 Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (pictured) says he is "light green" on the
environment and is skeptical that humans are causing global warming.
Bush,
whose two terms ended in 2007, also said Wednesday that he "can't
imagine" running for national office and isn't interested in being Sen.
John McCain's running mate.
The younger brother of President
George W. Bush made the comments during an address to several hundred
business people meeting in a hotel ballroom. Earlier in the day, he met
with other directors of Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp., the
hospital chain whose board he joined last year.
As governor,
Bush, a Republican, was largely silent on global warming. His
successor, Charlie Crist — who is often mentioned as a possible GOP
running mate for McCain — has said Florida should become a leader in
addressing climate change because its low elevation makes it vulnerable
if ocean levels rise.
Bush said those who advocate action to limit climate change are acting out of something like religious zeal.
"I don't think our policies should be based on emotion; they should be based on sound science," he said.
Rather
than reducing oil consumption, Bush said the United States should focus
on "energy security" — reducing dependence on oil imported from hostile
or politically unstable countries by encouraging alternative fuels.
In response to a question, Bush said he isn't thinking of running for national office. He said he only wanted to be governor.
"I
loved every minute of it, and when I finished, I finished," he said. He
said he didn't "have any burning ambitions" beyond his foundation,
which advocates education testing.
"I can't imagine that I would get recharged up to do something else," he said. Source
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