Bush pushes Obama on need to ‘act on your faith’

by Jesse Byrnes - 09/18/15 5:30 PM ET

GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush challenged President Obama Friday afternoon to more clearly stake out his support for religious liberty.

{mosads}”As it relates to religious freedom, clearly the president has to express a view and fight for the view that conscience is what religious freedom is about,” Bush said at the Heritage Action Presidential Forum in Greenville, S.C.

“Not just going to church, as Hillary Clinton says, or just having a view of faith in your house. But acting on your sense of consciousness matters. Being in the public square, using the teachings of your creator to be able to improve the human condition — to act on your faith is something that is part of our heritage as a country,” Bush said to rising applause.

Bush has spoken out recently in defense of “conscience” in religious liberty cases, brought to the forefront in recent weeks with the jailing and release of Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, who refused to offer marriage licenses to same-sex couples, citing religious objections.

“I, for one, believe that a tolerant, big country like ours needs to protect religious freedom and religious conscience. It is the first freedom of our Constitution,” Bush said Friday.

The former Florida governor opened the policy-oriented event Friday as the first of 10 Republican presidential candidates delivering nearly half-hour speeches to the audience.

The topic of faith was a major issue heading into the forum. Front-runner Donald Trump canceled his appearance at the event amid criticism he allowed supporters questioning Obama’s faith and birthplace go unchecked during a campaign rally the previous night.

Bush spoke of issues such as reining in government spending and targeting an annual economic growth rate of 4 percent, touting portions of his recently released tax plan and describing himself as a “disrupter” in Florida who could do the same thing in Washington.

But his address to conservatives gathered at the event did not go without its hitches. During one portion of his talk, Bush was interrupted by audible boos by some in the audience when discussing his early support for Common Core education standards.

“South Carolinians have had an issue with Common Core. So I’d like to ask you, explain to us what your thought process was for Common Core and where you see it going?” South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) asked Bush while standing next to him on stage.

“Common Core was started after I left as governor. I’m for higher standards, and Common Core standards are higher than the standards that exist,” Bush said, prompting heckling.

“Hang on a second, hang on a second, let me finish — you’re going to like the ending of this story,” Bush continued. “If South Carolina wants to get out of Common Core standards, great. Just make sure the standards that you apply are higher than the ones you had before you had Common Core.”

“What I’m not for is the federal government having any say about any aspects of content, curriculum, for families,” Bush followed up, saying it would be a state decision but that accountability, high standards and school choice should all be supported.

Tags Jeb Bush