Jeb Bush is coming to New Jersey tomorrow for two big fundraisers. NJTV News Chief Political Correspondent Michael Aron said that Gov. Chris Christie also has a lot of major backers in the Garden State, but a lot of people are going to Bush’s events and some heavy hitting Republicans — including Larry Bathgate and Joe Kyrillos — are leaning toward Bush for the GOP presidential nomination. Aron spoke with former Gov. Tom Kean on the campaign trail, asking him why his son, Tom Kean Jr., is on the long list of New Jersey Republicans supporting Christie, but he is not.
“Well you know, independent people,” said Kean. “Last time around, Tom Kean Jr. endorsed Rudy Giuliani and I came out for [John] McCain. So, you know, we make our own minds and go our own ways and respect each other and I think he’s the best public official the state has, but we don’t always agree on everything.”
Kean said that he hasn’t made up his mind on who to endorse for president but said that he hasn’t counted Christie out. According to Kean, he has seen some of the candidates and has talked to a lot of the supporters.
When asked which Republican candidates have impressed him so far, Kean said John Kasich, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. Although those candidates have impressed him up to this moment, Kean said that he wants to wait and see what the candidates have to say and what they want to do before officially endorsing anyone.
In the 1980s, Kean invented the phrase “the politics of inclusion.” He said that a number of candidates in the Republican field are inclusive politicians. Kean said that Bush is close to the Latin American community and that Rubio could be considered inclusive due to his background. He also said that Kasich is an inclusive governor, otherwise he would not have been elected the governor of Ohio for two terms. Kean also said that Christie has been inclusive in New Jersey.
Kean also said that Christie is a moderate.
“But that doesn’t preclude you from believing in inclusion, from believing in a number of other things,” Kean said. “From believing that government should be used to help people and I think Christie is in that category.”
Bush is expected to arrive in New Jersey for two fundraisers on Thursday night. When asked if he would be in attendance at Bush’s fundraisers, Kean said, “I like him. I think Jeb Bush is a terrific person, but no, I can’t be at the fund. I haven’t decided who I’m going to endorse yet.”
When asked if he will endorse a candidate in the 2016 presidential race, Kean said that he has always endorsed a candidate in the past but that he needs to take his time on choosing who he will endorse because he thinks this is the most important presidential election in his lifetime. He said that the country needs a strong leader and one that will take the country in the right direction with the confidence of the people.
Republican candidate Donald Trump has attracted some attention throughout his campaign for comments he has made. Kean said that he has known Trump for a long time and that they have worked together in New Jersey in the past. Kean said that he has liked Trump but that he felt bad about Trump’s comments regarding John McCain as he considers McCain a hero.
“John McCain is one of the great heroes — not only in this country. He’s one of my personal heroes and always has been,” said Kean. “So I feel very badly about his comments on John McCain. I think they were wrong and I think everybody should look at them and point out that they’re wrong. John McCain is a great American hero.”
Scott Walker, another Republican candidate, is considered to be one of the frontrunners. Kean said that he doesn’t know Walker and that he has not met him. Kean said that he has respect for Walker since he was reelected in Wisconsin — which is considered to be a Democratic state — but that he doesn’t know him. He said that he wants to listen to what Walker has to say, now that he is a candidate and that he is waiting to be impressed.
In New Jersey, most Republicans have jumped on board with Christie but a few are holding back. When asked if he has yet to support Christie because he tried to replace Tom Kean Jr. as Senate minority leader, Kean said no.
“We got over that a long time ago. Tom got over it before I did. So that’s long in the past,” Kean said. “No, I’m holding back because I want to figure out who the best candidate is and look, there’s no one in the race with more ability than Chris Christie. His native ability is as good as anybody’s, if not better. So I think he’s going to make a splash in this race. I think he’s going to emerge as a factor in this race and I think he’s going to be somebody who has to be seriously considered. I think we all should watch for that. He’s going to do better than most of these other people. I believe that.”