Immigration talk dominates Jeb Bush town hall near Denver
SHERIDAN – At a VFW hall in the southeast Denver suburbs, Jeb Bush pulled no punches for the embattled Veterans Affairs department he called outdated, insular and unaccountable.
“There should be the quality of service in the Veterans Administration that you deserve,” Bush told a small crowd of people at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post who were invited to attend a town hall with the Republican presidential hopeful.
David Ortiz, a 33-year-old Army pilot who was severely injured in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan, used the town hall as an opportunity to tell Bush he thinks veterans should have more choices in their health care options.
Ortiz, who has lived in Denver for more than a year, said his spine injury wasn’t improving at VA facilities, but when he got approval to come to Craig Hospital in Denver, his recovery turned around.
Bush said giving veterans more options is one of his goals.
“Everyone does better when you empower the vet rather than the system,” Bush told the crowd.
He said if a veteran wants to see his private doctor instead of “having to drive miles and miles and miles and wait days and days and days,” he should be able to.
Ortiz said after the event that what Bush said sounds good, but he wants a president who will make good on his campaign promises. And more significantly, Ortiz said, a president who is be able to do the politically unpopular thing if it’s for the good of the country.
“That’s the kind of leadership we need,” Ortiz said, noting that Bush’s father, President George H.W. Bush raised taxes for the good of the country, a move that likely cost him a second term.
Bush, the son and brother of former presidents, was the front-runner in the crowded Republican field before real-estate tycoon and reality TV star Donald Trump entered the race and stole the show.
He went after Trump’s much talked-about immigration plan Tuesday, but also took what was clearly a shot at Trump himself.
“There’s a lot of really good talkers running for president,” Bush said. “I’m thinking of one in particular.”
Bush said it is unfeasible to build a wall across the southern border of the U.S., as Trump has proposed. Nor would it be productive, Bush said, to disrupt communities by “rounding up” immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. He supports a path to legal residency for immigrants who qualify and follow specific rules.
“We ought to make sure that coming here legally is easier than coming here illegally,” Bush said, to applause from the crowd.
The topic of immigration dominated the town hall. One attendee asked Bush if he regretted using the term “anchor baby” – a derogatory reference to the babies born in the U.S. to women who crossed the border illegally while pregnant.
Bush said he is proud of his multi-cultural family, referencing his Mexican-American wife Columba Bush.
“I am 62 years old,” Bush said. “When I was 17 years old I fell in love with Columba Garnica Gallo Bush. It’s really hard for me to get lectured by anyone about the politics of immigration.”
He added he supports America’s tradition and policy of granting citizenship to those who are born in the country.
Bush attended a private event in Denver on Monday night while he was in town, his campaign said.
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Republican presidential candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, speaks during a town hall style campaign stop, at the VFW in Englewood, Colo., Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)
Republican presidential candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, greets attendees after speaking at a town hall style campaign stop, at the VFW in Englewood, Colo., Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)
Republican presidential candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, speaks during a town hall style campaign stop, at the VFW in Englewood, Colo., Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015. (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)