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Just In: “Celebration of Reading” Sets Dallas Date

SweetCharity just got word from our good literary friends that former first lady and mother Barbara Bush‘s “Celebration of Reading” has set the Dallas date for this year’s event — Monday, November 8.

Shall we set up a pool to bet on her landing her son as one of the authors? When is his book due out? Let’s also hope that he’ll behave himself this year.

Barbara Bush Provides A True Feast of Literacy Despite A MIA Author

Okay, let’s get the disappointing news over with now. Mary Tyler Moore got sick Friday and called to say she couldn’t make it to “A Celebration of Reading.” Yes, we know, we know. If it had been anyone else but Barbara Bush (pictured), it would have spelled absolute disaster. Like we said anyone but Barbara Bush. She wasn’t First Lady for nothing.

So, she pulled a rabbit out of her hat, or make that the Erma Bombeck of Texas — Louise Bayless Parsley. Haven’t heard of her? Well, check with the 1,000+ that attended the Monday night event. By the time this never-had-a journalism-course author had had her way with the Dallas book lovers, Mary’s absence was totally forgotten.

But let’s start at the beginning of the evening.

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Lincoln and White House Tidbits Revealed by Seale

Oh, dear, at first sight there was a bit of trepidation Thursday at the last lecture of this season’s Lee Park & Arlington Hall Conservancy talk series. Noted White House author/historian Dr. William Seale (pictured) for some reason reminded one of curmudgeonly Andy Rooney with his shock of white hair, slightly rumpled look, and his roundish face. But the moment he started to discuss the Lincoln era at the White House, it was obvious that he was a charming version of AR.

Within a half hour at Arlington Hall, he put The History Channel to shame. Not only was he full of tidbits that he had gleaned from years of research, but he was obviously a man who loved what he did. For instance during the Q&A, someone asked which president was his favorite. It was the only time that he showed any hesitation. It wasn’t due to his trying to pick, but rather he was trying to find the right words to say he found each one unique. In other words — no favorites!

Here is just a smattering of the factoids that he shared with the group: (more…)

Late President Ford to be Honored by Thanks-Giving Foundation Tonight

Tonight the Thanks-Giving Foundation will honor the late President Gerald R. Ford with the “2009 Spirit of Thanks-Giving Award.” Former first daughter Susan Ford Bales will accept the award on behalf of the Ford family at the annual dinner. 

According to the Thanks-Giving Foundation, “By rededicating America to the great tradition of gratitude instituted by George Washington and restored during the darkest hours of the Civil War by Abraham Lincoln, President Gerald R. Ford brought healing and unity to our Nation out of the pain and divisiveness of the 60′s and early 70′s. (more…)

Barbara Bush is Bringing the Boomers’ “Mary” to Dallas

Leave it to former First Lady Barbara Bush (pictured reading to children) to invite someone who really hits home with the baby boomers for her annual Celebration of Reading. She’s had many great authors in years past (Stephen Ambrose, Christopher Buckley, Antwone Fisher, John Grisham, Dan Jenkins, Tom Wolfe, and a slew of family), but the boomer set will be tossing their hats in the air when they hear that Mary Tyler Moore (Growing Up Again) (pictured) is going to be one of the incredible authors reading on the Meyerson stage on Monday, November 16. Besides Rhoda’s and Mr. Grant’s Mary,the matriarch of the Bush bunch has arranged for David Baldacci (True Blue), Jeffrey A. Engel (The China Diary of George H. W. Bush), A. J. Jacobs (The Year of Living Biblically), Julia Reed (The House on First Street), and “other surprise guests.” Did we mention that other first couple Laura and George Bush are the honorary chairs?

It all benefits The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and The Barbara Bush Texas Fund for Family Literacy. Their goal is a whopping $900,000 in one night!

ADMISSION: One of our favorite memories from a past read-athon was when the former President (Barbara’s husband George) sat on the side dangling his legs over the side of the stage risers. Perhaps this year the other former President Bush will join him in dangling.

Hate to tell you, but this one is a sell-out faster than a start at Texas Motor Speedway.  If you can’t get a ticket, don’t blame us. Also, be one of the smart ones and check the books out between now and then.

Committee Chairs Amanda and George P. Bush are joined by co-chairs Emy Lou and Jerry Baldridge, Julie and Louis Beecher, Paulett and Michael Eberhart, Sally and Forrest Hoglund, Caroline Rose Hunt, Joan and Elvis Mason, Margaret McDermott, Dee Ann and Marshall Payne, Jan and Trevor Rees-Jones, Mary and Bob Wright, and Dee and Charles Wyly.

