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| For Bush, a Day to Bask in Texas Sun | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| UNIVERSITY PARK, Tex. — Standing in front of the magisterial brick-and-limestone George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on Thursday, Bill Clinton summed up the day with a knowing smile. “I told President Obama,” he said, “that this was the latest, grandest example of the eternal struggle of former presidents to rewrite history.” | UNIVERSITY PARK, Tex. — Standing in front of the magisterial brick-and-limestone George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum on Thursday, Bill Clinton summed up the day with a knowing smile. “I told President Obama,” he said, “that this was the latest, grandest example of the eternal struggle of former presidents to rewrite history.” |
| All five veterans of the Oval Office onstage could relate to that: If every memoirist is the star of his own story, every president is the hero of his own library. | All five veterans of the Oval Office onstage could relate to that: If every memoirist is the star of his own story, every president is the hero of his own library. |
| So the protagonist who emerged as Mr. Bush’s library was formally dedicated on Thursday was a resolute leader who protected the nation after Sept. 11, 2001, raised education standards, pushed to overhaul the immigration system and brought peace to the war-torn nation of Sudan. His peers highlighted his AIDS-fighting program, which is credited with saving millions of lives in Africa. | So the protagonist who emerged as Mr. Bush’s library was formally dedicated on Thursday was a resolute leader who protected the nation after Sept. 11, 2001, raised education standards, pushed to overhaul the immigration system and brought peace to the war-torn nation of Sudan. His peers highlighted his AIDS-fighting program, which is credited with saving millions of lives in Africa. |
| The words Iraq and Afghanistan, however, never passed Mr. Bush’s lips, or those of the four other presidents who spoke. | The words Iraq and Afghanistan, however, never passed Mr. Bush’s lips, or those of the four other presidents who spoke. |
| They alluded to the American wars there by praising Mr. Bush’s deep concern for wounded soldiers and the families of those killed in combat, but put aside for a day the arguments over how the wars were conducted, why they were waged and what they accomplished. | They alluded to the American wars there by praising Mr. Bush’s deep concern for wounded soldiers and the families of those killed in combat, but put aside for a day the arguments over how the wars were conducted, why they were waged and what they accomplished. |
| “One of the benefits of freedom is that people can disagree,” Mr. Bush told a crowd of thousands on a bright Texas day. “It’s fair to say I created plenty of opportunities to exercise that right. But when future generations come to this library and study this administration, they’re going to find out that we stayed true to our convictions.” | “One of the benefits of freedom is that people can disagree,” Mr. Bush told a crowd of thousands on a bright Texas day. “It’s fair to say I created plenty of opportunities to exercise that right. But when future generations come to this library and study this administration, they’re going to find out that we stayed true to our convictions.” |
| For Mr. Bush, 66, who has spent the past four years listening in silence as his successor has faulted his leadership, this was an emotional day. Bathed in the admiration of a friendly crowd and enjoying a modest resurgence of public appreciation in recent surveys, he choked up as he finished speaking and wiped tears from his eyes after sitting down. | |
| While critics have fumed about what they called the whitewashing of his record in the media blitz leading up to the library dedication, many Americans have been reminded about aspects of Mr. Bush they once liked. Advisers said they hoped the moment would help history draw a fuller picture. | While critics have fumed about what they called the whitewashing of his record in the media blitz leading up to the library dedication, many Americans have been reminded about aspects of Mr. Bush they once liked. Advisers said they hoped the moment would help history draw a fuller picture. |
| “It’s never been about presenting him,” said Nicolle Wallace, who worked on Mr. Bush’s re-election campaign and in the White House. “It’s been about revealing him.” | “It’s never been about presenting him,” said Nicolle Wallace, who worked on Mr. Bush’s re-election campaign and in the White House. “It’s been about revealing him.” |
| The $250 million library, on the campus of Southern Methodist University, reframes many elements of the Bush presidency, domestic, economic and foreign, as part of his “freedom agenda,” linking together sometimes disparate policies in a single narrative thread. | The $250 million library, on the campus of Southern Methodist University, reframes many elements of the Bush presidency, domestic, economic and foreign, as part of his “freedom agenda,” linking together sometimes disparate policies in a single narrative thread. |
| “In democracy, the purpose of public office is not to fulfill personal ambition,” Mr. Bush said. “Elected officials must serve a cause greater than themselves. The political winds blow left and right, polls rise and fall, supporters come and go. But in the end leaders are defined by the convictions that they hold. And my deepest conviction, the guiding principle of the administration, is that the United States of America must strive to expand the reach of freedom.” | |
