George W. Bush Will Not Be Attending Republican National Convention

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In news that should be surprising to no one, former president George W. Bush, who has been mostly keeping out of the public sphere since leaving office in 2009, will be staying out of the public sphere and not attending the Republican National Convention in Tampa next month. A spokesman for Bush confirmed the former president received an invitation to the event, but ended up declining.

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Bush said in an interview earlier this week that he has no interest in getting back into politics or speaking out on current policy like other former presidents have. His absence from the convention is keeping in line with his principles.

'President Bush was grateful for the invitation,' his spokesman, Freddy Ford, said Friday in an email. He added that the 43rd president 'is confident that Mitt Romney will be a great president. But he's still enjoying his time off the political stage and respectfully declined the invitation to go to Tampa.'

George H.W. Bush is also staying away from the Tampa convention, but for personal health reasons.

h/t Huffington Post