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George Bush (Both Of Them) Will Not Endorse Trump

By Nancy Bailey
Published on: 15:08 PST, May 4, 2016

George H.W. Bush plans to break tradition by staying silent on the presidential election. His son, former president George W. Bush, will do the same.

George Bush, Sr., at age 91, has been vocal throughout each election to this point, a staunch supporter of the Republican party.

He had even endorsed his longtime rival, Bob Dole, in 1996.

“I’ll do anything Senator Dole wants me to do — I’ll campaign for him. My heart lies at this level, the Dole level,” he said at the time.

He made a similar statement about Mitt Romney.

“Barbara and I are very proud to fully and enthusiastically endorse and support our old friend Mitt Romney. He’s a good man, he’ll make a great president, and we just wish him well.”

But this year, George Bush, Sr. “does not plan to participate in or comment on the presidential race,” a spokesman said Wednesday, according to the Trail Blazer’s Blog.

Both former presidents have no comment on the upcoming election, and plan to sit out the convention. There were no remarks to share as Donald Trump emerged with an apparent projected victory in the Republican primary.

The snub is implicit.

In what may not come as a surprise, Trump has not been kind to the Bush family. This was to be expected during the time Jeb Bush was running against him, but even Barbara Bush wasn’t safe from the reality show star’s verbal abuse.

“Just watched Jeb’s ad where he desperately needed mommy to help him. Jeb — mom can’t help you with ISIS, the Chinese or with Putin.”

Bush responded with humor, tweeting a picture of his mother wearing football garb, with a caption, “I’d be careful, Donald.”

Joking aside, Barbara Bush’s husband, despite enthusiastically endorsing every Republican candidate over the past five elections, is staying noticeably silent.

Trump had lashed out at George W. Bush during Jeb’s campaign, the Telegraph said.

“The World Trade Center came down during your brother’s reign, remember that.”

George W. had endorsed his brother, and made an indirect statement about Trump.

“There seems to be a lot of name calling but, as our Dad once told us, labels are for soup cans.

“I understand these are tough times and people are angry and frustrated. But we do not need someone in the Oval Office who mirrors our anger and frustration. Strength is not bluster and theatrics. The strongest person isn’t the loudest one in the room.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl0A5OaVx9M

Spokesman Jim McGrath made a statement via email, the Texas Tribune reported.

“At age 91, President Bush is retired from politics. He came out of retirement to do a few things for Jeb, but those were the exceptions that proved the rule.”

Likewise, George Bush, Jr. has no plans to endorse Trump, according to his personal aide, Freddy Ford, who said that Bush “does not plan to participate in or comment on the presidential campaign.”

Jeb Bush had endorsed Ted Cruz in March, calling him a “consistent, principled conservative.”

After he lost the Indiana primary on Tuesday, Cruz dropped out of the race.

During his victory speech on Tuesday night, Trump said that Cruz had made things “easier.”

“What Ted did is a great thing to do, because we want to bring unity to the Republican party.

“We have to bring unity — this is so much easier if we have it.”

David Ross Meyers, who writes for Fox News and worked for George W. Bush in the White House, said that he was proud to serve the Republican president at that time.

“As a West Wing staffer, I saw firsthand that President Bush’s sole motivation was to do what he thought was best for our country. People may have disagreed with his policies, but they couldn’t disagree with his intentions.

“Any Republican who claims that it’s better to elect Donald Trump than Hillary Clinton either lacks proper judgment, or has become so blinded by partisan ideology that they have lost objectivity.

“Many of the GOP voters who support Trump are backing his candidacy because they are desperate for change in Washington. But Republican leaders who embrace Trump aren’t hearing the public’s message or embracing change. Instead, they’re doing what they have always done: whatever is necessary to gain or retain political power.”

The Republican National Convention will be held in Cleveland, Ohio, at the Quicken Loans Arena, July 18-21, 2016.

(Photo by Evan Vucci/AP)

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