During his town hall meeting in New Hampshire Wednesday night, Governor Jeb Bush had many highlights but perhaps one of the best was his response to why he called fellow presidential candidate Donald Trump a jerk.
The video is 2:30 long and worth a watch. This section reveals his response that includes this:
“I believe life is precious and a gift from God — the disabled compared to others — we’re all equal in God’s eyes. And when anybody disparages anybody with disabilities, it sets me off. He disparaged a person that he knew had a disability, and made fun of him. What kind of person would you want as president who does that?” -Jeb Bush, 1/6/2016 NH Town Hall
Bush is well-documented about his work within the disability community in Florida. While governor, he created the Agency for Persons with Disabilities that consolidated all the state’s programs for that population to ensure accountability, and encouraged businesses to hire those with disabilities.
In 2015, Bush commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) that was signed into law by his father in 1990. He wrote:
“It’s time we promote continued progress for Americans living with disabilities. I believe as a society we must work on behalf of those who are most vulnerable, and serve those who cannot always help themselves. … These individuals have talents and skills to offer, and with the right effort to integrate them into daily operations, they can make a significant contribution to a growing business. As more businesses see how much value is created by people with disabilities, the more we will achieve on behalf of all Americans through greater growth, earned success and shared prosperity.”
Here is the video of Trump mocking a reporter with a physical disability. For me, that falls into the category of bullying and is not presidential.
