Condi Rice likes Jeb Bush, Rubio in 2016

Condoleezza Rice says former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) would both be great presidential candidates.

{mosads}”I think Jeb would be fantastic. I think there are several others who are considering it who would be fantastic,” the former secretary of state tells OZY. “Jeb hasn’t said whether he will run. He’s a friend. I hope he does, frankly.”

“Marco Rubio is also a fantastic young presence in our party, a great background, speaks volumes to the American Dream,” Rice, a Republican who served in President George W. Bush’s administration, added. “What I love about the way Marco Rubio talks about our country, or Jeb Bush for that matter, is that sense that ‘We the people’ is an inclusive concept.”

Rice has been getting increasingly involved in internal GOP politics in the past few months. But she ruled out appearing on the Republican ticket in 2016.

She also wasn’t that critical of Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). Though she made it clear she and Cruz disagreed on plenty, including immigration reform, Rice pointed out that Ted’s wife Heidi Cruz had worked under her in the National Security Administration and called them a “wonderful young couple.”