Jeb Bush's debate prep includes rehearsing for Trump insults

Now, after failing to directly confront Mr. Trump, the current front-runner, during the first debate, Mr. Bush and his aides are under pressure to create a memorable showdown with the real estate developer to match a newly aggressive tone on the campaign trail…

In rigorous practice sessions that have crisscrossed the country in the past few weeks, Mr. Bush has been preparing pointed responses to Mr. Trump’s most frequent insults (he has called Mr. Bush “low energy” and a slave to donors) and crafting lines of attack on Mr. Trump’s history of liberal statements and unconventional policy plans, according to those who have been told of the plans.

“He has to challenge Trump now,” said Mac Stipanovich, an adviser to Mr. Bush during his 1994 campaign for governor who helped prepare him for debates that year. “He has to stand toe to toe with him and call him out.”

The difficulty for Mr. Bush, who has portrayed himself as the most mature and civil figure in the Republican presidential field, is how to inflict damage on Mr. Trump in front of a live national audience without diminishing himself in the process — a tricky task given Mr. Trump’s lust for the fierce counterpunch and Mr. Bush’s disdain for memorizing sound bites.