MIAMI (CNN) - The old adage that politics makes strange bedfellows will be alive and well Friday when President Obama and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush make a joint appearance in the sunshine state. The two are joining forces to discuss education as the president begins a month-long public push for the country to "out-educate" the world.

Both men will appear at Central High School in Miami to tout the school’s turnaround in performance. For Bush it’s an opportunity to highlight an issue he championed in office, and continues to do so in private life. For Obama, he gets a picture of bi-partisan support for an issue he has repeatedly stressed is in desperate need of reform if the country wants to lead the 21st century.

The image of the two together may seem somewhat unlikely with Bush once assailing Obama's stance toward business as "a way to attack capitalism," and for Obama who spent his presidential campaign verbally excoriating the record of Bush's brother, and is in the midst of attempting a re-write of "No Child Left Behind," the centerpiece of the Bush administrations education agenda.

Political differences aside, both camps maintain the appearance is a natural fit. Bush "has a record of being engaged in and committed to education reform. Obviously, this is a high priority for the President and he believes very strongly that education reform is neither a Democratic, nor a Republican issue. And I think his pursuit of reform has demonstrated that," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said in a recent briefing announcing the appearance. "His reforms already have generated a great deal of bipartisan support, and I think that's reflective of the fact that Americans believe it ought to be a priority," Carney went on to say.
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