With rumors swirling that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush might run for president, Barbara Bush has changed her mind and given her second son her blessing.
The former first lady made waves in January 2014 when she insisted that Jeb should not run for the GOP nomination. In an interview with C-SPAN, Mrs. Bush said she hoped that Jeb wouldn’t run, and insisted that the country doesn’t need any political dynasties.
“[T]here’s no question in my mind that Jeb is the best-qualified person to run for president, but I hope he won’t… There are other families. I refuse to accept that this great country isn’t raising other wonderful people,” Barbara Bush said.
Polls taken in 2014 seemed to agree with the former first lady. In April, for instance, a poll suggested that 69 percent of respondents were against any more political dynasties.
But now it looks like Barbara Bush has reversed course and given her son the go ahead to run for president, an effort that, if successful, would place a third President Bush in the White House.
Saying, “I’ve changed my mind,” the senior Bush made her statement via Skype to an audience of 250 supporters of her literacy foundation on Friday morning during a luncheon in Bonita Spring, Florida.
Jeb, who was at the same event, asked his mother for a little assurance. “He,y mom, can I get that in writing by the way?” he joked.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter: @warnerthuston. Email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
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