Former President George H.W. Bush addressed criticism from Grover Norquist, the head of Americans for Tax Reform, regarding his “no new tax” pledge at the 1988 Republican National Convention. Mr. Bush has taken criticism throughout the years from Republicans and Democrats for famously stating that he would not raise taxes, and then going on to raise taxes during his term in the White House.
The former Republican president’s new interview with Parade Magazine includes references from Mr. Bush asking who Grover Norquist is, disregarding his signing of a no new taxes pledge with Mr. Norquist in 1987.
“I think we had an honorable administration. We were relatively scandal-free and blessed by good people. Something I guess I’d throw in there is the liberation of Kuwait,” said Mr. Bush regarding his “proudest accomplishment in life,” he then went on to address Mr. Norquist.
“The rigidity of those pledges is something I don’t like. The circumstances change and you can’t be wedded to some formula by Grover Norquist. It’s—who the hell is Grover Norquist, anyway?” added the former president.
Mr. Bush went on to talk about his son, George W. Bush, and his two terms in the White House, calling 9/11 his son’s best accomplishment because of the leadership that he displayed during the crisis.
Mr. Norquist responded to the comments from the former president during an interview with The Huffington Post.
“He didn’t lose this election because he lied to me, he lost the next election because he didn’t keep his word to the American people,” said Mr. Norquist, regarding Mr. Bush’s loss to former President Bill Clinton in 1992.
“I think he was buying into the Harry Reid argument recently that somehow the pledge is to me,” Norquist said. “Now he knows better than that … He gave a speech at the Republican convention. He didn’t turn to the side and say, ‘By the way, Grover, I won’t raise taxes.’ He said to the American people, I’m not going to raise your taxes, take that to the bank.”
Durin the Parade interview, Barbara Bush took a jab at Mr. Norquist, saying that he should “go back to Alaska,” which was a reference to a comment she made in a 2010 interview about hoping that former Alaska Governor would stay in Alaska.
On Friday, Mr. Norquist used his Twitter account to respond to Mr. Bush.
“As a reminder, former President George H.W. Bush did admit that raising taxes was a mistake,” tweeted Mr. Norquist, along with a picture showing Mr. Bush’s comments in March 1992 regarding his admitting to making a mistake by compromising on raising taxes.
