Jeb Bush can kindly kiss my big white, gay ass if he thinks I’m the slightest bit interested in anything he has to say.
Do us all a favor, Jeb…just shut the hell up and write a check.
Jeb and Dan obviously travel in a higher class because down here on the street they call their philosopy, cowardice/yellow/no guts/a pussy. The way to fight Chicago politics is with Chicago politics. If you intend to attract more voters than a few elites that is.
Truth is, the women like Palin, Cheney and Backmann have all the testosterone the males in the republican party are lacking.
BS, the way to fight Chicago politics is with Chicago politics. Let Liz Cheney put Obama in perspective for the voting masses.
Screw the republican establishment type elites.
Jeb Bush follows the McCain way which is failure. I can just see John McCain on Jeb Bush’s back whispering into his ear…
An excellent post reflecting the sound advice of Jeb Bush.
While I am generally in accord with the conservative and libertarian political views of Gay Patriot, on occasion a certain element of class struggle enters into the discussion fray. I find this aspect unfortunate; its presence in the American Conservative Movement was one of the reasons I found the opinions of William F. Buckley so distasteful. I would not disagree that George Herbert Walker Bush was a master of political equivocation: I attribute that failing to his lack of elected position experience (four years as a congressman). Moreover, his curious desire to dishonor his heritage in order to pander to the populist wing of the Republican Party had him act more Odessa than Greenwich. Perhaps his lack of vision and commitment to a higher cause stemmed from his schooling at Andover, which emphasized personal competition, as opposed to, say, Groton, a formerly-sponsored church school that Franklin D. Roosevelt attended, where a moral tone was set. Nonetheless, his Administration did provide lower capital gains to ensure a continued appreciation of privilege- without a concomitant valuing of magnanimity to the less fortunate in our society. This sin of omission was one not seen in the presidencies of Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy. Hardly a member of the “establishment type elites” (how 1960s rhetoric comes to haunt us), even Richard Nixon provided for the commonweal.
Surprisingly perhaps to some, I do not find the same “lack of center” failings either in George W. or in Jeb Bush. These men have evidenced that they stand for something beyond their mere political ambition. Jeb’s record in Florida has stood as one of fine service to the citizens of Florida: reforms for public schools and Medicaid, preservation of the Everglades, and limiting monetary compensation in medical torts . W chose to increase U.S. funds for AIDS in Africa and global malaria. He created the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge, thus more than doubling and preserving our national environmental heritage. These actions are those of public servants who see beyond their terms, and respond to their duty to all citizens. It said the son is not the father, yet both men also went to Andover. Clearly they imbibed some residual “honor code” which Herbert Walker did not.
I would like to see such a superior conduct in the present spate of Republican candidates. Only Jon Huntsman might bear such a burden.
I just threw up a little.
Jon Huntsman seems to be the favorite Republican among those who will never vote for a Republican.
I mean, let’s be honest. If every liberal who ever said “John McCain is the kind of Republican I could vote for” actually, um, voted for him in 2008… he would have won in a landslide that made Reagan look like Mondale.
Let us get real. People like, Bryan represent a very, very small number of repubican voters. The majority of the voters are sick and tired of the blue bloods in the party handing victory to the democrats and they represent a very, very large number of republican voters. They are tired of the democrats kicking the crap out of republicans at every turn when the democrats are in the majority and when they are in the minority. The majority of voters want to elect a conservative who is going to kick the crap out of the democrats and their policies for a change and they don’t give a crap if that person calls the democrats every name in the book.
While I understand where Jeb Bush is coming from, I think his advice is misguided, to put it mildly.
Instead of telling Republicans to play by rules the Dems/libs have NO intention of playing by, Jeb Bush and others like him would do better to relentlessly hammer away at the double standard that permits leftists to question the motives of conservatives nonstop while demanding that conservatives be “civil”. Conservatives are always bringing knives to a gunfight and are always shocked when they aren’t praised for being nice. It’s time we grew some balls and started fighting a Chicago politician the Chicago way. Yes, we have to be smart about it. We have to show why Obama’s policies are wrong and conservative policies are better, but that doesn’t mean being wussy. We can “send one of theirs to the morgue” while articulating conservative solutions to the nation’s problems. It can be done; we just have to man up and do it.
Lets stipulate this formula for the sake of argument: 1/3rd of voters will go for Obama, no matter what. 1/3rd of voters will go for the Republican candidate, no matter what. 1/3rd of voters will go for either Obama or the Republican candidate.
So, the country club Republicans are scared to death of “alienating” the last 1/3rd and they feel like they must kiss up to them.
But there is another formula: 1/3rd of voters will go for Obama if they are energized to turn out. 1/3rd of voters will go for the Republican candidate if they are energized to turn out. 1/3rd of voters are so indifferent that they will sit home (or go bowling) and watch, unless they are motivated to catch a wave and hop on the winning side.
