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- Former President George W. Bush says Hillary Clinton is his 'sister-in-law'
- Bush said he thinks his brother, Jeb, would win a presidential contest against Clinton
Washington (CNN) -- George W. Bush might have developed a brotherly relationship with Bill Clinton -- but he's still picking his actual brother, Jeb, over Clinton's wife, Hillary, in a potential 2016 presidential match-up.
The two former presidents have developed a close friendship, with Bush sometimes calling Clinton his "brother from another mother." In an interview, CNN's Candy Crowley asked Bush what that makes Hillary Clinton.
"My sister-in-law," he said.
Pres. Bush: Jeb not rushing to decide
But when asked whether his brother, former Florida Republican Gov. Jeb Bush, could run against his sister-in-law, the 43rd president said: "Yeah, and I think he'd beat her."
Bush said there's no question Clinton is formidable, but his brother is, as well.
The potential Clinton vs. Bush matchup would pit two of the most important American political dynasties of recent decades against each other for the second time.
Bill Clinton ousted Bush's father, former President George H.W. Bush, in the 1992 election. The younger Bush then defeated Clinton Vice President Al Gore to succeed Clinton in the 2000 election.
Hillary Clinton ran for the job when Bush left office in 2008, but lost to Barack Obama in the Democratic primary.
Both the former secretary of state and the Florida governor have maintained their families' vast political and fundraising networks. Clinton would be the prohibitive favorite to win the Democratic nomination, while Bush would likely face a stiffer challenge from conservative critics during his primary thanks to some of his positions on education and immigration policy.
Bush has urged Jeb to run for president, he's said in several recent interviews. Jeb Bush, meanwhile, said this week that he plans to make a decision early next year.
"He's seen what it's like to be the son of a president. He's seen what it's like to be the brother of a president," Bush said. "And therefore he's being very -- he is not rushing into running for the presidency. I have no clue where his head is now."
