Later that night at the Jeb Bush - Bill McBride UCF debate:
Tim Russert: "What's the best thing you can say about Jeb Bush?"
Bill McBride: "I like his mom very much."
Mom knows best.
Posted on 10/28/2002 11:38:42 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl
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Former First Lady Barbara Bush's Speech to Broward County Women at Nova Southeast University
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| Tuesday, October, 22, 2002 |
Thank you very much, all of you for that great welcome. I am delighted to be here with you today in Broward County and am grateful you took the time out of your busy day to come hear me talk about one of my favorite subjects - our son Jeb.
I was confident I could speak with great authority about the election and the issues, until I heard Dave Barry on TV the other day. He swears the biggest issue - and one the Governor is ignoring - is Canadian drivers. He insists this can only be solved by putting a wall at the Georgia border.
Maybe I don't understand what is going on down here as much as I thought I did.
Anyway, before I tell you why it's absolutely essential we re-elect your Governor to a second term, I'd love to tell you a little about our summer, when our family descended upon us at our home in Kennebunkport, Maine. As women, I suspect some of this will sound very familiar to some of your family experiences.
All of our children and grandchildren came with the exception of your great Governor, who was too busy for his job. The President came - three times, in fact. In addition to our immediate family, we had a variety of cousins, friends, friends of friends and a few people we never figured out who they were.
I'd love to share four things we learned that might prevent you from making some of the mistakes we made when grandchildren are visiting:
Don't lend your car to anyone you gave birth to or they gave birth to.
- Be careful of criticizing their clothes. What they change into could be tighter and shorter than what you made them take off.
- If you have a lot of tension and you get a headache, do what it says on the aspirin bottle: "Take two aspirin" and "Keep away from children."
- You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. That would be funny if I were talking about a grandchild.
One day in particular, when I was very annoyed by all the wet towels I found on the bathroom floor, and the constant opening and closing of the refrigerator door in the kitchen, and all the barking dogs that didn't belong to us but to our children - I turned to George in exasperation and told him I was going to have to go out and scold them, just like I did 40 years ago. Then he gave me some very important advice which I will now pass on to you:
"Be nice to your kids. They'll choose your nursing home."
You laugh, but sometimes George and I feel we have one foot in that door. One sure sign of age is when you suddenly realize your children are wiser than you. Often when we watch Jeb give a speech or we catch him on television, we truly are in awe. Can this really be the same son who 40 years ago I threatened with death and destruction if he didn't do his homework and clean his room?!
Needless to say, his father and I are enormously proud of your Governor. Four years ago, when I campaigned for Jeb, I talked about what a compassionate man he is, what a principled and honest man he is, and how wise he is. None of that has changed. "You'll be happy to know he is still all of those things. But now I can also share with you some of the wonderful things he has accomplished in his first term:
- Four years ago he told you that education would be his top priority and he has delivered. In fact, no governor has done more to improve education. Since 1998, school funding has increased $3 billion, with very tangible results: All test scores are up, including -- compared to 4 years ago - a whopping 10 times as many African-American fourth graders who are expert readers.
- He's also made literacy one of his No. 1 issues. He has established a statewide family literacy program and just recently launched his "I'm a Reader" initiative, which will deliver books and reading kits to every newborn child in the state of Florida. - Violent crime in your state is at its lowest level since 1972; gun-related crime is 24 percent lower than it was in 1998. Jeb signed the Family Protection Act, creating the first mandatory jail term for domestic violence and generating financing for shelters. Your homes, your streets, and your families are safer than ever before. - Florida is a national leader in job growth with 600,000 new jobs created since 1999. Florida is one of only 16 states to show job growth last year. - Funding for aging-in-place programs and community care for the elderly has increased by 59 percent so that more of Florida's seniors can age at home, with support, security, and dignity. - After years of delay, Jeb has brought together state, local, and federal authorities to launch the $7.8 billion Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. He also has established the Florida Forever program, which will help save your beaches, forests, marshes, and prairies. Jeb wants your children and their children to enjoy and appreciate the Florida you know today. As proud as I am of these wonderful accomplishments, I am even more proud of the kind of man your Governor is -.. that he takes the time to mentor a student every Wednesday in a Tallahassee public school - the mom he corresponds with on e-mail about her developmentally disabled child. The small business owner he helps to cut through the red tape in order to get the necessary permits.
