Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid: George H.W. Bush Warns More Bushes to Run for Office

Posted by Matt Corley, Think Progress at 12:00 PM on November 5, 2007.

This post, written by Matt Corley, originally appeared on Think Progress

Fox News Sunday launched a new series this week called "American Leaders" that seeks to engage "prominent business, cultural and social figures in candid discussion." The first "leader" featured by Fox was former President George H.W. Bush, who gave the network an exclusive interview at his Presidential Library.

In his interview this morning, the former president returned the praise, saying that when he watches TV news, he watches Fox News:

I used to pick up that paper, and turn on the Fox and listen to the news, and say "listen to this, look at this so-and-so, why's he saying that?" I don't do that anymore.

Bush also said that he would like to see another generation of Bushes in public office. "I've got a grandson that would make a wonderfully able public servant if he ran, George P.," said Bush. "And Pierce, Neil's son. They have an interest in politics."

Bush's love of Fox News echoes that of Vice President Dick Cheney, who requires that all televisions in his hotel room be tuned to Fox News whenever he travels. In 2004, Cheney also told "a conference call" of "tens of thousands of Republicans" that he ends up "spending a lot of time watching Fox News."

If the next generation of Bushes were to enter public office, it would likely be more of the same politics put forth by the current president:

- George P. Bush, the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, has been actively involved in his family's political fortunes since 1988, when he spoke at the Republican National Convention as a 12 year old. He was also heavily involved in his uncle's 2000 and 2004 campaigns, working on outreach to the Latino community.

- Pierce Bush, the son of high-priced consultant Neil Bush, worked on his Uncle's 2004 campaign, telling Larry King that "George W.'s done a great job." He also shares some of his uncle's frat boy "folksiness."

For someone to consider another generation of Bushes in public office a good idea, they'd probably have to be watching nothing but Fox News.

Tagged as: fox news, bush 41, george h.w.bush

Matt Corley is a Research Associate for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.