Carol Cain

Free Press Business Columnist

Give Donald Trump credit for the tax breaks and regulatory reform that have taken place under his watch. But when it comes to serving as a role model for our nation, our 45th president deserves a resounding F, Jeb Bush says.

The former Florida governor and presidential candidate will address the West Michigan Policy Forum in Grand Rapids on Monday.

“He is not my role model as it relates to values I would share with my children and grandchildren,” Bush told me in a conversation ahead of his visit.

Bush also won’t be among Republican candidates looking to throw their hat into the ring to possibly replace Trump in 2020. He told me he is done running for elected office.

“I had my chance and gave it my all,” Bush said about his presidential run in 2016. “I was honored to be a candidate.”

“There are different ways to make a difference,” Bush added. “Plus, my wife likes having me at home.”

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Bush will be going back to school, too, as he was just appointed a nonresident presidential professor of practice at the Andrea Mitchell Center for the Study of Democracy at University of Pennsylvania. He’ll visit campus once or twice a month and talk about politics.

“You don’t often hear a conservative voice on a college campus and I welcome the opportunity,” he said.

Bush certainly will have much to talk about.

Shifting political tides

Ever since he rode down that escalator to announce he would run, to winning the keys to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. through today, Trump has gained attention with his barbs and unorthodox tweets often laced with insults, which have changed the discourse of American politics.

Bush has been on the receiving end, notably labeled during the 2016 race by Trump as a “low-energy person.”

Bush also described Trump as a “chaos candidate” on the campaign trail and said he would be a “chaos president” — a prediction that has proven spot on.

Trump, the former reality TV star, remains in a league of his own when it comes to gaining attention.

Why has he succeeded?

“People are feeling anxious and no longer trust politicians,” Bush said. “He’s been a master of understanding that. Give him credit for that.”

The 2018 midterm elections in Michigan and nation will be a report card of sorts for Trump and his standing with the electorate. At the top of the ticket, Bush is endorsing Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette for governor against Democrat Gretchen Whitmer. Trump, who carried Michigan, also endorsed Schuette.

How did Bush end up at the University of Pennsylvania when many colleges — MSU’s Michigan Political Leadership Program, UM’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, GVSU’s Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies and many in Florida — that surely would love to have had him on their campus?

“They asked,” he explained.

Bushed served as honorary chair of the National Constitutional Center in Philadelphia, where he met Amy Gutman, president of Penn, who invited him.

Bush is looking forward to spending a bit more time with his family. He and his wife, Columba, have three grown children and four grandchildren.

Bush is running a consulting business with his son Jeb Jr. called Dock Square.

Another son, George P. Bush, is running for re-election as Texas land commissioner. “I’m proud of his public service,” Bush said.

Is George P. thinking of running for higher office?

“I don’t think he has made up his mind on what comes next,” his father said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he decided to go back to business."

Bush also talked about dad, former President George H.W. Bush, who is 94.

“He’s frail and doesn’t get out much anymore,” he said. “But he’s in relatively good health. He isn’t ready to go just yet.”

Former first lady Barbara Bush, who passed away in April at the age of 92, founded the Barbara Bush Foundation For Family Literacy. It is run by Jeb's sister, Doro Bush Koch, and focuses on the importance of reading and ending illiteracy.

The former first lady launched her literacy campaign while in the White House.

Bush is carrying on his mom’s legacy and building upon it as the nation’s educational challenges mount. Certainly K-12 public education in Michigan is in need of major improvement as test scores show the state severely lagging.

Bush is also serving as chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a national nonprofit education reform organization he founded to transform education in America.

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Bush has worked with David Lawrence Jr., former publisher of the Detroit Free Press and Miami Herald, who is chairman of the Children’s Movement of Florida, a nonpartisan organization highlighting the importance of early education.

Lawrence served as an inspiration to Bush to think about life after politics.

“Dave is living proof that at the halftime of your life there is more you can do,” Bush said of Lawrence, who left journalism to focus on education and who is a neighbor of his in Florida.

Bush also talked about Betsy DeVos, U.S. education secretary from the Grand Rapids area. She has been focused on education for decades through issues including school choice and school vouchers.

DeVos has been slammed by some who say she is out to dismantle public education.

“I applaud her for working to make sure all children have a chance to get a great education,” said Bush. “There are millions of kids left behind.

“I also applaud her for taking on entrenched interests,” he said. About $750 billion is spent each year on K-12 education. People fret when people challenge the notion that keeping things status quo isn’t all right. This needs to be about the children — all children.”

Bush introduced a series of education proposals during his two terms as governor called “The Florida A+ Plan for Education,” which he will talk about this Monday.

“We adopted an accountability formula based on students’ academic performance, requiring schools to focus resources on elevating achievement. Our letter grade system gave parents a ready tool to assess school quality and make informed choices for their children,” he said.

The West Michigan Policy Forum — held every other year — is focused on ways to create jobs by removing barriers to make the region more marketable.

Lawrence book

Speaking of former Freep Publisher Lawrence, he’s written a new book: "A Dedicated Life: Journalism, Justice and a Chance for Every Child,” about his life and career.

Jeb Bush wrote a foreward for it as did former Florida Gov. and Sen. Bob Graham.

Detroit gets attention as Lawrence writes of his time in journalism, which was the first part of his career, and changing gears to focus on education.

“We’re a long way from the promised land for public education in America,” Lawrence said. “Our country’s in real trouble when 75 percent of 17-to 24-year-olds cannot enter the American military because of an academic problem, a physical problem, or a drug or criminal justice challenge.”

He said the solution lies in investing in early childhood years when most brain growth occurs.

Contact Carol Cain: 313-222-6732 or clcain@cbs.com. She is senior producer/host of “Michigan Matters,” which airs at 11:30 a.m. Sundays on CBS 62. See Peter Provenzo Jr., chancellor, Oakland Community College; Gail Gibson and Reginald Hammond Jr. of UM’s College of LSA; Park West Gallery’s Founder Albert Scaglione; and the Carr Center’s Erin Falker on this Sunday’s show.