UPDATED: Jeb Identified Himself as ‘Hispanic’

[DonViejo]

Source: TDB/NYT

Jeb Bush identified himself as Hispanic on a 2009 voter-registration form in Florida, according to a copy of the document obtained by The New York Times. Needless to say, neither Bush nor his parents are Hispanic. Bush’s wife, Columba, was born in Mexico. A spokesperson for Bush, who is gearing up for a likely presidential bid, offered no explanation for the characterization.

Read it at The New York Times

###



Read more: http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/04/06/jeb-identified-himself-as-hispanic.html

---

No Explanation Why Jeb Bush Listed Himself As Hispanic

-snip-

The former governor hails from the influential Bush political dynasty which, New York magazine noted, helped settle Plymouth Colony. Bush's family has been described by Slate's Jacob Weisberg in his book The Bush Tragedy as "New England WASP."

Bush has taken pains so far to not tack to the hard right on immigration policy. Meanwhile, anti-immigration hardliners like Laura Ingraham have warned that Bush's support for reforming the nation's immigration system (which at times have seemed hazy) could be his undoing if he got the 2016 presidential nomination.

According to The New York Times, a spokeswoman for Bush couldn't offer an explanation about why the former governor listed himself as Hispanic under "race/ethnicity" in the form, which can be seen here. The driver's license number and social security number has been redacted to follow Florida law on publicly releasing documents.

"It's unclear where the paperwork error was made," Bush spokeswoman Kristy Campbell told TPM. "The Governor's family certainly got a good laugh out of it."

Full article:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/jeb-bush-voter-registration-hispanic

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Jeb On Hispanic Claim: 'Don't Think I've Fooled Anyone'

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) has tried to shrug off a newly resurfaced voter registration form on which he listed himself as Hispanic.

The form was first reported on Monday by The New York Times.

Following The New York Times' report, a tweet was sent from an unverified account claiming to belong to Jeb Bush Jr., which teased the likely presidential hopeful for the gaffe. Bush Sr. replied:

Jeb Bush ✔ @JebBush

My mistake! Don’t think I’ve fooled anyone! RT @JebBushJr LOL - come on dad, think you checked the wrong box #HonoraryLatino

10:48 AM - 6 Apr 2015 Mount Laurel, NJ, United States

Full article
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/jeb-bush-hispanic-didn-t-fool-anyone

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[Ms. Yertle]

1. A Bush who lies??!!!?

No way! (sarcasm)

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

23. ikr, what a shocker!

[treestar]

43. +1

Welcome to DU!

[Scairp]

87. Oh ha ha, it was all a joke!

If another lying, deceitful Bush family member is elected president, the joke will be on all of us. We all understand why he did it, even if he doesn't admit it.

[rurallib]

2. maybe his mom and dad lied to him

I have heard they have a lot of trouble telling the truth

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Oy. Or should I say....

...Oye!

[OKNancy]

4. Can't stand the guy or his politics, but this is a nothing story

This is like many of the Hillary stories... interesting, but it really has no impact.

[bigwillq]

5. I identified as black on my form

and I am waiting for an invite to speak at the next NAACP convention. I am pretty sure they will pick me to speak.

[treestar]

44. They say you can identify as you please

If you really believe you are black, then you identify as black.

[DonViejo]

6. Except when the Republicans use Elizabeth Warren's Native American ancestry...

to smear her, right?

[Renew Deal]

15. Didn't they try to make a connection to some sort of benefit?

I don't understand what the benefit of doing this on a registration form is. Unless it is to match the rest of the family, or a complete accident (doubt it).

[DonViejo]

37. If I remember correctly....

They wanted to see her application for the teaching position at Harvard Law School and subsequent personnel files to determine if she had benefitted by being identified as a Native American/minority. They (Snotty Scotty Brown and the GOP) maintained she wasn't Native American/a minority group member and that Warren benefitted from this alleged "lie."

[marshall]

88. If any benefit was gotten, it was her employer, not her

it wasn't clear to me from the reports that Warren was even aware that she had been identified as 1/32nd Cherokee or whatever. Apparently some boss overheard her telling old family legends and took it at face value. The employer got points for having hired a minority, and it was well after she had been hired.

[karynnj]

89. Scott Brown himself suggested that is how "she got in Harvard"

He knew, of course, that she was hired as a Law professor and that is was because she was very good. I would guess he hoped people would think that it meant that she got into college there that way.

The fact was - it was just a box she checked on some faculty sommary-- and it was something she believed at the time. It also was AFTER she was hired and had no impact on her status at the school. She was, from the beginning, seen as an excellent professor.

