Jeb Bush Almost Became a Presidential Candidate for About 3 Seconds Today
"I’m running for president in 2016," he said, before correcting himself.
— -- Honest mistake or Freudian slip?
At a run of the mill (non-campaign!) event in Reno, Nevada, today, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who hasn’t yet formally announced his candidacy (but probably will soon), may have unintentionally hinted at things to come.
"I’m running for president in 2016, and the focus is going to be about how we -- if I run -- how do you create sustained economic growth,” he said.
As he has "explored" a White House bid over the past few months, Bush has been careful to avoid a formal announcement, which would trigger more stringent campaign finance rules, limiting his ability to coordinate fundraising with his PAC, Right to Rise.
What he says he's doing now -- "testing the waters" with an exploratory committee -- allows potential candidates to gauge support and build a base without being an official candidate.
In speeches, interviews and other such events, Bush always hedges -- saying, “If I go beyond the consideration of this ...”
"I’m not an official candidate," Bush reiterated at the event today. "I’ll make up my mind soon, for sure."
For sure.