Could someone elaborate on the reasons for his lack of popularity?
Is it because of his Brother/Father's track record?
Sorry for my ignorance, I don't live in the U.S so I'm just an observer.
Sorry for my ignorance, I don't live in the U.S so I'm just an observer.
His father, George H. W. Bush, was known for prosecuting a fairly "successful" war--the 1990-1991 Gulf War--that ostensibly lasted about 5 months...essentially "ejecting the Iraqi army from Kuwait"--the stated goal... his domestic record was viewed as "less than stellar"...
Americans pay attention to things like that and seem to relish a victory...listen to the response to Whitney Houston singing the National Anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl:
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&e... (This is worth a listen even if you're only interested in the question itself...it's the best rendering I'm aware of at any time in U.S. history.)
The audience's response hints at the "prevailing" national mood at that time...
His brother, George W. Bush, served 2 terms with mixed results...some counted him as one of the least-talented (intellectually) Presidents the U.S. has ever seated...here you can factor in the controversial 2003 invasion of Iraq itself, and the mishandling of a response to Hurricane Katrina, especially in the city of New Orleans...
I'll stop here; the tale is long and complicated...those are just major highlights...
Jeb Bush is likely quite capable of exceeding expectations, but some say he lacks charisma, charm...there's probably some reluctance to elect another Bush because of journalists and historian's evaluations of the presidencies of his father and brother...
Having said all that, he might be the best qualified "moderate" candidate the Republicans could field in this election...time will tell...he appears to be out of the running for a nomination...
That's the popular media and pop-culture narrative, but it just wasn't true. Read firsthand accounts from non-media policy experts who were there, for example... http://keithhennessey.com/2013/04/24/smarter/
Similarly, Eisenhower and Reagan were portrayed as a dottering grandfatherly types disinterested in policy during their tenure, but honest historians later gave them their due.
The questioner asked about his brother's track record, specifically the potentially negative aspects of that record...public perception, even if shaped or influenced, remains that...truth often doesn't enter into it, just as you correctly allude...thanks for your response...
His child on the other hand will probably do very well when he runs for national office as he has the charisma his father lacks.
One thing about watching this stuff from the outside, understand the media is primarily coastal-based and their opinion of either President Bush probably is not reflective of the voters in Iowa. Look at a county election map of the US for some insight. I would also say Nate Silver is doing a pretty good job of it again.
And, yeah, he was the anointed establishment candidate, raised 103 million for his super PAC in the first half of 2015, none of those play well in this election.
He's much more hapless than his brother on the campaign trail, as noted by others we've had enough of the Bush family, etc. etc.
I remember Ford/Carter and I didn't really like Carter since he was sad all the time (I was 6). I did get to see Ross Perot's speech in Fargo, ND for the 1992 campaign. I was amazed at the lack of visible security and his stage presence given how he sounded in interviews.
Really! Master at what? Endless supply of comedic material...
But one that I know for sure contributed, is he's not conservative enough in the eyes of the Republican base. In other words, he's viewed as being closer to liberals or "too soft" on a range of issues, including but not limited to immigration, willingness to use American military power abroad, and not religious enough.
It has also been said that "Bush fatigue" contributed, but I think if he had been spitting conservative fire from day 1, he'd had been the right candidate for the extreme right of the Republican base.
More than half of the Republican Party is. You don't need support of half of America to be a major party nominee (or even win the election, for that you just need more support than the other major party nominee -- ignoring the distorting effects of the electoral college system, which can actually let you win without even that, if your support has the right geographic distribution.)
Also, W was not very popular by the end of his second term.
Besides that, Jeb is not super charismatic, and is at odds with the base on immigration.
His brother was not particularly charismatic either, but he's a former 2-term president and also a former 2-term Texas governor.