Would George W. Bush be considered a "RINO" today?

[Dazey]

If he was running now and hadn't been President from '01 to '09, would George W. Bush be considered a "RINO" in today's GOP?

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Well yeah, but 2000 was a different time. Back then the debate was "what are we going to do with this huge surplus that will always exist in this forever peaceful post-Cold War world". He would modify his message.

There is also the fact that nowadays the neocon wing, and most of its leading lights are totally discredited and loathed, which means the Cheneys and Rumsfelds that infested that godforsaken admin would be kept at arms length.

[Del Tachi]

Most definitely.

Medicare Part D and amnesty would be non-starters for a majority of today's GOP.

[DC Al Fine]

I never really understood why people think that politicians, who have to say and do all sorts of things to get elected, would have the exact same policy positions now as they did back in the day.

[RFayette]

What one campaigns on vs what one actually does in office are two completely different things.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

No, but his father certainly would.

[ProgressiveCanadian]

Sadly yes.

[Rockefeller GOP]

I never really understood why people think that politicians, who have to say and do all sorts of things to get elected, would have the exact same policy positions now as they did back in the day.

Seriously, THIS.

[Sumner 1868]

Bush's foreign policy is the model that the GOP promotes today, so no.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

He was considered a RINO by quite a few when he was President, so yes.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

He was considered a RINO by quite a few when he was President, so yes.

This, especially because nearly any GOP leader would be called a RINO today.

[RINO Tom]

First of all, let's establish that even though they're loud, organized and sadly influential, Tea Partiers and their sympathizers are still a definite minority among Republicans.  Anyone in the Tea Party will likely call any elected Republican (whom they didn't help elect by primarying out a sensible candidate) a "RINO" simply by virtue of being in DC...

With that in mind, no, George W. Bush would not feel like a RINO in the 2015 GOP.  Even if I ignore the fact that the number of moderate and center-right Republicans in the US is always underestimated on this forum (keep in mind, I'm talking VOTERS, not elected officials; think of how many millions of Republicans in the Northeast, West Coast and Upper Midwest are virtually unrepresentated in DC.), I'm inclined to believe that President Bush would not campaign anywhere near the same as he did in 2004, let alone 2000, if he were still going for office today.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Yep.  41 moreso, but Dub spent like a drunken sailor and not just on war.