MACKINAC ISLAND, Michigan -- Responding to criticism of Donald Trump, who on Thursday neglected to correct a man at his rally who falsely said President Obama was a Muslim, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush on Friday interrupted a blistering critique to call Obama a “talented man.”
“And by the way, he’s an American, he’s a Christian,” Bush said while speaking at a Mackinac Republican Leadership conference dinner here in Michigan.
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Returning to his criticism, Bush said, “His problem isn’t the fact that he was born here, or what his faith is, his problem is he’s a progressive liberal that tears down anybody that disagrees with him.”
Bush was the first speaker at the conference, and his speech stressed the need for conservatives to push their ideas and broaden their support.
“Everybody used to think that Michigan was a blue state,” Bush told the group of the state’s party leaders that included Michigan’s Republican Gov. Rick Snyder. “If we elect the right nominee, it will go Republican next year.”
In his speech, Bush called for a balanced budget amendment, a six year lobbying ban, and deducting pay from congressional member when they don’t regularly show up for work.