After the post on naming of a school after Obama I thought this was interesting.


Appears to be no rush to name things after Bush

So far, the current President Bush has an elementary school, a Waco-area road and highways in Ghana and Georgia, the country, not the state. Time will tell what else will bear the name of a president who, according to a recent CNN/Opinion Research poll, is less popular now than Richard Nixon was when he resigned.

By Ken Herman

Cox News Service

WASHINGTON — The first President Bush has an aircraft carrier, an airport in Houston, a turnpike north of Dallas and the George Bush Center for Intelligence (the CIA headquarters in Langley, Va.).

Lincoln has a tunnel. Washington has a bridge and a state. Hoover has a dam. Madison has a Square Garden.

And Ronald Reagan has nearly 100 things honoring him, including a ballistic-missile test site, a New Hampshire mountain and a bust at an Alabama McDonald's.

So far, the current President Bush has an elementary school, a Waco-area road and highways in Ghana and Georgia, the country, not the state.

Time will tell what else will bear the name of a president who, according to a recent CNN/Opinion Research poll, is less popular now than Richard Nixon was when he resigned. Know of much named for Nixon?

The most recent effort to name something for Bush was not meant as a tribute. Bush foes in California wanted to change the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. Sixty-nine percent of voters gave it a thumbs down Nov. 4, killing the idea.

Efforts to put his name on the airport and a road in New Haven, Conn. — Bush's birthplace — died in the state's Legislature.

Legacy goal

The reigning champion of getting things named for a president said Bush is a tough sell. Grover Norquist heads the Ronald Reagan Legacy Project, whose goal is to get something named for Reagan in each state, every county and every formerly communist country.

So far, there are 95 dedications to Reagan, including things in 26 states and nine foreign countries.

"The most likely things for Bush will be done in Texas, just as there are more things named for Jimmy Carter in Georgia than in other states and more things named after Truman in Missouri," Norquist said. "States are proud of their presidents."

Correct, said Allison Castle, spokeswoman for Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

"Much like Texas has done for former President George H.W. Bush, Governor Perry believes Texas will find similar ways to honor President George W. Bush," she said, offering no specifics.

No insult

Jay Greene, who studies such things, said Bush should not be insulted if there is not a wave of schools named for him. Last year, Greene, a University of Arkansas education professor, did a study concluding it is "increasingly rare for public schools to be named after presidents" or anybody.

Instead, he said, school officials pick "names that sound like day spas or herbal teas."

School officials in Stockton, Calif., opted against that sort of thing when George W. Bush Elementary School opened.

In October 2006, Bush went to the school to acknowledge the honor.

"When I pulled in the parking lot and I saw George W. Bush Elementary, I couldn't think of a higher tribute to a person and I thank you all and the citizens of this community for this honor and tribute," Bush said at the time. "Frankly, I was a little emotional when I pulled in."

He will have a chance at a seagoing honor. The Navy has 20 warships named for presidents. In 2006, President Bush presided at the christening ceremony for the aircraft carrier named for his dad.

"I know you join me in saying to our father: President Bush, your ship has come in," the younger Bush said, adding later of the ship, "She is unrelenting. She is unshakable. She is unyielding. She is unstoppable. As a matter of fact, probably should have been named the Barbara Bush."

And people are upset that ONE school may be named after Obama?!

But Bush is slang.... and supposedly a protector right? Most of us ladies must think we can do without it, for we trim it and shave it off....

Humm here in Michigan we have a road called Big Beaver.

Wouldn't that be a great location for a school named after Bush?

Isn't there a city named Hell in MI? I think that is a great location....

George was first president. (a first! Yea!) this is why they name streets and such after him.

Lincoln was President and righted a wrong. This is a reason to name streets after him.

Obama will be first black president (a first! Yea!). Being first many things will bear his name... Would anyone of us deny him that fame?

Hell Michigan is a small town in the south eastern part of the state.

It's sort of a cool little town with a bar on the river called the Dam Bar that makes great steaks.

We also have a town in the U.P. ( that's upper peninsula for those not familiar with the geography MI is made of two peninsulas) called Paradise.

There's a man who makes the papers here for his yearly walk for several hundred miles from Paradise to Hell.

A bunch of our schools have President's names.

I can't remember them all. There's Washington University and Roosevelt and Cleveland High Schools and Garfield elementary.

Rats, wish I could remember more of them.