Bush doing whatever it takes to stay relevant

The biggest stories of this young political year are the surprising surges of the outsider presidential candidates Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Barely registering in the polls and increasingly desperate in the shadow of the Iowa caucuses, he’s now trying a cost-free, personal tactic: hugs. Marco Rubio during Thursday’s debate, accusing the first-term senator of abandoning the fight for immigration reform in 2013.

The tension with Rubio, a fellow Floridian who had been a Bush protege, also illustrated Bush’s weakness as a candidate.

The campaign then decided that the super PAC, Right to Rise, run by Bush’s longtime confidant Mike Murphy, would be the prime player. At the same time, the campaign has downplayed expectations of a particularly strong performance for months, instead emphasizing New Hampshire as his electoral launch pad. But on Monday, the day of the Iowa caucus, the former Florida governor will fly to New Hampshire to hold a town hall. They were following up on a bogus flyer that said the Bush campaign needed “seat fillers” for the event and was paying $25 an hour.

He also told Rubio supporters to stop “whining” about attack ads.

Jeb Bush is at 3.4 percent in the RealClearPolitics average of Iowa polls.

Yet as the state’s voters prepare to gather for the traditional caucuses on Monday night, he barely registers in the polls.

Barbara Bush, famously unfiltered, has had an evolution of her own in supporting Jeb Bush’s bid for the White House. He brought along two Medal of Honor winners, who underscored Bush’s serious tone with harrowing war stories, and boasted about the many military leaders advising him. He said he will not be a “divider-in-chief”, unlike his opponents. The triad refers to the ability of the U.S.to deliver nuclear strikes from air, land and sea.

Meanwhile, Harrison said Bush was the first presidential candidate he ever physically embraced.

Bush’s sustained emphasis on service and humility struck a chord with Steve Futrell, an undecided independent who came out to watch the candidate in Clear Lake.

Whatever the outcome, Bush appears to be running as his most authentic self in the final stretch. And my brother, who I adore as well, is a fantastic brother, was president. On Saturday, he criticized President Obama for blaming too numerous nation’s problems on his predecessor. “And I might even say I think he might have had the best night of the group in this debate”.