Luvdubya and dmd25: THANK YOU for posting the article/photos from today’s unveiling of the Bush Presidential Center — classy just like its namesake! I can’t wait to attend the ground-breaking ceremony.
FROM THE SAME NEWSPAPER TODAY:
BUSH FAMILY ACT LIGHTENS MEYERSON LITERACY FUNDRAISER
12:00 AM CST on Wednesday, November 18, 2009
By ALAN PEPPARD / / The Dallas Morning News
Barbara Bush might have had cause to reconsider the surprise guest she invited to appear at Monday night’s Celebration of Reading Dallas after he got a few laughs at her expense. When her No. 1 son, former President George W. Bush, was unexpectedly introduced, the crowd full of homers in the Meyerson Symphony Center stood and gave approving whoops.
Later, after several famous authors had read, George W. got up from his front-row seat next to his father, George H.W. Bush, to read from his forthcoming memoir.
“I am writing a book,” W. said. “This is going to come as a great surprise to some of our fellow citizens who live on both coasts.”
He said he had checked with his publisher, Crown, to get permission to read from the manuscript. “They said, ‘No way will you read from the book.’ I said, ‘I’ve got to. My mother said to read from the book.’ “
Instead, he began reading a parallel-universe version of his West Texas childhood, saying, “Mom was celebrating our new life in the desert by drinking bourbon ... straight bourbon ... right out of the bottle.”
He quickly added “Gotcha!” and folded his notes and sat down.
“Ha, ha, George, that’s very funny,” Mama Bush said sarcastically. She closed the evening by turning to her husband and telling the crowd, “The good George and I would like you to join us in the lobby for a light supper.”
TONGUE-TIED BAR
And yet, Bar got a few laughs of her own at her son’s expense. When introducing Houston newspaper fave Louise Bayless Parsley, Mrs. Bush stumbled repeatedly over the word “columnist.” After three aborted attempts, she surrendered and said, “Well, she writes columns.” Referring to her challenged elocution, she added, “Now you see where George W. gets it.”
Monday night’s proceeds topped $900,000 and will go to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and the Barbara Bush Texas Fund for Family Literacy.
WHO’S ON FIRST?
Protocol experts may wonder who gets precedence when both former presidents George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush are in the room. But it was no conundrum for 43. He did take the stage first at the Meyerson, but only to pave the way for Dad. He said, “Now it’s my honor to introduce the real President Bush.”
In a historical pairing not seen since President John Quincy Adams visited his father in Massachusetts, father and son presidents sat side by side on the front row of the Dallas symphony hall and listened to readings from David Baldacci, Jeffrey Engel, A.J. Jacobs and Parsley.
“I was looking for something to do tonight,” George W. explained. “I’d finished my time as a greeter at Elliott’s.”
This one includes Laura speaking as well as others involved in the planning: Laura Bush on Presidential Library Plans
This is a television report: Laura Bush Unveils Presidential Library Plan
Thank you, DrDeb! Love the Bush sense of humor—in each generation! :)
The Bushes are just a wonderful family! No wonder the libs hate them so much.
LOL! Love ya Dubya!!!
For ALL the pings and things You do... HUGS!