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Nov 4, 2008 1:04 pm US/Eastern
DeFede: An Interview With Jeb Bush
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
In a one-on-one interview with CBS4's Jim DeFede, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush's opinion of Sen. John McCain's race for the presidency in the Sunshine State: "I think it is very close in Florida."
In a question of what he thought of Sen. Barack Obama's campaign organization in the state of Florida, the former governor said, "To the Obama campaign's credit, they have done a spectacular job with early voting and made inroads in the absentee voting, and did a fantastic job registering voters. So in a close race, campaign organization matters, so trying to be dispassionate about this, I think Obama probably has a slight edge in Florida because of that."
When asked if he thought, the Illinois senator would win the election, Bush answered, "I don't know. I don't know."
That rather stark assessment comes at a time when conservatives like Bush are trying to figure out - win or lose on Nov. 4th - how they move forward.
Bush praised Sen. John McCain, saying he's been a good candidate, but the problem, Bush admitted, is that McCain seemed more like the past than the future.
"Senator McCain has some great ideas but has not been able to communicate them in a way that would recognize the world has changed. Who knows whether there would have been a better candidate."
When asked if he believed McCain was the wrong candidate for the party this year, he answered, "You know, that's impossible to know for a fact. I supported him because I think of his ability to cross the aisle and of his independent nature - while from time to time - it would upset a partisan guy like me, I admired and I think that is what we need right now."
Throughout much of this race, both candidates have been trying to distance themselves from Jeb's brother, President Bush. He was then asked what he thought when McCain has gone out of his way in the last few weeks to say, 'I'm not George Bush, I've broken with the president.'"
Jeb Bush replied, "And he isn't, he isn't."
Asked if he cringed at all when he heard such remarks. His response, "Yeah, man; I love my brother. This should be about what the two candidates running would do as president. Not to either distort or contort, try and figure out ways to disassociate or disengage with the president."
Bush would not estimate what McCain's chances of winning are on Election Day.
"I think he can win, and if he does it's going to shock a lot of people."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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