Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) predicted the 2016 GOP debate stage would be an “incredible circus,” previewing Democratic talking points against a half dozen Republicans considering a run for the White House.
Some of her timeliest criticism during a speech Saturday was aimed at Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R).
{mosads}She scorned him for not condemning former New York Major Rudy Giuliani’s comments this week questioning President Obama’s love for the United States.
“Inexplicably he sat silent when he was feet from Rudy Giuliani the other night and refused to condemn when Rudy Giuliani suggested, and directly said, that our president doesn’t love America and questioned the president of the United States’ patriotism,” she said.
In addition, she compared former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to his brother, as well as Mitt Romney; criticized Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for the previous government shutdown, and accused Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla) of running away from his immigration plan. To Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) she simply asked, “Who is this guy?” to laughs.
As GOP candidates gear up for 2016, here are a few of the DNC attack lines to watch.
On Bush: “For Jeb it has always been, and it always will be, about what is best for him and those at the top,” Wasserman Schultz said.
She added later: ”When his brother was president, Jeb backed his plan to privatize Social Security, and in recent years he cashed in on Wall Street as Americans were hit by the financial crisis. Let’s face it, Jeb Bush is the heir to George Bush’s economic record and Mitt Romney’s corporate record.”
On New Jersey Gov Chris Christie: “Here is some blunt straight talk that he won’t like. His administration has been modeled on his true leadership style: Dysfunctional, incompetent and tainted by investigations and scandals,” she said.
On Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal: “Bobby Jindal is another GOP governor who has consistently put rigid partisanship and personal ambition ahead of what’s good for his state. Under his watch, Louisiana is facing a massive budget shortfall that he refuses to do anything about. No wonder polls show he is one of the least popular governors in the country,” she said.
On Texas Gov. Rick Perry: “Rick Perry’s biggest liability isn’t his pathetic 2012 run or even the felony indictment hanging over his head, it is that in his 14 years as governor, two Texases emerged — One for the wealthy allies and special interests that he never fails to help out, and one for the working families and very poor who have to suffer the consequences of his policies,” she said.
On Cruz: “Ted Cruz has essentially been the de facto leader of the Republican Party for more than a year now. And look how that’s turned out. Cruz is the embodiment of what is wrong with the Republican Party: Nothing but opposition and obstruction when it comes to helping middle class families,” she said.
On Rubio: “Marco Rubio has shown that he’s not a leader with fresh ideas. He’s a follower with a tired Republican playbook…going so far as to run away from him own immigration plan when the party put the slightest bit of pressure on him,” she said.
On Paul: “Who is this guy? Amidst the contradictory positions he takes to pander to whatever audience he is speaking to at the moment, his policies are way outside the mainstream…He is not a new type of Republican, it’s that every day he is something new,” she said.