Jeb Bush Taking Flak for 'Stuff Happens' Remark

Jeb Bush took a lot of flak Friday for a few words on the Oregon mass shooting that a spokeswoman says were taken out of context. "Stuff happens, there's always a crisis," Bush said while speaking about the government response to the incident. He said authorities should resist the urge to pass laws after tragedies happen, reports NPR, which notes that he also described the shooting as "heartbreaking." Democrats, however, pounced on the "stuff happens" line and President Obama remarked on it during a briefing yesterday, CNN reports. "I don't even think I have to react to that one," Obama said. "I think the American people should hear that and make their own judgments."

When he was asked about the comment later on Friday, Bush said it wasn't a mistake, reports the New York Times. "Things happen all the time," he said. Things. Is that better?" A Bush spokeswoman called it "sad and beyond craven" that Democrats would take Bush's comments out of context in a "cheap attempt to advance their political agenda in the wake of a tragedy." Conservative commentators rallied to defend Bush in their biggest show of support for the candidate in weeks, reports Politico, which rounds up other unfortunate Bush lines including "people need to work longer hours." (A veteran who charged the Oregon shooter was shot five times and survived.)