Bill Clinton defends George W Bush over his endorsement decision

On By Littum

Former President Bill Clinton has defended his Republican successor George W Bush over his endorsement decision just days before Election Day.

In September, Bush’s office announced that he would not endorse GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump for a third consecutive term, nor would his Democratic rival Kamala Harris.

During a CNN interview on Sunday, Clinton — who has endorsed Harris and campaigned on her behalf since she entered the ticket in July — praised the 43rd president’s decision to remain silent on the 2024 race.

“First of all, I think he’s spoken more than he’s been given credit for, and he takes every opportunity I’ve seen to talk about how important immigration is and how we can’t survive without it,” he told the reporter. Edward-Isaac Dovere from a tour bus while campaigning for Harris.

“He also knows that starting with our relationship, it’s very different when you’re out of political life, when there’s no competition, no consequence.”

Clinton believes Bush will not risk alienating the party he has devoted his life to by publicly endorsing a Democrat.

Bill Clinton salutes as he leaves the stage during the August 21 Democratic National Convention. He has defended Bush's silence in the race
Bill Clinton salutes as he leaves the stage during the August 21 Democratic National Convention. He has defended Bush’s silence in the race (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

“And I think he believes that since he was a proud Republican all those years, it’s enough for him to make it clear what he thinks with all this without abandoning the party he’s been with all his life.”

Bush is the only living former president to refrain from publicly throwing his support behind either candidate.

His daughter Barbara Bush voiced her support for the vice president last week and filed for the Harris-Walz campaign. The political lineage told People that she hopes Democrats will “move our country forward and protect women’s rights.”

Meanwhile, nearly 240 former staffers who worked under Bush, 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and the late Arizona Sen. John McCain have endorsed Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, according to Washington Post.

President George W. Bush (center) welcomes President-elect Barack Obama (second left) to the White House in January 2009 with George HW Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter (left to right). Bush has been kept out of the presidential election this year
President George W. Bush (center) welcomes President-elect Barack Obama (second left) to the White House in January 2009 with George HW Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter (left to right). Bush has been kept out of the presidential election this year (AP)

Nicolle Wallace, White House communications director in the Bush administration, tried unsuccessfully to lobby her former boss, urging him to have a “change of heart” and take a stand against Trump, she told MSNBC last week.

A source told CNN that “Bush has really moved on from presidential politics.”

But the source added that “he has been working quietly and diligently to keep the Senate in GOP control.”

Clinton told CNN that Bush is a fan of Democratic Texas Senate hopeful Colin Allred — who marginally trails incumbent Ted Cruz in the polls — and even left a congratulatory voicemail for the Texas representative after he won a seat in the lower chamber in 2018. “Oh, yeah. He’s going to tell somebody that he’s a good guy,” Clinton told him.