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Jeb Bush’s veep picks

Posted at 10:25 PM, Jul 18, 2012
and last updated 2012-07-18 22:25:25-04

(CNN) — Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, rumored to be among those under consideration for Mitt Romney’s running mate, praised the presumptive GOP nominee’s campaign on Wednesday for the way it has handled the vice presidential search, and made his own prediction for when Romney will announce his selection.

“I like the fact that the Boston campaign has kept it close to the vest. I think it’s kind of humiliating for prospective candidates to be carted out in a public way. There’s only gonna be one winner, right? So it’s good to do it the way they are doing it,” Bush said in an interview with WCPO, a local affiliate in Cincinnati.

Bush made his comments while in neighboring Hamilton, where he appeared at an event for Romney-his first official campaign appearance for the Republican candidate this cycle.

The former governor has previously said “under no circumstances” would he accept an offer to be Romney’s running mate. And his son, George P. Bush, said on CNN last week that Jeb Bush is not being vetted by the Romney campaign.

But that didn’t stop him from weighing in on the selection process Wednesday, saying he expects Romney to make his announcement “soon” or after he returns from his overseas trip, which he starts next week.

“Either way I think he’s got a real wealth of choices to pick from,” he said.

While speaking at the event, Bush made a few recommendations of his own for Romney’s running mate. He argued Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida is a “fantastic young man” and Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio would be “equally good.”

“It’s a luxury of very good choices that he has,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing who he picks.”

Also in Ohio Wednesday, Romney told a crowd of supporters in Bowling Green that he has not yet decided on his running mate.

“I can assure you that even though I have not chosen the person who will be my vice president, that person will be a conservative, they will believe in conservative principles,” Romney said.

Along with Bush and Romney, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal also campaigned Wednesday in Ohio, where he held an event in Columbus.