Jeb Bush has a Mitt Romney Problem

[RogueBeaver]

Namely private equity. Tax haven in the UK, investments in China, secret donors, etc.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Rich boys, so predictable...

[Mehmentum]

That's not the only thing he has in common with Romney.  They both had/have a liberal-ish record to deal with (Romney had Obamneycare, Bush has his Common Core and immigration positions).  They're both rich white men, former governors, and come from political dynasties.

[King]

Jeb is not a good person. The idea that he's "smarter" than George is not a plus. All it means is he's calculating and immoral.

[Indy Texas]

He keeps running around whining about how "he's so poor" because he was governor during the Real Estate Bubble and hence missed out on that boat and any rich-people-only bailouts that would have come post-2008. In his defense, he doesn't seem to be exaggerating...

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I'm curious about what kind of Bush family trusts he and any of his siblings are beneficiaries of. Those wouldn't be treated as his own assets, but he would certainly be receiving an income from them. And morbidity aside, Poppy Bush isn't going to live forever and when he sails off to his yacht club in the sky, Jeb and The Rest will get a few big acorns thrown their way.

[Maxwell]

Jeb is not a good person. The idea that he's "smarter" than George is not a plus. All it means is he's calculating and immoral.

Besides there is no real evidence he is actually smarter than George. He just knows a little bit better when to shut his trap.

[Stranger in a strange land]

The idea that he's "smarter" than George is not a plus. All it means is he's calculating and immoral.

You're right. Unfortunately that's not how the republican primary voters will see it.

Of course, none of this is a problem in a Republican primary. It could be a problem in a general election. Jeb's real problems in the Republican primary will of course come from his positions on Immigration and Common Core, particularly the former. I can't think of a time a candidate won his party's nomination when he was at odds with the base on such a major issue.

[Devils30]

What's with the whole infatuation with Jeb? His brother's economic record will be a big problem and you can bet with the economy looking better it could hurt him.

Hillary does look strong in FL but Jeb would probably be in a tossup there. Not so sure Jeb is the best candidate to win WI, OH, IA, PA and VA demographically might be tough for the GOP. Seems like the 2012 map is a good baseline with Jeb/Hillary.

[Roemerista]

I don't know about other pro-Jebbers, but I want someone who can talk about immigration intelligently (i.e., not race bait-y). Even in losing he could help save the GOP from the dustbin of history.

[Devils30]

Hillary won't focus on immigration against him, she and Bill will just destroy his brother's economic record.

[Potus]

The idea that he's "smarter" than George is not a plus. All it means is he's calculating and immoral.

You're right. Unfortunately that's not how the republican primary voters will see it.

Of course, none of this is a problem in a Republican primary. It could be a problem in a general election. Jeb's real problems in the Republican primary will of course come from his positions on Immigration and Common Core, particularly the former. I can't think of a time a candidate won his party's nomination when he was at odds with the base on such a major issue.

Umm....President George W. Bush?

[Roemerista]

Bush's narrative is going to be common core / immigration. He is going to be hammered on it through the primary, and thus the news will talk about it constantly. And if he wins the primary the narrative is he did it, while being so against the base on immigration.

I don't think he'll beat Hillary, but his out reach to the Hispanic community is a certainty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wltxw2lo_m0

As to Hillary I would bet she attacks him on it. Either from the right (Clinton dems after all), or for flip flopping (attacking an opponents narrative) in that book he put out.

If Bush is the GOP nom-- we are going to be talking about immigration reform, regardless.

[Maxwell]

Bush's narrative is going to be common core / immigration. He is going to be hammered on it through the primary, and thus the news will talk about it constantly. And if he wins the primary the narrative is he did it, while being so against the base on immigration.

I don't think he'll beat Hillary, but his out reach to the Hispanic community is a certainty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wltxw2lo_m0

As to Hillary I would bet she attacks him on it. Either from the right (Clinton dems after all), or for flip flopping (attacking an opponents narrative) in that book he put out.

If Bush is the GOP nom-- we are going to be talking about immigration reform, regardless.

The thing is, that ad didn't help - Cory Gardner did WORSE among hispanics than Bob Beauprez did. Cory Gardner merely consolidated white women who would vote for a moderate Republican if given the opportunity to do so.

[Indy Texas]

Are there any Republican candidates who don't have a Mitt Romney problem?

Besides Mitt himself, and Jeb, we've got...

John Kasich

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Ted Cruz

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[Likely Voter]

Christie has a Mitt Romney problem that got Mitt Romney to pull him from his VP list, including this gem where the attack ads write themselves....

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http://swampland.time.com/2013/11/02/the-hunt-for-pufferfish/