Report: Jeb Bush dings Hillary Clinton at fundraiser for new PAC
As he eyes a 2016 presidential bid, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush spoke at a fundraiser for his new leadership PAC in Connecticut on Wednesday, taking several shots the likely frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton.
Bush said that Clinton, a former Secretary of State under President Obama, would have a lot to answer for regarding the foreign policy mistakes of Mr. Obama's administration, several attendees told Hearst Connecticut Newspapers.
He added that Clinton, also a former senator and first lady, won't be able to lean on the legacy of her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
"If someone wants to run a campaign about 90s nostalgia, it's not going to be very successful," Bush said, according to a fundraiser attendee who spoke with Hearst.
Of course, as the son and brother of former presidents himself, Bush would have to wrestle with his own family's legacy if he runs in 2016, which seems increasingly likely.
During the fundraiser, Bush rebutted concerns that he wouldn't be able to demarcate himself from his father, former President George H.W. Bush, and his brother, former President George W. Bush.
"Do you have a father?" Bush asked his audience, according to one attendee. "Do you have a brother? Are you the same person?"
The event, which was closed to the press, was held at the $7.2 million home of Goldman Sachs banker Charles Davis in Greenwich, Connecticut, where the Bush family has roots dating back several generations. A number of GOP bigwigs were among the 175 who attended, according to Hearst, including former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Connecticut Republican Party Chairman Jerry Labriola, and others.
The former governor has steadily been shedding his corporate and professional ties in recent months, resigning from the boards of businesses and nonprofits as he girds himself for a marathon presidential campaign.
While Bush would begin a campaign with strong support among the GOP establishment, his support for immigration reform and "common core" federal education standards has earned plenty of criticism from grassroots conservatives. According to Hearst, Bush didn't back down from his position on either of those issues on Wednesday.