After former Florida governor and current presidential hopeful Jeb Bush responded to gun control talk in the wake of the Oregon shooting with “stuff happens,” current President Barack Obama had a quick response, while others took to Twitter and created the sardonic #StuffHappens hashtag.
According to Mediaite, during a White House press conference on Friday, ABC News’ Jonathan Karl read Bush’s quote back to Obama (which you can watch in the above video). The president quickly responded, “I don’t even think I have to react to that.” He then continued: “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. And they can decide whether they consider that ‘stuff happening.'”
President Obama then said that his team was investigating what they could do to “prevent even a handful of these tragic deaths from taking place,” but that American politics as a whole had to change before these mass shootings ended for good. He pledged to keep talking about the issue, like he did yesterday.
In the meantime, Twitter users have tweeted critical messages about Bush and his comments under the hashtag #StuffHappens.
#StuffHappens You know, like when you stub your toe on the coffee table. Or when an armed shooter kills 9 innocent people. You know, Stuff.
— Matty Ice (@MattyIceUSA) October 2, 2015
The tweets ranged from tongue-in-cheek ribbing of Bush and his presidential prospects.
Not sure about Jeb's new campaign slogan: #StuffHappens pic.twitter.com/3kJhuQYlct
— goldyha.bsky.social (@GoldyHA) October 2, 2015
To more barbed comments about his presidential prospects.
Sometimes one doesn't get to be the 3rd bad president from the same family. #stuffhappens
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) October 2, 2015
Yes, #stuffhappens. One thing that won't be happening is #JebBush in 2016.
— Casey (@pari_passu) October 2, 2015
There were also tweets comparing Jeb Bush unfavorably to his brother, former President George W. Bush.
I'm beginning to think that Dubya wasn't the dumb one. #stuffhappens
— Apparently Boosted Steve (@Steverocks35) October 2, 2015
Jeb!'s #stuffhappens makes George's sitting-in-the-classroom look like stoic resolve.
— Paul Pakler (@paulpakler) October 2, 2015
Here’s Bush’s response to the backlash:
More importantly, go here to support OR victims through the Greater Douglas United Way and Umpqua Bank Relief Fund: http://t.co/SmrxPUlNrb
— Jeb Bush (@JebBush) October 2, 2015