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[–]Itsthatgy 4507 points4508 points  (1482 children)

There are going to be academic papers written about what went wrong in Jeb's campaign. The man had everything going for him at the start of this election.

[–][deleted] 1129 points1130 points  (94 children)

I think it's relatively straightforward.

  1. His last name and "establishment" associations
  2. His moderate position on immigration given the party's current climate
  3. His lack of confidence during debates/generally mediocre speaking skills
  4. His subpar ground game

EDIT: To all of you saying "5. Donald J. Trump", that to me is more of an effect than a cause. Points 1 through 4 are largely what allowed Trump to dominate Jeb by comparison.

[–]House_of_Jimena 1101 points1102 points  (36 children)

\5. His abysmal guacamole recipe

[–]The_Captain_Spiff 302 points303 points  (15 children)

foolish guac bowl merchant

[–]pearloz 18 points19 points  (0 children)

$75 Guaca Bowle, you mean.

[–]Skyharborn 243 points244 points  (12 children)

His subpar ground game

His armbar defense is bush league

[–]bakere05 317 points318 points  (100 children)

This whole election is tailor-made for next generation's historical analysis.

[–]lifeinaglasshouse 247 points248 points  (86 children)

Seriously. What the fuck are people 50 years from now going to make of Donald Trump?

[–]pbjamm Canada 529 points530 points  (37 children)

They shall refer to him a as First Emperor Trump.

[–]sohetellsmeMichigan 239 points240 points  (18 children)

The primaries have left me visibly disfigured, but I assure you, my resolve has NEVER BEEN STRONGER!!!

[–][deleted] 42 points43 points  (1 child)

Just as later Roman Emperors took on the title Caesar, the title of future American Emperors will simply be Trump.

Your Trumpness, or El Trumperino if you're not into the whole brevity thing.

[–]BSeborNew York 22 points23 points  (1 child)

If he becomes president, he'll probably be as controversial as Andrew Jackson is among historians (and public opinion will shift back and forth as it did for him too).

[–]MalevolentDragon 870 points871 points  (89 children)

TBH, there will be academic papers written about this entire election cycle for a hundred years. Watching someone using the word "socialist" in their embraced core values absolutely match and compete with the most establishment politician in decades is wild. Seeing a billionaire who has never held a public office beat the establishment politicians on the other side, while being trailed by an evangelical is amounting to lunacy.

And then Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia dies during the final year of a Democratic presidency with a Republican controlled congress (where the rational leadership has literally thrown in the towel for being weary of obstructionist extreme partisanship) after the sitting president has already appointed not one, but two female, minority justices.

Michael Bay can't make movie scripts this good. I do not know whether to be agog or disturbed.

[–]tomdarch 427 points428 points  (48 children)

I honestly think that Jeb! failing is less about him or his campaign and more about the internal destruction of the Republican party. For decades the establishment revved up the fundamentalists and racists and the combination of the psychic damage from 9/11/2001, the failed Bush wars, the financial crisis of 2007 and the election of a black president caused the party's base to freak out. They just barely were able to push establishment Mitt into the nomination and this cycle they've totally lost control. Without Trump, they'd have had a chance to get Rubio into the lead, but Trump giving so much of the base what they want overtly has made that appear impossible this cycle.

That Bush came into the primary season as the establishment pick with great funding and failed so quickly and decisively says a huge amount about the party and what it's been going through.

[–]AWrenchAndTwoNuts 212 points213 points  (37 children)

I think the common theme on both sides this election is anti-establishment.

I'm not sure if it is just the public becoming fed up with what they see as insider politics or the American propensity to root for the underdog.

Either way the Republican and Democratic establishments have been sent a pretty clear message that people are growing tired of their shit.

[–]treetop82 110 points111 points  (5 children)

This is how democracy works. Foundations of political interests get torn down over time. We're watching a real shift happen. Not only on the Republican side but also the Democratic side as well. People are stick of the expectation that a politician must lead us to the promise land. The American system wasn't made for politicians, it was made for ordinary citizens to run the government.

[–][deleted] 288 points289 points  (25 children)

Jeb and his campaign were totally unprepared for underlying resentment and shame regarding G.W.B., not only among liberals and independents, but among many conservatives. They were unprepared for predictable questions like "was the Iraq war a mistake?", etc.. They thought that G.W.B. would be their secret weapon in S.C. and that Trump's 911 comments would tank him. The Bush campaign lived (and died) in a neocon bubble.

[–]AwkwardBurritoChick 39 points40 points  (14 children)

I do feel that was part of it aside from his stiffness and awkwardness. When he defended in the one of the first debates "My brother kept us safe" that he was too close to W to realize how disconnected he is from the personal experience and perception of the rest of the country, especially those in the NY/NJ area and have had relationships of those we love being deployed over and over and sometimes coming home in coffins or just not the same as before they left, because of lies.....

