HANOVER, N.H., Nov. 4 (UPI) — Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush apologized to the French for comparing Sen. Mark Rubio’s work schedule to the “French work week.”
“I made the mistake of saying that the Congress operates on a French work week. I really did a disservice to the French,” Bush said while campaigning Tuesday in New Hampshire. “I now know that the average French work week is actually greater than the German work week. So, my God, I totally insulted an entire country, our first ally, that helped us become free as a nation! And I apologize. That did a huge disservice to France. It didn’t really get to the magnitude of the problem: [the Senate’s] three-day work week.”
His remark about France’s work policies came during the Oct. 28 debate of Republican candidates, in which he attempted to criticize the spotty attendance record of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), R-Fla., by saying, “I mean, literally, the Senate, what is it, like a French work week?”
Rubio responded by pointing out many presidential candidates from Congress have missed sessions, including President Barack Obama when he was a senator from Illinois.
Gerard Auraud, French ambassador to the United States, wrote the day after the debate that “In any country, electoral campaigns offer the opportunity for a lot of bombastic nonsense. Let’s be indulgent. A French work week of three days? No, but a pregnancy paid leave of 16 weeks, yes! And proud of it.”
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