Jeb as the "Smarter Brother" Is Proving to be a Tough Sell

what eye thynk:  A closer look at the Jeb-is-Smarter evidence would seem to be in order.

Earlier in his political career, Jeb visited Spain on a trade mission where he told their foreign minister, "I would like to finish by thanking the president of the Republic of Spain for his friendship with the United States."

Spain has not been a Republic since 1975.  You would hope that someone visiting a foreign country as a representative of the United States would at least take the time to learn the correct name of the country they are visiting.

In 2013, when the U.S. embassy was moved to a safer location inside the Vatican, Jeb bit on an incorrect Fox news story about the Obama administration closing our embassy there by tweeting: "Why would our President close our Embassy to the Vatican?  Hopefully, it is not retribution for Catholic organizations opposing Obamacare."

As president, opening your mouth before checking your facts (and that would mean looking at a source that is NOT Fox) could be disastrous.

Giving his first foreign policy speech earlier this year, Jeb confused Iraq and Iran and referred to ISIS caliph Abu Bakr al Baghdadi as "the guy that's the supreme leader or whatever his new title is."  

Really, didn't we have enough of this laid-back, lackadaisical approach to statesmanship under W?

When asked, Jeb said he would have invaded Iraq just as his big brother had. This remark was followed by four days during which he gave four different answers finally settling on "No, I wouldn't have invaded Iraq."  

Note that it took him four entire days to straighten that out intellectually.

When faced with questions about his brother's "enhanced interrogation program," Jeb refused to rule out bringing torture back by saying, "We're in a different environment." 

This despite the fact that it was one of the most abhorrent and shameful episodes in our modern history, bringing condemnation not only at home, but from around the world.

Forced to defend his statement on torture, he said he "believed the techniques were effective in producing intelligence."  

Thus demonstrating himself to be totally unaware that the CIA itself said the method was "counterproductive."  Really, following current events, especially ones as important as our ignoring the Geneva Convention, can be so enervating.

Jeb said he wanted to "phase out" Medicare.

By the next day he was saying he didn't really mean it.

Jeb told supporters his administration would bring 4 percent yearly economic growth. When economic statistics over the past 30 years put his boast in doubt, he said it could be done if only people would "work longer hours."  

When that response was met with derision, he said he didn't really mean that either.

Jeb claimed the economy hasn't improved since 2008. 

It is obvious by any measurement that it has improved and is continuing to improve.  But facts are just so messy when you're trying to explain how your ideas are better.

Discussing education, specifically Common Core, he said "The idea that it's a federal program is just not true."  

Uh, no, Jeb you're wrong.  Common Core is a set of federally designed standards intended to be met in all fifty states, though each state may opt-out.  (You don't have to like Common Core in order to know it's origin and purpose.)

Jeb tried to explain the changes he would make to Social Security but was unaware of the retirement age for full benefits.  

An aide was called in to fix that.

After nine people were killed by a young man who immediately told police he did it because black people were taking over America, Jeb said "I don't know what was on the mind or the heart of the man who committed these atrocious crimes."  

Anyone not living under a rock knew how the shooter justified his actions, but Jeb couldn't bring himself to say that a far-right conservative, even a disgustingly warped one, had admitted  the killings were racially motivated.  That's the kind of backbone I look for in a leader, how about you?

Seeing his name slipping in the polls, Jeb tried to follow Donald Trump's example saying we have to do something about "anchor babies." 

When he was questioned for using that derogative term, he lost his temper at the reporter and snapped "Do you have a better term?  Give me a better term and I'll use it."  He couldn't come up with "birthright babies" by himself?

Trying to explain his position on immigration, he seemed to infer that America's breeding stock needs strengthening.  "Immigrants are more fertile, and they love families, and they have more intact families."  

Hence managing to insult every female citizen in the country for being somehow sterile and unloving; but, oh, those lusty immigrants!  Whoooeee!

Putting all these gaffs on one page makes it easier to understand why Jeb complained that President Obama's use of "big-syllable words...creates chaos, it creates a more dangerous world."   

All those grown-up words must be confusing enough to seem chaotic to someone as ill-prepared to stand in the world spotlight as is John Ellis Bush.  

Hmmm.  Maybe that explains his nickname.  There would seem to be less inherent danger in trying to remember one syllable instead of four.