海角大神

In his first major speech of the 2016 presidential cycle, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush presented himself Wednesday as a conservative reformer promising to boost opportunity for ordinary Americans.

That pitch, delivered to a roomful of businesspeople, came across as standard Republican fare, an updated version of the 鈥渃ompassionate conservative鈥� message that his brother, George W. Bush, delivered at the start of his own presidential journey in 1999.

The American dream isn鈥檛 just a promise, it is a 鈥渕oral promise,鈥� the junior Mr. Bush said. The phrase 鈥�Washington, D.C., solution鈥� was uttered as an epithet. Americans have a 鈥渞ight to rise,鈥� Bush said over and over, riffing on the name of his new political-action committee, the Right to Rise PAC.

But the real import of Bush鈥檚 speech was that he delivered it in Detroit, one of the nation鈥檚 most troubled cities, and not in Iowa or New Hampshire, where the primaries and caucuses start a year from now. True, he spoke at the Detroit Economic Club, not a soup kitchen, but his message was still unmistakable: that he is reaching out to all Americans, including those 鈥渙n the edge of economic ruin,鈥� as he said.

鈥淚 know some in the media think conservatives don't care about the cities. But they are wrong,鈥� Bush said. 鈥淪o I say: Let鈥檚 go where our ideas can matter most, where the failures of liberal government are most obvious. Let鈥檚 deliver real conservative success."

Bush鈥檚 speech was, in a way, another Republican response to President Obama鈥檚 sunny State of the Union address last month.

鈥淔ar too many Americans live on the edge of economic ruin,鈥� Bush said. 鈥淎nd many more feel like they鈥檙e stuck in place: working longer, and harder, even as they鈥檙e losing ground. Tens of millions of Americans no longer see a clear path to rise above their challenges.鈥�

He also seemed to take a dig at 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney, a native of Michigan, and until last Friday, a possible competitor for the Republicans鈥� 2016 nomination.

鈥淪omething is holding them back,鈥� Bush said of those struggling economically. 鈥淣ot a lack of ambition. Not a lack of hope.听Not because they鈥檙e lazy, or see themselves as victims.鈥�

The reference to 鈥渧ictims鈥� harked back to Mr. Romney鈥檚 caught-on-video private comment in 2012 about the 鈥�47 percent,鈥� who 鈥渟ee themselves as victims.鈥�

The Detroit setting also brings to mind the US government bailout of two of the Big Three Detroit automakers early in Mr. Obama鈥檚 tenure 鈥� a decision that Romney and other Republicans ( Jeb Bush) had criticized.

Speaking more broadly of Detroit鈥檚 problems, Bush on Wednesday called them 鈥渁n echo of the troubles facing Washington, D.C.鈥� The answer, he said, is to move away from government-based solutions.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I launched the Right to Rise PAC,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o that someone would speak for people who don鈥檛 want to wait for the government to deliver prosperity. They want to earn it themselves.鈥�

After his speech, Bush took some questions and addressed the advantages and disadvantages of being the son and brother of former presidents.

鈥淥n one level, I鈥檝e had a front-row seat to watch history unfold,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 given me some perspectives that are helpful.鈥�

鈥淏ut on another level,鈥� he added, 鈥淚 know it鈥檚 an interesting challenge for me. If I have any degree of self-awareness, this would be the place where it might want to be applied.鈥�

Polls have shown the Bush family鈥檚 presidential past is a net negative for Jeb Bush among Republican voters.听

Bush had this to say about both Presidents Bush: 鈥淚 love my brother. I think he鈥檚 been a great president. It doesn鈥檛 bother me a bit to be proud of them and love them, but I know for a fact that if I鈥檓 going to be successful ... then I鈥檓 going to have to do it on my own.鈥