There are many people who, after research is done on their ancestry, find that not everything was what it appeared. Both Madeline Albright and John Kerry learned that they had ancestors who were Jewish. I know my dad found that his paternal grandfather was Polish - not German as he had always been told - even though there were plenty of handed down family stories that were just completely wrong.

The difference between Warren is that she was sharing what she thought an interesting bit of family history - heaven knows what Jeb Bush was thinking -- he had absolutely no reason to even remotely think he was hispanic.

[OKNancy]

32. yes. That is no biggie either. IMO

Lots of family lore in Oklahoma about being of Indian heritage. It happens all the time.

[DonViejo]

46. I don't disagree with you at all...

I just believe it's worth having in the stockpile of ammunition to disarm or startle the opposition when debating with them, e.g., "Barack Obama is a Kenyan!" Followed with the response, "no, he's not but, Jebthro claimed he's Hispanic on the voting forms." Yeah, it's stupid but, sometimes you have to fight the stupid with the equally stupid. And it works!

[treestar]

45. she truly thought she had some

and maybe it turned out she did not.

My family claims that too, but it could well not be true at all.

[jwirr]

57. And there is the issue of enrolled or not. My son in law is the youngest member of his Native

American family. They are all enrolled. He is not because he was born after a certain date. If the tribe is asked he is a white man. Really?

Nancy - there is not a lot of talk on the east coast about being Native American.

[Corey_Baker08]

72. Unfortunately Senator Warren Is Not Running For President

[BeyondGeography]

7. The party of birthers and nonwhite immigrant bashers

I wouldn't be so sure.

[Mass]

16. They know his wife and kids are hispanic. This is enough for them to hate him.\nt

[jwirr]

53. The fact is not interesting but the question it raises is. WHY?

[oberliner]

8. Why do you have to include that information on a voter-registration form?

Is that normal for all states?

[BlueCaliDem]

78. It's required in Florida - where he was Governor. eom

[still_one]

9. That is a valid question to ask him why he did that. Any bets that the MSM won't ask?

[George II]

17. The fact that the NYT ("MSM") mentioned it blows holes in your knee-jerk "MSM" criticism, huh?

[still_one]

22. you are right. I just saw the Daily Beast link, did not see the NY Times link. I will be interested

if the talking heads follow it up with an interview of Jeb Bush, and ask him about it.

Thanks for the correction of my mistake, appreciate it

[George II]

24. All well meant.

[still_one]

26. I know, and that is good

[liberal N proud]

10. Wouldn't that constitute voter fraud?

[Renew Deal]

18. Not really

I'm not sure of there are any hard rules on this question.

Is it permitted to check multiple boxes?

[mpcamb]

20. Maybe there wasn't a box to check for 'Rich White Guy'.

[George II]

30. I think the fact that they require a signature certifies something to the effect that...

....everything on the for is correct to the best of his knowledge. Surely a ~50 year old knows his ethnic background, huh?

[SwankyXomb]

66. Not sure what the actual charge is, but it's a felony

[link:http://election.dos.state.fl.us/pdf/webappform.pdf|

CRIMINAL OFFENSE:
It is a 3rd degree felony to submit false information.
Maximum penalties are $5,000 and/or 5 years in prison.

and:

Race/Ethnicity: It is optional to list your race or ethnicity.

[Jackpine Radical]

69. Sure. Try to get someone to prosecute it.

Hell, if I were the DA, I wouldn't prosecute. I might inquire of him what the hell he was doing, but I sure as hell wouldn't plug up the courts with crap like this, and it would be pretty much rightly seen as a political act to do so.

[Cha]

11. Hispanic by marriage? Is that even possible? lol Just because bush is married to an Hispanic and

relates to her culture doesn't mean he's for Latinos. He's for Koch interests which have nothing to do with people of any ethnicity except the 1%.

But, of course, the US corpmedia will sweep that under the rug.

Gracias DonViejo

[treestar]

47. Republicans think this kind of thing

will get the Hispanic vote. That is insulting to Hispanics. Just having a Hispanic First Lady is going to get the vote of very few people.

[Cha]

54. I know, treestar.. they're so shallow and expect the masses to go with them.

bush has less that zero to offer so he holds up his wife for the Hispanic vote.. and they'll go on the trail lying and scheming.. scheming and lying.

Bet there's lots of Democratic Hispanic leaders who speak out against this particular bush agenda.

[BlueCaliDem]

75. Well, it worked for Greg Abbott in Texas. And John Ellis hails from Texas, so he

believes it will work for him, too.

[Xithras]

85. Sure, it's possible. "Hispanic" isn't a race. Anyone can theoretically become Hispanic.

In fact, the legal definitions of Hispanic in the U.S. always contain the caveat "of any race". The Census defines Hispanic as: "a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South (except for Brazil) or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race".

