Jeb Bush Says He Speaks 'More Spanish Than English At Home'

"Our grandkids, almost all of them speak Spanish," Bush told David Muir.

ByABC News
June 18, 2015, 12:07 PM

— -- Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush — a fluent Spanish speaker — told ABC "World News Tonight" anchor David Muir in Spanish Wednesday that he and his wife, Columba, speak "more Spanish than English at home."

"Our grandkids, almost all of them speak Spanish, two of them also speak a little Arabic," the former Florida governor added in Spanish.

Columba Bush, Florida's former first lady, was born and raised in Mexico. The pair fell in love when Jeb, then 17, studied abroad in León, Mexico.

Here’s a translation of Muir and Bush's conversation en Español -- which also touched on immigration reform:

MUIR: Si usted es electo presidente, en los primeros cien días cúal sera su primera prioridad? If you are elected President what will be your highest priority during your first 100 days?

BUSH: The most important thing is to improve the political climate in Washington and to start to work across party lines. Re-establish relations between Democrats and Republicans. Second it is important to have people in positions of power in the executive branch who will work to better the situation in each branch/department. And then formulate plans with congress — a plan for immigration reform, an energy plan for the country, a plan for tax reform. And change the mentality that Washington has to be (has to have) the solution for everything. We've seen that fail.

MUIR: Esta semana — vimos los protestadores — y su mensaje — estátus legal no es suficiente — ellos quieren más — porque solamente estátus legal? This week we saw the protestors and their message "legal status is not sufficient" they want more. Why offer only legal status?

BUSH: Because I think that the 11 million or so people that have come here want to come out of the shadows. I believe we should allow them to come out but we have to acknowledge that they are not here legally and that there are many people waiting to enter legally and it's not fair. We cannot allow them to jump the line. My plan is to have a system where over several years they can receive the benefit of being allowed to work openly and be able to participate in the economy of this country — a process that will lead to permanent legal status.

MUIR: Usted habla Español en sus entrevistas — aqui conmigo...You speak Spanish in your interviews - here with me for example-

BUSH: Hablas más que bien. Es impressionante. You speak Spanish quite well, very impressive.

MUIR: Gracias. Pero en su casa? Con Columba? Thank you. Do you speak Spanish at home with Columba?

BUSH: We speak more Spanish than English at home.

MUIR: Con sus nietos?With your grandchildren?

BUSH: Our grandkids, almost all of them speak Spanish, two of them also speak a little Arabic. Georgia and Vivian's mother was born in Canada but she is of Iraqi descent. We of course also have a Texan and a Mexican in our family so it is quite a mixture — very American.

MUIR: Y con Jebbie?How about with Jebbie?

BUSH: With my son, we speak more English than Spanish but he speaks mostly Spanish with his mother.