“Our message is one that is uplifting,” Mr. Bush said then, “that says you can achieve earned success.”

Opponents saw in the Sept. 24 comments a brazen hypocrisy from a son of political royalty — the latest stumble for a candidate who has cast himself as a bridge to new voters, with experience leading a diverse state and a unique perspective among Republican presidential candidates as the bilingual husband of a woman born in Mexico.

Longtime supporters heard something else: an echo of one of the most turbulent episodes of his governorship.

Mr. Bush had not planned on a fight upon entering office, at least not on this count. Chastened by a narrow election loss in 1994 — he campaigned for governor as a tough-on-crime conservative who glibly predicted he would do “probably nothing” for blacks if elected — Mr. Bush had since moved to expand his outreach to new constituencies.

What? Me a wingnut?

"Gov. Rick Scott is heading for his second political fight in recent months with a group prepared to mobilize against him over Planned Parenthood funding. John Stemberger, an attorney and head of the Florida Family Planning Council, says his organization is preparing a campaign to pressure Scott to cancel Planned Parenthood's Medicaid contracts with the state and do what he can to shut down its federal health care subcontracts." "Scott clashes again with social conservative group."

Med MJ

"Medical Marijuana Petition Inches Closer to 2016 Ballot."

HD 3

"Santa Rosa County Commissioner Jayer Williamson, the scion of a family with deep roots in local politics, announced on Thursday that he will not run for a second term and will make a second bid for the Florida House." "Jayer Williamson Decides to Run for Florida House in 2018 Instead of Second Term in Santa Rosa County."

"Without a competitive race"

"More than two-thirds of Florida’s legislators were elected without a competitive race." "How many votes does it take to elect a Florida legislator?"

"What's hot, crazy or shady about politics in the Sunshine State"

Marc Caputo: "Bush-backing tracker BUSTED at Rubio event – LIBERTARIAN DRAMA: goat mutilation, eugenics & a resignation – How Cuba fleeces FL – Clinton’s South Florida foray – FL bear hunt to continue." "Florida Playbook."

"An injustice that has never been corrected"

Leonard Pitts Jr.: "'Groveland,' an injustice that has never been corrected."

Yee haw!

"Licensed Floridians will still be able to bag a bear in Florida later this month after a state judge Thursday refused to stop the planned hunt. "The methodology that [Florida Fish and Wildlife officials] used in coming up with a rule is rational," according to the Judge. "Judge won't stop Florida bear hunt."

"Alternative ideas for healthcare reform"

"A pair of Republican state legislators who are also doctors are pushing an alternate plan to reform healthcare that runs counter to the proposed overhaul laid out by their party leaders." "Lawmaker doctors propose alternative ideas for healthcare reform."

"Things getting hairy for JEB!

"Things are getting a little hairy out there for John Ellis Bush."

The guy who once positioned himself as the unstoppable juggernaut of the 2016 Republican primary has seen his poll numbers sag into the mid-single digits as conservative voters flock to the bizarre spectacle of the Trump/Carson/Fiorina insurgency.

He’s put together a couple of passable, forgettable debate performances, and Bush donors are starting to feel icy needles of panic migrate up their spines as they watch their candidate struggle to gain traction. When not actively gaffing, Jeb is busy cleaning up gaffes.

And when he’s not doing that, he’s defending George W. Bush’s bad wars and accidentally highlighting how many people his brother failed to keep safe.

Florida's Medicaid floppery

"Feds grant Florida another extension for Medicaid program."

School superintendents sound the alarm, Tallahassee isn't listening

The Tampa Trib editors: "Once again the state’s school superintendents have sounded an alarm, and once again it appears the top education bureaucrats and lawmakers in Tallahassee aren’t listening."

In a unified statement of protest, the superintendents say they have “lost confidence” in the education accountability systems in place and asked that the results of the new Florida Standards Assessments test given in the spring not be applied to students, teachers and schools when calculating grades and evaluating performance.

Grubbing for wingnuts

"Dr. Ben Carson should replace U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio? A Florida congressman with his eyes on a U.S. Senate seat is open to the idea." "Ron DeSantis Open to Backing Ben Carson for Speaker."

Jeb "a banal, gaffe-prone candidate"

"Jeb Bush should not have run for president."

He’s a banal, gaffe-prone candidate with a sullied name, seeking to lead a party whose recalcitrant base despises everything he represents.

The New York Times: "Jeb Bush: Crying Out Loud" and Salon: "Jeb Bush, as dumb as his idiot brother: His latest nonsense should have you running scared."

