George W. Bush to skip GOP convention

Former US President George W. Bush speaks during an event celebrating the success of dissidents and activists from around the world, hosted by the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Washington, DC, May 15, 2012.

/ SAUL LOEB/AFP/GettyImages

Former President George W. Bush will not attend the Republican National Convention in Tampa in late August.

Freddy Ford, spokesman for President George W. Bush, said in a statement that Mr. Bush was grateful to have been invited to the convention and hopes presumptive nominee Mitt Romney wins the presidency.

"But he's still enjoying his time off the political stage and respectfully declined the invitation to go to Tampa," said Ford.

Mr. Bush is still an unpopular political figure: A CBS News poll found he left office with just a 22 percent approval rating, and recent surveys show it has improved little since then. Romney rarely speaks approvingly of Mr. Bush, the last Republican to occupy the White House, on the campaign trail.

In a CBS News/New York Times poll released Wednesday, nearly half of registered voters said if Romney is elected, his policies will follow those of Mr. Bush somewhat closely. Another one in five said Romney's policies would follow Mr. Bush's very closely.

It is not clear whether Mr. Bush, who has kept a low profile since leaving office, had been offered a speaking slot at the convention or had merely been invited to attend.

Former president George H.W. Bush - Mr. Bush's father - also will not attend the convention, a spokesman said earlier this week, citing health issues.

[norcalruss]

by theshark82 July 22, 2012 10:03 AM EDT
by norcalruss July 21, 2012 1:24 PM EDT

Can't only do that if things get better? Did you mean "can only do that"? You ought to proof reead before you post, Bud.

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"proof reead"? Folks, this guy was making fun of somebodys grammar....telling him that he should proofread. Classic
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Right back at you minnow, you have a grammatical error in your post as well. You should have written "somebody's" not "somebodys"

[nearl451]

Well, that's probably best for all around. Especially for him personally.

[expatriate2]

One must be in awe of one thing about George Bush. How could a man of such ignorance impose such destruction over a great nation? But of even greater astonishment is that there remains robotic fools defending him and proving that they function on his microscopic level of intelligence.

[55minus5]

You just go to your local Wal-mart and look around. Those ARE the faces.
Hey, but you are not here, never mind.

[benunhappy]

Bush was the last RICH butthead that broke america, only his wife didn't speak for him...Romney's wife made him lose my vote and his failure to show AMERICA what he paid in taxes while most americans couldn't get the hidden loop hole tax breaks

[Eugene2012]

George W. Bush is a smart man! He knew if we attended the GOP convention that his appearance may have caused issues with the GOP Memory Neuralyzers being employed at the convention.

[55minus5]

no, he didn't know that. Still some advisers did.

[aintfakin]

Bush's invitation was a courtesy only. His no show is be design. The republicans want you to forget whose policies actually created this economic disaster.
They also want you to forget that their candidate is going back to those very same policies if he is elected.

They hand off the sinking ship to Obama (sinking from 30 years of deregulation and "free" trade beginning with Reagan)and then filibuster everything Obama and the Dems try and do
and then turn around and say its Obama's failed policies.
If you think the republicans care about anything other than their foreign bank accounts and political power you need to be institutionalized.
2 kinds of republicans
1. millionaires
2. suckers....big fat suckers

[omnibus66]

It sticks out like a sore thumb that neither Rob-Me or any of the other clowns that ran against him ever invoke the name of GWB or any of his outstanding (LOL) accomplishments. Make no mistake, he is a persona non grata with the pugs, and he would be thoroughly shunned at any public political gathering. If he shows up at the convention, he will be in disguise.

[55minus5]

In disguise? Looking like Darth Wader? I'll find him.

[TJphoto]

Since 1980 we have been sold the concept of "Trickle Down Economics" The way it is suppose to work is that when the government give the wealthy big tax breaks, they will in turn reinvest those breaks back into the economy, which creates jobs, which in turn grows the economy. If they do not do that, then it becomes "Trickle UP Economics". This is a Republican issue, they own it, and it doesn't work.

[sweetcakesmaria]

Bush will always be known as the man who destroyed Iraq and came within an eyelash of destroying America.

[jeanne0256]

But didn't George just say how powerful he was, and what a great 8 years he had and not to forget the FAME ! Hummm.... me thinks he was asked NOT to attend.

[americalove1]

Personally, I think we should have a good, strong independent candidate running for President. I'm sick of both parties - President & Congress. I agree, we need to clean out entirely.