'DON'T TELL GEORGE I TOLD YOU...

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP99-00498R000100030133-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 12, 2007
• Sequence Number: 133
• Publication Date: May 9, 1976
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2007/06/14: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100030133-4
9 MAY 1976
uon t tell George- I tolcl
BY Kc1TRY LEWIS
Today Asst. Editor
Barbara Bush's favorite come-on
these days is "Don't tell George I told
}out but ...
would hope he'd be very, very quiet."
But Barbara Bush believes in choices
and says there's no question the
women's movement is one of the great
issues of this decade. "We think we have
come so far and yet when two great po-
.Tliat's a spoof on herself because "I.
16w?N0 secrets," she says firmly about
the new life the Bush family has lead
since George Bush became director of
the Central Intelligence Agency.
-;wants to make a couple. of things pc
Iitely clear. She's in town for one reason
-to see her-ii-day-old grandson. She's
talking to the press to help the Alley
on China. And the Bushes, absolutely,
are NOT in political life anymore, she
said.
* :'I find It hog heaven," she says of
theeir current nonpartisan status.
':George hardly even looks at the politi
cal pages anymore."
3ut there's one political question she
is happy to answer. "I'm glad you asked
that," she says of a question about re-
ports that Texas Republicans are still
mad at Sen. John Tower because he did-
n't give enough support through the
years to other Republicans candidates,
including George Bush.
"I'm glad you asked that because I do
not know of anybody who has backed
George Bush any more than John._
Tower. Now, this isn't exactly answer-
ing your question, but when George was.:,
given this job (CIA director), he was at--
tacked on all sides." She says she doesn't
know of anyone who supported her hus-
band more.
- - A d hat about during, Bush's 1970 litical women meet `Anne Armstrong
0 u 9 O Q
come home to T exas."
Barbara Bush, quite possibly, has see
the Great Wali in China more tints >
than any other An erican. She says it
there are 53 weeks in a year. then she.
,probably saw it 52 times. Ever` irne
a w "Yes, we were political and Mrs. Thatcher - the press describes
Senate race,
then:so we understood. He (Tower) did what they wore and the fact each still
N(' hat he could." back teases her hair."
She is asked about the changing role With that statement, Bush says she's
of'potitical wives and says the role is going to come off sounding very
' li d I' t "
b
A
n ALL no
.
changing, but she hasn't. "Now, I am women s
't
d
th
not political" she reminds, but says in
the:"old days" she was an appendage to
her husband's political career.
"I know my claim to fame is I am
George Bush's wife."
While she credits First Lady Betty
lord with changing things and says
Helen Jackson and Bethine Church and
Nancy Reagan go out on their own and
talk issues and Mrs. Wallace "certainly
has political ambitions," her own phi-
losophy is unchanged.
'If. I were elected to public office, I
would expect George to back me and be
envy her
ey
on
Someone says
husband and his CIA job. "Don't feel
sorry for him. He doesn't. This is the job
he really wants. It is just about the big-
gest job in the country right now." _
On the issue of her husband's future,
she is outspoken. "I'd like to see George
Bush left in this job. If anyone would_"
leave him in a job long enough ..."_
Since 1970, Bush has been ambassador--
to the United Nations, head of the
Republican National Committee, U.S.
envoy to the People's Republic to China
and director of the CIA- .
"This is something we could cap,Off:
u ..~,~ ~. -... .
arr ay nuagc... Cum office-and he did not agree with me .'I ? career with and then I want to ;
Approved For Release 2007/06/14: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100030133-4
STAT
 Approved For Release 2007/06/14: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100030133-4
though she didn't vet to know them. The seen scratching and clawing the win-
honesty. "It's extraordinary. But then, if doles, though he wasn't trying to escape:.
you're not honest you're done in. I walk- The next day the Chinese visited the-'
ed C. Fred (the cocker spaniel) every woman in the hospital and apologized,_-
night by myself because George Bush and told her, "We have tried this man,
likes competitive sports, not walking the found him sane and executed him."
dog. And I never worried." "The man was clearly crazy," she
they had houseguests, which is more Someone suggests that for their (the said.
often than you would think, she went. Chinese) way of life, their system is not Though she took "copious" notes, dur-;.
"George is always saying 'we have an so bad. Barbara Bush firmly disagrees, in- her 14 months in China, Barbara.-
extra sack' and so even in China we had "I see a lot wrong with it. There are Bush will not be writing a book. "I real
wall-to-wall guests." no choices of jobs, no choices of travel; ly do not Like kiss 'n tell books. The only:.
When she tells Americans about her no choice of what you read or think. You way there would be some interest is if,1L
China experiences she finds two things: and I wouldn't make it. We'd be dead." said some of the mean things ;. -w m..
They think they already know every- As an example of the time she came "And Lam not going, to-write the--
thing and if you say any nice things, -closest to seeing justice, Chinese style. same old diary everybody else has, I am-
they think you are a Communist. a -.she tells this story: A man hit a French . just not going to do that. I'm not going-
Barbara Bush has some positive lady on the head with a sickle..She drop- to cash in on the fact I'm Mrs. George -
things to say about China. The beauty of ped bleeding. The man jumped a fence -Bush. That's the only reason it would
ancient China: The charming people, and ran into an embassy..lle-could be':. sell.
Approved For Release 2007/06/14: CIA-RDP99-00498R000100030133-4