Trump Takes Another Jab At Jeb, Prompting Strange Response — Is Jeb Bush Done?
Donald Trump seems to take a lot of pleasure in needling GOP establishment candidate, Jeb Bush. On Saturday, Trump took his mocking of Bush to Bush’s home state of Florida, taking an open jab at Jeb on his home turf. During the rally, Trump took Bush to task over Jeb Bush’s recent decision to both lay off campaign workers and slash salaries of others.
“Bush has no money, he’s meeting today with mommy and daddy, and they’re working on his campaign. He’s a guy wants to run our country and he can’t even run his own campaign. Think of it.”
In addition to taking yet another open shot at his fellow Republican presidential candidate, Trump sought to highlight what he sees as deep differences between himself and Jeb Bush, pointing out that he has fewer people working on his campaign and has spent the least amount of money on his campaign out of all of the Republican candidates.
“You have all these people, what do you need these people for? I put up less money than everyone else, and I’m number one.”
Bush’s campaign announced the changes to staff, including the reduction of employees and the pay cuts on Friday; but, Bush has downplayed the changes in the midst of increased speculation that the cuts indicate his campaign is faltering.
“We’ve made an adjustment in our campaign, that’s what leaders do,” Bush said, claiming that his campaign still retains the ability – and the cash – to compete. And Bush had a very dismissive response to those who questioned his campaign’s ability to remain afloat.
“Blah, blah, blah. That’s my answer, blah, blah, blah.”
But, it seems as if Jeb Bush is allowing some of Trump’s needling, openly contentious statements get under his skin. And it seems as if Jeb is starting to jab back.
“There’s been a new phenomenon in our party: the rise of candidates who have had no practical experience in politics. They’re the front-runners now. They’ll be held to account, just like all of us will.”
Jeb Bush saved his strangest, and perhaps angriest, response over Trump for a town hall in Charleston, South Carolina on Saturday.
“If this election is about how we’re going to fight to get nothing done, then I don’t want anything, I don’t want any part of it. I don’t want to be elected president to sit around and see gridlock just become so dominant that people literally are in decline in their lives. That is not my motivation. I’ve got a lot of really cool things I could do other than sit around, being miserable, listening to people demonize me and me feeling compelled to demonize them. That is a joke. Elect Trump if you want that.”
Initially seen as the strongest contender in a very large field of candidates, Bush is now facing an uphill battle. CBS News reports that a source close to the campaign claims that their is a “donor revolt in progress,” as those who have given to Bush have grown increasingly concerned over Bush’s inability to perform well. There are also frequent concerns about the “Bush inner circle and Bush’s message, schedule and intensity.” And these concerns began when Trump entered the race. However, the concerns have continued to grow as Trump’s – as well as Dr. Ben Carson’s – popularity rises while his own seems to stagnate.
It’s no secret that Donald Trump’s ascension as the GOP front runner in the race for the 2016 Republican presidential run has taken a toll on Jeb Bush, both in the polls and in his ability to finance his campaign. But, is Jeb Bush so over running for president? What do you think?
[Image via David Becker / Getty Images]
