Bush Team Disputes Memoir Release Date Moved Because of Midterms
Aides to former President George W. Bush reportedly dispute claims that the former president wanted to delay the release of his upcoming memoir so that it wouldn't interfere with the Republican Party's success in the midterm elections.
Citing unnamed sources close to Mr. Bush, the Financial Times reported yesterday that Mr. Bush resisted a September release date for his book. His memoir, "Decision Points," is slated for release on Nov. 9 -- a week after the midterms. The former president was reportedly concerned that putting his name in the headlines would hurt the GOP, which is expected to make gains this November.
Crown Publishing told the Financial Times that the decision to publish in November was entirely its own and that Mr. Bush's book would likely do better after the midterms.
David Sherzer, a spokesman for the former president, also told Politico that it was Crown's decision.
"It is not accurate to say that President Bush insisted on one date or another," he said. "This was always Crown's call to make."
While "Decision Points" will not be released until after the midterms, some Republicans are nevertheless worried about its impact, former Bush aide Matt Latimer wrote at the Daily Beast.
"As with any likely bestseller, the details of the book are certain to leak out earlier--meaning the Bush years could be re-litigated and re-explored during the final, pivotal weeks of the campaign," Latimer wrote. "'Monumentally bad timing' was the reaction of one former Bush aide who learned of the book release date. Another prominent conservative compared the Bushies' public-relations savvy to LeBron James. 'Selfish and stupid' was another noted right-wing columnist's reaction."
However the book may impact the elections, Democrats have indeed started to portray the midterms as a choice between Democratic policies and a return to Bush policies.
