Jeb Bush's response to the Oregon shooting: 'Stuff happens'

By Fusion Staff  |  October 2, 2015 | 9:10pm
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Presidential hopeful Jeb Bush said “stuff happens” when discussing the Oregon college shooting yesterday that left 10 people dead, arguing that the shooting shouldn’t lead to new gun control laws.

“It’s very sad to see, and I resist this notion because I had this challenge as governor, you have—look, stuff happens, there’s always a crisis, and the impulse is always to do something and it’s not necessarily the right thing to do,” Bush said at a campaign event today in Greenville, S.C.

When later asked about his comment by journalists, Bush responded, “I said exactly what I said… things happen all the time.”

Bush spokesperson Emily Benavides said in an email that Bush’s response was “not specific to Oregon. Talking about crises IN GENERAL.”Bush’s comment came after he talked about gun laws, and was a response to this statement from the moderator: “When you send a guy in there with an uzi or a handgun, and shoot a bunch of people, after the tragedy, the first thing they do is a prayer vigil.”

According to a transcript released by the campaign, Bush told reporters at a press availability after that “stuff happens” was “not related to Oregon. Just clarity here. Let’s make sure we don’t allow this to get out of control. There are all sorts of things that happen in life. Tragedies unfold.”

Yesterday, Bush said in a tweet that he was praying for the victims of the shooting.

President Obama, who has called for stronger gun control laws in the wake of the shooting, responded to Bush’s comment in a press conference today: “I don’t even think I have to react to that one… The American people should hear that.”

Casey Tolan is a National News Reporter for Fusion based in New York City.

 
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