The NY Times said sources claim Murphy is willing to spend $20 million on criticism of Rubio’s 2016 Oval Office bid.
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Bush has recently been publicizing his new book, “Reply All”, a collection of stories told through the emails he received as governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007.
Their looming problem: In trying to undercut Rubio as unaccomplished and unprepared, Bush is a flawed messenger. Regardless of the source, that Times article only puts more pressure on Bush tonight.
Walker and Bush sat next to each other in the audience before they were introduced.
It would have been more productive – and probably more in character – if Bush commented on how proud he is to have mentored the younger Rubio, his protégé, during the time they served together in Florida government and politics, Rubio as speaker of the House and Bush as governor. “It was a strategically bad choice, and I said so – both on and off microphone – at the time”, he said.
“I seem not to be alone”, Stevens added.
“I’ll go there, debate, and as soon as I leave the debate I’ll go to Iowa and get back to work”, he said.
A few supporters of Bush are publicly urging restraint.
“In Florida and Wisconsin, because we’re opening up the systems for students to be able to rise up, thousands and thousands of kids will have a chance to get a job, or go to college, or live a life of goal and meaning”, Bush said.
Except for Rubio saying he “approves this message”, Bush is the sole narrator of the ad.
It’s not clear if the super PAC will actually declare war on Rubio, which could backfire among conservative donors and activists who either like Rubio or don’t want him severely wounded if he becomes the nominee.
Meanwhile, many Twitter users joked that that rival GOP candidate Dr. Ben Carson, whose accounts of his past have been questioned, had already stabbed baby Hitler, and debated what Donald Trump would have done if confronted with the opportunity.
UPDATE: Given the advance warning, Rubio’s team is now running a clever ad highlighting Bush’s praise of Rubio and his assertion that Rubio would make a fine president.
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Instead, they saw Bush take an early and obviously rehearsed swipe at the well-prepared Rubio about his Senate voting record, then fade from view for much of the remaining debate. Bush was interviewed aboard the “Jeb Can Fix It” campaign bus as he traveled from a town hall-style meeting with 100 voters at the Hollis Pharmacy and General Store to a law enforcement roundtable hosted by one of his top supporters, Hillsborough County Sheriff James Hardy, in Goffstown.
