Outside the Beltway

Being an ex-Prez is a Good Gig

Steven L. Taylor · Sunday, May 22, 2011 · 5 comments

Via The Ticket: George W. Bush racks up $15 million in speaking fees.

FILED UNDER: US Politics, George W. Bush

About Steven L. Taylor

Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

Doug Mataconis says:

Sunday, 22 May 2011 at 14:16

I hearby announce my candidacy for former President of the United States.
Dodd says:

Sunday, 22 May 2011 at 15:47

That’s about the same pace as Clinton’s maintained since he left office: $65M in 9 years is just over $7M/yr. But Clinton’s speaking fees are currently double Bush’s.

I don’t see this problem, myself, whoever’s raking it in. Whatever the market will bear, as they say.
Southern Hoosier says:

Sunday, 22 May 2011 at 16:07

Let me guess how this works. The president does a favor for a special interest group. In order to repay him “legally,” they later on invite the ex-president to speak and pay him some big bucks for a short talk. Right?
Jay Tea says:

Sunday, 22 May 2011 at 18:37

I think I prefer Carter and Bush making big bucks on the speaker circuit over Carter turning into an international busybody and pain in the ass.

J.
Trumwill says:

Sunday, 22 May 2011 at 20:30

About every six months I get a letter from George W. Bush because he is under the impression that I would like to donate to help him build his library. My thought was, “Dude, you’re the millionaire. We have negative net wealth. What are you bugging me for?” Upon learning about his post-presidential earnings, I feel the need to add some exclamation points.

Also, I wonder what the formula is for someone that wants the post-presidency cash but doesn’t want to be president. If you cut out early, I don’t think you draw the huge speaking fees. So maybe you get elected and then, mid-term, govern in a way that will insure that you won’t be re-elected but that will still command respect upon departure. Take a bunch of controversial positions that are really popular with a segment of the population (drug legalization, staunch anti-abortioneering, something that appeals strongly to groups that will want to pay you a lot of money to hear you speak, but will hurt your re-election chances).

Hmmm. Maybe there’s a novel in all of this.