Bush calms donors over Texas barbecue

The Hill ^ | 10/26/15 | Jonathan Swan

[jimbo123]

Jeb Bush did his best to reassure his wealthiest donors over a Texas barbecue on Sunday, telling them that his Republican presidential campaign is trimming its costs and correcting itself like any business.

-snip-

And while some pundits are already writing off Jeb Bush's chances of winning the Republican nomination, a number of major donors and Bush operatives interviewed by The Hill said they were confident he could turn the polls around by the time votes are cast in primaries next February and March.

A number of these donors and operatives say they have faith that the pro-Bush super-PAC Right to Rise will - with a $100 million-plus bank account that dwarfs the super-PACs of all other candidates - be able to lift the candidate's fortunes by dominating the airwaves with advertising.

California investor William Oberndorf has already sent a $1 million check to Right to Rise, making him one of Bush's most generous donors. He wrote via email that "while campaign fundraising has perhaps been somewhat impacted by current polls, Jeb is in excellent shape."

"[Bush] certainly has enough campaign funds to continue to operate a very solid campaign effort," Oberndorf added.

"Moreover, he can now begin to pivot to a very robust media campaign using his Right to Rise funds where he has absolute dominance."

A Bush operative agreed with that sentiment, but said in a phone interview that fundraising was becoming tough, given that many of Bush's early donors had "maxed out" (reached their maximum allowed campaign contribution of $2700) and the campaign did not have the seemingly endless supply of small dollar donors that outsider rivals Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Carson seemed to have.

Regarding the struggle with small donors, the Bush operative said: "That was the same way with Romney.

[jimbo123]

[PghBaldy]

I think he waited too long to try to fix his campaign.

[Graybeard58]

- with a $100 million-plus bank account that dwarfs the super-PACs of all other candidates

Except Trump, who is his own "super PAC".

[Safetgiver]

He can’t possibly accumulate enough money to personally PAY enough people to vote for him. Wouldn’t be prudent.

[Flick Lives]

Regarding the struggle with small donors, the Bush operative said: "That was the same way with Romney.

Yeah, and look how well that turned out. *sheesh*

[Liz]

Of course Jebbie has millions of campaign dollars. "Genius" Karl Rove knows how to raise millions. Heck, Karl raised some $350 million by telling his America's Crossroads PAC donors that Mitt Romney was a "sure-winner."

ROTFLOL.

Karl told Jebito lots of money for well-placed ads is r-e-a-l-l-y important.

Karl also told the gullible Jebbie that "he didn't need" those horrible judgemental conservatives.

Karl told Jebbie the "multitudes" were rooting for him----moderates and independents..... and besides......

....hordes of Hispanics pouring over the border performing "acts of love" would swing the election to Jebito at the drop of a burrito.

[ontap]

Campaign going in the first stage of its death throws!!!

[USS Alaska]

"Moreover, he can now begin to pivot to a very robust media campaign using his Right to Rise funds where he has absolute dominance."

Isn't it ILLEGAL for a candidate to use super pac funds? Isn't the 'Right to Rise' a super pac?

Don't the rules apply to the insiders? Never mind.

[tanknetter]

Don’t get overconfident. McCain went through exactly this same sort of thing in 2008.

If Bush is able to successfully transition from a front-runner campaign (as he’d intended) to a stealth one (as necessity now dictates) he can (possibly) ride out the next several months and emerge pretty formidable by South Carolina.

Again just as McCain did.

[SamAdams76]

Four years ago, Romney was solidly in second place with only an about to self-destruct Herman Cain in front of him. Romney was averaging around 25% and already had big leads in some states. Today, Jebbie is around five percent, leads in zero states and is never higher than third place in any of them - including his home state of Florida.

The Bush camp is delusional if they think they are in similar position to where Romney was four years ago.

[Qiviut]

I think he waited too long to try to fix his campaign.

*******************************************

He also said he’s got cooler things to do & vote for Trump if the politics is going to get nasty. I think voters will take him at his word ..... the donors are throwing good money after bad if they continue to support him. Trump is eating his lunch, dinner & bed time snack ... he’s not going to back off and will continue to stamp out any spark of hope for Jeb!’s campaign. BTW, the new slogan they are thinking of rolling out is “Jeb Can Fix It”. That looks like a disaster waiting to happen to me .... he can’t fix his own campaign or his attitude (petulant & ‘put upon’) so how in the H.E.double hockey sticks is he going to “fix” his losing campaign? I guess next he’ll have to resort to stamping his foot along with sticking his lower lip out in a pout. Pathetic. Period.

[OKSooner]

" Regarding the struggle with small donors, the Bush operative said: "That was the same way with Romney." "

Yes, exactly...

[OKSooner]

No, they're not delusional, they're delusional and desperate too for comparing themselves to RMoney like that's a good thing.

(Someone around here came up with that spelling, I hope they don't mind me using it too.)

[Jane Long]

Wouldn’t be prudent.

😂😂

[jughandle]

I liked the earlier analogy of his campaign being put in hospice.