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14 years ago, Bush removed Confederate flag in Florida

FILE - In this June 19, 2015, file photo, Republican presidential candidate former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaking during the Road to Majority 2015 convention in Washington. Bush faced the same decision as South Carolina officials, whether to remove the Confederate flag from statehouse, more than a decade ago. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) FILE - In this June 19, 2015, file photo, Republican presidential candidate former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush speaking during the Road to Majority 2015 convention in Washington. Bush faced the same decision as South Carolina officials, whether to remove the Confederate flag from statehouse, more than a decade ago. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

By Associated Press June 23, 2015 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush faced the same decision as South Carolina officials – whether to remove the Confederate flag from statehouse grounds – more than a decade ago.

With far less fanfare, Bush as Florida’s governor 14 years ago removed the Confederate flag from the Florida state Capitol in Tallahassee. On Feb. 2, 2001, the flag moved to the Museum of Florida History.

A Bush spokeswoman said at the time that the governor believed that most Floridians would agree symbols of the past “should not be displayed in a manner that may divide Floridians today.”

Though Bush’s action drew scant public attention initially, his email correspondence shows that Floridians soon responded with a mix of praise and vile.