Calling Obama Socialist 'Won't Stick:' Jeb Bush

Jeb Bush has a pretty dim view of President Obama, but he wouldn’t go so far as to call him names. When Tucker Carlson asks the former Florida governor if Obama is “a socialist” in an interview for Esquire, Bush demurs. “I don't know,” he responds. “It's a word. I believe he's a collectivist.” But socialism is a step too far. “Socialism is pejorative in America, so people stop listening. People are tired of it. That word won't stick.”

Otherwise, Bush is content to argue for the future resurgence of the GOP and against Obama. “Barack Obama would not have gotten elected if he'd let us in on his secret plan prior to the election. He would not have gotten elected if he'd said, ‘My idea is to create a $1.8 trillion deficit for the next fiscal year.’” Bush says the Dems “won on tactics,” but the GOP is still relevant. “I'm not saying abandon our principles. To the contrary: Find creative ways of expressing the principles.” (More Jeb Bush stories.)