Jeb Bush doesn't think there's 'a systemic problem' with the police in Baltimore

Reuters/Alvin BaezFormer Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R).

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) recently said the racial unrest in Baltimore, Maryland, is more rooted in failed "liberal-progressive" policies than police discrimination.

Bush, a likely 2016 presidential candidate, said "no" when asked by Fox News' Megyn Kelly if "policing is the problem" in cities like Baltimore or in Ferguson, Missouri, which have both been rocked by violent protests following police-involved deaths of African-American men.

"I don't think it's a systemic problem," Bush replied in the interview, which aired Monday night.

The former governor instead pointed to what he described as a unsuccessful Democratic approach to education and lifting people out of poverty.

"Poverty and generational poverty, which is really one of the great challenges of our time, is a problem. And the welfare state, liberal-progressive approach to this has failed. At some point someone needs to say, 'The emperor is not wearing any clothes here.'"

Last month, parts of Baltimore plunged into chaos as protesters raged after the funeral of 25-year-old Freddie Gray. Gray died on April 19 after suffering a fatal spinal injury in police custody and six officers were subsequently charged with crimes related to his death. The incident is just one of a number of controversial police-involved deaths of African-American men, which protesters have attributed to a racist criminal justice system.

In his interview with Kelly, Bush urged patience as the legal process plays out for the accused officers. He further noted that Baltimore has a relatively diverse police force compared to some cities. (Baltimore's police demographics don't quite line up to the city's population, however, according to to the Center for Public Integrity.)

"Baltimore, Maryland, particularly was a completely racially diverse police department. It has ample resources to get this right. We'll find out. There's a proceeding underway and these police officers are innocent until proven guilty," Bush  said.

Bush's comments place him and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic 2016 front-runner, on opposite sides of the policing debate. In a major speech at the end of April, Clinton argued that racial discrimination is built into the criminal justice system and that there is an "undeniable" pattern of police-involved deaths of African-American men.

"There is something profoundly wrong when African-American men are still far more likely to be stopped and searched by police, charged with crimes, and sentenced to longer prison terms," Clinton said. "We have allowed our criminal justice system to get out of balance and these recent tragedies should galvanize us to come together as a nation to find our balance again."

View Bush's comments on Fox News below: