G. W. Bush and $100 Million

I learned today that President George W Bush has raised $100 million for a President George W Bush heritage fund. This is not the library fund. This funds will be used mainly to tell the Bush presidential story. In other words, the funds will be used to fund scholars, speakers, articles, events and projects that are focused upon putting Bush in a positive light.

The supporters of Ronald Reagan put together a similar fund to promote the view that Reagan walked on water. His failings have been minimized and his accomplishments magnified and added to. The assumption is that history's judgment in 75 years will be heavily colored by the dominant interpretation that takes place in the first 15 years. When Reagan left office he was viewed highly and in the top third, but not in the top 8. Partly due to the work of Reagan's fund, twenty years later, he is viewed by many conservatives in the top five and in the country at large around 7th or 8th.

Bush's supporters will have a greater challenge than Reagan who is viewed as one of the ten worst Presidents the country has had, and one of the two worst in the last hundred years. A great deal of revisionist work will have to be done to move him in the middle of the pack. I hope money going into subtle marketing efforts does not color how Bush is judged in 15 to 25 years from now.