An Italian news story that attracted attention in Florida this week wasn’t based on any new interview with Jeb Bush, and the former governor “will not be a candidate” for vice president, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Italian news site Linkiesta put up a story on Tuesday quoting Bush as saying he’d listen if Mitt Romney asked him to be his running mate, but adding that he didn’t think he’d be asked.
The story appeared to come from a new interview — but it didn’t, said Bush spokeswoman Jaryn Emhof. She said the Italian piece simply rehashed an old Miami Herald story based on an interview Bush gave to Newsmax in which he acknowledged, back in April, that he would consider it, but heavily downplayed the idea.
Emhof on Wednesday appeared to shut the door for Bush. “Nothing has changed, Gov. Bush will not be candidate for VP,” Emhof said in an email.