Jeb Bush was in Wisconsin for an event on education yesterday, and he used an interesting phrase.
Bush, as he always does, called for higher expectations and chastised current standards, saying the “soft bigotry of low expectations, which is what my brother called our schools, basically … does a disservice to every child in America.”
It reminded me of an event Jeb Bush hosted in New Hampshire last month, when he claimed Iran, Russia, Syria, and Cuba are “creating this axis of … opponents of the United States.”
Towards the beginning of the year, Jeb Bush went out of his way to emphasize his belief that he’s his “own man.” Several months later, it’s striking to see just how far — and how quickly — the Florida Republican is moving in the opposite direction.
Jeb Bush is fundraising with George W. Bush.
Jeb Bush is using his familial connection to George W. Bush as proof of his presidential qualifications.
Jeb Bush is arguing that George W. Bush kept us safe on 9/11, which still doesn’t make any sense.
Jeb Bush is surrounding himself with George W. Bush’s team of staffers.
Jeb Bush is seeking foreign-policy advice from George W. Bush.
Jeb Bush is telling donors that George W. Bush’s popularity is improving.
And now Jeb Bush has even begun adopting George W. Bush’s phrases? Is he trying to make his pitch for a third Bush term explicit?
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."