Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Republican presidential candidate former Florida Governor Jeb Bush said he doesn’t have to worry about if he will support his rival Donald Trump because “He’s not going to win the nomination and I am.”
Partial transcript as follows:
TODD: “About a month ago when it came to Donald Trump there was leaks from your campaign that you were looking for a way to say “You know what, I can’t support him if he becomes the nominee.” You’ve since backed off in some of your harsher criticism on him. Is that a fair way to read this that you decided no, I can support him if he’s the nominee, even if I’m not happy about it.”
BUSH: “Look, the prospects of Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders to be the president of the United States is chilling to me. I’m going to win the nomination, that’s my focus, that’s what I’m trying to do but anybody would be better than Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. So I’m critical —”
TODD: “So you here in on trump if it’s him?”
BUSH: “He’s not going to win the nomination and I am going to continue to be critical of him when he doesn’t advocate conservative principles. He’s running if for conservative party’s nomination, he should be a conservative and he hasn’t shown it.”
TODD: “Is there a point where you think it’s important for more mainstream conservatives to unite around one candidate at some point to stop a Ted Cruz or Donald Trump because you don’t think they can win?”
BUSH: “The point is that we’re running for presidency right now and New Hampshire and Iowa and South Carolina and Nevada will shape the election in March. We’re on every ballot. We have the resources to go the distance and I’m going do it.”
TODD: “We have a lot to chew over.”
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