Jeb Bush Suggests Sarah Palin Lacks "Depth of Understanding"

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Republicans

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush offered what many are taking as an implicit criticism of Sarah Palin in an interview with Newsmax.

Bush says Palin is a "charismatic" "natural" who "appeals to a large group of people" and has a future in the GOP. He goes on to say, however, that the former Alaska governor lacks the "depth of understanding" she needs to effectively run for president.

"My personal belief is that for Governor Palin to be a successful candidate for higher office, she needs to take this charisma she has and also add to it some depth of understanding of the complexity of life that we're living in today," he says. "And if she had the combination of that she would be an incredible candidate."

"I mean, I don't know what her deal is. My belief is in 2010 and 2012, public leaders need to have intellectual curiosity," he adds, telling the interviewer the world is "very complex."

You can watch Bush make the comments above. His remarks on Palin begin around the 18:30 mark.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by from_the_north February 28, 2010 11:23 AM EST: Does Jeb know what "lack of understanding" means? Like how to count votes?; Reply to this comment


by mjlewis6 February 25, 2010 1:18 PM EST: Don't leave Neil Bush out of it. He's the one with a felony conviction in the Silverado banking scandal of more than a decade back. And Barbara Bush may have been against the Equal Rights Amendment, a stand that really cost the average working woman EQUAL PAY for the same job as men.....so, given the intellectual pool from which these elites spring.... no wonder they exhibit strange unconnected thoughts or ramble in front of a microphone. They are NOT mainstream citizens with the same concerns as the average Joe Blow.
Don't elect people with a super ego and a bubble for a brain, please, just because they either look good or have a well known name.

G. Dubya Bush had to come to Texas because Kennebunkport, Maine is his real home and Yale is his alma mater....what the heck is SMU doing with his Presidential Library...oh, I remember now: Mr. D. Cheney used to be on the Board before he opted to be VP and manage G. Bush's campaign to become WAR President (embassies had been bombed in east Africa, USS Cole attacked, Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia attacked). No wonder he was so willing to let Cheney pull in an 'energy' advisory conference in April, 2001, to discuss Iraqi oil...almost 5 months before 9/11 and two years before invaing Iraq.; Reply to this comment


by johndevinejr February 25, 2010 12:50 PM EST: Didn't they have a Bush family meeting and decide that George W was smarter than Jeb so they would buy him the Presidency instead of Jeb?

They thought that Jeb would embarrass the family I think.; Reply to this comment


by NowBeWithThat February 25, 2010 11:19 AM EST: I was wondering when it would appear.

The obligatory anti-Palin item. Montopoli is trolling for hits again.

It never fails, eh Brian?; Reply to this comment

by bragdonb February 25, 2010 8:08 AM EST

I promise to never again vote for a Bush "with no depth of understanding".That includes you JEB.

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by johndevinejr February 25, 2010 12:42 PM EST: I think Jeb is even dumber than GW. But Palin is dumb as a rock.

by pr_boxer February 25, 2010 7:48 AM EST

"depth of understanding", any Ivy league term for "dumb as a ball peen hammer".

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by johndevinejr February 25, 2010 12:43 PM EST: Are you impying that Jeb is an Ivy Leaguer...an elitest?


by Palin_for_Presidentess February 25, 2010 7:39 AM EST: Ain't that the truth, Jeb? The woman is like a bee bee on a four-lane highway.; Reply to this comment

by bassinapple February 25, 2010 6:42 AM EST

CBS, your Liberal bias is showing. Sarah Palin has a new Facebook posting entited "More of the Same, only more expensive". Yet you spoon-feed your readings one negative story after another. There is a reason 30% of Americans trust you. We are more intelligent then you think we are. We can read for ourselves what Sarah has to say. If you are going to cover Palin, then cover everything. Stop cherry picking only the negative. http://www.facebook.com/notes/sarah-palin/more-of-the-same-only-more-expensive/321999143434

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by johndevinejr February 25, 2010 12:45 PM EST: Anyone who doesn't realize how stupid Sarah Palin is, is not more intelligent that we think. You are exactly as intelligent as we think you are.