Bush 41 in 1979: I Equate Toughness with Moral Fiber, Character, Principle — Not Bullying Somebody

‘Maybe George Bush is too nice to be president’

EXCERPT:

REPORTER: “There are among even your friends of the minority who know who you are, and admire you in the party, one of the things that always comes up is that maybe George Bush is too nice a guy to be president, maybe he’s not tough enough.”
BUSH: “Yeah, I’ve heard that.”
REPORTER: “What about the tough enough question and —“
BUSH: “Well, tough enough — I don’t equate toughness with just attacking some individual. I equate toughness with moral fiber, with character, with principle, with demonstrated leadership in tough jobs where you emerge not bullying somebody, but with the respect of the people you led. That’s toughness. That’s fiber. That’s character. I’ve got it, and if I happen to be decent in the process, that should not be a liability. What was the second part?”

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