Posted on 07/28/2015 7:33:04 AM PDT by jimbo123
Jeb Bush speaks frequently about the time he met his wife as a high school exchange student in Mexico. But he rarely does so in Spanish. And rarely has he spoken about the taunts his own children faced for the color of their skin growing up as half-Hispanic children in Florida.
On Monday, Bush spoke in deeply personal terms about his family's Hispanic heritage -- and did so entirely in Spanish, providing a strong contrast with the recent rhetoric of Donald Trump, whether intentional or not. He also vowed to enact comprehensive immigration reform during his first term as president -- a significant priority for a Spanish-speaking audience and a pledge that he noted President Obama also made, but failed to achieve.
In an interview with Telemundo, Bush sat for roughly 25 minutes answering questions from anchor Jose Diaz-Balart, who also hosts a daytime program on MSNBC. The exchange began by reminding viewers that Bush's wife, Columba, is from Mexico, and that his children are bilingual and bicultural.
Speaking in Spanish, Bush said: "We are very Hispanic, in that we speak Spanish in the house. Columba is a good Mexican, proud of her citizenship of this country, of course, but we eat Mexican food in the home. My children are Hispanic in many aspects. We don't talk about it, but the Hispanic influence is an important part of my life."
Diaz-Balart asked if Bush's three children had ever faced criticism for their skin tone or their accent and how he might have spoken to them about it.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Odd. Two of my kids were adopted in the Philippines, and they have never been harassed for their “skin tone”. And while I eat ample mexican food, that doesn’t mean I don’t want borders enforced.
Jeb is such a pathetic squish!
I call B.S. If you set out to taunt every Hispanic in Florida your schedule is going to be filled for quite a few months.
Besides nearly everyone in that state ends up some shade of bronze.
Don’t believe any of his bs. Just for political consumption.
Jeb’s children were taunted for their skin color. And that was just from their Grandfather.
Looks this morning like Hebbie has been passing out the walking around money amongst the MSM. Lots of puff pieces. Lots of hinting that opposing Hebbie is racist.
That's awful! Perhaps they should try to illegally move to Mexico? You too.
Liar.
It may depend on what part of the country they are in. My son who is adopted from Southeast Asia has been taunted for his skin tone here in Texas, by other kids who mistake him for Mexican.
Jeb Bush: what a man looks like when he’s totally pimping for votes. I fully expect him to appeal to the kalisicko crowd how he’s a woman trapped in a man’s body.
Right, Jeb’s children in their cocoon of wealth were somehow subjected to the streets.
Mind your language, please; there are ladies present.
Well said!
We moved a lot. Central Texas, New Mexico, Washington state, Arizona. My son has had a lot of folks just start talking to him in Spanish. He just smiles and replies, “I’m Filipino, not hispanic. Either way, all I know is English!”
Maybe part of why they never had a problem is that they never got upset if someone asked them if they were mexican (or black - my son gets very dark in the sun and has curly hair).
My daughter DID once have a guy sit on her desk and say, “Asian Pride, baby”. She glared at him and replied, “I don’t feel pride in anyone I can bench press - get your scrawny rump off my desk before I hand it to you!” She ended up marrying a 6’1”, blond & blue eyed guy. Their kids could pass for Mexican, but haven’t had a problem in southern Arizona...
Jeb’s a Whitexican.
They tauted you kids in the white neighborhood because they were brown???.
And what do you think happen in the brown neighborhoods to the white kids...what are you creating Jeb?
My kids have pretty dark skin. ( I am nearly transparent). They have never taunted for their skin tone. Ever. Anywhere I have lived. And we have lived in Sweden. A pretty frikking white place.
And actually, people are so tribal, so race conscious, when people of color see that my husband is dark, I automatically get treated better. If I am in an Asian business or doing business of some kind with someone Asian and I let slip (which I have learned to do) that my husband is Asian--I am instantly treated 100% better.
Jeb Bush is so out of touch.
I will recount my experience in Costco this past Friday night. Myself, and, probably 3 large Mormon families were the ONLY white faces in the crowd. I quickly perused the full foot court on my way out. Every last person was dark. Most not speaking English.
Jeb needs to get out of his zip code and look at the country.
IIRC his father George HW Bush made what was considered a disparaging remark about his half Mexican grandchildren once.
Bingo. This is just a puff piece to try and prop Bush up thru the primaries. The MSM likely has already written their hit pieces for Bush, but they'd like to save them for next year during the campaign.
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