WASHINGTON — Jeb Bush has a new hatchet woman on the campaign trail — his 90-year-old mom.
Barbara Bush tore into Donald Trump in a TV interview and was at her son’s side Friday in New Hampshire, where Jeb desperately needs a strong showing in next week’s GOP presidential primary.
During a joint interview with his mom on CBS, Bush pointed out that Trump uses profanities in his campaign speeches.
“I don’t think a president would have ever shouted profanities in a speech in front of thousands of people with kids in the crowd. He does it all the time,” the former Florida governor said.
“Yes, I mean unbelievable,” Mrs. Bush responded, picking up the cue.
“I don’t know how women can vote for someone who said what he said about Megyn Kelly. It’s terrible,” she said, referencing the Fox News host whom Trump has gone after.
“And we knew what he meant too. Don’t you get in his firing line!” she continued. “And money doesn’t buy everything. It’s accomplishments and what you’re doing and giving. It’s incomprehensible to me.”
Mama Bush, who counseled one president and gave birth to another, had some unsolicited advice for the third Bush making a run for the White House.
“He’s almost too polite,” she said of 62-year-old Jeb. “I don’t advise him, but if I gave him advice: I would say, ‘Why don’t you interrupt like the other people do [in debates]?’”
“I’ve gotten better at interrupting, Mom,” the candidate responded. “Come on.”
Bush has recently been embracing the “establishment label,” following attacks by Trump that he’s too embarrassed to run on his family name.
Two years ago, Barbara Bush famously said the country had had “enough Bushes,” though she eventually came around to the idea of her son’s campaign.
Jeb Bush did some of his own dirty work in the TV interview, going after rival Marco Rubio.
“We are electing a president, not a back bencher in the United States Senate, so you better be ready to lead. You better be ready and have the experience of making a tough decision,” Bush said.
“There are people running who are gifted orators. But they’ve never done anything in their life that would lead to believe they can make a tough decision. I mean Marco today had a hard time being able to describe his record of accomplishment.”