Will the Bushes Be #NeverTrump to the End?
When Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump first dipped his toe into the political waters of the 2016 presidential race, he made sure to kick some water in the face of the biggest name in the GOP establishment.
And, as a result, the Bush family—including two former Republican presidents—have been some of his most vocal opponents. So much so that, if you’ve been following the headlines this week, it’s hard to imagine they will ever break ranks with the #NeverTrump faction.
One is reportedly going to vote for Hillary Clinton for president. One very publicly endorsed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal that has been a major issue in the campaign. And a third was the “Uber driver” for a comedian who spent much of his time bashing the Republican presidential nominee at a recently televised event.
According to Politico, President George H.W. Bush told former Maryland Lt. Gov. Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend—the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy—that he was voting for Clinton on Nov. 8. Townsend announced the news by posting a photo of her meeting with the former president during a trip to Maine, along with his supposed comment.
The president’s spokesman, however, declined to confirm the report.
President George W. Bush then added salt to the wound by announcing his support for TPP, which faces obstacles from both Republicans and Democrats in Congress. Trump has steadfastly called the trade deal a disaster while Clinton has just recently switched to opposing the measure after first calling it “the gold standard” for international trade.
Not only did President Obama’s predecessor announce his support, he hosted a forum at his presidential library where several of his surrogates—most of whom have said they, too, refuse to vote for Trump—”extolled the virtues” of the Asian trade deal.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush—who has publicly bashed Trump at every opportunity since his also-ran finish in the GOP presidential primary—joined in what many critics called a “Trump-bashing ceremony” at this year’s televised Emmy Awards broadcast. In the cameo, he plays himself as an Uber driver from whom host Jimmy Kimmel attempts to get a ride.
The appearance was mostly self-deprecating, but the liberal mainstream media reported it was a “seal of approval” for the night’s anti-Trump messaging.
Separately, the three events suggest the Bush family hasn’t forgotten the stinging rebuke Trump handed them—by way of the voters—during the primary race. But combined, they suggest there may be some behind-the-scenes maneuvering underway to stop the GOP nominee from winning the White House.
