Extreme Makeover
Oct 15 2008 See Archive
The Audacity of Hype
The Conventions, On Cue
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A Small Step Forward
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Abstinence at the Orgy
Feb 23 200912:00 am EDT
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Jon Marder, one of the legends of public relations in New York publishing, also advocates the less-is-more philosophy: “All celebrities know that if you’re out of the day-to-day fray, you become more sought after. You have to make them miss you.” Marder notes that before Nixon began his book-writing career, he took plenty of time off.
Karen Hughes, one of Bush’s first imagemakers, who now works for Burson as an executive at Burson-Marsteller, pushes the let-the-library-tell-all strategy: “His library is a natural venue for him to continue to promote and advance policies he cares about. He cares passionately about expanding freedom and opportunity to more people.”
Now, here’s my take. For the next couple of years, Bush has to raise between $200 million and $400 million for his presidential library at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. The imposing edifice will be designed by architect Robert A.M. Stern. The museum, archive, and think tank can be used to promote global democracy and other goals Bush is interested in.
But I have the perfect job for ex-president Bush: Major League Baseball commissioner. Bush was a talented owner of the Texas Rangers, and baseball has been his passion as much as politics. The current commissioner, Bud Selig, who has been in the job for 10 years, is leaving in 2012. That makes for a pretty great opening for Bush.
After William Howard Taft was president, he was appointed chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. He told friends that it was his favorite job, the high point of his career. He allegedly remarked, “I don’t remember that I ever was president.”
As the commissioner of Major League Baseball, Bush might be so happy that he would feel the same way—and it might be the best thing for his tarnished legacy. Okay, maybe it would cement him in the public’s mind as someone more interested in his daily workout than in the plight of the American worker. But he’d be happier, and the task of repairing his public image is largely out of his hands anyway. Besides, being remembered as the leader of our national pastime is better than being remembered as the man who stood in front of that MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner.
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