You may not agree with all the decisions Jeb has made as governor, but you cannot help but agree that he has been a strong and decisive leader. You know without a doubt he has your best interests, and that of your state, at heart. We learned many things in the 2000 election, including how evil those darn dangling chads are! But more than anything, we learned how every single vote counts. We also know how powerful the women's vote is. You carry enormous clout at the ballot box. Every time I read that, I'm always reminded of the age-old question: What would have happened if there had been three wise WOMEN instead of three wise men? They would have asked for directions; arrived on time; helped deliver the baby; cleaned the stable; made a casserole; and brought practical gifts. It's a funny little story but there's a lot of truth in "wise women." When he became governor, Jeb very smartly surrounded himself with a lot of strong, wise women, moving Florida from 46th in the nation to No. 2 in the nation when it comes to women appointed to top policy positions. I would name them all, but that would take way too much time. In addition he has appointed 55 women to the judiciary. As voters and citizens, women are very in tune with the issues that affect our families and their future - education, safety, jobs, the environment. They are the exact same issues that Jeb has made his top priority.
By now you must surely see why he must continue being your Governor!
It's going to be a close election. Through hard work and principled leadership, Jeb has earned the right to be your Governor for a second term. To get there, he needs your support. Please vote for him on Election Day, and encourage your friends and family to do the same. He will not let you down! That is a mother's promise.
Thank you very much.
Later that night at the Jeb Bush - Bill McBride UCF debate:
Tim Russert: "What's the best thing you can say about Jeb Bush?"
Bill McBride: "I like his mom very much."
Please let me know if you want on or off my "'til election day" Fla. ping list.
JEB CAMPAIGN MANAGER TAKE NOTE
Here's another great testimony, from a Freeper: (^:
All the Bush family are
congenial and honest. I will go to the mat for any
of them...."W"--Jeb--- Papa Bush is the greatest.....
Use this in any Ad for Jeb....I served on the same ship
during WW2 with #41.....He was in combat as all of us
in the Pacific....He earned respect of all his shipmates, and his two sons in politics are honest and really want
to help people....above all- they have integrity !!
..Joe Jacobs, San Diego, California.
21 posted on 10/25/2002 1:22 PM EDT by sanjacjake
The very same day Mrs. Bush listed Jeb's many accomplishments, McBride also said, "The governor has sat on his hands for three and a half years."
We could intersperse McBride debate quotes with Mrs Bush's rebuttal and have quite an entertaining and enlightening ad. (^:
JEB was in the Lobby of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper (downtown Orlando) and my wife was on the other side of a Half Wall with about another 3 feet of glass on top of that. So, he is divided by about a total of about 5.5 feet of divider between the Lobby and the employees.
My wife yelled to him and said hello, and she made a big fuss, all the employees in that area about a half dozen came upto the divider (there's a security door and its the only way in).
Next thing my wife knows, JEB grabs a lobby Chair drags it over and JUMPS THE FENCE, (hes done this before) and all the employees got a picture with JEB - EACH alone with JEB, my wife has hers on the Desk at her Work.
JEB is GENUINE, and if you find a political family that is more down to earth, HONEST, GENUINE, and comfortable with people SEND ME A POSTCARD!
I called my local GOP head to find out what's up, asked whether the DNC, Pfaw, FEA had a list of Republican women they were feeding lies to re. the education amendments and Jeb's record with women (it's stellar!). She said that it's possible, the lists are available from local SOEs (for a price), but that no one she knows has received a call. If they're calling, I hope they call Freepers. (^:
Please pass this on to any Fla. Rep. women you know, along with Jeb's real record.
What a great story! If Jeb's accomplishments can't move the undecided women voters, Jeb's stamina and integrity should.
The legs aren't bad, either. My ggranddad wore a kilt. Jeb's a married man...'nough said.(^:
Ask about the yellow women's issues handout and the newspaper handout re: education from the women's rally.
Maybe they can send you both handouts by fax or email or tell you where to find them on the internet. They're great for copying. Good luck.
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