Jeb Bush used to have a gangster nickname

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(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush waits backstage before speaking at the Iowa Agriculture Summit, Saturday, March 7, 2015, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Rahm Emanuel isn't the only politician with a nickname from "The Godfather."

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In recent appearances on the campaign trail, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) has bragged about being dubbed "Veto Corleone" during his days leading the Sunshine State.

"They called me Veto Corleone. Maybe I called myself that, I can't remember, because I vetoed something like 2,500 separate line items in the budget to try to create some discipline and focus on how the budget works," Bush said over the weekend at a GOP House Party in New Hampshire, in reference to his two terms as Florida Governor from 1999 to 2007.

The comment earned a hearty laugh from the homespun crowd last Friday but it's a line Bush has been recycling in his "stump speech" as he explores a possible presidential bid.

He previously made the reference during his comments at CPAC and at a fundraiser in February.

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