--- title: Watch Jeb Bush's Saddest Campaign Moments description: The former Florida Governor and son of presidents has not had an easy go. canonical: https://time.com/4231020/jeb-bush-please-clap-saddest-moments-south-carolina/ author: TIME Video article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-02-21T01:27:02.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-05T08:41:14.015Z article:section: Politics og:title: Watch Jeb Bush's Saddest Campaign Moments og:description: The former Florida Governor and son of presidents has not had an easy go. og:url: https://time.com/4231020/jeb-bush-please-clap-saddest-moments-south-carolina/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7b8fdf2db9d38306/69887c98524fc0b2c4df6a3f/young-photographer-politics-election-lightbox-02.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: young-photographer-politics-election-lightbox-02 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Watch Jeb Bush's Saddest Campaign Moments twitter:description: The former Florida Governor and son of presidents has not had an easy go. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7b8fdf2db9d38306/69887c98524fc0b2c4df6a3f/young-photographer-politics-election-lightbox-02.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 02:36 video:published: 2016-02-19 section: politics topics: Jeb Bush campaign, 2016 Republican primary, social media and politics, campaign missteps, debate moments, candidate personality, family support in campaigns, political branding genre: analysis, compilation tones: critical, wry, analytical, mocking emotions: embarrassment (medium), amusement (medium), disappointment (medium) sentiment: negative audience: politics enthusiasts, voters, news viewers, campaign watchers people: Jeb Bush, Donald Trump, George W. Bush, Barbara Bush organizations: Republican Party content_suitability: politics [00:00-02:36] transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # Watch Jeb Bush's Saddest Campaign Moments > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. Senior correspondent Philip Elliott brings sharp context to the issues driving the capital, connecting the decisions made in Washington to the institutions, industries and people they affect. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=f7410b8e-1bbd-4cd6-ac18-2afed92723fb&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Watch Jeb Bush's Saddest Campaign Moments [Watch (HLS stream): Watch Jeb Bush's Saddest Campaign Moments](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/xTuQ6C6q.m3u8) (2:36)  _Published 2016-02-19. At one time the Republican front-runner, Bush led the race for the nomination until the late summer emergence of billionaire Donald Trump as a contender._ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video examines the 2016 presidential campaign of Jeb Bush, describing him as an early Republican front-runner who struggled with his campaign style and verbal missteps amplified by social media. It highlights specific moments, including a debate high-five attempt and the "Please clap" appeal at a rally. It also covers how Bush turned to his mother and brother for support, and concludes that he was not an inherently talented politician. ## Key points - Jeb Bush started the campaign as a not terrific candidate who was out of practice and had never campaigned in an era of social media. (00:16) - Social media instantly broadcast Bush's signature verbal ticks, and a casual comment could quickly ricochet across the Internet. (00:19) - Bush's attempted high five with Donald Trump during a debate looked like he was going to deck the outstretched hand instead. (01:04) - Bush's "Please clap" request to an audience became shorthand for asking people to do something to support him. (01:21) - Bush insisted he was running as Jeb with an exclamation point, not as a Bush, but later turned to his mother and brother for help. (01:54) - Bush brought his mother and brother out to try to give his campaign a jolt of energy, which did not immediately translate to votes. (02:12) - The video concludes that it quickly became clear Bush was not an inherently talented politician despite having every advantage. (02:24) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:16] Introduction to Bush's campaign struggles. The narrator introduces Bush as a nominee who started the campaign as an uneven candidate, out of practice for the social media era. - [00:16 to 00:37] Social media and verbal missteps. Bush's signature verbal ticks were broadcast instantly, and a casual remark quickly spread online. - [00:37 to 01:04] Bush's personality and the Trump high five. As the campaign went on Bush revealed more of his personality, described as a sarcastic wonk, and a debate high-five moment went awry. - [01:04 to 01:28] The "Please clap" moment. At a campaign event Bush asked an audience to clap, a moment that became a metaphor for a campaign failing to gain traction. - [01:28 to 01:54] Bush's self-presentation as Jeb. Bush described his audience reaction and his wish to stand out, while insisting he was his own man rather than a Bush. - [01:54 to 02:36] Reliance on family and conclusion. Bush turned to his mother and brother for help, which did not immediately produce votes, and the video concludes he was not an