ALUMNI NEWS - Politico

Inspired by the White House term for the President's blue podium, the Bush Center'sBlue Goose is the insider update designed for you.ALUMNI NEWSJust Announced: Bush-Cheney Alumni Reunion in April 2016

Mark your calendars - the next Bush-Cheney Alumni Reunion is taking place April15-16, 2016, in Dallas, Texas. President George W. Bush announced the reunionyesterday before a crowd of nearly 500 alumni in Washington, D.C.The reunion will include all-access tours of the George W. Bush Presidential Center,a special dinner with President and Mrs. Bush, and of course, plenty of time to catchup with fellow alumni and their families.Stay tuned for more details in the coming months. We look forward to seeing you allthere!Margaret Spellings Named President of University of North Carolina SystemOn October 23, Margaret Spellings was named President of the University of NorthCarolina System, effective March 1, 2016. Thanks to her dedication and work, theBush Center is on course for success today and into the future, and the students ofthe University of North Carolina system are lucky to be getting such a fearlessleader. President Bush had this to say upon her announcement:Laura and I congratulate our dear friendMargaret Spellings on her unanimous electionas President of the University of North CarolinaSystem. Margaret is a strong leader, a rolemodel, and a tireless champion for America'sstudents. She has been among my most trustedconfidants for nearly 20 years, including as mychief domestic policy advisor at the White Houseand as our Nation's eighth Secretary ofEducation. She has done a spectacular job herein Dallas as President of the George W. BushPresidential Center, and our loss is the UNCSystem's gain. Laura and I, along with everyoneat the Bush Center, are deeply grateful for herenergy, smarts, and good humor. We will missher and we wish her the very best when sheheads to Chapel Hill next March.Five Questions with Karl Rove

Last week, Karl Rove stopped by the Bush Center -- taking a break from his busyschedule as a FOX News commentator, Wall Street Journal columnist, AmericanCrossroads senior advisor, and author -- to participate on a panel at our annualPresident's Council gathering. While he was here, we got a few minutes of his timefor "Five Questions" with Karl Rove.What has been the biggest change in campaign management since PresidentBush's races?The ability to access large streams of data on which to make decisions has grown. Iremember how difficult it was for us to collect the data that we wanted in the 2004 reelection; it involved a lot of hands. Now data can be plopped out of a database andall kinds of interesting connections made.We would labor hard in 2004, and in 2000 as well, to make certain that we had theright kind of volunteers talking with the right kind of target voters. Now, the ability tomap people's social networks and to micro-target volunteers and donors, as well asvoters, and match them up accordingly is pretty powerful and easier to do.How has the speed of today's social and digital-media driven landscapechanged campaigns?

I think it's speeding up the campaigns and democratizing them. We're going back to1802. Now we have a large number of newspapers around the country, only we don'tcall them newspapers. We call them Twitter feeds, or Snapchat, or Facebook. Theyallow you to communicate a message to a large number of people and to influencethe public dialogue in a pretty profound way.What is your fondest memory from your time working with President Bush?Seeing him in action on 9/11 was powerful. And seeing him in New York on 9/14.One of the great joys of working at the White House was seeing him handle the greatchallenges that the world threw his way.But I think that my fondest memory would be the next time we're together.What do you miss most about serving in the White House?My friends. In an environment like that, you grow very close to the people you workwith and the ability to interact with them every day, is deeply rewarding.When you don't get to walk into the Mess and make fun of Jim Towey or you don'tget to be in a meeting with Margaret Spellings or Josh Bolten and marvel at thecaste of their minds. It was a great experience and that's what I miss the most.What's the best book you've read lately?I have spent most of my time lately in dusty archives and an enormous growinglibrary of out-of-print books about the Gilded Age for my own new book, so that'swhere most of my reading has been. I'm reading now a wonderful volume by JosephEllis calledRevolutionary Summer, on a critical period in 1776.I also finished a little book called The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, which is about aReformation banker named Jacob Fugger. I enjoyed that one. And I'm about to reada brand-new book coming out on the marriage of Lyndon and Lady Bird, Lady Birdand Lyndon: The Hidden Story of a Marriage that made a President. It's from LadyBird's perspective, and it looks pretty good.Bonus Question: Do you still compete with President Bush for who reads themost?I've read more, I don't care what he says! I have the trophy to prove it.Rove will return to the Bush Center on December 14 to discuss his newest book The

Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters at a specialEngage at the Bush Center event. Tickets including a signed copy of the book areavailable for the event.Alumni NotesCongratulations to Annie Presley (Campaign), who recently published her secondbook with co-author Christy Howard. Their first book, Read This. When I'mDeadhas been followed by Read This. On Our Anniversary. . Cheers to RichardLim(DoL, EOP) who recently authored "Innovation and Invention: Equipping theArmy for Current and Future Conflicts" for National Security Watch, a series from theAssociation of the United States Army (AUSA).We want to hear about all of the exciting things Bush-Cheney Alumni are doing.Please keep us updated at alumni@bushcenter.org.BEHIND-THE-SCENES FROM THE BUSH INSTITUTEBush Institute Launching North America Competitiveness InitiativeNext week, the Bush Institute will formally launch our North AmericaCompetitiveness Scorecard, comparing the competitive positions of the U.S.,Canada, and Mexico in the global economy. The Scorecard -- a project of ourEconomic Growth program -- benchmarks North America's performance ininternational rankings on issues like business climate, innovation, openness to trade,and good governance against the performance of other major countries and tradegroupings.President Bush will deliver remarks at the official Scorecard unveiling, taking place atthe Bush Institute. Other Bush-Cheney Alumni participating in the day's programinclude former U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Wilkins and former U.S.Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza. You can watch the livestream on Wednesday,November 4 at www.bushcenter.org.Women's Initiative Fellows and Mentors Meet in Prague

Last week, the Bush Institute's 2015 Women's Initiative Fellows and their mentorstraveled to Prague for four days of networking and leadership training. TheFellowship, which is designed to enhance the leadership skills of women around theworld with a 2015 focus on women in Tunisia, includes coursework, hands-on skilldevelopment, sharing of best-practice models, mentor support, and network-building.Among this year's mentors are Bush-Cheney Alumni Ann-RobinAnthony(Campaign, PIC) and Jenifer Sarver (DoC).The trainings are hosted at the CEELI Institute which works to develop aninternational, professional community of reformers committed to the rule of law.Through two of their programs offered in Tunisia, the CEELI Institute seeks to trainjudges in judicial integrity and human rights as well as support and train for the newlyestablished Tunisian Anti-Corruption Agency.HAPPENING AT THE BUSH CENTERHolidays at the Bush Center 2015

On November 19, we're excited to usher in the season with Holidays at the BushCenter 2015. This year's holiday festivities will include seasonal specials fromtheMuseum Store and Café 43, exciting programs for children (and the young atheart!) in the Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Oval Office photos with Santaat select holiday events, and a new special exhibit -- A Season of Stories: Christmasat the White House 2003.If you'll be in DFW for the holidays, we'd love to welcome you. Bush-Cheney Alumnireceive two complimentary tickets to the Bush Presidential Library and Museumevery year -- request yours today!Engage at the Bush CenterThe Bush Center is excited to add Bush-Cheney Alumnus Karl Rove to the fall/winterEngage at the Bush Center line-up. Rove will join us on Monday, December 14 todiscuss his newest book The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896Still Matters. Tickets for this event include a signed copy of the book and are 30 forBush Center Members; 45 for Non-Members.Rove joins a number of Bush-Cheney Alumni on the Engage calendar this fall,including Lea Berman, Ben Bernanke, Anita McBride, and Amy Zantzinger.

Visitwww.bushcenter.org/engage to see the full calendar and purchase your ticketstoday!ICYMI: President Bush will participate in the November 8 Engage Event withauthor Jon Meacham, to discuss a man they both admire: President George H. W.Bush. Reserve your tickets before they sell out!IN THE NEWSGeorge W. Bush: Better Health Care in Africa Must Go Beyond HIVOctober 8 TIME

Winning Bush Warrior Open 'means everything,' says retired FW MarineSeptember 30 Dallas Morning NewsBIRTHDAYSAs a reminder, birthdays listed here must be submitted by you in order to beincluded!Liz Dougherty (EOP) on November 1; William Haldeman (EOP, DoS) onNovember 2; Matt Kirk (EOP) on November 6; Jo-Anne Prokopowicz Sears (DoS)on November 6; Dee Dee Benkie on November 9; Sean Redmond (DOL,Campaign) on November 9; Kevin Sullivan (DoEd, EOP) on November 9; MistyMarshall (EOP) on November 10; Grant Lebens (DOL, DoEd) on November11; Erin Shaw Stinner(CFTC, EOP) on November 15; Gordon Whiting (FRTIB) onNovember 17; Hanna Skandera (DoEd) on November 18; Ivette Diaz (EOP) onNovember 19; Mary Kay Mantho (HHS) on November 19; TommyThompson (HHS) on November 19; Jay Lefkowitz (DoS, EOP) on November20; Missy DeCamp (EOP) on November 22;Melissa Pardue (HHS, EOP) onNovember 23; Suzy DeFrancis (HHS, EOP) on November 24; ChristineIsett (DoEd) on November 25; Brian McCormack (EOP, DoD) on November27; Tom Barker (HHS) on November 28; Margaret Spellings(EOP, DoEd, BushCenter) on November 30

Questions or comments? Send them to alumni@bushcenter.org.

The Bush Center is excited to add Bush-Cheney Alumnus Karl Rove to the fall/winter Engage at the Bush Center line-up. Rove will join us on Monday, December 14 to discuss his newest book The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters. Tickets for this event include a signed copy of the book and are 30 for