Bush Vote Divided in GOP Race

Others from the elder Bush's orbit have gone in other directions. His second secretary of state, Lawrence S. Eagleburger, and his first secretary of commerce, Robert Mosbacher Jr., have endorsed McCain. Colin L. Powell, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under the 41st president and later became the 43rd president's secretary of state, has contributed $2,300 to McCain.

Speculation about the former president's preference for Romney was challenged last month, when he appeared in a video on McCain's behalf during the senator's "No Surrender" tour to discuss the war in Iraq. But Jean Becker, the former president's spokeswoman, quickly doused any notion of an endorsement, saying the video was "intended to support the troops and not intended as an endorsement for Senator McCain."

The current president, meanwhile, has repeatedly vowed that he will not play the role of "prognosticator in chief" and will not endorse any Republican before the GOP primary season is over.

His staff, however, is hindered by no such obligation. President Bush's former longtime political adviser, Dan Bartlett, offered frank assessments of the GOP field during a speech last month, calling Thompson a "dud," saying Romney's Mormon religion is "a real problem" and opining that the last name of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee makes him sound like a hick.

Several of Bush's key political advisers have picked sides. Terry Nelson, political director of the president's 2004 reelection campaign, managed McCain's campaign this year until a falling-out with other senior aides. Former solicitor general Theodore B. Olson, who was on Bush's short list to be attorney general, is a top adviser to Giuliani.

The president hinted earlier this year that he was surprised by Giuliani's performance, given his liberal views on some issues. In an off-the-record luncheon with television anchors, he also warned them not to write off McCain, who almost derailed Bush's presidential ambitions in 2000.

Family members say that despite their immersion in politics, they are as likely to talk about University of Texas football as politics when they get together. Still, the Bushes who have gone public about their support for a candidate have not given up the idea that they might convince their more famous relatives.

"I'm starting to work on him," Jeb Jr. said about his father. "I don't know about any success. We'll see how Thanksgiving turns out."