Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump described Jeb Bush in his 2000 book as "bright, tough, and principled," "a good man," and wrote Bush "may be" president someday. He also wrote positively of education policies Bush pushed through in Florida.
"Florida Governor Jeb Bush is a good man," wrote Trump in his book, The America We Deserve. "I've held fundraisers for him. He's exactly the kind of political leader this country needs now and will very much need in the future. He, too, knows how to hang in there."
"His first shot at Florida's governorship didn't work out, but he didn't give up. He was campaigning the day after his loss. He won the next race in a landslide. He's bright, tough, and principled. I like the Bush family very much. I believe we could get another president from the Bushes. He may be the one."
The comments are strikingly different than the ones Trump has made about the former Florida governor recently. The real estate mogul has called Bush "pathetic," sent racially-charged tweets about Bush's wife (who is Mexican), and taken repeated swipes at him over his stance on immigration and education.
Speaking on Fox News earlier this week, Trump criticized Bush on his stance on education and immigration.
"I watched Jeb Bush," he continued. "I think it's pathetic what's going on, his stance on Common Core. He's in favor of Washington educating your children. His weak stance on immigration — he said it's an act of love. I mean what kind of stuff is that? It's baby stuff."
Trump, however, praised Bush's education policies as Florida governor in his 2000 book.
In April 1999, Jeb Bush and the Florida legislature passed an education reform bill, including a provision that makes "opportunity scholarships" in the amount of $ 4,000 available to kids whose public schools rate a failing grade in terms of achievement-test scores. Good policy. Even smarter politics. By giving choice to kids trapped in Florida's failing public schools, Jeb Bush is forcing public-education apologists to admit they hate vouchers so much they'd keep kids locked into even the worst public schools before they'd give them a choice and a chance.
Trump also donated $500 to Bush's gubernatorial re-election campaign in 2002.