In a White House press conference on Friday, ABC News journalist Jon Karl prompted Barack Obama to attack Jeb Bush on guns. Karl offered, “I have to get you to respond to something Jeb Bush just said.”
The reporter continued, “Asked about the drive to take action in light of what happened in Oregon, [Bush] said, ‘Look, stuff happens. There's always a crisis and the impulse is always to do something, and it's not always the right thing to do.’ How would you react to Governor Bush?”
Obama mocked, “I don't even think I have to react to that one. I think the American people should hear that and make their own judgments based on the fact that every couple of months we have a mass shooting.”
In complete context, here is what Bush said:
JEB BUSH: We’re in a difficult time in our government and I don’t think more government is necessarily the answer to this. I think we need to reconnect ourselves to everyone else. It’s very sad to see. But I resist the notion — and I had this challenge because — Look stuff happens, there's always a crisis and the impulse is always to do something and it's not always the right thing to do.
An ABCNews.com article on Bush included the interpretation designed to make the Republican look uncaring: “Jeb Bush Says 'Stuff Happens' In Response to Gun Violence
A transcript of the October 2 question and part of Obama's answer is below:
White House Press conference
10/02/15
4:20pm ETJON KARL: Thank you, Mr. President. Back in July you said that the gun issue has been the most frustrating of your presidency, and we certainly heard that frustration from you last night.
BARACK OBAMA: Yeah.
KARL: So, in the last 15 months of your presidency, do you intend to do anything differently to get Congress to act or to do something about the gun violence problem? And I have to get you to respond to something Jeb Bush just said. And to be fair to Governor Bush, I want to read it directly. Asked about the drive to take action in light of what happened in Oregon, he said, “Look, stuff happens. There's always a crisis and the impulse is always to do something, and it's not always the right thing to do.” How would you react to Governor Bush?
OBAMA: I don't even think I have to react to that one. I think the American people should hear that and make their own judgments based on the fact that every couple of months we have a mass shooting.
