George W. Bush has remained relatively quiet throughout the Republican primary race. That's not unusual for former presidents, and, perhaps, most candidates may not have been rushing for his support anyway. But it seems that none of the current candidates were Bush's favorites. He much would have preferred that his brother Jeb ran in 2012, a factoid revealed by his wife Laura Bush today while speaking in Sarasota.
Laura Bush was speaking as part of a townhall series at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center in Sarasota yesterday. The speech steered clear of partisan politics, but the former first lady did laud her brother-in-law Jeb, the former Governor of Florida when asked if he would ever run for president.
"[George] and I wish he would," Laura Bush said according to The Sarasota Herald-Tribune. "We wanted him to this time."
Mrs. Bush said Jeb would make a "wonderful" president in part because of his work on education policy, but add "we're out of politics, as George would say, but still interested in policy."
It's hard to read this is an indication that the Bushes aren't impressed with the crop of 2012 candidates, but there certainly numerous Republicans out there who aren't impressed with the Romneys and Santorums and wish Jebbers would have jumped in.
Jeb of course repeatedly ruled out running in 2012 but has left the door open for a run in the future.
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