--- title: George W. Bush Didn't Vote for Donald Trump. Here's Why description: Rush Limbaugh can be forgiven for actually believing that President George W. Bush had voted for Hillary Clinton canonical: https://time.com/4563361/george-w-bush-donald-trump-clinton/ author: Nancy Gibbs article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-11-09T01:51:50.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:49:14.750Z article:section: Politics og:title: The Other Reason George W. Bush Couldn't Bring Himself to Vote for Trump og:description: Both the Bush and Clinton clans share an abhorrence of what Trump would do to the country og:url: https://time.com/4563361/george-w-bush-donald-trump-clinton/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0dbfb71a843319ce/6988ad93e20a8732d2a93238/bush-clinton-pack.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: Clinton Welcomes Bush To The White House og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The Other Reason George W. Bush Couldn't Bring Himself to Vote for Trump twitter:description: Both the Bush and Clinton clans share an abhorrence of what Trump would do to the country twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0dbfb71a843319ce/6988ad93e20a8732d2a93238/bush-clinton-pack.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The Other Reason George W. Bush Couldn't Bring Himself to Vote for Donald Trump > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Brief (Washington politics, three times a week), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ## Video: Watch Donald Trump's Full Presidential Acceptance Speech [Watch (HLS stream): Watch Donald Trump's Full Presidential Acceptance Speech](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/wcGbUXRn.m3u8) (15:30)  _Published 2016-11-09. In one of the most shocking U.S. elections in modern political history, Donald Trump has defeated Hillary Clinton._  by [Nancy Gibbs](https://time.com/author/nancy-gibbs/)  ## Nancy Gibbs Nov 9, 2016 1:51 AM UTC  George W. Bush, left, and Bill Clinton wave before their meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 19, 2000 George W. Bush, left, and Bill Clinton wave before their meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 19, 2000 Mark Wilson—Getty Images  by [Nancy Gibbs](https://time.com/author/nancy-gibbs/)  ## Nancy Gibbs Nov 9, 2016 1:51 AM UTC Rush Limbaugh can be forgiven for actually believing that President George W. Bush and other members of his family had voted for Hillary Clinton. (They didn’t, a Bush spokesman clarified; [they left the presidential line blank](http://fortune.com/2016/11/08/election-george-w-bush-vote-donald-trump-hillary-clinton/), and voted for Republicans down ballot.) Over the years, the Clintons (more Bill than Hillary) had become honorary members of the extended Bush family — Bill Clinton in particular, who George W. Bush has been known to call his “brother from another mother.” The relationship between the two families is a testament to the healing powers of the presidential crucible. Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush in a bruising race in 1992, when no love was lost between them. The then-46-year-old Clinton had made repeated reference to Bush’s age; Bush called Clinton a “bozo,” and suggested that his dog knew more about foreign policy than Clinton did. In those days, that counted as insults. Gracious in defeat, however, [the outgoing President Bush left Clinton a handwritten note](http://time.com/4538329/george-hw-bush-letter-bill-clinton-donald-trump/). “You will be OUR president when you read this note,” it said. “Your success is now our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.” And over the years, the relationship between the two men evolved to the point that Bush suggested more than once that he might be the father Clinton never had — a notion the younger man did not dispute. The actual family friendship began in 2004, when the younger Bush sent Clinton and his father traveling the world together to raise relief funds, first for victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami, then Hurricane Katrina. Soon Clinton became a guest at the Bush home in Kennebunkport, Maine, playing golf, spending the night, hurtling the waves on Bush 41’s powerboat. After Clinton’s heart surgery in 2004, Bush 41 was on the phone checking up on him: What do your doctors say? Are you sore? How much can you exercise? Are you using your treadmill? Clinton escorted Barbara Bush to Betty Ford’s funeral in 2011\. It got to the point that even Jeb was calling him “Bro.” “Yeah,” Clinton once mused after an encounter with the whole Bush clan. “The family’s black sheep. Every family’s got one.” At times both men were criticized for conspiring with the enemy. Clinton told aides that he took numerous calls from Democrats who asked, in effect, “Why are you letting them use you?” Clinton would push back hard against the criticism: “This is much more important than politics.” The friendship eventually extended to Bush the younger, when he and Clinton teamed up in 2010 to raise money after the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The elder Bush enjoyed watching his son and Clinton become friends. “They both like to get things done,” he said. “Neither is afraid to say what they think. Each considers the other a friend.” As the years passed, they found themselves in the remarkable position of heading together into proxy combat, as one President’s wife and the other