Bush has been involved in projects to bolster women’s rights around the world. Bush: Some in GOP scared women

Former First Lady Laura Bush said that during the 2012 election cycle there were candidates that “frightened some women,” but they were “the exception rather than the norm” in the GOP, a comment she made in an interview that aired Monday.

“Every candidate was different, you know, each one of them,” Bush said in an interview on CNN’s “Erin Burnett Out Front.” “There are obvious examples of candidates that were — that I think frightened some women, but they were the exception rather than the norm in the party.”


Several Republican contenders effectively ended their campaigns last cycle after making controversial comments related to rape.

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Bush, who has been involved in projects to bolster women’s rights around the world, was responding to a question about whether November’s results meant that the GOP should tone down the emphasis on social issues in order to capture more women’s votes.

“No, I wouldn’t say that, necessarily,” Bush said. She added later, “And you know, all of those social issues are very, very heartfelt by people. And I understand that. There are differences and people, you know, there just will be and I’m glad that in our party we have room for all of them. I think that’s important, too.”