Democratic South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn said that former President George W. Bush called him “the savior” for playing a key role in helping President Joe Biden win the Democratic presidential nomination.
Video of Clyburn’s comments was posted Wednesday to Twitter by The Recount, hours after Biden was inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States.
WATCH:
House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) says President George W. Bush told him he’s “the savior” for his help in getting Joe Biden the nomination.
Clyburn says Bush told him Biden was “the only one who could have defeated” Trump. pic.twitter.com/lXeRGLGCLu
— The Recount (@therecount) January 20, 2021
“George Bush said to me today,” Clyburn said in the video. “He said ‘you know, you’re the savior, because if you had not nominated Joe Biden, we would not be having this transfer of power today.’ He said to me, ‘Joe Biden was the only one who could have defeated the incumbent president.'”
Clyburn’s February 2020 endorsement of Biden ahead the Democratic primary in South Carolina is widely considered to have played a key role in that state becoming the president’s first primary win after losses in Iowa and New Hampshire.
I know Joe Biden.
I know his character, his heart, and his record.
Joe Biden has stood for the hard-working people of South Carolina.
We know Joe. But more importantly, he knows us.
In South Carolina, we choose presidents.
I’m calling on you to stand with @JoeBiden.
— Jim Clyburn SC-06 (@ClyburnSC06) February 26, 2020
Biden’s win in South Carolina gave him the momentum he needed to pull off a series of major victories and ultimately win the Democratic nomination. (RELATED: REPORT: Trump Floating The Idea Of Creating A New Political Party)
Although Bush has largely refrained from being critical of any of his successors, he did not vote for former President Donald Trump in 2020.