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Jeb Bush To Lead National Constitution Center

PHILADELPHIA (CBS/AP) — The National Constitution center announced on Thursday that Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush has been elected Chairman of the Center's Board of Trustees.

Bush says he's happy to follow Bill Clinton as chairman of the National Constitution Center because Clinton is like his "brother from another mother."

Bush says Clinton has developed an exceptionally close friendship with his father, former President George H.W. Bush.

Both former presidents have served as chairman of the Constitution Center, which opened in 2003 on Independence Mall.

"I am honored to have this opportunity," Bush said, "and am humbled to follow in the footsteps of my beloved father, President George H.W. Bush, who first exemplified to me what it means to be a good citizen and to uphold the ideals expressed within the U.S. Constitution."

President Clinton was proud to hand over the honor to Jeb Bush.

"It has been a great honor to serve as the Center's Board Chairman for the past three years," Clinton said.  "I couldn't be more pleased that Governor Bush will lead this world-class museum into the future."

Clinton and  George H.W. Bush were also joint recipients of the institution's annual Liberty Medal, honored for their humanitarian work in 2006.

Jeb Bush served as a Republican governor of Florida from 1999-2007, and is sometimes mentioned as a potential presidential candidate.

But he' was not talking about that issue Thursday, politely dodging a question about the 2016 election.

Bush says he wants to help educate students about the nation's history, so they can think critically about its future.

(TM and© Copyright 2010 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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