inherently talented politician. ## Key quotes - [00:16] interviewer: "He was out of practice. He had never campaign in an era where social media Instantly broadcast every one of his signature verbal ticks." - [01:04] interviewer: "These things just never really gelled for him." - [01:21] interviewer: "Please clap has become short hand for please do something to" - [01:42] interviewer: "The problem was all of us were in the back of The camera's rolling became this metaphor for a campaign that just was not getting traction." - [02:24] interviewer: "It Quickly became clear that this was not an inherently talented politician." ## Questions this video answers - Why did Jeb Bush struggle as a campaigner in 2016? [00:16] - How did social media affect Bush's campaign messages? [00:19] - What happened during the debate high-five with Donald Trump? [01:04] - Why did the "Please clap" moment become significant for Bush's campaign? [01:21] - How did Bush use his mother and brother in his campaign? [02:12] - Did Bush's reliance on family translate into votes? [02:17] ## Content suitability - politics [00:00-02:36]: Entire video covers a political campaign and candidate performance. by [TIME Video](https://time.com/author/time-video/) and [Daniel White](https://time.com/author/daniel-white/) Feb 21, 2016 1:27 AM UTC At one time the Republican front-runner, Bush led the race for the nomination until the late summer emergence of billionaire Donald Trump as a contender. by [TIME Video](https://time.com/author/time-video/) and [Daniel White](https://time.com/author/daniel-white/) Feb 21, 2016 1:27 AM UTC Jeb Bush’s campaign has fallen short of expectations. At one time the Republican front-runner with substantial money behind his campaign’s super PAC, the former Florida Governor was the man to beat. Then, billionaire Donald Trump emerged as a more serious contender than his veteran team had anticipated. Bush never quit figured out how to deal with him, and finished well behind him Saturday in South Carolina. It was the latest example of Bush winding up with disappointing results despite earnest efforts. TIME’s Philip Elliot narrates a string of clips that highlight Bush’s fall. There is evidence of his awkwardness on the campaign trail, which may have cost him dearly after a promising start. No amount of his presidential lineage can overcome a political moment that rewards outsiders and punishes experience. ## Transcript [00:00] We need a president today that runs to the challenge [00:04] rather than cuts in run and that's what [ UNKNOWN ] [00:09] how to do. If you want someone with a proven record [00:10] then you're looking at the nominee for the Republican [00:14] nomination. Jeb Bush, started the campaign not a [00:16] terrific candidate. He was out of practice. He had [00:19] never campaign in an era where social media Instantly [00:23] broadcast every one of his signature verbal ticks. It's a [00:26] selfie. You bet. Thank you. Early on, he was struck [00:30] by how quickly something ricocheted from a casual [00:33] comment to the Internet. I should stop campaigning [00:37] maybe? Let's just, it's all done. As the campaign went [00:40] forward, he got a little more sure of, He started [00:43] revealing a little more of what he considered is true [00:45] personality. That, however wasn't much better. Jeff [00:50] Bush at his core is a wonk.. He's a sarcastic nerd who [00:54] just really doesn't have a lot of patience for the [00:56] theatrics of politics. He came through, several [00:58] times, often at the most inopportune moments Take [01:01] for instance one of his campaign debates, where he [01:04] went to give Donald Trump a high five and it looked [01:07] like he was gonna deck the outstretched hand instead. [01:10] These things just never really gelled for him. One of [01:15] the worst moments for the Bush campaign is when an [01:17] audience wasn't sure whether to clap or not, and Jeb [01:20] Bush asked them to clap. Please clap. [ APPLAUSE ] [01:21] Please clap has become short hand for please do [01:22] something to [01:28] support me. Really I'm trying here give me this, give [01:32] me this one thing, this room. It was a touching, you [01:35] could tell Jeb Bush really wanted that moment to stand [01:38] out. He was proud of what he had just said and he [01:40] knew the audience should have liked it. The problem [01:42] was all of us were in the back of The camera's rolling [01:46] became this metaphor for a campaign that just was [01:49] not getting traction. For [01:54] months Jeb Bush insisted he was his own man, that he [01:57] was running as Jeb with an exclamation point, and not [01:59] as a bush. But as the campaign got more difficult for [02:03] him he turned to what was available to him A rock star [02:06] of a mother who wowed crowds in New Hampshire. [02:08] Come back. And his brother, who's deeply popular in [02:12] South Carolina. He brought both of them out, trying to [02:14] help get his campaign a jolt of energy. Didn't [02:17] immediately translate to votes. When Jeb Bush got in [02:21] this race, he came in with every advantage possible, [02:24] and then he started campaigning. It Quickly became [02:26] clear that this was not an inherently talented politician. 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