Update: Jeb and the Tale of the Anchor Asians

On Saturday, I wrote about Jeb Bush and how his continuous run of gaffs puts a question mark on the claim that he is the smarter brother.  One of the gaffs I included in my list was his use of the derogatory term "anchor babies," which Jeb tossed out after it seemed to go over so well coming from Donald Trump. 

Update:

                                                 (Reuters)

On Monday, during a campaign stop near the border between the U.S. and Mexico, Jeb tried to repair the damage his stand against birthright citizenship may have had on his appeal to Hispanic voters.  His explanation was, well, a bit awe-inspiring in its creativity.

"What I was talking about was the specific case of fraud being committed where there's organized efforts, and frankly, it's more related to Asian people coming into our country and having children in that organized effort....Nothing I've said should be viewed as derogatory toward immigrants at all."

Last year, federal officials prosecuted 30 people in New York City who were involved in an illegal Chinese asylum mill; so, maybe that is what Jeb was referencing.   The problem with equating this to "anchor babies" is that, these Asian immigrants were not coming here pregnant in order to give birth to a tiny U.S. citizen.  As reported, the vast majority were attempting to claim asylum saying they were forced to have an abortion or sterilization in their home country. 

what eye thynk:  I can't help but shake my head at Jeb saying his remarks should not be "viewed as derogatory."  He practically repeats Donald Trump--a man whose entire campaign is built on being as derogatory as possible, especially on the issue of immigration--repeats him word for word but doesn't want to be viewed as derogatory?  What, he thinks that because the words are coming from a Bush that they are somehow miraculously cured of their offensiveness?

Anyway, on to the real point...  Jeb wants us to believe that hoards of pregnant Asian women are claiming forced sterilization in order to gain asylum in the U.S.  How would that work exactly?   Or maybe I'm wrong and his statement had nothing to do with the NYC case.  Maybe he just sees a lot of Asian women queued at our Southern border waiting for their chance to wade across the Rio Grande.

Either way, Jeb seems to be testing the American voter's gullibility quotient.  Maybe next time he should just let his aides repair his mis-speak.  After all, they've had a lot of practice.