Sugar farmers run wild

Nancy Smith: "What are you going to do with Florida sugar farmers? First they insist on keeping the land they own. How selfish is that? Then they go and meet annual Everglades pollution reduction requirements when everybody knows they're poisoning the planet."

"Now guess what they're doing? You probably heard: Those sons-of-a-seabiscuit are poisoning the air as well. They audaciously told the media Wednesday they're going to control-burn their crops -- even though the Sierra Club told them not to." "Damn Sugar Farmers Just Won't Do What They're Told."

A fine start

"Mayor Bob Buckhorn upset civic groups including the NAACP and American Civil Liberties Union when he dismissed critics of his new police review board as “fringe groups” who want to 'tear down our community.' On Wednesday, Buckhorn said he sees no need to meet with those groups as called for by City Council Chairman Frank Reddick." "Buckhorn: No need to see NAACP, ACLU about police review board."

Can Atwater avoid ‘bloody’ Senate primary?

"Some donors hoping Atwater can help GOP avoid ‘bloody’ Senate primary."

Yee Haw!

"State senators are scheduled next week to begin considering whether to keep the Confederate flag on the Senate's official seal, another sign of a growing national tide against icons of the South's rebellion in the 1860s." "Senate Could Drop Confederate Flag from Seal."

"It’s the same awkward fusion Mitt Romney attempted four years ago, though no one really noticed until the general. Jeb has the decency to do it during the primaries so we’ll all have more time to enjoy watching him flail."

Bush followed up his recent “hey black people, no more free stuff for you!” moment by sitting for an interview with John Harwood on CNBC, and hoo boy, does the former Florida governor sound like a man so far down the rabbit hole he might emerge on the other side of the planet. Over the course of just a few minutes, he manages to twist himself into so many knots trying to rescue his brother’s legacy while simultaneously suggesting that President Obama is several steps to the left of Vladimir Lenin, by the end you could salt him and sell him from a Times Square pretzel cart.

State BOE shills for charters

"The Palm Beach County School Board is challenging the state's approval process for charter schools after the state Board of Education overturned the denial of an operator's application." "PBC school board challenges charter school approval process."

Criser: unions ain't the problem

"Criser: Unions, tenure don’t hinder innovation."

Jeb! gets oily

"Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush says ending the ban on U.S. oil exports and easing restrictions on natural gas exports will unleash the nation’s economy." "Jeb Bush: U.S. should open overseas markets to U.S. oil, gas."

Eisnaugle proposes to cut Speaker's power

"Read Eisnaugle's proposals to devolve House Speaker power."

What's "hot, crazy or shady" about Florida politics

Marc Caputo: "Al Gore bashes Gov. Scott on climate change – RAW RACIAL POLITICS: redistricting trial closes -- Eisnaugle strikes back – Common Core controversy – H.S. teen called out for Confederate belt buckle – of monkey mayhem and turtle ‘molestation’" "Florida Playbook."

Florida’s school superintendents voice a lack of confidence

"In the wake of a rocky rollout last spring of Florida’s newest standardized tests, the state’s superintendents have banned [sic] together to voice a lack of confidence in the accountability system and ask for all scores to be ignored." "Florida stands by flawed test scores despite local concerns."

Map trial ends

"Closing arguments focused on South Florida’s black, Hispanic voters." "Final day of map trial highlights Miami-Dade race politics."

Ross wants to whip

"With U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., the GOP whip in Congress, now running to be House majority leader in the shakeup after U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, announced he was going to give up his seat at the end of October, a Florida congressman is looking to move up the leadership ladder."

Scott flip-flops

"Rick Scott, Who Made Millions as Hospital CEO, Now Faults Hospital Costs."

Establishment Dems flock to Murphy

"Five Democrats in the Florida House--Reps. Reggie Fulwood and Mia Jones of Jacksonville, Amanda Murphy of New Port Richey, Cynthia Stafford of Miami and Richard Stark of Weston--announced on Monday they were backing U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., in the 2016 U.S. Senate race." "Patrick Murphy Reels in Endorsements from State Representatives."

Oh Pleeez . . .

"Florida lawmakers plan to live on minimum wage for a week."

Rubio strides world stage

"From his perch as chairman of the U.S. Senate Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., sent President Barack Obama a letter on Tuesday, urging him to oppose a measure in the United Nations against the embargo on Cuba. Obama is scheduled to meet Cuban strongman Raul Castro at the UN on Tuesday." "Marco Rubio Urges Obama to Oppose UN Measure Against Cuban Embargo."