Which brings up a set of questions without any real answers: What is "culture"? Can a person from one culture join another culture? Can a person be a part of two cultures? At what point has a person assimilated "enough" of a culture to be considered a part of that culture? Who gets to decide who is a "member" of a particular culture, and who is not? Because culture, unlike race, is a learned behavior that can be adopted by any human being, these aren't easy questions.

It is entirely possible for non-Hispanics to marry Hispanics, take on their culture, and become culturally Hispanic. It actually happens with some regularity here in California, where interracial marriage between Hispanics and non-Hispanics is very common, and the line between "American culture" and "Hispanic culture" is becoming increasingly blurred.

Now, do I believe that Jeb Bush has adopted his wifes Hispanic culture? Not for a moment. Do I believe that he COULD do so and become Hispanic? Sure, why not. It's unlikely as hell, but it could happen.

[djean111]

13. I don't think it is fraud, can't figure out any reason to lie about it that would

help anybody. In fact, here in Florida, marking the Hispanic box might put one in a group that could be targeted in order to be struck from the list of eligible voters. Maybe it was just a mistake.

[Mass]

14. Or solidarity with his family?

[djean111]

21. I dislike Jeb Bush intensely, but I think that even that is a reach. It just looks stupid.

I don't think Jeb is all that uber-intelligent, being the smartest of the brothers is not exactly a high bar to have jumped.
Maybe he was just trying to increase the number of Hispanic voters registered in his district - but, IMO, that just might make his district a target for having early voting taken away, early voting hours and locations screwed around with, and election day places to pee near the polling locations taken away. I wonder how his daughters are registered. Or if they vote.

Or maybe he thought he could fool Hispanic voters from other states. Be interesting to see if it gets corrected, but always remember - the Bush family does not have to apologize for anything, and even shit that happened yesterday is pronounced old news, and is not to be brought up.

[Renew Deal]

19. Montequilla!

[GOLGO 13]

25. Can't say I blame him

Spanish people are attractive, smart, joyfull, great dancers and Spanish food is incredibly delicious. Who would want to be whatever a "Bush" is?

[misterhighwasted]

27. [phone]. ^THIS^

[BlueCaliDem]

76. I'm not crazy about Spanish food, but I love me some Mexican cuisine!

The two are entirely different. I know this firsthand. Try to order a taco or burrito in Spain and see the strange looks you get!

[MADem]

28. Creo que NO.

His command of the language is very good for an American but he's a Pierce-Walker-Bush. He was raised in the mean quadrangles of Phillips Andover Academy, where he sold pot and bullied his fellow students. His parents shipped him off to that boarding school at no small cost to begin the process to form his brain into what we see today. He was not raised in Latino/Hispanic culture.

It's not voter fraud, he's a person who has a vote, but it is misrepresentation of his heritage.

[lobodons]

29. Misrepresentation on a government document..??

Yep, he is a Bush.

[GOLGO 13]

33. Awwww c'mon he just wan't to be one of the cool kids.

Lo dejó él es un cobarde

[jberryhill]

31. He probably just misread it as two words instead of one

[Demeter]

34. This is America---we came to make new identities for ourselves

It is unfortunate for Jeb that he's so well-documented....maybe a Witless Protection Program?

[Duval]

42. Good one, Demeter! nt

[father founding]

35. we don't need no stinkin truths

Oh You must mean Jorge Bush ! Not suprising for these lying bastards.

[mountain grammy]

36. You mean John Ellis

is really Juan?

[Fred Sanders]

38. The entire GOP should be disqualified from nominating a candidate. Enemies of state.

[corkhead]

39. HISPANGAZI!!!11!1

[AngryAmish]

56. ok, you win.

[LynneSin]

40. Yet he won't get an ounce of shit that Warren got for her Native American comment

Which in fact Warren has Native American heritage. Yet they treated her like she was trying to scam the world on that one when in fact they found nothing inappropriate ever happened because Warren had said she had Native American heritage in her bloodline. Warren has always identified herself as white.

[treestar]

48. And Warren truly thought she had the ancestry

Even if she did not, she thought she had.

Yet Jeb can claim it via marriage? No, Republicans.

[LynneSin]

50. I thought she had it

From what I read she did have some ancestry with Native American. She was native to Oklahoma so it wouldn't be uncommon to have Native American in the family tree. Just wasn't a whole lot of it. Probably many many generations back. However she never used that to her advantage for any schooling or job.

[Duval]

41. Wonder what he'll be

the next time? Gee, just change your registration to anything your heart desires. I do have French ancestry. Seems the Bushes believe they can do anything their heart desires, anytime, and people will believe their lies.