Committee members are Kelly and Todd Abernathy, G. Bradley Alford, Cynthia and Louis Beecherl, Angela and Tim Berry, Sandra and Michael Brown, Linda and Bob Buford, Mary and Bill Ceverha, Rita and Bill Clements, Janet and Phil Cobb, Penny and David Cook, Janie and Paul Cooke, Millie and Ken Cooper, Jeanne and Berry Cox, Margaret Crow, Lee Cullum, Nancy and Jeremy Halbreich, Nancy Hamon, Nancy Ann and Ray Hunt, Carol and Butch Johnson, Gene and Jerry Jones, Merrie Ann and Frank King, Teresa and Luther King, Gail and Bill Madden, Kathy and Ross Mason, Betsy and Scott Matheson, Tracy and Jeff Matthews, Barbara and Fred Meyer, Elise and Burk Murchison, Gena and Chuck Norris, Alice and Erle Nye, Susan and Gene Palma, Jeanne Phillips, Jan and Bob Pickens, Deedie and Rusty Rose, Charles Simmons, Virginia and Ken Sloan, Fran and Tom Slone, Marianne and Roger Staubach, Catherine Taylor, Carolyn and Jere Thompson, Debbie and John Tolleson, Patty and Marty Weiland, Donnell and Phillip Wiggins, and Cheryl and Sam Wyly.

Don’t you just bet they’ll make their goal and then some?

Guest Notes from Record-Breaking Anderson Luncheon

There’s a reason why Allie Beth Allman broke all previous records with Friday’s Conversation with A Living Legend luncheon, much to the happiness of beneficiary M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. The girl knows how to sell, sell, sell. With former First Lady Laura Bush as the Legend and Cokie Roberts as the interviewer, Allie Beth sold out the Hilton Anatole’s Grand Ballroom. Heck, she probably could have held it at Cowboys Stadium and sold it out, too.

But to sweeten the event, Allie Beth clinched the deal with a surprise in the escort for the lady of the hour: none other than former President George W. Bush.  

Oh, but you read all that in our previous post. Let’s get down to the pre-conversation action: While the masses checked in at the reservation table, Candy and Jeff Peterson of Richardson stood away from the crowd while their beautiful, blonde five-year old daughter, Marit, looked angelic. You would have thought they were waiting to see NorthPark’s Santa. While many youngsters at that age either would be throwing temper tantrums or acting very precocious in such a public, grown-up environment, this one was perfect. In fact, everything about this trio was perfect. Little did anyone guess that this threesome had been through two separate battles for life. Marit had been diagnosed with the killer shark of skin cancer, melanoma, when she was 18 months old. A couple of years later, while Marit was being treated at M.D. Anderson, Candy learned that she herself had breast cancer. In the meantime, Jeff and the rest of the family took up the banner for fighting cancer by creating The Marit Peterson Fund for Melanoma Research at Anderson, which has raised nearly half a million dollars. Today, Marit is not only happily in remission (high-five M.D. Anderson’s Dr. Jeff Lee), but she was waiting with her folks (pictured)for a private meeting with the former First Lady before the luncheon began.

Once in the room the action included M.D. Anderson President/Dr. John Mendelsohn, who was looking  like Christmas had come early, reporting that this year’s luncheon had raised a record-breaking $918,000 thank to the likes of Andrews Distributing Co. (ah, sweet Lana and Barry Andrews), AT&T, and a slew of other sponsors.  . . .Unsung hero/husband Pierce Allman humbly stayed on the sidelines to let the day’s glories shower on Allie Beth. . . . Luncheon founder Lyda Hill took a bow for having created the unique luncheon 20 years ago. In her mind, she thought it would be a one-time event to raise funds for the work done at M.D Anderson. Now, 20 lunches later, there’s no end in sight. . . .With yellow roses in the centerpieces and throughout the room, one guest declared, “There isn’t a yellow rose left in Texas.” . . . Jenna Hager looked fresh despite a 4 a.m. call to work at Cowboys Stadium as a reporter for NBC’s Today show. . . .Former Bush White House associates Harriet Miers (ex-White House counsel), Ken Blassingame (he helped Laura redo the White House’s Green Room), Charity Wallace (Laura’s chief of staff), Mike Meese (W’s chief of staff nowadays), and others seemed to be having a class reunion. We’d name all the Secret Service members, but then they’d have to kill us and you. . . .M.D. Anderson’s Sarah Watson seamlessly coordinated the event with local fundraisers and Secret Service. She even managed to find a table for the photographers to have lunch. Oh, she’s a sly one and knows how to keep the stealth media powerhouses happy. . . .Yoga doyenne Louise Applebome discussed with tablemates the pros and cons of power yoga vs. traditional yoga. . . . A contingent of Allie Beth’s former TCU classmates were in awe of what their college chum had pulled off. . . .Gene Jones headed out ASAP to make final checks on her rumored black-tie party of the decade Saturday night at Cowboys Stadium. Did you hear that invitations were large see-thru bricks hand-delivered? Instructions advised guests that no cameras would be allowed and invitations could not be transferred. What have Gene and dotter Charlotte Anderson and that mischievous Steve Kemble been up to? After Friday’s lunch, it’s going to be interesting to see how Gene and Jerry beat the Bushes in the surprise department.

