Meet the College Democrat Who Told Jeb Bush: ‘Your Brother Created ISIS’
— -- Jeb Bush found himself on defense after his town hall meeting in Reno, Nevada, Wednesday after a young voter told him, “Your brother created ISIS.”
Ivy Ziedrich, a 19-year-old student at University of Nevada who said she was a registered Democrat, approached Bush after the event and told the likely presidential candidate he was wrong about the origins of the terror group:
“You stated that ISIS was created because we don't have enough presence and we've been pulling out of the Middle East. However, the threat of ISIS was created by the Iraqi coalition authority, which ousted the entire government of Iraq. It was when 30,000 individuals who are part of the Iraqi military were forced out. They had no employment, they had no income, yet they were left with access to all the same arms and weapons. Your brother created ISIS!”
Bush, the former Florida governor and likely Republican presidential candidate, unsuccessfully tried to interject. When he reached out, Ziedrich snapped back: “You don't need to be pedantic to me sir. You could just answer my question.”
“We respectfully disagree,” Bush said, explaining his view that more American troops in Iraq would have prevented ISIS from forming.
“So look, we can rewrite history all you want, but the simple fact is that we're in a much more unstable place because America pulled back,” he told Ziedrich.
Ziedrich said she is a member of the Young Democrats at her university, although in an interview with ABC News Wednesday she said she was not speaking as a representative of the group. She said she likes to attend political events across the ideological spectrum so she can be as informed as possible. She said she did not intend to come across as hostile in her exchange with Bush, which occurred after the town hall meeting had concluded. She added that she respects Bush as a politician.
“I think he’s telling the truth as he understands it,” Ziedrich said in a telephone interview. “I think it’s important when we have people in positions of authority we demand a dialogue and accountability.”
She added: “I see his response as a lack of perspective. We deserve more than this as voters.”
Will Ziedrich make an appearance at similar events?
“If there are other town halls here, and if any presidential candidate comes to an open event, I would love to attend,” she told ABC News.
