Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says he won't have an pro-life litmus test for judicial nominees if elected president, but will work to ensure his nominees practice judicial restraint.
"I would ask deep questions about judicial philosophy and then make sure that are the person had a proven record," Bush said in an interview aired Sunday on
"Meet the Press."
"I think the lessons of the last few years is that you've got to fight for your candidates that you nominate and they ought to have a clearer consistent record so that you have a higher assurance they won't wander off," he said, a possible reference to a conservative court ruling in favor of Obamacare and same-sex marriage in recent years.
In 1996, Bush said he didn't believe GOP nominee Bob Dole should have litmus tests for Supreme Court or cabinet appointments, especially in reference to abortion. Host Chuck Todd pointed out that at the time, Bush didn't think that there was a broad enough consensus to fight for a constitutional amendment against abortion.
Today, Bush said, "I think that what we ought to do is elect conservatives like myself and others that believe that life is a gift from God and life is precious."
That said, Bush tossed in an odd line when told some critics say he is frustrated because he can't believe that as a member of the Bush family he is down in the polls.
Not so, Bush said, adding, "I don't even think about that. I love my dad," former President George H.W. Bush. "I'd kill for him. I'd go to prison for him because I love him so much. Thankfully I haven't had the need to do that."
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