The Hill News

Real estate mogul Donald Trump broke Republicans' famous "11th Commandment" on Wednesday and went on the attack against former President George W. Bush, accusing his administration of leading to President Obama's presidency.

Trump, the bombastic reality television star who's considering a run for the Republican nomination for president, said that the "mistakes" Bush made as president led directly to the election of Obama.

"I think the Bush era really hurt us," Trump said on conservative talker Laura Ingraham's radio show. "The Bush era gave us Obama."

Trump made the comments in context of the question of whether he thought dark-horse Republican figures like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie or former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush would make good national candidates for the GOP.

Trump called Christie, a rock star among conservatives, a "really good friend of mine," and expressed some affection for Jeb Bush before noting the former preside! nt's unpopularity.

"In all fairness to Obama and Sarah Palin, you could not have won that election," Trump said. "At the moment, I just don't want to hear about Bush."

President Reagan, the Republican icon, had a famous "11th Commandment," ordering Republicans not to speak ill of other Republicans.

Bush still suffers from unfavorable ratings but has rebounded some since leaving office. A mid-March Pew Poll found that 42 percent of U.S. adults view the former Republican president favorably, while 54 percent view him unfavorably.