Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush Tuesday
argued that front-runner Donald Trump, if elected president, would create a
"global depression" because of his proposal to impose high tariffs on
Chinese goods.
The former Florida
governor also doubled down on calling Trump a "jerk," knocking the
businessman repeatedly during a swing across Iowa.
Bush mentioned Trump
by name at least 17 times at his first two events, focusing on the Trump's plan
to slap a 45% tariff on Chinese exports.
It's an idea -- aimed
to crack down on trade imbalances with the country -- which Bush described as
"really idiotic" and would have a tremendous impact in a state like
Iowa, which trades heavily with China.
"Donald Trump
doesn't know what he's talking about. And you know who'd be hurt the most? Iowa
agriculture," Bush said at a town hall in Coralville. "What does a
country do when it gets thrown a 45% tariff? It retaliates. And who would it
retaliate with? Agriculture, and the equipment and the technology that this
great state has developed and has been sold to China. All of that is
foolhardy."
Later Tuesday, about
60 miles west in Grinnell, Iowa, Bush again ripped into Trump on trade.
"I'm, for one,
not going to stand back when someone is advocating a global depression,"
he told reporters, arguing Trump's proposal would start a devastating trade
war.
Bush finds himself far
behind Trump in the polls, including in polls for the upcoming Iowa caucuses. A
recent Quinnipiac survey showed Trump at 31% in Iowa with Cruz not far behind
him at 29% and Bush at a mere 3%.
Despite Bush's low
standing in the polls, Trump still enjoys grilling the former governor on the
trail and on Twitter, keeping Bush at the top of his target list. Asked why he
thinks Trump still cares about attacking Bush, the candidate reporters, "I
don't care why he doesn't care or does care."
Story Courtesy: CNN NEWS
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