Jeb Bush downplays GOP drone split: ‘OK to have a disagreement’

Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) filibuster, which raised
constitutional, due-process concerns about the use of drones against Americans,
drew criticism from Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

Bush said that despite the high-profile debate, the GOP was still in sync over a broad range of issues.

{mosads}”It is a natural process of where there is divergence,
people can express their views openly, but on the broad issues there is still
broad support and concurrence,” Bush said on CNN Sunday.

“It is OK to have a disagreement. We don’t march
lockstep 100 percent in agreement all the time, but on these broader issues I
think there is broad support and that’s what is emerging in the Republican
party going forward,” he said on the program “State of the
Union.”

Paul held the floor for nearly 13 hours, delaying the Senate
confirmation of John Brennan to run the Central Intelligence Agency. Brennan
was later confirmed.

Paul had asked the White House to clarify that the president
did not have the authority to use armed drones to target Americans on U.S.
soil.

Attorney General Eric Holder later sent a letter to Paul
saying that the president would not use drone strikes against citizens who are
not engaged in hostile activity.

Sens. McCain and Graham had strongly criticized Paul’s
filibuster, saying it raised “ridiculous” arguments and “cheapened” the debate
over drone policy.