Bush Tries the Serious Approach

Rick Klein: “Jeb Bush probably didn’t have national security policy in mind when he talked about his now-famous willingness to ‘lose the primary to win the general.’ But if this is a grown-up moment in politics post-Paris, Bush is vying to be in the right place at the right time. His call for ground troops in Syria avoids both the ‘bomb the s—‘ out of them rhetoric and the no-new-ground-war talking point that the brother of George W. Bush may be tempted to embrace. He has broken with his fellow candidates and most current GOP governors in not calling for an end to refugee migration with Syria. (Though his methods for identifying Christians first and foremost remain murky.)”

“The moment has not brought out the best of our political discourse, with calls for religious tests for refugees and one schoolyard taunting going on between President Obama and a few Republican candidates. But getting serious can still matter in this race — just maybe.”