George H.W. Bush’s Support Of Clinton Comes At The Worst Possible Time For Trump

Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:13 pm

It is being reported that former Republican President George H.W. Bush’s decision to support Hillary Clinton days before the first presidential debate couldn’t have come at a worse possible time for the GOP nominee.

CNN is confirming earlier reports about Bush voting for Clinton:

Former President George H.W. Bush told a room of roughly 40 people Monday that he would vote for Hillary Clinton in November, according to sources close to Bush — an extraordinary rebuke of his own party’s nominee.

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Representatives of the Bush family are declining to publicly acknowledge the former president’s decision. But sources close to Bush tell CNN that he shared his plans with board members of the bipartisan Points of Light Foundation during what he believed was a private gathering Monday in Kennebunkport, Maine.

At a time when the Republican Party is desperately trying to make Donald Trump appear to be presidential, the decision of one of the two living former Republican presidents to vote for his opponent is devastating.

Trump supporters will try to minimize the political value of George H.W. Bush’s decision to vote for Hillary Clinton, but the consequences of the former president’s choice are best understood by considering how Republicans would react if Barack Obama or Jimmy Carter announced that they were supporting Trump over Clinton.

Former President Bush’s decision to vote for Clinton sends a loud message to voters about Donald Trump’s fitness for office. Bush 41 isn’t supporting Clinton because they agree on policy. His support is most likely based on the fact that Donald Trump isn’t fit or qualified to be president.

If a former president from his own party doesn’t trust Trump in the White House, it sends a strong signal that voters shouldn’t either.

The little bounce that Trump got in the polls last week is showing signs of evaporating, as questions about his qualifications for the presidency are being pushed front and center before the first presidential debate.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association