Bush Library

[jtk1519]

The selection committee officially eliminated the "West Texas" proposal put forth by Texas Tech, but I don't think that is that big of a surprise. The final three are SMU, Baylor and the University of Dallas.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/031706dntexbushlibrary.1bbdb169.html

I think SMU is way ahead of the pack not just because Mrs. Bush is an SMU alumnus or because she is a member of the board of trustees, but because their plan for the library is incredibly impressive, high profile and unique.

In an aggressive bid to win the Bush presidential library, SMU envisions a complex of buildings that could include a high-tech museum and archives, a public policy institute, a conference center and offices, all aimed at raising the school's national profile and making it a prime destination for scholars and tourists.

A spokesman for the National Archives in Washington confirmed that Southern Methodist University retained Hillier Architecture of Princeton, N.J., to prepare a conceptual master plan for the coveted project, tentatively plotted in the southeastern quadrant of the campus, bounded roughly by Airline Road, North Central Expressway and SMU Boulevard.

http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/news/nation/stories/DN-bushsmu_12tex.ART.North.Edition2.3e86928.html

[drgnbkr]

I think once all the dust of the whacked out liberals like Kennedy, Dean and their friends at the NY Times, CBS, etc settles, W will be seen as one of our greatest Presidents....

[Firebird]

I am pretty offended that Bush rejected Lubbock... after all, he did get his political start in Midland. Plus, it would have been vastly entertaining to make all the egghead shcolars travel to Lubbock for his papers.

I actually think that SMU will not land it. Bush has already done a big center for them for his wife, I think he will spread some love around.

My money is on Baylor. Baptists are BIG Bushies, and Baylor is still a strongly religious school, unlike SMU. Plus, it is close to his ranch in Crawford so that he can stop by for visits when he wants. (His dad actually keeps a small apartment attached to the Bush School at Texas A&M.)

Last place would be University of Dallas. At one time, UD was THE epicenter for conservative scholarship in the USA, but its star has faded a bit. It is still a great school though.

[jtk1519]

My money is on Baylor. Baptists are BIG Bushies, and Baylor is still a strongly religious school, unlike SMU. Plus, it is close to his ranch in Crawford so that he can stop by for visits when he wants. (His dad actually keeps a small apartment attached to the Bush School at Texas A&M.)

The Bushes (W and Laura) have a home in Dallas... Highland Park I believe. The Ranch is their vacation home if you will. They have already said that they will be based out of their primary home in Dallas when his presidency is over.

Aside from the fact that SMU is regarded as a much more prestigious academic institution, I get the feeling that W is the kind of guy that would love to have is library in such a high profile location as Mockingbird and the Central Expressway. Just a hunch.

[Firebird]

Of course Bush IS a Methodist, so SMU has that going for them too. I'm still laying my money on Baylor, mostly becuase Laura already has a building at SMU.