George W Bush Shades Trump, Decries ‘Bullying and Prejudice in Our Public Life’ (Video)

“It is not democracy that has failed. It is the failure of those charged with protecting and defending democracy,” former president says

Former President George W. Bush had some tough words for Donald Trump on Thursday. During a speech at the George W. Bush Institute in Dallas, Bush took a none-too-veiled swipe at the current president.

“Bullying and prejudice in our public life sets a national tone,’ said Bush. “And compromises the moral education of children.’

Though Bush didn’t mention Trump by name, the implication was evident.

“It is not democracy that has failed. It is the failure of those charged with protecting and defending democracy,” he said. “We need to recall and recover our own identity. Americans have great advantage. To renew our country, we only need to remember our values.”

Bush also took some time to address the broader rise of nationalism and violence.

“Bigotry in any form is blasphemy against the American creed and it means the very identity of our nation depends on the passing of civic ideals to the next generation,” he said. “We need a renewed emphasis on civic learning in schools.”

Despite being of the same party, much of Trump’s appeal included a rejection of George W. Bush era conservatism. On the campaign trail, Trump famously torched his White House predecessor, blaming him for 9/11 and the military quagmire in Iraq launched on his watch.

Comments