Jeb Bush calls for welfare, education reform in wake of Baltimore riots Bush also says Baltimore Orioles sent ‘wrong signal’ by playing before empty stadium

Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush on Thursday urged Americans to not lose perspective in the aftermath of the Baltimore riots, and offered his own policy prescription for simmering tensions in poor communities.

“A young man died and that’s a tragedy for his family,” Bush said about 25-year-old Freddie Gray, who died last week after suffering severe injuries while in police custody. “This is not just a statistic; this is a person who died.”


He also addressed the underlying roots of anger in some dominantly black communities by pivoting to a conservative platform – welfare and education reform, mainly – that might start to change “the pathologies being built around people who are poor, that they’re going to stay poor.”

“How do you create a system of support that doesn’t create dependency? That’s got to be where the federal government plays a role,” Bush said during a conversation with National Review editor Rich Lowry.

Gray’s death and the resulting riots and looting that swept Baltimore streets earlier this week reopened a national debate about policing issues, incarceration, and impoverished communities that offer their young people few education and job opportunities.

Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner for the White House, gave a passionate speech on Wednesday about the need for a broad rethink on the criminal justice system. The remarks also drew some negative headlines because the aggressive policies she was condemning are rooted in her husband’s presidency.

Republican presidential hopeful Rand Paul has also received criticism for his initial remarks in which he partially blamed the “breakdown of the family” for the violence in Baltimore.

Bush on Thursday touted the education reforms he oversaw as Florida’s governor, arguing that expanding school choice is one way to improve opportunities for at-risk children.

“Baltimore is not a model for public education,” Bush said. “You want to see that, go to Florida.

Bush, whose support for Common Core has become a liability for him with Republican primary voters, continued to make the case for a uniform set of high academic standards.

“Lowering expectations and lowering accountability is going to doom a whole generation of people, and I for one won’t take it,” he said.

He also offered a nod to the law-and-order streak that runs deep on the right, praising the “broken windows” method of policing employed by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani that involves a tougher crackdown on minor crimes as a means toward preventing larger ones and broader disorder.

“Allowing the riots to happen was disturbing,” he said. “Public safety is the first priority for any city or jurisdiction.”

Still, he criticized a decision to have the Baltimore Orioles to play a scheduled baseball game at Camden Yards Wednesday without any fans in the stands. “It sends the wrong signal,” Bush said.

He did offer up praise for Toya Graham, the Baltimore mother videotaped pulling her son out of the riots.

“I think my mom and the woman who was bringing her child back home have a lot in common, which I admire her a lot for doing what she did,” he said. “It was a nice visual symbol of what needs to be restored.”

On other issues, Bush offered no apologies to the conservative audience, sticking to his guns on his support for immigration reform.

“I just think you’re wrong,” he pointedly told Lowry, who opposes comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. “I know you think I’m wrong, but I just think you’re wrong. We are at our best when we are young, aspirational and dynamic.”

Bush also criticized Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s recent statement in favor of capping even legal immigration if it’s impacting the American economy.

“This is not a zero sum game,” Bush said. “I just think it’s the wrong approach. We would have 3 to 5 million jobs unfilled that require skills if we nix immigration today.”

Bush criticized the Obama administration’s proposed nuclear agreement with Iran and reprimanded Obama officials for not being more forceful in their support for Israel.

“I think it’s shameful the United States is not speaking loudly and acting forcefully on behalf of Christians and Jews,” Bush said. “We’re the only country that has the resources to provide support.”

He laughed off a gaffe after referring to “the Obama regime” in answering a question on foreign policy and referred to State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf, a Twitter sensation and frequent target of conservatives’ scorn, as “that girl with the cool glasses.”