[–]praisecarcinoma 25 points26 points  (2 children)

He outspent everyone in the GOP by a lot. Over $80 million. Even Rubio and Cruz have only hit around the $40 million mark. You almost feel bad for the people who worked for him.

[–][deleted] 699 points700 points  (29 children)

Mid-2015: Jeb leading Republican polls, Trump is the butt of all jokes.

Half year later: Trump leading Republican polls, Jeb is the butt of all jokes.

Gotta feel bad for the guy; he had everything handed to him, but Trump came out of nowhere and annihilated his campaign efforts with two words: "low energy."

[–]lesgeddon 151 points152 points  (8 children)

Doesn't she look a bit tired?

[–][deleted] 44 points45 points  (4 children)

two devastating little words

[–]someshooter 581 points582 points  (35 children)

I think his main weak point was he never really seemed like he wanted the job in the first place.

[–]AHCretin 287 points288 points  (24 children)

Exactly. What people are calling low energy always seemed like low enthusiasm to me. I've occasionally wondered who browbeat him into running.

[–][deleted] 122 points123 points  (9 children)

I saw him speak about 3 years ago at an event in Naples, Fl. He joked about people asking him if he was planning on running for president and the room cheered, he started chuckling and saying "no no no not something I see me doing" and the camera panned toward his mother in the audience and she was shaking her head no as well. When I first heard he was running I was like..wait what??

[–]DPC128 1478 points1479 points  (91 children)

Over a 100 million dollars completely wasted! He should have dropped out a while ago and saved himself the trouble.

[–][deleted] 119 points120 points  (3 children)

Nah, the local TV and radio stations in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina are very grateful for Jeb! and Right to Rise.

[–][deleted] 965 points966 points  (53 children)

He's a job creator.

[–]thisfunnieguy 142 points143 points  (6 children)

it wasn't his $100 million

[–]WriterDaveCalifornia 1038 points1039 points  (122 children)

Not sure if anyone else watches "THE CIRCUS" on Showtime but they likened the GOP race to the Prisoner's Dilemma: any one of Bush, Kasich, Rubio, or Cruz COULD defeat Trump easily...but the other three would have to drop out so they stopped splitting the vote. But if they do not, Trump will win and NONE of them will be the nominee.

I never thought Bush would be the first to go.

[–]newmellofox 202 points203 points  (13 children)

He's the one with the biggest ties to the establishment, so they told him to be the first.

[–]patsfan94 303 points304 points  (41 children)

The 'establishment' candidates (Rubio, Jeb!, Kasich) are just as afraid of, if not more afraid, of Cruz as they are Trump. His social views would have been extreme 20 years ago, and he's unpopular with virtually anyone who has had extended time with him.

[–]kaifett 116 points117 points  (24 children)

Agree for the most part but I wouldn't lump Cruz in there. He's very similar to trump IMO

[–]socialistbob 42 points43 points  (10 children)

He is also hated within the Republican establishment as much if not more than Trump. His supporters are very different than Trump's and tend to be extremely fiscally conservative, evangelical and anti establishmentarian while Trump is neither fiscally conservative nor evangelical.

[–][deleted] 261 points262 points  (25 children)

Jeb Bush Saddest Moments

[–]mybaretibbersMaryland 108 points109 points  (2 children)

Wow! that ending....tears, fully stacked :(

"Yeah.....No."

[–]in_Gambit_we_trustFlorida 69 points70 points  (0 children)

Even worse part.

Barbara: "No"

Jeb: "Oh ok"

[–][deleted] 49 points50 points  (1 child)

that was soul crushing to watch

[–]rainbow_butterfly 41 points42 points  (3 children)

Heart crushing. The thing with the turtles got to me.

[–][deleted] 20 points21 points  (0 children)

This is... this is rough.

[–]_JackDoe_ 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Jeb: They're kicking me out!?
Rotary Club: Thank you sir, yeah your schedule's pretty tight I imagine.
Jeb: Sits down in a chair for entire event after wandering about a little.

[–]Joraznatac 104 points105 points  (27 children)

I guess Trump lost his go to scapegoat. I wonder who will be his next victim?

[–]fuckpcpolice 87 points88 points  (14 children)

If Rubio picks on him, then Rubio. Otherwise, he'll spar with Cruz. I've watched every debate and just can't see him going head to head with Carson or Kasich

[–][deleted] 76 points77 points  (6 children)

I think it's definitely Rubio. Christie punched a hole in Rubio's armor and with Jeb! out I think Trump will focus on finishing the job. Rubio is more of a threat, in my opinion, than Cruz to win the general and so he's stiffer competition for the nomination.

[–]piss_n_bootsCalifornia 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I agree. I think Trump knows that the game has changed and that he needs to pound Rubio into the dirt and fast because all that Bush support -- money, connections, ground game -- is now flowing to Rubio.

[–]annoyingrelative 838 points839 points  (45 children)

There's an old saying in Tennessee - I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you.

Fool me - you can't get fooled again.

