The son of potential presidential contender Haley Barbour told a conservative columnist on Thursday that he hopes his father doesn’t mount a White House bid.
In a personal e-mail to the columnist, obtained by The Associated Press, Sterling Barbour lashed out at Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol over his criticism of Haley Barbour’s criticism of the Pentagon’s budget. The e-mail message suggests Kristol, a conservative leader who served as an informal adviser to 2008 vice presidential pick Sarah Palin, is more interested in dividing the party than defeating President Barack Obama in 2012.
“I am a private person and don’t want him to run,” Sterling Barbour wrote. “I’d prefer not to listen to people like you talk bad about any member of my family. But this decision is bigger than me. If he runs, I will be his biggest supporter.
“But it just makes no sense to me that a conservative man, such as yourself, would have such a blatantly obvious disdain towards my father,” Barbour continued. “Despite your best efforts, if he decides to run, he will likely win the nomination.”
Full story: Haley Barbour’s son doesn’t want dad to run