Jeb Bush's plans before the first GOP debate in 2015
What does Republican Presidential candidate Jeb Bush's day look like before he walks onto the crowded debate stage Thursday night? Surprisingly normal, it seems: he'll go to the gym, attend Mass with his wife, and then do some last-minute emailing with friends and advisers.
Over the course of the debate, the Florida Republican will try to deliver an optimistic message about restoring American leadership in the world and economic growth that affects all Americans. He wants to present himself as a "doer" as opposed to the "talker" he says President Obama is.
Bush will attempt to steer away from his attacking fellow GOP opponents like billionaire Donald Trump, who has repeatedly sniped at him during the campaign. He intends to highlight his record as governor of Florida - including an A+ rating form the NRA, his work cutting taxes, and reducing the size of government and creating jobs.
The last time he stood on a debate stage was over a decade ago, in October 2002, when he was running for reelection as Florida governor against Democrat Bill McBride in a debate moderated by the late Tim Russert. That went well enough - he won a second term. The past few weeks have been filled with studying and debate preparation: regular policy briefings, as well as debate practice sessions on both foreign and domestic policy with Bush's staff and advisers.
Still, his stumble on Tuesday while talking about Planned Parenthood, in which he said, "I'm not sure we need half a billion dollars for women's health issues," raised questions about just how prepared he is for Thursday's debate. In a statement, Bush later said, "I misspoke."
But the former Florida governor has also had some practice in dealing with unscripted confrontation since entering the race. At a town hall event in Gorham when a woman confronted him over comments he had made about Medicare, demanding to know "why are you always attacking the seniors?" He stood his ground, telling her, "This is not a sustainable system. We have to protect it for people who have it, and we need to make sure that we reform it for people that are expecting it." After town halls and other events, the campaign frequently holds media availabilities, so that the candidate can spar with the press.
After the Fox News debate ends, Bush will attend a post debate campaign rally with supporters at a bar in Cleveland's Progressive Field.