Jeb Bush appears to be drawing some inspiration from the 2012 Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney. Indeed, at tonight’s debate Bush ripped off an attack line Romney deployed against Obama in 2012.
Bush said, “Hillary Clinton has said that Barack Obama’s policies get an ‘A.’ Really? One-in-ten people right now aren’t working, or, have given up altogether as you said. That is not an ‘A.’ One-in-seven people are living in poverty. That’s not an ‘A.’ One-in-five children are on food stamps. That is not an ‘A.’ Maybe the best that Hillary Clinton can do, but it is not the best America can do.”
That’s very similar to an attack line Romney deployed against Obama in 2012. As the Washington Post reported at the time:
“The last few years have been the best that Barack Obama can do, but it’s not the best America can do.”
There may be a simple explanation for the common attack line: Peter G. Flaherty. The debate coach helped prep Romney in 2012 and is helping prep Bush in 2016.
