Why I feel bad for Jeb Bush

Washington Post ^ | 1/15/16 | Chris Cillizza

[jimbo123]

Watching Thursday night's Republican presidential debate, I kept trying to figure out how to grade Jeb Bush's performance. He clearly wasn't winning the debate since he was largely a bystander in the dominant fight between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. But, he also wasn't losing -- he made serious and nuanced points about immigration and foreign policy, and demonstrated deep knowledge on almost every issue.

Then, I realized what it was I was feeling about Jeb: I just felt bad for him.

Feel bad for a two term governor of a state and the scion of the first family of Republican politics, you say? That's either a) stupid or b) condescending (who the hell am I to feel bad for Jeb, after all?)

Be that as it may, it's how I felt. And, it's how I've felt about Bush for much of this campaign.

He entered the race way back last spring as the clear frontrunner -- a status confirmed upon him by his last name, his expected financial juggernaut and the depth of his resume.

But, early on, it became clear that Bush wasn't just rusty at this campaign thing, he simply wasn't all that good at it. It also became clear that Bush was badly miscast for an election cycle in which the Republican base wanted anger from its candidates. The rise of Donald Trump -- and his relentless attacks on Bush as a "low energy person" -- only served to highlight the disconnect between Bush and his party's base.

Last night, as he has throughout the campaign, Bush painted a picture of a complex world -- from the Middle East to here at home.

[jimbo123]

[Robert A Cook PE]

Well, the Washington Post writers certainly feel sorry for him losing - He is, after all, THEIR candidate.

FU GROPe .

[JPG]

Jeb has his health, his family and buku millions of dollars. Feel sorry for him? Not at all.

[miss marmelstein]

I heard Bush tell Trump that he wanted to import Muslims from Indonesia. A country that is under siege right now from jihadis. Bush is one of those compassionate conservatives who has no brain.

[max americana]

Yup. Effing GOPe from the Compost.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Feel sorry for a 62 year old man who does not have the stones to tell his own parents to bugger-off? Kinda.

[C210N]

I do feel bad for Jeb.

To prove that, consider a sincere caution for the door not hitting him in the behind. Now, if I didn’t feel bad for Jeb, I’d want the door to hit him, and whack his backside hard. But, no, don’t feel that way... let it just gently nudge him out the back.

[dfwgator]

He’s crying all the way to the bank.

[Jim Noble]

It also became clear that Bush was badly miscast for an election cycle in which the Republican base wanted anger from its candidates

What a stupid thing to say.

What we want is the truth. Now, it's true that the truth will make anybody who is not a communist or a traitor angry, but it's not the anger we want. It's the truth.

For once.

[Night Hides Not]

He would have had a better chance had he shown some outrage over Mississippi, that it was time for new leadership, a new way to do things.

Alas, it wasn't meant to be, his entire worldview is GOPe, through and through.

[Pravious]

I feel sorry for Terri Schaivo.

[Pollster1]

Poor Jeb. I feel bad for him too. It’s his turn, and the voters aren’t doing their job. I almost feel like a vote for sad, lonely Jeb would be “An Act of Love”.

[hemogoblin]

How can the Washington post publish "a status confirmed upon him by his last name," when it should be "conferred"? Come on Bezos.

How the mighty have fallen.

[bjcoop]

Jeb seems to have a creepy fixation on his parents. Love them, but don’t treat them as perfect or gods.

[samtheman]

He’s crying all the way to the bank.

---

Yup. He’s making a right pretty bundle from the fund raisers who are ripping off all the morons in the Donor Class. (Of course, the fund raisers get their cut too.)

[tflabo]

I always contend that Jeb should have saved Terri Schiavo even if that would have started a political forest fire. Jeb would have been seen as a brave hero by conservatives. But— such is what is and so Jeb’s star has dimmed to a faint flicker.

[bunnie911]

He made 36 million in the 10 years since leaving office. I feel bad for him...pftt.

[Deo volente]

I feel sorry for Terri Schaivo.

Bush, as governor, let a third-rate probate judge push him around. He's not fit to be president. Not even close.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

He entered the race way back last spring as the clear frontrunner

WRONG! He was the frontrunner only in the minds of Beltway and media types. Most Americans didn't know much about him and were simply reacting to the name "Bush."

It also became clear that Bush was badly miscast for an election cycle in which the Republican base wanted anger from its candidates.

WRONG AGAIN! GOP voters don't want "anger." They want someone with a spine who will fight against the onslaught of Liberal policies that keep coming and coming. The GOP has proven itself absolutely useless over the past 6 years. GOP voters have made a judgment that Jeb wouldn't change any of that.

[Safetgiver]

he was measured and thoughtful; “every time we send signals like this, we send a signal of weakness, not strength,” Bush said....SOOO. I stand up for my country, I ‘Signal’ I’m weak? When I fired on the VC, I signaled I didn’t want to do so? Jeb may have been measured (for a staightjacket) but not so much thoughtful. Go home Yeb. Barb made chicken soup.