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When Leadership Counts

Well, somebody‘s excited about the Bush Library’s easy money! 

Silence Is Golden 

Despite becoming actually more unpopular since leaving office, George W. Bush is quietly on his way to building the Bush Presidential Library ‘n Reputation Restorer in Dallas.

He has reportedly raised one hundred million dollars towards the library/rehab center at Southern Methodist University.

Time reports that the cash is rolling in despite the economy’s current enjoyment of the fruits of the Bush era. The ex-president went from beloved by 31% of the populace down to 26%  according to the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll [the numbers are buried on page 9 of the pdf at the bottom of the linked page]

Meanwhile, Southern Methodist University’s attorney is under a gag order in the wake of jury pool tainting allegations.

SMU is being sued over land once considered as part of the Bush Presidential Library,with former condo owners suing the University claiming information about the looming Library was withheld.

The judge in the case had ordered the former president to testify in the case, and is concerned with  remarks by  SMU attorney Mark Lanier who  called those suing the university “terrorists,” and complained that they had rejected a $2 million offer to go away.

“the more press there is about this, the harder it’s going to be to pick jurors for a trial,” Judge Martin Hoffman said before ordering Lanier not to publicly discuss mediation-related matters.“

This in the wake of SMU hiring a prominent local Democratic lawyer, in the predominantly Democrat-leaning Dallas.

Dallas Delights  

 Vanity Fair explores the fascinating life of recent retiree George W. Bush.  His road to Calgary, the grim details of his dog-walking.

Best part?

We travel once more to foggy Central Europe, where a callow young president met grizzled veteran Vaclav Havel, passions swelled, and a vision of the Bush Presidential Center took form.

“He loves Vaclav Havel,” says former White House press secretary Dana Perino. “He told him, ‘When we’re up and running, I’d like to have you come write a book there.“

The reality principal is introduced by former bushlibraryblog [on hiatus since 2007, and still ahead of Bush’s library blog!] empresario Benjamin Johnson.

“Vaclav Havel is not going to come to the fucking Bush center!” scoffs Benjamin Johnson.“

Nothing Says Policy Like Something From Our Oven 

The George W. Bush Presidential Library shock and awe media tour continues, with Politico the latest recipient of  access to the former President’s minions.  There we learn that the Definitely-Not-To-Be-Named-Freedom Institute attached to the Library will be so much more than the usual presidential scholar holding tank.

In the Bush Institute’s search for something to do, the latest scheme floated is for it to become the George W. Bush Test Kitchen, “to run demonstration tests or pilot projects based on ideas generated from there. ”

George W. Bush Foundation President Mark Langdale explains its thrust into the future:

“That’s a little bit different than what other presidential libraries have done, and it’s a little bit different than defending the record…By the time the Institute is focusing on a problem, there’ll be new information and new perspectives shaping the policy debate, beyond what happened in the Bush administration.”

Why-ever we should turn for fresh ideas to these has-bins is unclear.

Not On Our Watch!

Defying the Washington Consensus, a majority of Americans favor investigation of alleged Bush Administration crimes.

Cuddly recollections of Gerald “Decent Man” Ford notwithstanding.