Jeb Bush in The New York Times

On Families & Children: Shame fathers who walk away from paternal obligations

In the book, "Profiles in Character," it said that "one of the reasons more young women are giving birth out of wedlock and more young men are walking away from their paternal obligations is that there is no longer a stigma attached to this behavior, no reason to feel shame. Shame is one of the great regulators of conduct."

Asked about the passage, Bush said his stances have evolved since 1995 but that "my views about the importance of dads being involved in the lives of their children haven't changed at all."

The problem, said Bush, has grown worse, not better. Bush said the original passage he wrote referred primarily to shaming fathers, though that is not clear from the wording in the book.

On War & Peace: Non-state terrorists are greatest threat we now face

The former Florida governor called non-state terrorist groups such as the Islamic State "perhaps the greatest security threat that we now face for our own homeland."

He added, "Taking them out is the strategy."

On Foreign Policy: Pressured father's V.P. staff to help Cuban prisoners

Jeb Bush sought to arrange a meeting between his father and exile leaders. He called for economic sanctions that would "tighten the noose on Castro." And he questioned the Justice Department's prosecution of a Cuban militant who had already been incarcerated in "Castro's jail for 23 years."

Jeb Bush also sought a promotion for an Army colonel who he noted could become the first United States general of Cuban origin. The president's staff thought better of acting on that request. "Armed Services promotion board reacts very negatively to any sort of political pressure, perceived or otherwise," wrote one of his father's top aides.

On Technology: BlackBerry pictured in official gubernatorial portrait

Bush's reliance on written communications presages his habits as an elected official. As governor, he was known to spend up to 30 hours a week on email and so adored his BlackBerry that he insisted on featuring the device in his official portrait.

The archives at the Bush and Reagan libraries contain more than 1,200 pages of documents relating to Bush, capturing dozens of exchanges between him and the White House staff. But even that may represent just a fraction of his messages, since the archives are incomplete.

On Civil Rights: Don't-ask-don't-tell ok if it doesn't affect policy

"On the other stuff, don't ask, don't tell is fine with me," Bush responded, appropriating the terminology Pres. Clinton used regarding gays in the military. "What you do in your private life is your business. If it crosses over into the public policy realm, then that is another matter. If you are comfortable with that, then we can proceed."

On Education: I won't run from Common Core, even if GOP does

"We need to elect candidates that have a vision that is bigger and broader, and candidates that are organized around winning the election, not making a point," Bush told an audience at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum. "Campaigns ought to be about listening and learning and getting better. I do think we've lost our way." He added, "I'm not being critical of my party, but campaigns themselves are reflective of this new America."

He made clear he would not shrink from views scorned by the dominant wing of the party. He defended his commitment to the so-called Common Core set of educational standards. "I just don't feel compelled to run for cover when I think this is the right thing to do for our country," he said.

On Foreign Policy: Leading from behind is so odd to me

Even as he sharply criticized President Obama for his handling of foreign affairs and health care, Bush made clear that he would run against the style of politics that has characterized recent Republican nominating contests.

He was more willing to criticize Obama, naturally. "Leading from behind is so odd to me," he said of the president's foreign policy. And he said it was absurd for Obama to be "doing a victory dance" over the enrollment of seven million people in his new health care program given what Bush considers its deep structural flaws.