Gov. Jeb Bush tested potential campaign rhetoric on a San Francisco audience Friday in his first major appearance since stepping into the 2016 fray, criticizing the number of “academic and political hacks” in Congress and promising to elevate the country’s dialogue.
The former Florida governor said he would strive to hold “adult conversations” about Washington’s problems in the keynote address at the annual convention of the National Automobile Dealers’ Association.
“Sixty percent of Americans believe that we’re still in a recession,” he said. “They’re not dumb. It’s because they are in a recession. They’re frustrated, and they see a small portion of the population on the economy’s up escalator.”
The likely presidential candidate hinted at his nascent campaign by mentioning he was “seriously considering the possibility of running.”
His address comes one year after Hilary Clinton delivered the keynote at the same convention in New Orleans. It was there that Clinton admitted to an audience of automobile dealers that she hadn’t driven a car since 1996.
“I remember it very well. Unfortunately, so does the Secret Service, which is why I haven’t driven since then,” she said.
Bush alluded to the remark Friday by joking that he indeed does drive cars.
His speech reflected a softer stance on Obama’s policies than a number of the former governor’s likely 2016 competitors. Bush urged the Republican Party to embrace a “positive agenda” and scale back its often reactionary message.
The California event marked Bush’s first speech since setting up his leadership political action committee, Right to Rise PAC.
