The Bush campaign has obviously concluded over the last week or so that Trump is not going away and it needs to engage, especially with Trump gleefully whaling on the Florida governor almost every day. It’s still summer, but Trump certainly seems like less of a simple summer fling as he maintains or — certainly against my expectations — gains support in the latest polls in South Carolina and New Hampshire.
I think Bush is right on the substance in the argument with Trump over mass deportation and it may be that this fight serves his longer-term purposes (Gallup indicates that Bush’s rating with Hispanics improved in August). But there are two problems here for Bush. One is that Trump is such a forceful communicator that he comes across as some sort of throwback alpha male, whereas Bush, the earnest wonk, comes across as the sensitive dad from a contemporary sitcom. The other is that, while people want to see that Bush is a fighter, they really want to see him battling the other side — the media, the Democrats, Hillary — not scolding his own party.