Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush believes the Republican National Committee made a mistake when it banned conservative publication National Review from hosting a presidential debate. The Republican Party’s decision to block NR came after the conservative outlet produced a magazine cover headlined “Against Trump,” featuring a symposium of authors arguing against the GOP front-runner.
Asked whether the RNC made the correct choice on Fox News, Bush replied that it did not.
“They’re [National Review] just telling the truth,” Bush said. “And to punish them when, look there are a lot of other people who are critical of me and other candidates for specific things, that’s fine. That’s fair game. They’re not being kicked off the debate stage. I just think it was the wrong thing to do.”
Bush argued that Donald Trump must continue to answer why he supported the Clintons and supported liberal policies. The former Florida governor ranks sixth in the Washington Examiner‘s presidential power rankings.
The RNC defended its decision. “Debate partners can’t have a predisposition towards or against any candidate” said Sean Spicer, RNC communications director and senior strategist, in a statement.
