After controversies over rumored support for Hillary Clinton by his father, brother, and daughter, former President George W. Bush recently appeared in a new TV ad urging Americans to get out and vote in November’s general election, but in doing so he carefully avoided endorsing anyone.
Thus far W has remained silent on whom he intends to vote for in November, but in a new get out the vote video (GOTV) by NBC and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the producer, writer and, star of Broadway’s Hamilton, George W. Bush joins his wife, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and a list of actors and other notables in urging Americans to go vote.
During his spot in the GOTV ad, W tells viewers, “Our future depends upon you casting a ballot.”
The ad wraps up its celebrity advocates with President Barack Obama saying, “if you’re inspired by Hamilton, if you’re inspired by our founders, understand that the system of government they designed only works if you participate.”
But the GOTV ad comes on the heels of months of intrigue over whether or not the entire Bush clan will support the nominee of their own party, or, as rumors insist, some will vote for Donald Trump’s rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton.
For months former GOP candidate for president Jeb Bush, son of president George H.W. Bush and former Governor of Florida, has been saying he won’t vote for Donald Trump despite vows by many of his rivals to support the GOP nominee no matter whom it was to be.
Even after Donald Trump essentially won the GOP nomination for president, Jeb petulantly insisted that he would never vote for Trump. And at the end of September, Jeb reiterated his refusal to support the party by insisting that Republicans should stay home in November because, in his estimation, not voting would make a “powerful political statement.”
Jeb’s super rich, establishment donors have followed the lead of their preferred candidate. One Bush donor pledged to donate a whopping $2 million to Hillary’s Latino outreach program to help her get elected in November.
Texas Land Commissioner and Jeb’s son, George P. Bush, has also been cagy about whether or not he will support Donald Trump. Months ago he seemed to be saying Republicans should refuse to cast a ballot for Trump, but more recently he said it is important to stop Hillary, so Republicans should “swallow a bitter pill” and vote Trump.
In addition, only days ago W’s daughter, Barbara, was caught attending a $5,000-a-ticket Hilary fundraiser in France, causing many to speculate that she is supporting Hillary for president this year.
But the story that made the biggest splash was the rumor that former President George H.W. Bush had decided to vote for Hillary.
The story splashed across the media in September when Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a daughter of Robert Kennedy, claimed the elder Bush told her at a private gathering that he was voting Hillary in the general election.
Townsend was scolded for breaking the ex-president’s trust by reporting words said in private, but many Bush detractors noted that the decision wouldn’t be surprising from someone so firmly ensconced in the arrogant Washington establishment.
Certainly not everyone in the Bush family orbit has turned against the Republican Party. At the end of September no less than 50 Bush appointees came out with a forceful endorsement of GOP nominee Donald Trump.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
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