Jeb Bush Stands Firm On Common Core But Softens Tone

Former Florida GOP Gov. Jeb Bush defended the Common Core education standards Thursday, but offered an olive branch to Republican activists who oppose them and are making them a litmus test for potential 2016 presidential candidates.

Bush's longtime support has put him crosswise with part of the Republican base. He said that he finds the new angst over Common Core "troubling," but that there is room for disagreement among those who more generally support school reform.

"Look, even if we don't all agree on Common Core, there are many principles for us to agree on," he said. "Education should be a national priority, not turned into a federal program."