Former President George W. Bush thinks his brother, Jeb, would “absolutely” beat Hillary Clinton in a hypothetical 2016 presidential run.
“He knows I want him to run,” the 43rd president said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “If I need to reiterate it, I will: ‘Run, Jeb.’ I think he’d be a great president.” He cited Clinton, the former secretary of state, as his informal sister-in-law since former Democratic President Bill Clinton and his father, former Republican President George H. W. Bush, have developed their relationship over the years.
CNN host Candy Crowley asked Bush if he thought his brother could run against his sister-in-law. He replied: “Yeah, and I think he’d beat her,” and said he would “absolutely” take that bet.
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Bush is the former Republican governor of Florida. Neither he nor Clinton have declared their intent to run in the next presidential election. But Clinton, who remains coy about her plans, already is considered to be the front-runner of the Democratic party. Bush has let Americans know that, if he campaigns for president, he will promise an administration that is uplifting, powerful, and practical.
The two popular — though hypothetical — candidates have attended multiple similar events this year. In March, for example, Bush co-hosted an education event in Texas, and invited Clinton to speak.
Unlike her son, former first lady Barbara Bush previously said, “We’ve had enough Bushes.”
Michele Richinick