Jeb Bush flew to New Hampshire after the debate on Wednesday. He spoke about the state of his campaign there, claiming that he still had a lot of money and his campaign is still functioning. Bush also spoke about how being president was more than just being able to speak well in public. He addressed his various stances on issues. There was a variety of feedback: some felt that he did a better job than he did at the debate, others felt that he wasn't ready for the White House.
When he spoke about how his actions were worth more than his rhetoric, I believe he was targeting Trump who has been leading the race. I do not believe that Jeb Bush's campaign is faring well despite his constant denial. If he fails to ignite the crowd in a place where his family name is celebrated, I don't think he has a chance of winning.
http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/10/30/453072602/jeb-bush-is-on-the-road-battling-rumors-of-a-sputtering-campaign
I feel like many of the candidates with lower numbers in the polls are under the illusion that when election day comes, the polls will not mirror the people's actual vote. Many of them see top candidates such as Trump and Carson to be inferior because they are not real politicians, despite their growing support in the nation. While I agree with Bush that action is needed to back up words, and that being a good speaker alone will not get you far, this election has been the exception to that. Trump, despite his failure to address many policies, still has a lot of support and thus it is Bush's fallacy to allude to his inevitable downfall in the primaries. Bush may or may not win, but the chances are slim.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that politicians or political scientists who believe polls don't reflect election results are under an "illusion." We know that polls reflect public opinion, but political elites are the ones really controlling policy. I think that, despite the huge lead Trump and Carson have in the polls, it will still be a close competition. I would think that Marco Rubio is currently the likely nominee for the Republican party. He is a moderate Republican candidate who has support from the establishment, which makes him a very strong candidate. Until policy reflects public opinion, I don't think we can trust polls to determine the winner of an election.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Stephen. Bush does not the have vigor to ignite crowds. With Mr. Singer throwing his support behind Rubio, I think Bush has lost the boost he had in funds. Now with the fields basically even, he does not have the zeal of the other candidates.
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