SMU, UD among Bush library finalists

[jtstang]

Are you suggesting he can't recant what he can't recall recanting?

I think he's just bitter about all things UT and spouts off without thinking, and I recall something similarly strong as you from him about UT getting the library. Don't really care where Dubya's bookmobile goes, but SMU is as good a place as any.

Hook 'em, adopted 'Horns!!

[SoCal_Pony]

Well I am a life-long Republican who has issues with W., although I still think he’s better than Gore or Kerry.

Question is this…can anyone envision circumstances (i.e. Iraq imploding) by which having ownership of the W. library would NOT be an asset to the holder, especially an educational institution.

What if this man leaves office as the most unpopular President in US history???

Just wondering…

[H-E-B Mustang]

I think we should wait and see how far up the food chain the indictments go. Will they make it to the Oval Office? Word is we should know soon.

[abezontar]

When it comes to the library who cares? 75 years from now all that people will know is that there is a presidential library on SMU's campus, if he is hated or loved all the better because people will remember him longer and he won't fade into the background of presidents like Grover Cleveland or James Garfield. History has a tendency to think all president's are great anyway, regardless of what really happened during their presidencies.

[mrydel]

I am not a Clinton fan at all, quite the opposite, but the library is a boon to Little Rock. It is not only doing much better than I expected, but better than the Clinton lovers had predicted. Good for the economy and good exposure. Love or hate Bush, you do want the library at SMU.

[SMU Football Blog]

Well I am a life-long Republican who has issues with W., although I still think he’s better than Gore or Kerry.

Question is this…can anyone envision circumstances (i.e. Iraq imploding) by which having ownership of the W. library would NOT be an asset to the holder, especially an educational institution.

What if this man leaves office as the most unpopular President in US history???

Just wondering…

Not an issue long term. The Hoover Presidential Library does pretty good and he was very unpopular when he left. The real issue is the facilities built on campus.

[EastStang]

Lyndon Johnson was pretty reviled when he left office, his library gets a lot of visitors in Austin. Nixon's library draws pretty big crowds because his library has all those juicy scandelous documents in it. The more scandel the bigger draw the library will be. I suspect Calvin Coolidge's library might be pretty interesting because the man said so few words as President. Like the old story about the woman who sat next to him at a state dinner. She said to President Coolidge, "I have a bet with my husband that I can get more than three words out of you." He replied, "You lose".

[jtstang]

I fear Dubya's bookshelf will be a potential terrorist target. Would rather SMU not be blown up.

[PonyFan]

Are you suggesting he can't recant what he can't recall recanting?

If I could wrap my brain around that, I'm sure it would make sense. Even without doing so, it's pretty damn funny.

What if this man leaves office as the most unpopular President in US history???

Just wondering…

I agree, I don't think it will matter, because W's cronies/advisors will get to decide what goes in there, right? The alleged "sealed driving" records from his pre-presidential party days will not be there. Nor will some editorial piece written in a random newspaper that bad-mouths him for his intelligence, policy, haircut or any other area for which a skeptic chooses to criticize him. I have to believe that the documents in the new bookmobile (great term, JT) will be those that tout him as a great leader, politician, etc., whether or not we agree with those assessments. Hopefully, the bulk of the bookmobile will be the "thinktank" (anti-W types: fill in your own punchline here) that he's mentioned. If it's set up with a real emphasis on higher learning and with the resources to attract top political and academic minds, then whatever school gets it will have a real asset. If it's nothing more than a GOP/GWB pep rally that's dressed up with the Dewey Decimal system, then it's a waste of space and time and money, and I hope it ends up at UTEP or Tech or some other place far enough away that it won't affect the traffic on the way to Ford Stadium, Westcott Field and Moody Coliseum.

[SoCal_Pony]

I suspect it will be an asset to SMU.

The one difference in W. versus these other Presidents though is the unconcealed disgust many in the media have for this man. I wonder if that will carry over to SMU if indeed we secure the library. As much as I dislike our media, I wouldn’t want to get on their bad side. Will we simply be the butt of a lot of jokes???

[mrydel]

Yeah. I bet the media will have a field day with "Bush" and the "death penalty" as subjects of discussion.

[friarwolf]

Tap the brakes fellas........ How many Presidential Libraries are there? And SMU has the opportunity to have one? And we are worried about the mean old media being ugly to us or that the library will be "scrubbed" so let's kick it to UTEP or somewhere??????? Come on. At its worst, this will be a great thing for our school.

[PonyFan]

I get comments from out-of-state friends (these are their comments, not mine) that suggest there will be jokes made about the name "GWB" and "library" in the same sentence. Just like there are jokes about the Clinton "library" and "Arkansas." There are those who oppose every candidate on each side of the political spectrum, and jokes will be made about any and all.

And I'm not too worried about the media -- how much good pub do they give SMU anyway?

[friarwolf]

Starting with our good "friends" at the Morning News. I am still pissed over how that shooting that occurred on Central last year was portrayed as "3 shot at SMU" - for 4 days straight on the front page as well as leading every newscast on channel 8.

[jtstang]

I get comments from out-of-state friends (these are their comments, not mine) that suggest there will be jokes made about the name "GWB" and "library" in the same sentence.

Understandable. Maybe it should be called the Laura Welch Bush First Lady Library.