George W. Bush will not attend Republican National Convention

According to Politico, former president George W. Bush will not be attending the Republican National Convention in Tampa next month.

“President Bush was grateful for the invitation to the Republican National Convention,” Bush spokesman Freddy Ford wrote to the website. “He supports Governor Romney and wants him to succeed. President Bush 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.”

Politico notes that Bush's decision saves the Romney campaign from "having to face the delicate question" of whether to invite the unpopular former president to address the convention. Bush, who did not attend the 2008 convention either, is still widely blamed for the nation's current economic problems, and almost two-thirds of Americans say Romney's economic policies would mirror those of the Bush administration.

Bush's father, former President George H.W. Bush, has also declined to attent, citing health issues. According to Talking Points Memo, however, another member of the family, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, does plan on attending.

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