George H. W. Bush Papers

This series consists of correspondence and speech materials documenting George H. W. Bush's tenure as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Several files in the Subject Files date to 1978 when Bush was commenting on Congressional action relevant to the CIA after he had stepped down from his post to return to private life. The series is divided into three subseries: Correspondence Files, Events and Appearances Files, and Subject Files.

The Correspondence Files subseries contains letters sent and received by George Bush from 1975 to 1977. The series also contains notes, cards, and telegrams from the same period. The correspondence includes congratulatory letters upon Bush's appointment as director of the Central Intelligence Agency by President Gerald R. Ford, as well as letters of support after Bush announced his plans to resign from the agency following President Ford's defeat in the 1976 presidential elections by James Earl Carter. The files also include personal correspondence files maintained by Bush during his tenure as CIA director. This personal correspondence is mostly routine in nature. It includes many letters from Bush's friends and acquaintances across the nation, especially Texas. Several letters address Bush's intelligence briefings for Carter during the 1976 presidential campaign. Other outgoing letters from Bush inform friends, acquaintances, and the general public about his general attitudes regarding the CIA, his pledge to forego politics during his CIA tenure, and his plans for returning to private life at the end of the Ford administration. Invitations accepted and regretted are also included in the correspondence files.

The Events and Appearances subseries consists of files documenting George Bush's appearances and speaking engagements during his tenure as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The files date from 1975 to 1977. The papers document Bush's appearances of popular news programs of the period including "60 Minutes" and "Meet the Press," as well as speaking engagements at clubs and groups across the nation. Materials in the files include speech drafts, notes on speeches, speech outlines, and correspondence. The speech materials evidence Bush's active role in shaping his speeches, whether adding humor at the beginning of remarks or substantively altering drafts to reflect current events regarding the CIA. Generally, files include letters of invitation to Bush to speak, notes regarding travel arrangements, and reaction by friends and the public to his remarks.

The Subject Files subseries include files maintained by Bush when he was director of the CIA. The files contain cables, letters, memoranda, news clippings, printed material, schedules, testimony, and transcripts. The materials document Bush's appointment as director of Central Intelligence, confirmation battle, and press interactions. Cables provide detailed information about his confirmation, but most of these items are closed due to classification restrictions. Notes and letters document Bush's confirmation, including strategy items and general information regarding Bush's philosophy regarding the CIA and the post of director. Additional materials of interest include Bush's comments on legislation proposed by Congress in 1978 regarding the CIA. Also included are numerous news clippings documenting poor or inaccurate reporting about the intelligence agency.