In another sign that Jeb Bush is working to distinguish himself from the crowded Republican presidential field, the former Florida governor released a campaign video Monday featuring himself and his Mexican-American wife, Columba, commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month. Bush speaks Spanish and his wife speaks English in the video, which aims to highlight his family’s ties to the Hispanic community.
“I’m proud that my children and grandchildren are Hispanic,” Bush says in Spanish in the video, titled “Todos Somos Americanos” — We Are All Americans.
Columba, who has been a rare presence on the campaign trail, shares nearly equal screen-time in the video with her husband, saying “I have lived over half my life here. We have all the same interests, the same feelings.”
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The video is an implicit rebuke of GOP front-runner Donald Trump, who has staked his candidacy in part on inflammatory statements about undocumented immigrants. When Bush responded to one of Trump’s personal attacks by criticizing him in Spanish, the real estate mogul shot back by saying “I like Jeb … but he should really set the example by speaking English while in the United States.”
Here’s the full transcript of the video, including English translation.
Jeb Bush: Los Estados Unidos de América es un gran país. Gracias a las personas que vienen de todas partes del mundo, contribuyendo a nuestra economía y comunidad. Para mi la cultura hispana es muy importante y positiva.
[The United States of America is a great country. Thanks to the people that come from all over the world, contributing to our economy and community. To me, Hispanic culture is very important and positive.]
Columba Bush: I have lived over half my life here. We all have the same interests, the same feelings.
Jeb Bush: Nuestros valores son muy parecidos. Me siento orgulloso de que mis hijos y nietos son hispanos.
[Our values are very similar. I am proud that my children and grandchildren are Hispanic.]
Columba Bush: We go to church every Sunday. We have celebrations with the family and we keep our traditions. But at the end it’s just that, faith, friends and family.
Jeb Bush: Los hispanos contribuyen cada día mas a nuestra cultura, son parte integral del sueño americano. Por esos motivos y mas, yo los invito a que celebren el mes de la herencia hispana, porque todos somos Americanos!
[Hispanics contribute more every day to our culture; they are an integral part of the American dream. For these reasons and more, I invite you to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month because we are all Americans!]
Benjamin Landy