Jeb Bush didn’t lose any time to go on the attack Monday evening as he seeks to regain his footing in the presidential race. Mere hours before Iowa voters gathered to pick their choices for president in 2016, the former Florida Governor made his case in front of some 200 people at a town hall meeting in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Three minutes into his speech, Jeb turned up the heat against the three candidates likely to emerge at the top in the Republican’s Iowa caucuses on Monday – Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio – without mentioning them by name, by characterizing them as being unqualified to serve as commander-in-chief.

“The front-running candidate in Iowa, at least as it stands now, is someone who it is all about him. Insulting his way to the presidency is the organizing principle,” he said. “That is not leadership. That is not what we need in DC. And the two other candidates – likely to emerge in Iowa – are two people that are backbenchers, that have never done anything of consequence in their lives. They are gifted beyond belief; they can give a great speech. But I think it’s time for us to recognize that, maybe, what we need is someone who can lead – someone who has a proven record.”

“We need someone with a steady hand and a backbone” to lead American in the world and serve as commander-in-chief, Jeb stressed. Adding that, on his first day in office, “It’s my watch, it’s my responsibility. I won’t cut and run. I will accept responsibility and lead.”

Jeb concluded his opening remarks by pleading with New Hampshire voters to help him deliver an upset next Tuesday regardless of Monday night’s outcome. “New Hampshire voters reset elections, and you do it in an extraordinary fashion,” he stated. “The reset has started as of tonight, and I know you will not let this country down.”

“On next Tuesday, we are going to surprise the world,” he proclaimed.