SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
"Your brother created ISIS," said 19-year-old Ivy Ziedrich. (Image: screen grab)
Jeb Bush Gets Schooled By College Student for 'Spouting War Rhetoric'
'Your brother created ISIS,' declared 19-year-old Ivy Ziedrich.
May 14, 2015
Former Florida governor and potential Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, who has been clumsily defending his brother's widely-discredited decision to invade Iraq in 2003, on Wednesday was schooled by a university student for "spouting nationalist rhetoric to get us involved in more wars."
During one of his much-publicized town hall meetings in Reno, Nevada, 19-year-old Ivy Ziedrich gave Bush a history lesson that was caught on video.
"It was when 30,000 individuals who were part of the Iraqi military were forced out--they had no employment, they had no income, and they were left with access to all of the same arms and weapons," she said. "Your brother created ISIS."
Seemingly unsure of how to respond, Bush replied in a dismissive tone: "All right, is that a question."
Ziedrich's response: "You don't need to be pedantic to me, sir."
"Why are you saying that ISIS was created by us not having a presence in the Middle East when it's pointless wars where we send young American men to die for the idea of American exceptionalism?" she demanded. "Why are you spouting nationalist rhetoric to get us involved in more wars?"
"We respectfully disagree," retorted Bush.
Ziedrich, who said she is a member of the Young Democrats at her school, reflected on the exchange in a phone interview with ABC News. "I think he's telling the truth as he understands it," she said. "I think it's important when we have people in positions of authority we demand a dialogue and accountability."
The exchange can be viewed in the video below.
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
Former Florida governor and potential Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, who has been clumsily defending his brother's widely-discredited decision to invade Iraq in 2003, on Wednesday was schooled by a university student for "spouting nationalist rhetoric to get us involved in more wars."
During one of his much-publicized town hall meetings in Reno, Nevada, 19-year-old Ivy Ziedrich gave Bush a history lesson that was caught on video.
"It was when 30,000 individuals who were part of the Iraqi military were forced out--they had no employment, they had no income, and they were left with access to all of the same arms and weapons," she said. "Your brother created ISIS."
Seemingly unsure of how to respond, Bush replied in a dismissive tone: "All right, is that a question."
Ziedrich's response: "You don't need to be pedantic to me, sir."
"Why are you saying that ISIS was created by us not having a presence in the Middle East when it's pointless wars where we send young American men to die for the idea of American exceptionalism?" she demanded. "Why are you spouting nationalist rhetoric to get us involved in more wars?"
"We respectfully disagree," retorted Bush.
Ziedrich, who said she is a member of the Young Democrats at her school, reflected on the exchange in a phone interview with ABC News. "I think he's telling the truth as he understands it," she said. "I think it's important when we have people in positions of authority we demand a dialogue and accountability."
The exchange can be viewed in the video below.
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
Former Florida governor and potential Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush, who has been clumsily defending his brother's widely-discredited decision to invade Iraq in 2003, on Wednesday was schooled by a university student for "spouting nationalist rhetoric to get us involved in more wars."
During one of his much-publicized town hall meetings in Reno, Nevada, 19-year-old Ivy Ziedrich gave Bush a history lesson that was caught on video.
"It was when 30,000 individuals who were part of the Iraqi military were forced out--they had no employment, they had no income, and they were left with access to all of the same arms and weapons," she said. "Your brother created ISIS."
Seemingly unsure of how to respond, Bush replied in a dismissive tone: "All right, is that a question."
Ziedrich's response: "You don't need to be pedantic to me, sir."
"Why are you saying that ISIS was created by us not having a presence in the Middle East when it's pointless wars where we send young American men to die for the idea of American exceptionalism?" she demanded. "Why are you spouting nationalist rhetoric to get us involved in more wars?"
"We respectfully disagree," retorted Bush.
Ziedrich, who said she is a member of the Young Democrats at her school, reflected on the exchange in a phone interview with ABC News. "I think he's telling the truth as he understands it," she said. "I think it's important when we have people in positions of authority we demand a dialogue and accountability."
The exchange can be viewed in the video below.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.