Jeb Bush Says He’s Learned From George W. Bush’s Mistakes

Jeb Bush has already been put in difficult situations where his brother George W. Bush is concerned, and should Jeb decided to officially declare for the Republican nomination, those awkward moments are likely to continue.

For example, during an interview with Megyn Kelly of Fox News, Jeb Bush was asked whether he would have invaded Iraq in 2003. The question put Jeb in a difficult situation, as the decision to send troops to Iraq — made by George W. Bush — was and continues to be a controversial topic.

Initially, Jeb didn’t handle the question well, which was noted by Republican hopeful Rand Paul, among others. Jeb Bush has since come out and said he misinterpreted Kelly’s question, but the awkward situation still raises the question: Are George W. Bush and the Bush legacy a problem for Jeb Bush’s potential campaign?

If you ask George, the answer is yes. During a speech in Chicago, George W. Bush said that he is the biggest obstacle to Jeb Bush’s campaign for The White House.

“It’s an easy line to say, ‘Haven’t we had enough Bushes?’ After all, even my mother said, ‘Yes.’ That’s why you won’t see me out there, and he doesn’t need to defend me, and he’s totally different from me. The role of family is not to be a political adviser or a policy adviser — there are plenty of those around — the role is to say, ‘Hey man, I love you.’ “

During an interview with Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer, Jeb Bush disagreed with George, saying that he didn’t think his brother would pose quite so much of a problem, though Jeb did admit that sometimes his relationship with George makes things a bit more difficult.

“I have to do the Heisman onto my brother that I love. You know, this is — this is not something I’m comfortable doing. My brother’s not going to be a problem at all. I seek out his advice. I love him dearly. I’ve learned from his successes and his mistakes.”

Jeb Bush added that, should he decide to declare for the GOP race, he’ll attempt to focus on his experience as the governor of Florida instead of his family ties, adding that his opinions are shaped by his own individual experiences.

During the Chicago speech, George W. Bush said he encouraged his younger brother and assured those in the audience that Jeb would, in fact, be a great president.

“So I said to Jeb, ‘Hang in there; you can do the job. Will you win? I hope so but I don’t know.’ But if he does he’d be a damn good president I’ll tell you that.”

What do you think about the influence George could have on Jeb Bush’s campaign? Could George make things more difficult for Jeb Bush?

[Photo by Alex Wong / Getty Images]