Dances around

Jeb adviser dances around exit question

By Nick Gass

A top Jeb Bush adviser on Friday morning repeatedly dodged the question of whether the former Florida governor will stay in the presidential race if he disappoints in South Carolina, instead saying the campaign is laser focused on Saturday's primary.

At the outset of the interview on "New Day," host Chris Cuomo asked Michael Steel, Bush's adviser for policy and communications, whether his candidate is finished if he does not finish in second or third place in Saturday's South Carolina primary. The on-screen chyron: "IS SOUTH CAROLINA THE END OF THE ROAD FOR JEB BUSH?"

“Look, we’re excited about South Carolina. We think we’ve done a great job here making the case that Jeb Bush is the best candidate to be the next commander in chief of the United States," Steel said. "He’s supported by 12 Medal of Honor recipients, over 40 former generals and admirals who know Lindsey Graham who is an expert in national security issues, who know that he is the steady hand that we need to be the next commander in chief.”

Cuomo then pointed to recent polls, including an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll released early Friday that showed the governor in fourth place, though within the margin of error of Marco Rubio in third place. "What is your thinking about when that point would be?" Cuomo asked, referring to the point at which the one-time frontrunner would call it a race.

Steel did not bite.

“Look, we’re looking forward to a great result here in South Carolina," he said. "We’ve got a large team on the ground in Nevada. The governor spent a lot of time in the fall working in the SEC primary states. We’ve got a team and the resources that are built for the long haul. Right now, we’re focused on a good result here in South Carolina and showing people that Governor Bush has the heart and the spine to be the next president of the United States.”

POLITICO reported Friday that many of Bush's top donors think that Saturday's primary is the end of his campaign, with one donor refusing to give $1 million this week.

Continuing to press the issue on Friday morning, Cuomo asked Steel if Bush is planning to move on "no matter what happens in South Carolina."

“Well, we’re looking forward to a great result here in South Carolina," he said, as Cuomo chuckled. "We’ve got people on the ground in the next couple of states, and right now, he’s focused on showing the people of South Carolina that he’s ready on day one to be a great commander in chief with a record of accomplishment and detailed plans for the future.”

Still without a definitive answer, Cuomo pointed to an answer Bush gave to MSNBC's "Morning Joe" in the same hour in which he said he would never lie as president. "So when I ask you, is he going to move on no matter what, can you just say yes, or is it more complicated?” Cuomo inquired.

“I can say we’re looking forward to a good result here in South Carolina, and we’ll move on from there," Steel said.

"All right. Enough on that," Cuomo said, pivoting to another topic.