UPDATE: Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan (R-WI) has also declined to endorse Trump.
For the last five elections, President George H.W. Bush has publicly endorsed the Republican nominee. Not so this year. President George H.W. Bush and his son President George W. Bush have elected not to endorse Donald Trump, even though Trump is the Republican Party nominee.
While neither Bush has publicly attacked Trump, the silence is notable. They join former presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb) as prominent conservatives who have actively declined to support Trump. There are others who have yet to endorse or decline to do so.
Jim McGrath, spokesperson for the elder President Bush, cited his age as a reason for not endorsing Trump.
“At age 91, President Bush is retired from politics,” McGrath wrote in an email Wednesday. “He came out of retirement to do a few things for Jeb, but those were the exceptions that proved the rule.”
The spokesperson for George W. Bush said W. is just choosing not to comment on the election in general.
We will just have to come up with reasons on our own.
Here are 3 suggestions:
- They are being loyal to Jeb Bush and the family name. Donald Trump attacked Jeb Bush viciously and constantly. He mocked him on Twitter. He insulted him during debates. He taunted him from television. He wasn’t too kind to George W. either. You could argue it’s politics as usual and they should have a thicker skin, but it seemed particularly harsh.
- They are punishing him for the damage he has done to the conservative cause and the Republican Party. The Bush family is the epitome of the party establishment Trump and his supporters despise. The party establishment is going to have to work with Trump, but it doesn’t mean the members have to like it.
- They care about the country.
It could be true. Country before Party. What a novel idea.
Featured image by U.S. Navy, Wikimedia Commons
