A pro-Jeb Bush Super PAC reignited an old feud this week by including footage of Terri Schiavo in an ad promoting the former Florida governor’s presidential bid.
The 30-second spot from Right to Rise uses a photo of Schiavo—who spent the last years of her life in a vegetative state against the wishes of her family—to promote Bush’s record as a pro-life, Christian conservative.
Bush “fought time and again for the right to life,” the ad’s narrator says.
Shiavo’s husband, Michael, called the ad “disgusting” in a statement to the Tampa Bay Tribune.
“It is simply disgusting that Jeb Bush and his super Pac would exploit my wife’s tragedy for his crude political gain,” Michael Schiavo said in the statement. “Shame on Jeb Bush.”
“What the campaign video shows is that if he ever got his hands on the power of government again, he would do the same thing again, maybe next time to your family,” the statement continued.
Bush waged a protracted public fight between 2003-2005 to keep Schiavo on life support and even signed legislation that allowed him to prevent her feeding tube from being removed. Her family fought back bitterly in court to maintain control over her care.
In a Politico interview last year, Michael Schiavo called the exchange “a living hell” and said he blamed Bush for putting him through it.
The Right to Rise ad is expected to air in the early voting state of South Carolina. Further details of the ad buy were unclear.
Watch below:
h/t Huffington Post
I am surprised he’ surprised. Jeb was front and center of exploiting his wife when the debate over pulling the plug was front and center - and which is where Jeb was.
Yes, you are now officially disgusting Jeb Bush. You are a real piece of trash for doing this ad.
Funny that Jeb’s agonizing fight to keep Terri Schiavo alive is now helping to kill Jeb.
Was Mr Schiavo, or Terri’s family, ever consulted about using her image in the ad?