President’s brother prepared for their own White House runs. Jeb Bush never made it through the brutal GOP gauntlet of 2016, but Clinton made it through the Democratic side. But Donald Trump left scars on both candidates. And so both clans sure shared not only an abhorrence of what the developer would do to the nation and the Oval Office, but a resentment about how Trump played the game. _Nancy Gibbs is the editor-in-chief of TIME and, along with Michael Duffy, the author of_ [The Presidents Club: Inside the World’s Most Exclusive Fraternity](https://www.amazon.com/Presidents-Club-Inside-Exclusive-Fraternity/dp/1439127727). ## Transcript [ PEOPLE CLAPPING AND CHEERING ] USA! USA! USA! Thank you, thank you very much So much, everyone. [ APPLAUSE ] Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business, complicated. [ APPLAUSE ] Thank you very much. [ APPLAUSE ] I've just received. A call from Secretary Clinton. [ APPLAUSE ] She congratulated us it's about us on our victory. And I congratulated her And her family on a very, very hard fought campaign. I mean she fought very hard. [ APPLAUSE ] Hillary has worked very long and very hard, over a long period of time And we owe her a major debt of gratitude for her service to our country. I mean that very sincerely. [ APPLAUSE ] Now it's time for America to bind the wounds of division, have to get together. To all Republicans, and Democrats, and Independents across this nation I say it is time for us to come together as one united people. [ APPLAUSE ] It's time. [ BLANK_AUDIO ] I pledge to every citizen of our land that I will be President for all Americans and this is so important to me. For those who have chosen not to support me in the past of which there are a few people. I'm reaching out to you for your guidance and your help. So that we can work together and unify our great country [ applause ]. As I've said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign but rather an incredible and great movement made up of million [ APPLAUSE ] Of hardworking men and women who loved their country, and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their family. [ APPLAUSE ] It's a movement comprised of Americans from all racists, religions, backgrounds, and beliefs, who want and expect our government to serve the people. And serve the people it will. [ APPLAUSE ] Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream. I've spent my entire life in business. Looking at the un tapped potential in project, and in people all over the world, that is now what I wanna do for our country. [ APPLAUSE ] Tremendous potential I have got a [ UNKNOWN ] in our country so well, tremendous potential. It's gonna be a beautiful thing every single america will have the opportunity to realize his or her fullest potential to forgot men and women of our country will be forgot no longer. [ APPLAUSE ] We are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals, we're gonna rebuild our infrastructures. [ INAUDIBLE ] Which will become By the way, second to none. [ APPLAUSE ] And we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it. [ APPLAUSE ] We will also, finally, take care of our great veterans. [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] You've been so loyal, and I've got the nos so many, over this 18 months journey. The time I've spent within during this campaign has been among my greatest honours, [ UNKNOWN ] incredible people. We'll embark upon a project of national growth and renewal. I will harness the creative talents of our people and we will call upon the best and brightest to leverage the tremendous talent for the benefit of all. It's gonna happen. [ APPLAUSE ] We have a great economic plan. We will double our growth and have the strongest economy anywhere in the world. At the same time, we will get along with all other nations, willing to get along with us. [ APPLAUSE ] We'll have great relations. We expect to have great, great relations. No dream is too big, no challenge is too great. Nothing we want for our future is beyond our reach. America will no longer settle for anything less than the best . >> [ APPLAUSE ] We must reclaim. [ APPLAUSE ] Our country's destiny. And dream big and bold and daring. We have to do that. We are going to dream of things for our country. And beautiful things and successful things once again. I want to tell the world community. That while we will always put America's interest first, we will deal fairly with everyone, with everyone. To all people and all other nations. We will seek common ground, not hostility. Partnership, not conflict. And now I'd like to take this moment to thank some of the people who really helped me with this, what they're calling tonight very very historic victory. First I wanna thank my parents who I know are looking down on me right now. [ APPLAUSE ] Great people. I've learned so much from them, they were wonderful in every regard. I had truly great parents. I also wanna thank my sisters Maryanne and Elizabeth, who here with us tonight. [ APPLAUSE ] And where are they? They're here someplace. They're very shy, actually. And my brother, Robert, my great friend. Where is Robert? Where is Robert? [ APPLAUSE ] My brother, Robert, and they should all be on this stage but that's okay. [ APPLAUSE ] They're great and also, my later brother, Fred. Great guy, fantastic guy. Dad. [ APPLAUSE ] Fantastic family. I was very lucky. Great brothers and sisters. Great unbelievable parents. To Melania and Don. And Ivanka [ APPLAUSE ] And Derek. [ APPLAUSE ] And Tiffany. [ APPLAUSE ] And Barron. [ APPLAUSE ] I love you and I thank you. And especially for putting up with all of those hours. This was tough We love you. Aah! It is where's tough. It's political staff is nasty and it's tough. So, I wanna thank my family very much, really fantastic. Thank you all. And Lara unbelievable job. Vanessa thank you, thank you very much. What a great group. You've all given me such an incredible support and I will tell you that we have a large group of people. You know, they kept saying we have a small staff, not so small, look at all the people that we have. Look at all of these people. [ APPLAUSE ] And Kelly Ann and Chris and Rudy, and Steve, and David, we have got tremendously talented people up here, and I want to tell you it's been very very special. I want to give a very special thanks to our former Mayor Rudy [ UNKNOWN ] [ APPLAUSE ] Unbelievable. Unbelievable he travelled with us and he went through meetings [ UNKNOWN ] never changed. Where is [ UNKNOWN ]? Where is he? [ UNKNOWN ]. Governor Chris [ UNKNOWN ] [ APPLAUSE ] Thank you Chris. The first man, the first senator, the first major major politician, let me tell you he is highly respected in Washington because he is as smart as you get, Senator Jeff Sessions. Where's Jeff? [ APPLAUSE ] Great man. Another great man. Very tough competitor. He was not easy. He was not easy. [ APPLAUSE ] Who is that? Is that the Mayor that's here though? That Rudy? Rudy got up here. [ APPLAUSE ] Another great man who has been really a friend to me. But I'll tell you, I got to know him as a competitor. Because he was one of the folks that was negotiating to go against those Democrats, Dr Ben Carson, where is Ben? [ APPLAUSE ] Where is Ben? [ APPLAUSE ] And by the way, Mike Huckabee is here, someplace, and he is [ APPLAUSE ] This is fantastic. Mike and his family, Sarah. Thank you very much. General Mike Flynn. [ APPLAUSE ] Where is Mike? And General Kellogg. We have over 200 generals and admirals that have endorsed our campaign. And the special people and is really an owner, we have 22 congressional medal of owner recipients. We have just tremendous people, a very special person who believes me and you know i have read reports that im not getting along with him . I never had bad second with that He is an unbelievable star, he is, that's right, how did you possibly guess? So let me tell you about rights. [ APPLAUSE ] And I've said this, I said rights and I know it, I know it, look at all these people over there. I know it, rights is a superstar, but I said They can't call you a superstar Rynce unless we win. Cause you can't be called a superstar like secretariat. If secretariat came in second, secretariat wouldn't have that beautiful bronze bust at the track at Belmont. I will tell you Rynce, Is really a star, and he is the hardest working guy. [ APPLAUSE ] And in a certain way I did this right. Come up here, where is Ryan? [ APPLAUSE ] Get over here, Ryan. Boy, boy, boy. [ APPLAUSE ] It's about time you did this right. [ APPLAUSE ] My guy. Say a few words, come here say something. Ladies and Gentlemen the next President of the United States, Donald Trump. [ APPLAUSE ] Thank you, it's been an honor, God bless, thank God. Amazing guy. [ APPLAUSE ] Our partnership with the RNC was so important to the success in what we've done. So, I also have to say I've gotten to know some incredible people, the Secret Service people. [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] They're tough and they're smart and they're sharp and I don't want to mess around with them, I can tell you. And when I wanna go and wave to a big group of people and they rip me down and put me back down in the seat, but they are fantastic people so I want to thank the Secret Service. [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] And law enforcement to New York City, they're here tonight. [ APPLAUSE ] These are spectacular people, sometimes under appreciated, unfortunately, but we appreciate them, we know what they go through . >> [ APPLAUSE ] [ APPLAUSE ] So, it's been what they call a historic event, but to be really historic we have to do a great job, and I promise you that we will not let you down. We will do a great job. [ APPLAUSE ] We will do a great job. I look very much [ APPLAUSE ] Forward to being your president and hopefully at the end of 2 years, or 3 years, or 4 years, or maybe even 8 years. [ APPLAUSE ] You will say some of you work so hard first, but you will say that you will say that, that was something that you. Where it really we're very proud to do and I can thank you very much. And I can only say that while the campaign is over our work on this movement is now really just beginning. [ APPLAUSE ] We're going to get to work immediately for the American people. [ APPLAUSE ] And we're going to be doing a job that hopefully, you'll be so proud of your President. You'll be so proud. Again, it's my honor. It's an amazing evening. It's been an amazing two year period. And I love this country. Thank you. Thank you very much. [ APPLAUSE ] Thank you to Mike Pence. Thank you everybody. Thank you Mr. President. Thank you. Thank you. Your great. USA USA USA ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4563361/george-w-bush-donald-trump-clinton/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4563361/george-w-bush-donald-trump-clinton/"},"headline":"The Other Reason George W. 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