(H/T: Hot Air) I must say, this is a smart move: “As the American Conservative Union puts final touches on its annual political conference next week, they’ve offered potential Republican presidential contenders the option of a moderated question-and-answer session instead speaking from a podium to the thousands of activists in attendance… One White House aspirant taking the group up on the offer is former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Republican sources told Bloomberg Politics.” As long-time readers know, the RedState Gathering features something similar: our invited speakers are expected to take questions from the audience. We find that it works well, both from the candidates’ and the audience’s point of view, which is why we keep doing it. Interesting that the ACU is trying something broadly similar at CPAC*.
Whether it works or not is another, and interesting, question. A nontrivial percentage of the GOP base have issues with Gov. Bush on a variety of topics; tossing the speech and just answering questions may defuse those concerns for enough people. Or convince them to just let it slide, for the sake of prying the Democrats out of the executive branch. Or explode Jeb Bush’s Presidential bid, once and for all. Any way it works out, there’s this: Jeb Bush is certainly not lacking in confidence, and/or bravery**.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
*With understandable differences: CPAC and the Gathering differ in size, programming, and typical audience.
**If, however, it comes out that Jeb Bush’s campaign fiddled with the Q&A format to ensure that he didn’t get asked enough tough questions, then Jeb Bush might as well just go home.
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