Jeb Bush: My Brother Was More Popular Than Obama

[SemiCharmedQuark]

This is from an interview with perpetual dick Tucker Carlson for Esquire. Here are some more gems from the "smart" Bush.

"Why has the party gotten so unpopular?
I don't think there's any seismic shift. The Democrats have won on tactics. Barack Obama would not have gotten elected if he'd let us in on his secret plan prior to the election. He would not have gotten elected if he'd said, "My idea is to create a $1.8 trillion deficit for the next fiscal year. My idea is to spend $750 billion over the next ten years on a government-sponsored, government-subsidized health-care policy. My idea is to create a massive cap-and-trade system that CO2 is pollutant and we need to tax it in a massive way to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions." Those ideas, which are now embedded in his budget, and the ideas in the stimulus package, weren't central in his campaign. In fact, he basically won the tax debate, which is breathtaking if you think about it. Cutting taxes is generally considered a center-right idea, not a center-left or left idea. He made it appear like McCain was going to raise taxes, which was unfair, but there was no response back. When there was an ideological component, it was generally centrist or even center-right. Had he said what he was going to do as a candidate, would have lost.

Why is he so popular now?
First of all, who cares? His popularity is no greater — in fact it's less — than what my brother's was during the beginning of his tenure, in a time of unbelievable friction, if you think about it, because of the 2000 election. His approval ratings were higher than Barack Obama's during his first one hundred days. (Actually, according to Gallup, during the first hundred days of his presidency, Bush had approval ratings that were generally in the high 50s to low 60s, while Obama's were in the low to mid-60s.)"

Who are the leaders of the Republican party?
I think you need to put it in the proper context. Barack Obama was a state senator five years ago. So the next generation of leaders are going to be people we probably don't even know. I don't think we need to worry about that quite yet. If there's going to be a resurgence of the Republican party or the conservative movement, I think it's going to require some patience and some humility — less personal ambition and more advocacy of ideas and how they relate to people.

Newt is fantastic. He's an idea generator. (Jeb says he e-mails him.) The guy has a twenty-first-century mind. (He mentions "the conservative mayor of St. Petersburg, Rick Baker." Also, Mitch Daniels, governor of Indiana.) I love Bobby Jindal. He's the real deal. (Not on list: Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee.)

On health care.] Have you ever gone to HHS ? Have you gone to CMS, the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid? It's scary. That's going to be the marketplace for health care if Democrats have their way. Senator McCain had a fantastic health-care proposal that he had a hard time explaining, that said that basically you should empower people, individuals, to make choices, and they should be rewarded when they make choices that improve health-care outcomes.

Under Obama, we're going to create a system that's not focused on quality; it's focused on access to care."

Don't people like spending more than they dislike deficits?
That's the conventional wisdom. I believe that big-government conservatism is an oxymoron.

Isn't that what we just had for the last eight years?
It was, to the extent that my brother was unable to get the Congress to go along with meaningful entitlement reform, although he tried, which by the way the Republicans were not supportive of. It was because we fought a war, and we had to build a homeland-defense structure that didn't exist. But I think my brother gets a bad rap about the general idea that there were massive amounts of spending beyond those two things.

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/features/jeb-bush-interview-0809-2#ixzz0KgUbc7Le&C

[Cha]

1. Why? 'Cause he sat on his ass and let 9/fucking11 happen..

and the corporatefuckingmedia reported "90%" was behind his a$$?

I didn't believe shit then but count me in the 10% you devious bushit.

[steelmania75]

42. Jeb Bush needs to sit down, and SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!

[WhiteTara]

47. Let? You are so gracious and kind n/t

[Canuckistanian]

49. LIHOP? No, MIHOP n/t

[ErinBerin84]

2. I love all of these

"Obama fooled everyone!" rants from the RW who can't get over that they lost big, as if Obama had not talked about cap and trade, health care reform, etc during the campaign.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

12. It goes hand in hand with the "Bush was up against an obstructionist congress!" nonsense.

[WI_DEM]

3. As usual lying out of both sides of his mouth. Bush wasn't more popular than Obama

at the start of his tenure. I believe he was in the low to mid fifties where Obama has been (in most polls) at low to high sixties. It's only after 9/11 when the country united around dumb ass that he got up to 90%. But look at Bush's approval ratings for the second term--pathetic.

