Posted on 09/25/2015 4:12:31 PM PDT by Kaslin
Jeb Bush had yet another uncomfortable moment at a town hall in South Carolina yesterday. While he was trying to fend off questions about The Donald and get out his message on economic growth and jobs, a questioner (who was a white guy, by the way) stood up and tagged him with something completely out of left field. (Washington Post)
Jeb Bush said here Thursday night that Republicans can win more African American voters by emphasizing a positive message that does not involve promising “free stuff,” a remark that bore echoes of comments by Mitt Romney that drew criticism in 2012.
“Look around this room,” a man told Bush, who spoke to a mostly white crowd. “How many black faces do you see? How are you going to include them and get them to vote for you?” asked the man, who was white.
Bush pointed to his record on school choice and said that if Republicans could double their share of the black vote, they would win the swing states of Ohio and Virginia.
“Our message is one of hope and aspiration,” he said at the East Cooper Republican Women’s Club annual Shrimp Dinner. “It isn’t one of division and get in line and we’ll take care of you with free stuff. Our message is one that is uplifting — that says you can achieve earned success.”
I’m willing to stick my neck out right now and predict that if anyone does any serious checking this weekend you’re going to find that this guy was a plant for the Democrats. It’s not that the question of expanding the tent and finding a way for the GOP to carry a larger share of the minority vote isn’t a valid one. It absolutely is. But when I hear the way the question was phrased… look around the room and count the black faces… that’s not how somebody concerned about winning the next election would phrase it. It’s also an invitation for somebody from the establishment wing to mouth an answer which the Left can quickly light up like a torch. Almost as if following a script, Bush stuck his foot in his mouth.
Jeb(!) wasn’t very bright when he chose to invoke Mitt(!) and the “free stuff” comment. That’s just an example of not learning from the past. The core message is absolutely solid because the only sustainable program to improve people’s lot in life is a job. But phrasing welfare benefits and entitlement programs as “free stuff” opens the door to liberal pundits yapping endlessly about how he must be calling all minority voters “moochers” or whatever. But as I said, the question was tailor made for making any establishment Republican look bad.
It’s not the first time this has happened this cycle. The now infamous “Muslim Question Guy” at Trump’s rally earlier in the month turned out to be a dedicated Democrat supporter. It’s a pretty good tactic if you think about it, but having seen it rolled out multiple times the GOP candidates need to be prepped and ready for these tricks. (I’m not saying we need to be doing it ourselves… but then again, I’m not saying we shouldn’t, either.) It’s nearly impossible to completely vet every single person who shows up for a rally without making the place look like an internment camp, which carries its own set of PR problems. But if you suspect that such a stunt is coming your way your staff should be getting you ready to deflect those questions and defuse the situation.
Thus far the Republican field seems to be failing that test. This is war and the other side is in no mood to take prisoners, so the GOP needs to get ahead of the curve and be ready for these shenanigans.
Allen West would make an interesting Speaker of the House
The lib Rhinoceroses? I didn’t know they even belong to a political party
Or Juan for John.
I agree
:)
I am nor either, and I agree with you.
Go see a shrink who will help you to get over your HADS if it’s not to late already
I believe that you’re referring to the Delphi Technique. This appears to be a bit different in that there’s just one plant rather than multiple people involved. (Perhaps there are others present who work on the other attendees though.)
Typical cowards
Why assume a plant? Jeb is not a conservative and could very well appeal to D’s or Moderate Rs. I also think it’s an obvious question to ask Jeb! who has indicated he wants to broaden his appeal.
But Jeb! screwed up the answer and made it a Romney moment...at least according to the drive by media.
That’s why Trump did great answering the question from the guy about Muslims. He didn’t give any specifics in his answer and made it a very generic answer. There was nothing in Trump’s answer that could be played back to be a negative sound bite later on the news or in a campaign ad.
YES, that’s it...DELPHI....and I wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t used during campaigns either...just that it’s harder to coordinate in a larger group.
If the guy was a plant, he did Bush a favor by asking pertinent questions. The notion that very many black voters are attracted by endorsing amnesty for their hispanic arch-rivals, his record on “school choice” in FL (yeah, everyone’s talking about that...), or insulting references to “free stuff”, is delusional. As the “plant” pointed out, if blacks were flocking to support Jeb, where were they? Bush and his supporters better come up with a functional answer.
Candidates get plenty of bad advice from consultants and sycophants. A little hard truth from the public is a blessing.
one of his most famous appearances :
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/news-forum/index
I will never forget the words he delivered on this night .
Bayonet !
( get one and make sure it fits on your rifle . You’ll need it some day )
Jeb? Inspirational? ....No, not even a little.
The Demonrats have it figured out. Hillary doesn’t take questions. Therefore, no plants could succeed.
Democrats are liars... fakes... astroturf... everyone’s known that for years too.
If our press wasn’t in bed with the liars - the filthy democrat party - they would cover these types of events.
Maybe it’ll happen once they realize the country doesn’t trust them either - and that’s why they’re failing.
Please tell your patriot/veteran friends to start going to those school board meetings and demand better non college education programs. There used to be Industrial and Secretarial/Clerical courses in High Schools. A lot less of that now. Not everyone wants to or can go to college.
That is the plan. Industrial and Secretarial/Clerical courses are now fully taught in “extension schools” and Prisons.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.