It’s hard to think of anything that says Jeb Bush represents “your father’s GOP” more than an endorsement from Bob Dole who hasn't been relevant for about 20 years.
Last week, Fox News hosted Dole to clear up “a bit of a confusion” as to whether Dole might be endorsing Marco Rubio and “veering away” from Bush who, host Neil Cavuto acknowledged, is “in a world of hurt.”
Dole assured Cavuto, “I’m 100% for Jeb Bush, and you can study their records and the best qualified to be president, that’s what we’re electing is Jeb Bush.”
“I’m looking for a South Carolina surge,” Dole added.
But Cavuto, reading the writing on the wall, asked Dole what would happen if there was no surge.
Dole obviously had no idea. “I don’t know what the next state is,” he replied. But when Cavuto clued him in that Florida was probably the most important upcoming state for Bush, Dole said, “I really believe in Florida that Jeb Bush is going to win.”
Later, Dole weighed in on Donald Trump’s dustup with Pope Francis (Dole dismissed it as a “one-day story”) and lit into Ted Cruz. “He doesn’t have a single senator supporting him,” Dole said about Cruz. “He’s self absorbed, he’s got this giant ego, and he’s overly ambitious. He entered the Senate as a Canadian citizen.”
But when asked if he’d support Cruz if he became the Republican nominee, Dole said quickly, “Oh, yes, certainly.”
Not surprisingly, Dole’s endorsement did not do much to help Bush. He dropped out of the race last night after placing a distant fourth in South Carolina.
Watch it below, from the February 19 Your World.