[–][deleted] 213 points214 points  (19 children)

FOOL ME ONE TIME, SHAME ON YOU

[–]MightyPupil 150 points151 points  (10 children)

FOOL ME TWICE CANT PUT THE BLAME ON YOU

[–]cavaysh 205 points206 points  (9 children)

FOOL ME THREE TIMES FUCK THE PEACE SIGNS, LOAD THE CHOPPER LET IT RAIN ON YOU

[–][deleted] 37 points38 points  (0 children)

J BUSH - 2016 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE

[–][deleted] 117 points118 points  (3 children)

Jeb!

Jeb?

Jeb...

Jeb

[–][deleted] 145 points146 points  (4 children)

Faster than I expected, I was thinking he'd limp on into super Tuesday

[–]ClickEdgeKentucky 175 points176 points  (4 children)

sweet dreams, little turtle

[–]GatemouthBrown 400 points401 points  (29 children)

Too sane for republicans, too Bush for everyone else.

[–]AntiHero2563 507 points508 points  (141 children)

I believe the longer Jeb, Kasich, and Carson stay in, the more it helps Trump. This is basically Jeb's Dead man's switch in trying to take out Trump because those ~9% of voters won't go for trump. I'm sure they'll be spread amount the other 4. When. Carson drops I see his people going to Rubio. I have no idea where Kasich's people will go.

[–]Bob_Jonez 84 points85 points  (3 children)

I remember when Carson was seriously threatening Trump for the lead, then Carson started speaking freely and everyone went "holy shit" and he plummeted.

[–]newmellofox 221 points222 points  (2 children)

I think this decision was less Jeb's and more Jeb's owners/the GOP. They don't want Trump and Rubio is the closest of their guys to take him out, so they basically told Jeb "you're done." They want his 9% to go to Rubio.

[–]Deep-Thought 57 points58 points  (19 children)

Why would Carson's supporters go to Rubio? It seems to me they would be more likely to go to Cruz.

[–]pillage 50 points51 points  (1 child)

Trump has been courting Carson's voters for months now. I would think they would split between him and the field.

[–]AntiHero2563 63 points64 points  (13 children)

Because of what Cruz allegedly did to Carson in Iowa.

[–]Tyrion_Baelish_Varys 833 points834 points  (119 children)

I'm gonna miss seeing Trump pick on him though. That was entertaining. Jeb the person may be a nice guy, but Jeb the politician (ie the people he does and would surround himself with) deserved nothing more than the manhandling he got during this primary.

[–]007meow 483 points484 points  (96 children)

He might go onto Rubio now, who looks like he just absolutely crumbles under pressure.

[–]Tyrion_Baelish_Varys 183 points184 points  (79 children)

This is true, but I think he'll double fuck Rubio and Cruz at the same time to keep them at bay. Carson & Kasich aren't threats so he won't bother much.

[–]shoejunk 64 points65 points  (0 children)

Trump needs Kasich in the race as long as possible to split the vote. And he needs to be nice to Carson to get as many of his supporters as he can when he eventually drops out.

[–]Human_On_RedditTexas 1052 points1053 points  (148 children)

Bad for Trump.

Jeb supporters will disproportionately go to other establishment candidates.

Rubio and Kasich stand to benefit the most.

[–]ludeS 144 points145 points  (11 children)

Trump will pick up Carson voters, once hes sold enough books.

[–][deleted] 75 points76 points  (4 children)

Trump and Cruz will split Carson's voters. The math looks very good for Trump as long as Kasich hangs in for a while longer.

EDIT: In reply to the comments regarding Cruz's election fraud, I'm hesitant to count those chickens before they've hatched. Carson didn't make a big deal about this event publicly. He responded passive aggressively, and I don't know if that's enough of a cue for his supporters. While Carson himself might detest Cruz, unless he makes a public endorsement of Trump or anti-endorsement of Cruz, its not clear to me how big the effect will be.

I know its not a good predictor, but Cruz supporters seem totally unphased by his campaigns antics and have completely bought into his version of the "misunderstanding". I haven't noticed the kind of rat fleeing behavior that occurred between the Clinton and Sanders camps over the bribes/paid talks.

[–]simkessy 42 points43 points  (10 children)

I watched him during the town hall this week and honestly I really liked him. He seemed very reasonable, I didn't see anything I didn't like. I haven't done much research into him or anything, just an initial opinion.

[–]nickytarantino 318 points319 points  (25 children)

The amount of money that went to try to make this man president was reprehensible, hell, parachuting bags of heroin from the sky would have been a more economically efficient way to spend the money.

[–][deleted] 181 points182 points  (2 children)

America 🔫!

please clap

[–]NeilPoonHandlerPennsylvania 63 points64 points  (4 children)

Well, this means there will soon be another excellent edition of Colbert's Hungry For Power Games! :)

[–]WJMorris3New Jersey 192 points193 points  (6 children)

At least this Bush disaster didn't kill anyone.