Laura Bush: Obama owed former president’s silence

Former President George W. Bush feels like he “owes” his successor silence on issues, former First Lady Laura Bush said Monday.

Mrs. Bush defended former Vice President Cheney’s outspoken tack toward the Obama administration since leaving office.

“I think that’s his right as a citizen of the U.S. I think he also feels obligated, and so I understand why he wants to speak out,” Bush told ABC in an interview broadcast Monday.

“On the other hand, George feels, as a former president, he owes President Obama his silence on issues,” she explained. “And there’s no reason to second-guess any of the decisions he makes.”

Bush also downplayed the current infighting in the Republican Party as part of cyclical politics, and praised President Obama’s choice of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to be the third woman to sit on the Supreme Court in its history.