[Baitball Blogger]

49. Do you understand what this means? If Jeb Bush becomes president,

It means the Bush dynasty gave us the first Hispanic president, the first CIA Director president, and the first idiot.

[KamaAina]

64. The politically correct term is "Idiot-American"

[Jackpine Radical]

70. How can you say such an awful thing?

You're depriving Reagan of his thoroughly legitimate title being the first Idiot-American President.

Now, Shrub may be the DUMBEST Idiot-American to have held the post but he was not the first.

[herding cats]

51. It makes me wonder how many other Hispanic votes for Republicans came from non-Hispanics?

Seems like a way to give the illusion that Hispanics are voting more conservative than they may actually be.

[geek tragedy]

52. Ted Cruz will have fun with this. Nt

[randr]

55. The whole family has played themselves as 'Texans' for so long

they must now feel they have become Mexican by default.

[trusty elf]

58. Remember this?

https://fromtheleft.wordpress.com/2012/09/22/mitt-tries-to-flip-flop-from/

[img][/img]

[Helen Borg]

59. Lying bastard...

[Cryptoad]

60. He came by trait of lying , honestly!

[obxhead]

61. Where's the birth certificate?

Long form of course.

If he is Hispanic, let's lock him up for a few years, then deport him.

[Gothmog]

62. This will not be popular with the base

[Major Nikon]

63. Midland, TX is 30% Hispanic

Just throwing that out there.

[KamaAina]

65. !Pendejo!

[SpankMe]

67. I'm as opposed to anything Republican as the next DU'er, but...

...this could easily be a brain fart. He has an Hispanic wife and could have been distracted by something when he was filling this out and had a sort of dyslexic moment. It happens to me.

We should save our indignation for real Rethuglican behaviors and not chicken-shit stuff that'll get us labelled as whiners.

[Larry Engels]

71. Of course it was.

Attacking Jeb Bush for this kind of thing makes his critics look bad and undermines their position to criticize the really serious bad things about Jeb, of which there are plenty. Making a big deal out of this little error is....stupid.

[Jackpine Radical]

68. Of all the political stories that have hit the wire so far today,

this really has to be about the most inane.

We have to know about it, I guess, if only to have something to retaliate against Bushnuts with when they try to make something of the Liz Warren thing.

In reality, neither of these little ethnic glitches will change anyone's mind about their vote. The most that happens is that, for those with strong emotional feelings against the candidate, it gives them one more reason to cement their negativity. I doubt there are 100 people in America who are going to change their vote based on a check mark in an ethnicity box on a form, particularly when such act cannot be shown to bring any advantage to the "offender."

[DonViejo]

73. Really?...

In reality, neither of these little ethnic glitches will change anyone's mind about their vote.

You have greater confidence in the acumen of the GOP base than I do.

[Jackpine Radical]

74. Not exactly.

I have great confidence in their general ingnorance and fund of disinformation, which they so actively protect with their hypertrophied powers of denial, deflection, distortion, and projection.

[Vinca]

77. Senor Bush didn't have a chance with the righties before he became hispanic.

[jonno99]

79. Much ado about nothing...

I don't give a rip about JB; and given his family's notoriety, there is nothing he could have gained by trying to lie on a voter registration form.

Unless he is REALLY stupid - which I guess is a possibility...

[bravenak]

80. I check whichever box fits me that day. Serious. Maybe he feels hispanic?

Serious. He might just feel more Hispanic than not hispanic? I check multiracial if it's there, or black and white, or black white hispanic and native american, or just black, or any combination of those categories. I am kinda confused.

[hopemountain]

81. but....

perhaps papa or mama bush enjoyed a little "indiscretion" 62 years plus 9 months ago? happens all of the time in households across the country.

the only way to know for sure would be through dna and & a paternity test.

....

[Chemisse]

82. Amusing, but probably a careless error.

The Hispanic box is just above the one he should have checked.

[Thor_MN]

83. In the words of another idiot Rethug governor, "Oops."

[Lollypat70]

84. His wife marked the form and he just signed it!

If Jeb is like most men he doesn't fill out any forms...his wife fills out forms such as Voter Registration Forms, his assistants fill out official forms...he just signs his name where he is told too.
And his wife is Hispanic so she just (UNTHINKINGLY) checked the box for Hispanic! Everybody get real.

[question everything]

86. Perhaps he thought this would be a natural next step

During Jeb’s first gubernatorial run, their marriage nearly buckled under the stress. In an effort to mend things, Bush converted to Catholicism in the mid-1990s

http://time.com/3733121/jeb-bush-next-in-line/