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Eli Kantor is a labor, employment and immigration law attorney. He has been practicing labor, employment and immigration law for more than 36 years. He has been featured in articles about labor, employment and immigration law in the L.A. Times, Business Week.com and Daily Variety. He is a regular columnist for the Daily Journal. Telephone (310)274-8216; eli@elikantorlaw.com. For more information, visit beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com and and beverlyhillsemploymentlaw.com

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Thursday, July 16, 2015

Jeb Bush girds for debate smackdown with Donald Trump

Politico
By Alex Isenstadt
July 16, 2015

Since announcing his presidential bid last month, Donald Trump has thrown haymakers at a variety of candidates, but he’s gone after Jeb Bush with particular zeal. He has called the former Florida governor a “total disaster,” has asked “How the hell can you vote for this guy?” and has even gone after Bush’s Mexican-born wife on Twitter.

Now, those close to his campaign say, Bush, who has taken on the mantle of frontrunner, is bracing for the possibility of a presidential debate pile-on — with Trump leading the charge.

Gaming out how Trump — a bombastic figure who refuses to abide by usual the rules of political decorum — will present himself has become a growing subject of speculation in Bush’s world. During one recent phone call with a political ally, Bush pointedly asked about the surging real estate mogul. What, the friend recalled the former governor wondering out loud, was behind Trump’s antics, and what was he trying to accomplish?

“Trump presents a challenge for Bush because he’s a hand grenade,” said Nelson Warfield, a longtime Republican strategist who has prepared a number of candidates for debates. “His people understand that and will be prepared for anything that comes their way.”

As the Aug. 6 debate grows closer, some Republicans are relishing the prospect of Trump tearing the bark off the former governor — or, at the very least, trying to trip him up. “Trump has one target and one target only,” said an adviser to a rival GOP candidate. “He’s going to bring a lawn mower for Bush.”

In recent months, Bush has immersed himself in planning for the debate, holding mock sessions with advisers. Last week, after huddling with top donors at the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, the former governor spent his time in debate study, according to two people who’d been in touch with him. By the end of the process, said another source, Bush could end up spending as much as 50 hours in preparation, an amount that far surpasses what Mitt Romney had done at this point during the last Republican primary.

“I’ve been impressed by how hard Jeb has been and is working. He takes all the aspects of running seriously and has spent considerable time in learning and practicing to make himself a better candidate,” said Ana Navarro, a longtime Bush friend. “Jeb’s always been a hard worker and serious guy, but he is going about with an unwavering commitment and humility, and more surprisingly, patience, I’d say.”

Bush has also taken on two former Romney advisers, Beth Myers and Peter Flaherty, to help him prepare. In recent weeks, the two have outlined Romney’s experiences during the 2012 debates, when the former Massachusetts governor sometimes appeared stiff and struggled early on to handle attacks from his conservative rivals. Bush is also heavily relying on advice from two of his top campaign architects, Sally Bradshaw and Trent Wisecup.

If Trump is a danger for Bush, some close to the former governor say, he also presents opportunity. The debate will give Bush a national platform to take on Trump in strong terms, presenting himself as a mature, substantive leader who rises above toxic discourse. Bush may have hinted at that approach during a campaign stop in Iowa on Tuesday. “Whether it’s Donald Trump or Barack Obama, their rhetoric of divisiveness is wrong,” the former governor said. “A Republican will never win by striking fear in people’s hearts.”

But the format of the debate, with just a few minutes for each candidate, hardly guarantees a Sister Souljah moment — nor will Trump necessarily prove an easy foil.

“It all depends on how far Trump is willing to take this,” said Warfield. “If he comes after Bush, and Bush defends himself forcefully, it could be a positive thing.”

Yet how Trump will approach the debate remains an unanswered question. Michael Cohen, his spokesman, wouldn’t comment on what the strategy would be. Tim Miller, a spokesman for Bush’s campaign, declined to comment other than to say that the debates will showcase “his conservative record of accomplishment.”

Trump isn’t Bush’s only cause for concern.

There’s the rust factor. As someone who last ran for office in 2002, his supporters point out, Bush hasn’t been on a debate stage in years — a problem that many of Bush’s rivals, some of whom are current officeholders, don’t have to worry about. The decision to bring on Myers and Flaherty, who played key roles in overseeing Romney’s 2012 debate preparation, was partly made for that reason, one source familiar with the hire said.

And then there’s the fact that besides Trump, at least eight other Republicans will be seeking to exploit Bush’s vulnerabilities with conservative voters, from his family name to his positions on issues like Common Core and immigration. Behind the scenes, each has been working vigorously to prepare for the crucial first debate.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, for instance, has been holding regular “murder board” sessions with a handful of his top advisers at his Capitol Hill campaign headquarters.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who may not qualify for the debate because he lags in polling, has been consulting with Brett O’Donnell, a former Liberty University debate coach who was credited with helping to turn around Mitt Romney’s performances. Graham has held about a handful of debate practice sessions in the last month.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who some have criticized for lacking policy chops, has been consulting with a team that, according to one source, includes Mari Will, the wife of conservative columnist George Will.

But it’s the Bush-Trump battle that many will be tuning in to watch.


“He’s gone against Trump, so he’s exposed himself,” said former Rep. Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican. “To that extent, he’s set himself up for a one-on-one with him.”

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