The Wall Street Journal editorial board has declared that Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush was the loser of his clash with Sen. Marco Rubio Wednesday night, and said the awkward exchange showed that Bush seems to be lacking when it comes to debate skills.
The paper’s decision would irreperably harm Bush’s campaign, as the Journal is the GOP establishment’s main voice in the media, and both Bush and Rubio are competing for backing from the establishment wing of the party.
At the debate, Bush attacked Rubio for missing votes in the Senate while campaigning for president. “When you signed up for this, this was a six-year term and you should be showing up to work,” Bush said.
Rubio, slightly ahead of Bush in national polls, appeared ready for the moment and fired back, telling Bush that the only reason he was on the offense was because “someone has convinced you that attacking me is going to help you.”
The Journal on Thursday said Bush’s attack was a misfire.
“Jeb Bush should fire whoever advised him to go after Marco Rubio on the trivia of his Senate absenteeism,” the paper said. “The attack was clearly planned because Mr. Bush did it even after Mr. Rubio had received applause for rebutting a hostile question on the subject from a moderator.”
“Mr. Rubio counterpunched and easily won the round,” it added. “Mr. Bush’s proposals for economic growth are the most thorough and thoughtful in the field, but he is oddly inept at debating. He should have spent his precious time making the case against Hillary Clinton and for his agenda.”
