Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush conceded that President Barack Obama is enjoying a political advantage but he predicted on NBC's Meet the Press that Mitt Romney will overcome it with a positive tone. Among the tones that needs changing, is the GOP's approach to immigration.
As the nation's democgraphics are changing, he said, the nation must also change it's approach to focus on recruitment of "young aspirational people" who want to come to this country "so we can grow over a sustained period of time at a high rate that will allow us to create jobs, without raising taxes, balance the budget, do all the things that we want to do."
He conceded that it "may be a useful tool politically for some Republicans to focus on the political issue, the wedge issue -- it might be, I don't know -- but I don't think it's right for our country."
The latest nationwide poll of Hispanic voters released last week by NBC News, The Wall Street Journal and Telemundo shows Obama with a large majority, 63-28 percent, over Romney. It was the first poll of Hispanics following Ryan's VP announcement.
"Gov. Romney can make inroads if he focuses on how do we create a climate of job creation and economic growth," Bush said. "And that's what I think this fall campaign's going to be about for their campaign. And I think people will move back toward the Republican side.
"But we've got to have a better tone going forward over the long haul for sure," he told David Gregory. "You can't ask people to join your cause and then send a signal that 'you're really not wanted.' It just doesn't work."
The former Florida governor, whose brother and father both served as presidents, said as Obama is "constantly attacking, constantly using negative messaging, I think his connectivity with people will drop."
Bush said his speech on Tuesday will focus on education, his special passion, and cautioned Republicans to better explain their plans for Medicare.
"You can't just say, 'I'm for Medicare reform and leave it at that,' because then the attack machine on the other side says 'you're throwing granny off the cliff with - in a wheelchair,'" he said. ""You have to explain that the Romney plan does not change anything for anybody that is 55 years old and older."
It was just a matter of time before they dug up one of the Bush idiots.
Posted by: Philly Willy | August 26, 2012 at 11:40 AM
When it comes to immigration, Jeb Bush is just another washington weasel!
Posted by: Robbmoffett | August 26, 2012 at 12:02 PM
focus on the positive?
yeah sure Jebster!
Karl Rove, Bush family bosom buddy scumbag will take care of all that negative stuff through his crossroads Pac financed by the Nazi Koch brothers!
Posted by: joe blow | August 26, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Jef Bush should know one thing, Mitt Romney has to obey the Tea Partiers, and Tea Partiers hate Immigrants, especially the Latino Immigrants. For Miit Romney to embrace the Latino Immigrants, could be a political suicide, at """less he decide to live ones again, as he usually does"""".
Posted by: Arcadio de Jesus-Olmeda | August 26, 2012 at 01:56 PM
Oh yah, take Jeb Bush's advice...that's the way to win.
Posted by: KenBroadway1 | August 27, 2012 at 12:18 AM