NASHUA, N.H. — Jeb Bush on Monday took aim at President Obama, telling a Rotary Club meeting here that he won’t hold him responsible for the nation’s problems if he’s elected to succeed him in the White House.
The former Florida governor, stumping for votes in southern New Hampshire the day before a crucial presidential primary contest, was implicitly criticizing Obama for periodically blaming his brother, former President George W. Bush, for the challenges he has faced since ascending to the Oval Office. Obama isn’t the first president to finger his predecessor for the problems causing voter angst, but Republicans believe he’s done so more than most.
“When I’m president of the United States, I will not blame Barack Obama for a single thing,” Bush said. “Because when I’m sworn in, it’s on my watch.”
Bush is attempting to dig himself out of a political hole here and finish strong enough in Tuesday’s primary to enter the South Carolina campaign with momentum — not to mention justification for continuing his campaign. Bush is currently running fifth nationally, with 4.3 percent, and fifth in New Hampshire, with 9.8 percent. Recent polling suggest there is close race for second and third place, with New York celebrity businessman considered the prohibitive frontrunner for first.
Bush is pitching himself as a tested leader with executive experience, telling Granite Staters that times are too perilous to entrust the presidency to candidates with limited governing experience — such as Trump and first term Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas, considered the three front-runners. Bush’s message has proven to have minimal national appeal, but could be potent in a state like New Hampshire, which allows independents to vote in primaries.
Bush’s approach also received a boost when Rubio, who was surging here last week, stumbled in Saturday evening’s televised debate.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie battered Rubio over his thin resume, and the altercation left a scar that could dent the senator’s support. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, not Christie or Bush, could benefit the most among the three governors. Team Bush disagrees, and argued that their candidate is experiencing real momentum, and is the only one among them running a national campaign and prepared to capitalize on a strong showing here.
“We feel really good about our progress; we have the best ground game in the state,” Bush spokesman Tim Miller said, as Bush was concluding a speech and question and answer session at the Nashua Country Club. “What we see is a really, really tightly bunched pack for second right now, with Kasich, Cruz, Rubio and us. We’ll see how it goes.”
“We’ve put in the time on the ground here, we feel like we should do well on Tuesday.,” Miller added. “We look forward to going down to South Carolina on Wednesday.
Asked how much of a favor Christie did Bush by attacking Rubio during Saturday’s televised debate, Miller smiled. “It was valuable that Jeb was able to distinguish his record of accomplishments and his detailed plans from the lack of accomplishments that Sen. Rubio has, and I think that was laid pretty bare on Saturday night.”
