By KEVIN FREKING
Associated Press<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jeb Bush says all the speculation about whether he’ll run for president in 2016 is actually getting him more attention than if he had already entered the race.<\/p>\n
The former Republican governor of Florida said that’s not by design, and that he’ll make his decision before year’s end.<\/p>\n
He told Fox News Channel in an interview airing Sunday that the state of politics is “crazy right now.”<\/p>\n
Bush says one factor in his decision will be whether he can deliver an optimistic, hopeful message without getting drawn into a political “mud fight.” He says the other main factor in his decision will be whether it’s OK with his family if he ran.<\/p>\n
Bush has antagonized many Republicans by supporting an immigration overhaul and educational standards for kindergarten through 12th grade known as Common Core.<\/p>\n
On immigration, he said that those who come into the country illegally generally do so because they had no other means to provide for their family, and what they did is “not a felony.”<\/p>\n
“It’s an act of love. It’s an act of commitment to your family,” Bush said. “I honestly think that that is a different kind of crime. There should be a price paid, but it shouldn’t rile people up that people are actually coming to this country to provide for their families.”<\/p>\n
The interview with Bush occurred at his father’s presidential library during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of George. H. W. Bush’s presidency.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"