Former President George W. Bush put the odds at 50-50 that his brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, will run for president in 2016.
“I know that he’s wrestling with the decision,” Mr. Bush said in an interview aired Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“I’d give it a toss up,” the former president said. “On the other hand … he’s not here knocking on my door, you know, agonizing about the decision.”
Speculation has been swirling about Jeb Bush potential to be a strong Republican presidential candidate.
“I occasionally fuel the speculation by saying that I hope he runs. I think he’d be a very good president,” Mr. Bush said. “I know this about Jeb. He is not afraid to succeed. In other words, I think he knows he could do the job — and nor is he afraid to fail.”
He also said that Jeb Bush fully understands the demands of a presidential campaign and of the Oval Office, having watched the experiences of his brother and their father, former President George H.W. Bush.
What’s more, he said that Jeb Bush learned from their father that “you can go into politics and still be a good father.”
The priorities of your life don’t have to be compromised,” he said, adding that his brother’s priorities are his family, his country and his faith.
“He has seen that you don’t have to sell those out in order to be a politician,” said Mr. Bush.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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