The second scenario is why I am enthusiastic about Palin. We know the pinheads will vote against her, but will they stampede the polls to do so? We know the country club Republicans disdain her, but will they sit out the election? (Even I voted for McCain who I really dislike.) The remaining 1/3rd would be divided between those who skip the vote and those who want to jump on the bandwagon.
I am not a professional handicapper, but if Obama can pull off the bulk of “independents” in 2012, I will not only be surprised, but seriously impelled to abandon all hope for America.
Bryan, I think you are what some people refer to as a “RINO.”
It also occurs to me that Bush 43’s elitism (marketed as “compassionate conservatism”) was the source of some of his worst policy blunders. Just to cite a couple, his “No Child Left Behind” law (authored by Ted Kennedy) contained no conservative educational reforms, but merely advanced the progressive agenda of Federalizing Education and throwing more money down the sinkhole. His Amnesty initiative was based on his elitist viewpoint that illegal immigrants were no different than lower class American citizens; all of us being nothing more than peasants for his class to rule over. Because of that, he was willing to hand out American citizenship like it was a library card, and he was completely indifferent to the impact of illegal immigrants depressing the wages of the working class while making their schools and hospitals more crowded and less able to serve the taxpaying citizenry of this country.
I disagree with the sentence quoted, while agreeing with the larger point.
The problem with Obama *is*, ultimately, his motives.
However, politics is (or should be) about solving problems, and when you’re trying to solve problems, discussing someone’s motives is academic and off-topic – that is, off-the-topic of what solutions you are proposing. It only makes sense to keep the focus on what solutions you have to offer, I agree.
Christians better NOT turn the other cheek this time, DON’T YOU DARE!! Not this time, no way! I didn’t hear a Bush or a Rove, Boehner, Cantor or any of these guys step up and speak up when Palin was accused of freakin MURDER, noooooo, not one! As I recall, Jebby held a school thing with Obama in Florida and they couldn’t hug enough or slap each other on the back enough. Oh yeah, I will never forget it, screw you Jeb, the guy who went around the country with Romney and bad mouthed Reagan, saying forget about that era, that’s OVER!! This is who these people are and if the truth be told, they don’t like us, the bitter clingers too much either! I have to say one thing, George didn’t hate our country and I truly think he respected and loved our troops, the rest of the family, daddy Bush hated Reagan and everything he stood for, what does that tell us. What I know, this is war, this is it, we need someone that knows how to win and then fix this mess. I don’t know about you, being passive won’t accomplish that. It won’t be us that will get ugly, as you can see with Maxine Waters it will be them, one thing we have to do is to tell people the truth, it’s wrong not to. The old way is over, it ended 2yrs ago, there’s already an army on the ground…..waiting.
Just curious, Harry Reid won in Nevada partly by accusing Sharron Angle of being pro-rape. How should a Republican respond to Democrats who easily get away with such charges.
With all due respect to Dan, I’m afraid he (and any other similarly-minded conservative) is simply wrong in once again advocating bringing a plastic prop knife to a gunfight.
Honest debate with an opponent that has demonstrated it’s capacity for neither is not only futile, but obtuse, and I am having none of it.
I am having great difficulty getting my arms around all of this.
Paul Ryan stepped up to the plate and presented a well thought out plan for addressing the deficit, cutting the budget and preserving medicare and Obama invited him to sit in the front row at the White House while Obama eviscerated him.
There has been no budget in more than two years and no one need be reminded of the stealth Obamacare bill that was “enacted” by arcane and mysterious means.
Suffice it to say, when Republicans promote a solution, it is trounced upon and treated to a full court press of Democrat demagoguery. The Chicago School of Alinsky Politics is a well oiled machine that runs the gamut from ACORN level corruption to bald faced lying and every conceivable manner of maneuvering and manipulation. That is what we face.
John Kerry would not reveal “his plan” because he didn’t want Bush to bash it and lie and cheat and whatever. Most of us knew he had no “plan” and we was hiding in plain sight.
But Obama and his Obamanauts are pros at attacking, attacking, attacking. They will marginalize any idea they oppose and they seriously arm up to “murder” the opponent and they will throw any mud available and whip up their rent-a-mob supporters to near riot frenzy.
Our candidate can not be John McCain “professional” and above the fray. Our candidate must be willing to give as good as he/she gets. We are not running against reasoned debate and a difference of opinion where nice guys shake hands and pal around after hours.
We are in the midst of a civil war in which the Constitution and adherence to the Constitution are at stake. To imply that Obama has any pure motives in this fight is daffy.
Jeb Bush does not want to send the independents away in fear. I understand that. Many of them are timid and likely to go with statism. I understand that Palin looks nuttier to some independents than Obama does.