| Jimmy Carter, Mr. Bush’s father and Mr. Clinton have opened their own libraries, likewise shaping their histories as they preferred. Mr. Obama can be expected to do the same soon enough. On this day, they collectively wrapped their arms around a fellow member of the club. | Jimmy Carter, Mr. Bush’s father and Mr. Clinton have opened their own libraries, likewise shaping their histories as they preferred. Mr. Obama can be expected to do the same soon enough. On this day, they collectively wrapped their arms around a fellow member of the club. |
| “We know President Bush the man,” Mr. Obama said. “To know the man is to like the man. Because he’s comfortable in his own skin. He knows who he is. He doesn’t put on any pretenses. He takes his job seriously, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He is a good man.” | “We know President Bush the man,” Mr. Obama said. “To know the man is to like the man. Because he’s comfortable in his own skin. He knows who he is. He doesn’t put on any pretenses. He takes his job seriously, but he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He is a good man.” |
| Mr. Obama, whose first presidential campaign was built on opposition to the Iraq war, praised Mr. Bush for his bullhorn-in-the-rubble fortitude after Sept. 11 and said his predecessor fought for what he thought was best for his country. He linked his own effort to overhaul the immigration system to Mr. Bush’s. | |
| “If we do that, it will be in large part thanks to the hard work of President George W. Bush,” Mr. Obama said. | |
| Mr. Clinton, who has become close to the Bush family, offered warm words and recounted how he and Mr. Bush used to talk politics while his successor was in office. Referring to the library behind him, he joked, “Dear God, I hope there’s no record of those conversations in this vast and beautiful building.” Hillary Rodham Clinton, sitting onstage with the other presidents and first ladies, laughed robustly. | Mr. Clinton, who has become close to the Bush family, offered warm words and recounted how he and Mr. Bush used to talk politics while his successor was in office. Referring to the library behind him, he joked, “Dear God, I hope there’s no record of those conversations in this vast and beautiful building.” Hillary Rodham Clinton, sitting onstage with the other presidents and first ladies, laughed robustly. |
| Mr. Carter, one of the fiercest critics of the Iraq war, talked about how Mr. Bush ended war in Sudan and helped Africa. “I’m filled with admiration for you and deep gratitude for you about the contributions you’ve made to the most needy people on earth,” he told Mr. Bush. | Mr. Carter, one of the fiercest critics of the Iraq war, talked about how Mr. Bush ended war in Sudan and helped Africa. “I’m filled with admiration for you and deep gratitude for you about the contributions you’ve made to the most needy people on earth,” he told Mr. Bush. |
| The event was a public re-emergence for Mr. Bush’s father, who spent weeks in a hospital last winter and at one point appeared close to death. Now in a wheelchair because he has a form of Parkinson’s disease, Mr. Bush, 88, said only a few words, thanking those who made his son’s library. “It’s very special for Barbara and me,” he said. | The event was a public re-emergence for Mr. Bush’s father, who spent weeks in a hospital last winter and at one point appeared close to death. Now in a wheelchair because he has a form of Parkinson’s disease, Mr. Bush, 88, said only a few words, thanking those who made his son’s library. “It’s very special for Barbara and me,” he said. |
| The crowd stood in ovation. In a poignant moment, the former president — with the help of his son and Barbara Bush — lifted himself to his feet for a few moments in acknowledgment. | The crowd stood in ovation. In a poignant moment, the former president — with the help of his son and Barbara Bush — lifted himself to his feet for a few moments in acknowledgment. |
| Also on hand was former Vice President Dick Cheney, who appeared revitalized after having a heart transplant last year. Wearing a cowboy hat, Mr. Cheney was introduced along with members of presidential families, but he had no speaking role. | Also on hand was former Vice President Dick Cheney, who appeared revitalized after having a heart transplant last year. Wearing a cowboy hat, Mr. Cheney was introduced along with members of presidential families, but he had no speaking role. |
| Mr. Cheney makes only cameo appearances in the museum exhibits, and in an interview broadcast this week, the younger Mr. Bush described their relationship as “cordial” — a word that left the impression that the two were not close because of their fight in the waning days of the administration over a pardon for the vice president’s former chief of staff. | Mr. Cheney makes only cameo appearances in the museum exhibits, and in an interview broadcast this week, the younger Mr. Bush described their relationship as “cordial” — a word that left the impression that the two were not close because of their fight in the waning days of the administration over a pardon for the vice president’s former chief of staff. |
| Perhaps to refute that, Mr. Bush offered warm words for Mr. Cheney from the stage. “He served with loyalty, principle and strength,” Mr. Bush said. “I’m proud to call you friend.” | Perhaps to refute that, Mr. Bush offered warm words for Mr. Cheney from the stage. “He served with loyalty, principle and strength,” Mr. Bush said. “I’m proud to call you friend.” |