President-elect George W. Bush has not yet moved into the White House, but Baylor University in Waco and Southern Methodist University in Dallas are already competing to see who will land the second Bush presidential library in Texas.
Baylor began planning for the library in September, and university officials have written a letter of interest to send to Bush, school spokesman Larry Brumley said in a December 25 Associated Press report.
Southern Methodist entered the competition this month. SMU spokeswoman Patti LaSalle said in the December 25 Waco Herald-Tribune, “Any decision of this nature is going to be made on the merits of the institution and the location involved. We feel that we offer the best of both, and we will make a good-faith effort to bring the library here.”
First Lady-to-be Laura Bush graduated from SMU and serves on its board of trustees. Vice President–elect Dick Cheney served four years on the SMU board. Baylor gave George Bush an honorary doctorate in 1998 and named his wife an honorary alumna.
Posted January 1, 2001.