(CNN) – A day after former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said his father, George H.W. Bush, wouldn't find a place in today's Republican Party, the former president pushed back at the idea.
"I know what he's getting at, but I don't think it would be difficult," Bush said, while answering a reporter's question on Tuesday in Kennebunkport, Maine.
– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker
– Check out the CNN Electoral Map and Calculator and game out your own strategy for November.
While he suggested he had more to say, he was ushered away in his wheelchair by escorts.
His comments came while attending an event for a new HBO documentary about the 41st president, which also marks his 88th birthday.
On Monday, Jeb Bush told a group of editors that both Ronald Reagan and his father would have trouble fitting in with the GOP of 2012.
"Ronald Reagan would have, based on his record of finding accommodation, finding some degree of common ground, as would my dad – they would have a hard time if you define the Republican party – and I don't – as having an orthodoxy that doesn't allow for disagreement, doesn't allow for finding some common ground," Bush said, according to the website Buzzfeed.
Earlier Tuesday, the former governor clarified his remarks on Twitter.
"The point I was making yesterday is this: The political system today is hyperpartisan. Both sides are at fault," Bush wrote, adding in a separate Tweet: "Am reminded today why I rarely read headlines. #ContextIsImportant."
Also see:
Obama radio spot aims at black voters
Poll gives Obama edge in Pennsylvania
Obama campaign hits Romney's Massachusetts record in second TV ad
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
Jeb is the only one with a brain – and he's still too tainted to ever actually consider for POTUS. ENOUGH with the Bush clan!
It wouldn't be hard for the elder Bush to fit in only if he was willing to give in to the Tea Party on every issue.
I dread whatever outcome this November. If President Obama is re-elected, the GOP will continue its policy of "we'll do everything we can to stop whatever you try to do." Conversely, the election of Governor Romney will give GOP extremists the power to wreak even more damage. There is the chance, faint tho' it may be, that the saner minds in the GOP will be able to restrain their rabid colleagues. But, I wouldn't count on it. As I watched the Jeb Bush interview yesterday, I thought "maybe there is a way out of this mess. Maybe, Jeb will run as an independent." We need to work together if we have any hope of getting out of this mess.
The GOP is lost, and no one wants to find it.
I admire Jeb so much for telling the truth. Love the word " hyper partisan".
The political machines of both parties engender fear and hatred to gain mandates. We, as the people charged with electing politicians to office, need to rise above the frenzy, redirect the hatred into positivity. Is it any wonder why our kids are bullies and being bullied in the schools? We need to get back to our roots, weed and hatred and so the seeds of peace.
yeah Thousand points of Light wouldnt work out today.... nor would Him raising taxes like he did... and dont forget he inherited a Reagan war making him pretty high on the increasing the national dept charts......
I think Jeb was more correct than H.W – it is indeed hyperpartisan – I dont even think Reagan could pass the purity tests
this guy is so old, does he know what day it is, please between him and MCCain can the clown car fit anymore in it.
The GOP has become a charactature of a political party. Their focus has departed from 'what is best for the USA' and become how can we obstruct Obama.
When the country needs leadership, the only thing the GOP is offering is childish attempts in being a bully.
They are eating their own. Too bad they will take the entire country down with them.
Wow! Who says blood is thicker than water? Let's throw the only son who might have had a chance at a good presidency under the bus why don't you!!
Sadly the Republican party needs a George H. W. Bush.
who cares what any of the Bush family have to say? that family has been a predator for government contracts and bad ideas for decades. they should be locked in prisons for their atrocities.
As noted earlier. We all know Jeb is the smart one of the family (especially compared to his brother)!
As noted earlier. We all know Jeb is the smart one of the family, especially compared to his brother.
who woulda thunk it a Bush with a brain or at least half of one, jeb is smarter then pops
Obama 2012
Siily me too many Bush's to keep track of their numbers. I have no animosity toward the father, but of course he is doing blamage control.
...and the Libs didn't denigrate Bush Jr and want and wish him to fail and did all they could to make that so....with the media right there with them. To the point of actually wanting our effort in Iraq to fail. So disrespectful, so awful. Libs have extremely short memories. Payback is a mother.
Jeb is right. Look at what happened to the Democrats. They swung too far to the left and became extremist and Clinto and the DLC brought the party back to the center and they began winning elections again. We want our government to be moderate and centrist. We want our politicians to be pragmatists and find common ground and compromise. That's how a democracy functions. No one gets everything they want.
Neither of their opinions matter so who cares?
Big deal. I disagreed with my father, my son disagrees with me. This is why CNN is low in the stink hole. I tried to watch the CNN morning show a bit this morning for the first time in years. There were no men anywhere. The reporting was difficult to watch. the anchors stand up with a pencil in their hand, I suppose to somehow makes us think they are not reading a teleprompter. The evening before I watched an interview & they had one liberal & 1 conservative guest. They put 3 questions to them The first question was to the liberal, then the conservative gave his side & they went back to the liberal for rebuttal. No rebuttal to that from the conservative. Question 2 was the same. Question 3 went first to the conservative & then the liberal gave his opinion. This question was the only one without rebuttal from the first responder.I hope the other dozen or so viewers enjoyed it, because I think it reeks.
I like how his actual quote said that he doesn't define the Republican party to have an orthodoxy that doesn't allow for disagreement and yet the first paragraph in this article states that he said the opposite. Way to report accurately, CNN. Sorry, I know you want it to be, but Jeb's quote is nearly as much of an indictment as Clinton's or that of the Mayor of Newark were of Obama's campaign.
That should say "isn't nearly as much." Unfortunately, there's no edit option here.
Once again, the Bushes are in the news when they should be in the jail.
Romney = Bush = disaster