But the time is not ripe for “sunshine” compromisers and glad handers. Hatch, McCain, the Bush dynasty types, Lugar, the New England girls, and many other country club RINOs may help in the future Republican control of the Senate, but they will be the first to sell out for half a loaf.
I can not understand how anyone who sees the dire financial mess we are in can even consider playing ball with the Democrats.
Let them elect DINOs who play ball with us.
Once again, Helio, dear sir, you absolutely nail it.
This is a lesson the conservatives should’ve learned immediately after the Democrat Party’s infamous “daisy” ad, but apparently, according to Jeb, still haven’t the cajones to accept.
I’ve had it up to my ass with following “rules” demanded by an opponent who has neither the inclination nor character to adhere to.
Fuck them, and fuck their message. They had 24 months in which to enact whatever they wished, yet accomplished nothing the very electorate they need, yet despise, supported. Hence, their incessant blame game and talk of “enemies” and “terrorists.”
In case you hadn’t noticed, I’ve had it with trying to talk to spoiled children, but if some people still believe there is some dialogue to be had with Wesley Mouch, then by all means, knock yourselves out.
Just don’t try to tell me that you seriously believe it will amount to anything, and don’t you dare attempt to speak for me.
Fuck them, and fuck their message.
and Eric you said that you rarely put your hands on your hips J/K
Very funny, smartass… 😀
Done with playing nice and have lost some liberal friends because of it and you know what, I don’t care! They haven’t played nice in years and we have stood passively by while our country has been taken over. From now on I am teaching my children to fight back and I want leaders who will do the same.
You’ll forgive me if I ignore the advice from yet another RINO. In the immortal words of Maxine Waters (Demorrhoid-C), Jeb can go straight to hell.
“Demorrhoid.”
That is just pure AWESOME!!!!!!!
Mind if I use it??? 😀
Agreed.
It should be possible to debate reasonably while also “eviscerating” the Democrats. After all, it isn’t the Democrats that the Republicans are trying to convince, it is the voters. The Republicans can’t nominate a candidate that isn’t afraid to point out Obama’s many faults. Maybe I’m naive, but empty “mudslinging” won’t resonate with most voters. A passionate, yet reasonable, argument that points out the left’s “civility” will be much more effective, in my opinion.
Based on what I have seen, Paul Ryan managed to do that quite effectively. He doesn’t appear to be running now, but he is an example of what I am talking about.
Also, it is the facts that eviscerate liberals. As much as the media may try to spin them, that appears not to be working as well as it once did (especially with the gaining momentum of alternative media).
Add to that a firm set of principles and a firm stand on those principles and a continued articulation of the principles. (See: Regan, Ronald.)
RINO? The current predeliction for ideological purity over political reality should work as well for Republican chances as it did for Barry in 1964. Rather as well as that “hopey-changey” thing.
I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw.
Nice try, Bryan, but an epic fail from those of us who know better.
And we all know how that turned out for the Prince of Denmark, don’t we?
Electing Jon Huntsman as president and filling the senate with Arlen Specters, Charlie Crists, and Olympia Snowes would accomplish what exactly?
And why does no one ever caution the Democrats that selecting far left extremists… like, oh, say, the most left-wing radical Democrat in the Senate… as their nominee is suicide?
And why on earth would I ever vote for Huntsman? He supports and endorses everything Obama does and refuses to criticize Obama. In fact, all that Huntsman does is attack Republicans, claiming that Republicans are all religious idiots who lack “substance”.
I find it amusing that Huntsman is the preferred candidate of the media and the Obama Party, who is coordinating with him to attack Republicans and who is channeling him money.
Hey, that reminds me… it’s been awhile since I savored the fact that Pat Toomey won election to the ‘Specter seat’, defeating Democrat Joe Sestak who in turn had defeated Democrat Arlen Specter who in turn had defeated Republican Arlen Specter by arranging the latter’s exodus/expulsion from the Republican Party.
Here goes! “Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…”
Please name one member of the MFM who is currently praising Jon Huntsman who would also actually vote for him over Obama. Joe Scarborough, maybe, but I doubt it.
Jon Huntsman is Charlie Crist–just a little less orange. People are in no mood for RiNO’s; therefore, that’s why Huntsman will disappear & Mittens is in a panic about Perry.
Oh, I’ve noticed McRINO McCain is silent about who he is supporting this time around. His endorsement might as well be as much poison as say…David Axelrod’s spin about Obama.
@31
Thanks kindly, Eric. This post has been fun- rather like going quail hunting with my father, though those delicious little birds were harder to hit.
And the last time I saw the word “epic” was in “Surfer” magazine hehe.
Having an early tee-off with another RINO, I’ll say goodnight, and wish everyone’s favorite front-runner may reach the White House.