Great news! Barbara Bush has a book in the works. Supposed to be quite spicey.
Never mind the blockbuster autobiography by that other former first lady. We hear Barbara Bush's latest is so hot that her publisher's in-house libel lawyers are asking her to tone it down. Which makes us wonder which of the famously frank author's least favorite people should be assuming a defensive crouch or purchasing a Kevlar vest.
"Reflections," Bush's memoir of the eight years between her husband's and son's presidencies, is being published Oct. 14 by Lisa Drew/Scribner. We hear that the recently completed manuscript -- every word written by the 77-year-old wife of George Bush the elder -- contains nearly a dozen passages that have caused the lawyers heartburn. In a couple of instances, we're told, the author has agreed to changes, but in most cases, she's sticking to her guns.
Yesterday we surveyed several Bush family friends to get an idea of which people might be the best-selling author's juiciest targets. The speculation includes cartoonist Garry Trudeau and New York Times pundit Maureen Dowd[Can't wait to read what Barbara has to say about the dowd!] (relentless critics of the current President Bush), 1980 Bush campaign speechwriter turned Bill Clinton aide David Gergen, Democrat Ann Richards and independent candidate Ross Perot ("that woman" and "that horrid little man," respectively, in the Barbara Bush lexicon) and Republicans Patrick Buchanan, Steve Forbes and John McCain, who drew Bush blood in various political campaigns. WashPost
Isn't blubba's book due out around the same time?
Gag alert: x42 gave a commencement speech at some fancy private school in Boston yesterday; more Bush bashing and rehashing of the same old "world is becoming more interdependent" theme, story here.