[joshrenalds2009]

8. As usual lying out of both sides of his mouth. Bush wasn't more popular than Obama

The Obama had not talked about cap and trade, health care reform, etc during the campaign.

<a href="http://southparkeps.com/aboutme/index.html">About me</a>
<a href="http://www.southparkeps.com">south park episodes</a>

[YOY]

15. "The Obama"?

n/t

[Buzz Clik]

4. Somebody is interviewing Mr. Irrelevant? Wow.

Hey, Jeb -- were you planning to run for president before Dubya completely ruined the Bush name? It must suck to be you.

[tsuki]

53. Don't count him out. With the Millionaire$Media, he could stage a

comeback. Watch him closely. He is worse than his brother.

[YOY]

5. In that post 9/11 patriotism he was.

Shit, Nixon would have been just as popular if he said the right things...

Now the actions Bush took afterwards? That kind of fucked him over.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

10. I love that Jeb acts like access to healthcare is a *bad* thing.

Oh noez! The Rich shall have a lower quality of healhcare just so more serfs can be covered! Outrageous!

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

46. "Let them eat access!"

What's the use of having "the best medical care in the world" (which the U.S. doesn't anymore) if you can't gain access to it?

BTW, I'm sure Jeb and his bro and Daddy and Momma have had great access to government (socialist) medical care for all or most of their lives.

[BeyondGeography]

6. Run in 2012 then, ya little shithead

[BeatleBoot]

7. I didn't think Neil Bush was ever that popular

especially after the Silverado Savings & Loan debacle.

[no_hypocrisy]

11. Neil? I thought he was talking about Marvin.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

13. If they're talking about Billy, I can understand. People love their Access Hollywood.

[Segami]

9. The term " smart Bush " is an oxymoron.

[Arkana]

14. Your last name is still Bush, Jebbie--and that makes you toxic

to the Republican Party.

[madmom]

16. Just because people know who you are does not mean they like or respect you!

[beac]

17. He's just bitter b/c his dipshit brother put an unscrubbable stain on the name "Bush" and

now poor Jebbie will never get HIS turn to be POTUS and is relegated to driving the GOP Whaaaambulance for the rest of his days.

[crazylikafox]

27. bingo

[Ilsa]

18. "Under Obama, we're going to create a system that's not focused on quality;

it's focused on access to care."

Access to healthcare. What a novel idea!

We can only hope Obama succeeds.

[mother earth]

19. Crazy Bushes...all sipping the same kool-aid.

[zulchzulu]

20. Back in your hole, Jeb!

Sheesh... the varmits need to get sprayed again.

[Moosepoop]

45. And spayed, while we're at it.

:evilgrin:

[Yavin4]

21. Currently, The Republican Party Is Devoid of Any Leadership

They are just dead in the water.

[graywarrior]

22. No...he was more well known across the world as a fucking asshole

[asjr]

23. How I wish those Bushes would go to seed.

[Democrats_win]

24. Pol Pot Bush was more hated than satan. FU JEB!

[RoccoR5955]

25. Jeb's been smokin' the locoweed again.

I can tell.
Who's he trying to fool. His brother was, and is an oaf!
And why do those damn Republicans keep repeating that tired mantra?

[msanthrope]

33. Nah--he just got into his daughter's Noelle's pills......

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/nbushmug1.html

[pennylane100]

26. what is he smoking

and will he send me some.

[tularetom]

28. More verbal flatulence from the fat bush

[fugop]

29. And so it begins ...

Here goes the media, gearing up to pit Jeb against scary liberal Obama. It's all going to be more lies and revisionist history from here on out as they try to get another effin' Bush in the White House so they can yammer on and on about the amazing Bush Dynasty.

