Jeb Bush Says Students Would Be Better Moderators

Jeb Bush is still grousing about last week’s debate on CNBC, telling students near Milwaukee on Monday that they ask better questions than some moderators.

The Republican White House hopeful, who is preparing for Tuesday’s debate on Fox Business, visited a charter school in Waukesha with Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to talk about school choice. The event broke no new ground, although it did allow Bush, a former Florida Governor, to talk about one of his favorite topics.

“We must empower parents to make more choices,” Bush said to students and parent who joined a Hispanics for School Choice forum at La Casa de Esperanza.

Toward the end of the otherwise dull event, Bush thanked the students who were asking him questions about school vouchers, graduation rates and Christian education.

“Those three questions, they’re better than the moderated debate questions. Just saying,” Bush said to chuckles. “If you’re free tomorrow night, maybe you can come by the arena.”

CNBC has faced unrelenting criticism of their debate, which at times became chaotic as candidates shouted over each other. Fox Business has pledged to be the anti-CNBC debate when moderators meet the candidates in a Milwaukee theater.

For their part, Bush advisers are hoping the Fox Business debate forces candidates to offer serious policy proposals beyond vague statements in support of free markets. Bush, a policy wonk who has found it tough to convert brains to votes, stands to shine at such a forum if given a shot.

More importantly, advisers say, it leaves open a chance for Bush’s rivals to be shown as inferior on the intricacies of policy.

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