Post by TheShadow on May 24, 2006 19:42:52 GMT -5
ANDREA FANTA
Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Gov. Jeb Bush is getting tired of people trying to plan his life after he leaves office in January.
First, his brother, the president, hinted Bush should consider his own run for the Oval Office in 2008.
And now comes the National Football League, which had an emissary gauge his interest in replacing commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who is retiring in July.
To both, Bush's response was thanks, but no.
"I'm flattered," Bush said Wednesday of the NFL's interest, "but I'm governor of the state of Florida and I intend to be governor until I leave - which is January 2007. And I'm not going to consider any other options other than being governor until I finish.'"
He doesn't believe NFL officials will hold the position open until then.
No matter the buzz - including whispers about a run for U.S. Senate and the GOP's vice presidential nomination in 2008 - Bush says he's focused on simply finishing his second term.
"I swore to uphold the laws of this state and I interpreted that a little broader, perhaps, to mean also that I was going to work 24-7, that I was going to finish strong," Bush said. "And so a day doesn't go by where someone doesn't have a great idea for what my life looks like in 2007 and beyond and I'm not entertaining any discussion about it."