We know what they did to Al Gore. God knows where this will go. I freakin' hate the Bushes.

[LongTomH]

56. You hit the target!!!! Give the man a 10 cent seegar!!!!

That's exactly what's going to happen. The Corporate Noise Networks are going to criticize everything Obama does and cover GWB's sorry ass with thick coating of whitewash. They've already reframed the healthcare and stimulus debates so that only opponents of single payer or a second, real stimulus are allowed.

[Jennicut]

30. One thing many Repubs and all Dems can agree on: No more Bushes

EVER. Never ever again.

[JitterbugPerfume]

31. and who gives a shit what Jeb Bush thinks?

The whole Bush family can go away if they want to do us a favor.

[Dr Fate]

32. The Bush name= mud. n/t

n/t

[olkaz]

34. I read this "perpetual dick Tucker " and lol'ed

They shouldn't tuck it ALL the time, know what I mean?

Let it breathe.

[mtnester]

35. Maybe in an alternative universe n/t

[Cha]

36. For about 5 minutes and then he fucked

it up.

[msanthrope]

37. All of this man's kids were arrested. All three. Multiple times...

John (Jebby)
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/jebby1.html

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0916052bush1.html


George P.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/georgep1.html


Noelle
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/nbushmug1.html

Why does anyone listen to this man?

[BlooInBloo]

38. Your brother was less popular than syphillis, fool.

[LynneSin]

39. Yeah, for about 3 months after 9/11 hit

That didn't last long

[Sebastian Doyle]

40. Fuck you Jeb

And that's from someone who has never had one ounce of respect for ANY member of your vile criminal family.

Not your smack peddling daddy. Not your Hitler funding grandpa. Not your dumbass brother. Not even your mama, the illegitimate Hellspawn of Aleister Crowley.

And certainly not your election stealing, coke smuggling, Lehman Brothers defrauding ass.

As your Uncle Dick likes to say, Go Fuck Yourself. :grr:

[ShadowLiberal]

41. "I don't think there's any seismic shift" - Ever check the poll numbers Jeb?

You'd think he's completely unaware of how strongly Hispanics & the 30 and under crowd has shifted towards the democrats in the last 8 years. Those are the two most important demographic groups that the GOP is hurting badly in if you ask most GOP strategists. They'll say if the GOP can't turn around the Hispanic numbers (because of how much their share of the electorate is going to grow over the years) and start becoming competitive with the young, that the GOP will be a minority for a long time.

But it's not just those groups the GOP has lost ground with, if you look at the numbers the areas where the GOP is gaining are the areas where the size of that voter base is shrinking, such as the uneducated. Democrats are also gaining on richer & college educated voters.

[SIMPLYB1980]

43. Glad his brother ruined his chance of ever becoming president.

[chieftain]

44. Only in a party as delusional as theGOP

could a Governor who quit during her first term and the brother of the most inept president in US history think that they have a reasonably good chance to be elected to the WH in 2012.

[santamargarita]

48. I wonder if any of these Bush assholes believe anything they say?

I damn sure don't!

[Colobo]

50. Jeb should spend more time keeping W off the bottle...

as I'm sure he has to be all over it right now.

[Clio the Leo]

51. 69.5 million votes v. 62 million......

.... you're a smart man Jeb, surely you can find a calculator and determine which is the higher number.

[old mark]

52. He was? When was that, Jeb?

Compared to W, Jeb is smart, but then compared to W, my microwave is smart.

mark

[crimsonblue]

54. Poor Jeb....

his fuck-up of a brother came and ruined everything. It was Jeb who was supposed to inherit the Presidential crown, and now his family name is mud.

[PVnRT]

55. Sure, in the days right after 9/11

Then he blew it spectacularly.

[Arugula Latte]

57. The Bush Family needs to go away. Seriously.

Someone sterilize the whole lot of 'em. Please.