I like Arianna Huffington’s comment on this: “What’s it going to house, 100,000 copies of The Pet Goat?”
He may be a certified lame duck now, but President Bush and his truest believers are about to launch their final campaign – an eye-popping, half-billion-dollar drive for the Bush presidential library.
Eager to begin refurbishing his tattered legacy, the President hopes to raise $500 million to build his library and a think tank at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Bush lived in Dallas until he was elected governor of Texas in 1995.
Bush sources with direct knowledge of library plans told the Daily News that SMU and Bush fund-raisers hope to get half of the half billion from what they call “megadonations” of $10 million to $20 million a pop.
Bush loyalists have already identified wealthy heiresses, Arab nations and captains of industry as potential “mega” donors and are pressing for a formal site announcement – now expected early in the new year.
“You can’t ask people in Dallas for $20 million until they can be sure the library won’t be in Waco,” one Bush source noted.
There’s something telling about this quote. Sounds like one day we’ll have two history books; real history and Bush’s History.
“It’s so much bigger than anything that’s been tried before. But the more you have, the more influence [on history] you can exert.”
Too bad that half billion couldn’t be raised to support libraries around the country that have been cutting hours and not buying new books due to budget cuts. Now that would be a legacy to be proud of.
Ummmm…that kid in the picture probably can’t read English and we know Bush can’t read (upside down book as proof).
Can we just dump the pensions for presidents, or at least cap the cost at $50k a year or so.
#32 – I would pay to see a high ranking Republican official make an honest effort to actually live on $50K a year… If Bush needed to do that, his head would explode.
Chris,
Clinton hasn’t been President for SIX YEARS…. Why you come home from Egypt, where you are bathing in denial, and come to terms with the fact that Dubya has an IQ of a houseplant! Get over it already! Are you going to blame Clinton for the Noahcian Deluge too? Realize that there are people in Texas who want to change the name to Tex, because the other part is in the White House, and is moving to Paraguay after he leaves office.
And the REAL reason for the high price of the Bush Library came out last year, I think in this teeny press release:
Fire Destroys Bush Presidential Library
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A tragic fire on Monday destroyed the personal library of President George W. Bush. Both of his books have been lost.
Presidential spokesman Tony Snow said the president was devastated, as he had not finished coloring the second one.
‘Nuff Said!
A Presidential administration generates masses amounts of documents that needs preservation for historical review. Certainly this can be done without a Greek Revival temple, but contractors and locals enjoy the employment. For years Truman kept regular hours at his library, and enjoyed answering the phone early in the morning announcing the boss was speaking.
#6, Conservatives were very outraged when the price of the Clinton Library was announced. I don’t recall any Democrats defending it. Although I concede that all happened a few years ago and some Democrat might have said something. Now here we have the worst President in history raising money from anonymous donors to the tune of three times of what Clinton raised. Why aren’t the same conservatives that were outraged with Clinton not shouting their shrill little voices in horror.
A piece of history. Truman was one of the very few non-rich to become President. As he had no money and few prospects when he left office, the Presidential pension was inaugurated on his behalf. The next non rich President was Ford, who compensated his pension with a very lucrative speaking tour.
BTW, in defense of the Bush picture.
I read an entire book this way a year ago. I was Santa and for the local Library’s children’s party, I read them a book. In order for them to see the pictures, I held the book upside down. As I had 15 minutes before hand to prepare, I knew the story. But trust me, reading even a children’s book upside down isn’t easy.
I will contribute my copy of ‘Fiasco’ ….
Put the Library in Iraq since its a freedom loving nation.
He can put his offices there as well since he stands 100% behind it being such a wonderful place.
Democrats were defending Clinton. But the real criticism wasn’t over the library it was over the million dollar office in Manhattan, which after the outcry moved to Harlem. I have a problem with both of these libraries not that they cost a lot, but what they are selling to get these donations. We know in Clinton’s case it was pardons.
42,
And how will Bush repay his cronies who give him almost THREE TIMES as much?
Everyone likes to talk about **fat cat** Republicans. Like to see a Republican live on 50,000.00 a year…blah, blah, blah. Next time you get a moment….look up whos rich and who’s not in Congress, and Governors. You might be a bit surprised. There aren’t any Senators going to starve from either party, and out of 435 members of the House…..most of them are sitting pretty good as well.
In fact…..someone who is far wealthier than Bush, is Nancy Pelosi….and she’s no fat cat Republican.
Politics, especially the higher levels of it, is a cash cow for those that were average when they got there and full of muti-millionaires……of both parties.
ok, I think we all can agree that $165 or $500 million is an insanely stupid amount to spend on a library for an idiot (Carter), a philanderer (Clinton), or the Great American Hitler (Bush). The money is spent merely to aggrandize one’s legacy and ego. But, as long as it’s not public money, I guess we can only complain.
I can’t wait for the Democrats to come back into office to save the world…
oh,and #34? That was by far, the stupidest answer I have ever heard. At no time in your ramblings did you even come close to anything considered a logical answer. Having read that we are all stupider. You are awarded no points, and may god have mercy on your soul
45
The problem is, it is public money. You know, the tax dollars that we all (except Omar) pay?
Actually, according to the article, though the building is run by the National Archives and Records Administration, the build costs must come from private donations.
I would argue that we don’t NEED Presidential Libraries run with public money, when we have a perfectly good National Archives in DC. If you want a Presidential Library somewhere else, pay for it all yourself, including day to day costs.
It’s a relatively new trend, and most of the “good” presidents don’t even have one (Hoover, but not Lincoln or Teddy Roosevelt !?!?!?).
I thought Bush was going to donate to Baylor or SMU?
How does he read that book upside down?
49 and others…. – How does he read that book upside down?
Bush has already admitted he doesn’t read. He’s as pedestrian a mind as there is. You stand a better shot of finding a world class intellectual mind at a Jeff Foxworthy book signing than in the Oval office…
However, that picture is a fake. He wasn’t holding the book upside down.
It is, however, easy to understand why one would believe it is real.