Living Legend Laura Bush Chats with 1,000+ and Brings W to Benefit M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

The 1,000+ who attended A Conversation with a Living Legend luncheon benefiting M.D. Anderson Cancer Center today at the Anatole made their mamas proud. No matter what happened, they handled it with finesse. The first test was taking their seats when told to. They did immediately.

The next came in the form of a surprise when Living Legend/former First Lady Laura Bush entered the ballroom escorted by none other than her live-in former president/always husband George W. The crowd immediately sprang to their feet applauding.

The third test was the singing of the national anthem. No one had to tell this very civilized crowd what to do. It was a sea of people standing with right hands over their hearts.

The final test came when the former president introduced his wife. Just his taking the podium created another flood of standing applause. Because W is known for being very considerate of timelines, he knew that the show could not be delayed by this outpouring. With a firm voice, he said, “Sit.” Just like a room full of Barneys and Miss Beazleys, they all sat. And, boy, were they rewarded!

GWB admitted that he was glad to “get out of the house. It sure beats taking naps on the couch and playing shuffleboard.”

Without a teleprompter in sight, he continued to say that when he and Laura returned to Dallas, they were especially touched by all the welcome home signs in area yards, “but we did get a little sign envy when we saw all the Allie Beth Allman signs in yards.” Then he introduced the “love of my life.”

Now for some highlights from the conversation between Laura and her interviewer/friend Cokie Roberts, who just happens to be an author and leading expert on First Ladies:

The backdrop for the stage was a rendition of the White House’s Green Room, which Laura refurbished in the summer of 2007.

• Cokie directed one of her first comments to Bush daughter Jenna Hager, who was in the audience, on her new job reporting for NBC’s Today Show. “Congratulations on starting a career in a dying business,” she said.
• Laura caught the guests up on her in-laws “George” and “Bar”, who had taped a congratulatory message played earlier. Yes, Papa/former president George H.W. Bush did another parachute jump on his 85^th birthday, much to Bar’s chagrin.
• Earlier this year, Bush Matriarch Bar had her heart valve replaced with a pig valve. “Bar’s been craving corn ever since then,” said Laura. Laughter from the crowd. “I stole that joke from President Bush.”
• One of Laura’s projects has been helping the women of Afghanistan in battling breast cancer. She graciously gave M.D. Anderson the credit for vigorously and successfully working in a society in which “80 percent of the women diagnosed die from breast cancer, and they seem to develop it earlier than most women.”
• Sen. Ted Kennedy’s recent death was especially poignant, since Laura was in his office when 9/11 occurred. She attributed Kennedy’s ability to handle the numerous tragedies in his life to knowing how to deal with the immediate situation: “He kept a continuous stream of small talk.”
• The National Book Festival that Laura launched on the National Mall in Washington just days before 9/11 now has an attendance of more than 100,000 people.
• It startled many when the “Prim Mrs. Bush” arrived in the White House briefing room (a first for a First Lady) and called for the overthrow of the Burmese government.
• In 1968, when Laura was a co-ed at SMU and dresses and loafers were the rule of the day, she and a girlfriend heard that the hippies hung out at Lee Park. So the gals put on jeans and moseyed on over to the park to discover nary a hippy anywhere. Instead, passerbys thought that the future First Lady and her pal were hippies.
• Laura’s memoir is scheduled to come out next May.
• Yes, the Bushes are going to the Cowboys game against the Giants Sunday.  
• With Gene Jones just a table or two away, Laura laughed that Cowboys Stadium is huge. “It makes our stadium [the Ballpark at Arlington] look like Little League.”

Prior to the luncheon, Laura met individually with members of the press and privately with children like Marit Peterson, who was diagnosed with melanoma when she was 18 months old. But more about that in a later post.

Must take a break. The keyboard is worn out from finger-pounding. More about the action among the guests and the total amount of $$ raised in the next post. Whew!