海角大神

George W. Bush says Jeb 'wants to be president.' Really?

In an interview with 'Fox & Friends,' former President George W. Bush said of his brother, 'I think he鈥檇 be a great president.' But it's unclear whether the former Florida governor is up for a 2016 run.

|
Danny Johnston/AP
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, left, speaks to reporters as Republican candidate for Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson listens in the library at LISA Academy North in Sherwood, Ark. on Tuesday. Bush, a potential 2016 GOP presidential candidate, has been campaigning for Republicans in tight races ahead of the midterm elections.

George W. Bush is trying to nudge his brother Jeb Bush into the 2016 presidential race, apparently. But at this point even the former president can鈥檛 tell if Jeb will attempt to continue the family White House tradition.

That鈥檚 the impression left by an interview George W. conducted with 鈥淔ox & Friends鈥 on Thursday morning.

Talking about a recent joint appearance with Jeb, W. said that when he talked to his sibling in private 鈥淚, of course, was pushing him to run for president.鈥

Jeb was receptive, said W., to a point.

鈥淚 think he wants to be president,鈥 said Bush 43. 鈥淚 think he鈥檇 be a great president.鈥

鈥淗e understands what it鈥檚 like to be president, for not only the person running or serving, plus family. He鈥檚 seen his dad. He鈥檚 seen his brother. And so he鈥檚 a very thoughtful man, and he鈥檚 weighing his options,鈥 Bush continued.

Hmm. That doesn鈥檛 make it sound as if Jeb is super-pumped about a White House campaign, does it?

Right now we鈥檙e in the 2016 invisible primary. A number of possible contenders 鈥 Hillary Clinton, Rand Paul, Chris Christie 鈥 are already in essence running, while maintaining the option to stop if they wish. Their default setting is 鈥済o.鈥

For Jeb, on the other hand, the default setting appears to be 鈥渟top.鈥 He鈥檚 out there campaigning for GOP candidates, raising money, and doing some of the travel required of prospective presidential candidates. But by all accounts, he鈥檚 still not sure he wants to run.

Otherwise, why would his own brother go public about pushing him?

鈥淚nsiders say [Jeb] is truly wrestling with a momentous decision that could alter the course of the rest of his and his family鈥檚 life,鈥 wrote Politico鈥檚 Ben White on Bush鈥檚 Hamletesque behavior last week.

The public nudges only increase the perception that Jeb鈥檚 heart might not be committed to a grueling run for, and possible service in, the presidency.

After all, his bro isn鈥檛 the only one poking him. Family patriarch George H. W. Bush talks openly about his hope that Jeb will try and make the Bushes a three-president family. House Speaker John Boehner has talked up the prospect of a Jeb candidacy on numerous occasions.

鈥淗e鈥檚 had plenty of opportunities to tell me to stop, and he hasn鈥檛,鈥 Mr. Boehner said recently i with ABC鈥檚 George Stephanopoulos.

Oh, and Mitt Romney has implied that there is no way he would run again if Jeb chooses to make a try for the Oval Office. Much of the recent 鈥淢itt 2016鈥 boomlet in the Republican Party seems to stem from the perception by establishment figures that Jeb might not run after all, depriving of them their most well-known potential candidate.

Reportedly, Jeb is well aware that if he runs he鈥檒l get hit by tea party candidates on his pro-immigration reform stance. Some in the party bristle at the thought of a third Bush presidency.

But right now Jeb has a burgeoning business career and three grandchildren, noted Politico鈥檚 White.

鈥淎 run for president would take him away from all that, possibly for close to a decade,鈥 wrote White.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.
海角大神 was founded in 1908 to lift the standard of journalism and uplift humanity. We aim to 鈥渟peak the truth in love.鈥 Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions. Join us in this mission by subscribing.
QR Code to George W. Bush says Jeb 'wants to be president.' Really?
Read this article in
/USA/Politics/Decoder/2014/1002/George-W.-Bush-says-Jeb-wants-to-be-president.-Really
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
/subscribe