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Stephen Colbert has Jeb Bush on as guest for first Late Show episode

By Rebecca Downs

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert premiered last night and attracted 6.6 million viewers. GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush was one of Colbert’s first guests.

Jeb spoke about his reasons for running for president, and about bringing people together. He also believed that he “could change… the other side is the devil” kind of issue in politics. His remarks about “restor[ing] a degree of civility” were met with applause.

The campaign logo of “Jeb!” also came up. In describing his choice, Jeb explained that he has been using the logo since 1994. The exchange took on a humorous tone, especially with one of the points Colbert made about it:

Colbert: How many of us when we got excited about things didn’t just go, ‘Jeb!?’

Jeb: Oh, in Florida they do, when they see me, most of them, either out of happiness, or deep anger.


Jeb was also asked how he politically differs from George W. Bush, “without in any way diminishing your love for your brother.” This came after Colbert had the camera pan to his brother, Jay, whom he does not share the same political views with. Upon hearing that, Jeb tried to earn his vote for the South Carolina primary.

After Jeb offered up that he was younger, and “much better lookin’,” Colbert tried to steer him on track by asking about policies. Jeb tackled spending, limited government, and compassionate conservatism with his answer:

I think my brother probably didn’t control the Republican Congress spending. I think he should have brought the hammer down on the Republicans when they were spending way too much, ’cause our brand is limited government. You know, you can take care of people, the people that need to be at the front of the line, the developmentally disabled, the people that are really struggling. That’s a core value of our party. But we shouldn’t spend so much money on everything else. And that’s what we were doing, in the last three or four years of my brother’s tenure. He didn’t veto things, he didn’t bring order fiscal restraint.

Jeb didn’t just confirm that he didn’t consider his brother to be conservative enough when it came to spending. He also let it be known that they called him “Veto Corleone” in Florida.

A separate clip of Jeb and Colbert also gained much attention. In a part of the exchange which didn’t make the cut, the two discussed Donald Trump. Colbert referred to him as “the big orange elephant in the room.”

Colbert wanted to help prep Jeb for his second GOP primary debate. After hinting that Jeb’s response would be a little too boring for the folks at home, Colbert then asked Jeb to read a Trump-style answer. On the Iran deal, the answer read:

I will build a wall between the United States and Iran, and make Mexico pay for it! Trucks are strong! I will turn the National Mall into a luxury golf course, and China will respect that. I promise to put Meat Loaf on the ten dollar bill, and give Lil’ John a cabinet position, which will send the message that this great nation will never turn down for what.

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Stephen Colbert also tweeted about Jeb’s performance as Trump.

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