Your National Archivist At Work
George W. Bush’s pet National Archivist Allen Weinstein brought a message of hope to the dreamed of future home of Bush’s Presidential Library , and offered proof of just how differential to power he is.
Weinstein assured the Southern Methodist University commencement crowd that the Bush Library will gussy up SMU’s image, even the Fantastic Freedom Institute., once that darn popularity gets turned around.
“Even most opponents of the proposed independent Bush Policy Institute acknowledge that a popular, well-run presidential library center will redound to the benefit of SMU.“
The man who has watched the Bush administration lose millions of presidential documents with no apparent response is unsurprisingly calm about the prospect that Bush will bury his past in the vaults.
The secret is showing your sensitive side.
Weinstein claims that Lyndon Johnson’s image is on the upswing because the Johnson Library released tapes of him agonizing over Vietnam.
“This is the kind of gamble other presidential families will be more likely to try now, and perhaps be less fearful about.”
But thanks to Richard Nixon this isn’t supposed to a decision by “presidential families.” The documents belong to the public, and the families would have no role if the courts or Congress overturned George W. Bush’s executive order letting ex presidents and their children after them hide papers.