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Jeb Bush's Gun Tweet Backfires


FILE - Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaks during a Faith and Family Presidential Forum at Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., Feb. 12, 2016.
FILE - Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaks during a Faith and Family Presidential Forum at Bob Jones University in Greenville, S.C., Feb. 12, 2016.

Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush got a lot of attention for tweeting a picture of a gun engraved with his name, but it was likely not the kind of attention he wanted.

The former Florida governor tweeted a picture of a semi-automatic pistol Tuesday, captioned “America.”

The instant response on social media ranged from outrage to mockery.

People outside the U.S. posted pictures of things their countries are known for.

Bush has yet to explain exactly why he posted the picture, although in his campaign appearances he has frequently stressed his strong support for the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment guarantees Americans' right to own firearms, and it figures in the political debate over whether laws regulating gun ownership should be changed.

“The Second Amendment is under attack by Washington liberals like President [Barack] Obama and [former Secretary of State Hillary] Clinton,” Bush's "jeb2016" website declared. “The current administration seems only to care about restricting the rights of law-abiding Americans.”

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