Bush on Trump: ‘The guy needs therapy’

On Thursday night in Derry, New Hampshire, former First Lady Barbara Bush joined Jeb on the campaign trail.

That pledge of party loyalty also extends to Rubio, he said, though Bush and his allies continue to train their fire on the first-term senator, whose third place finish in Iowa ignited a new round of momentum for his campaign. “The first job of the president is to protect America”, the former president says in the 30-second spot during which he speaks directly to the camera.

In a wide-ranging interview Friday with CNN Special Correspondent Jamie Gangel, the former Florida governor talked about his campaign beyond New Hampshire, but also said he plans to support the Republican nominee – even if that’s Donald Trump. “And I’m the only one up here who can say that”.

Barbara Bush said she “has faith” that her son, who placed a disappointing sixth in the Iowa caucuses, will prevail.

“That’s an endorsement you don’t want”, Barbara said.

11 The number of House Republicans from Florida who have endorsed Bush, compared with one for Rubio. “The next Commander in Chief has to have the back of the young men and women that we send overseas to keep us safe”, he said. “The Bush thing, people will have to get over it, all right”, he replied flatly – to rounds of laughter. However, Bush but made no mention of Senator Marco Rubio.

He was introduced by former Homeland Security secretary Tom Ridge, who told voters to choose “George Bush – I mean, Jeb Bush”.

Bush also took a shot at Republican front runner Donald Trump, saying the part-time Palm Beach resident is “not a conservative and he’s not a serious man during unsafe times”. “I’ve supported his father, I supported George twice”, said Bill Manning.

“Gov. Bush has the staying power”, Diaz-Balart said.

Bush could use the boost from his mother because his campaign is struggling in New Hampshire. “Jeb is the nicest, wisest, most carrying, loyal, disciplined – not by me – but he’s not a bragger. Every mother in New Hampshire knows why I’m here”, she later added.

ERICKSON: Yeah, a lot of the donors are leaning towards Rubio, but they’re very loyal to the Bush family.

There were Senators Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Rand Paul, but the Republican Party infantilized, hated, and ostracized the three respectively. “I worked for his father and brother, so you can forgive me”, Ridge said, in an attempt to recover.

But Barbara Bush protested: “It was no sacrifice”.

“It’s like the song ‘New York, New York.’ If he can make it here, he can make it anywhere”, said University of New Hampshire political scientist and UNH survey director Andy Smith.

According to sources on two different campaigns, individual candidates received fewer tickets than at any other debate, just 20. Unlike Bush and Kasich, he does not have the oasis of a home-state primary on the near horizon; the big middle-Atlantic states don’t vote until late April, and New Jersey votes on the last day of the primary season in June.