Obama Appoints Bush Friends to U.S. Holocaust Museum

President Barack Obama has appointed longtime friends of President George W. Bush to top posts overseeing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.

The museum announced late Monday that Obama appointed Tom Bernstein, a New York City developer and human rights advocate, as museum chairman. Former Bush Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten was named vice chairman.

Bernstein was a longtime Bush friend who once co-owned the Texas Rangers with the former president. In 2007, he endorsed Obama.

Bernstein is president of the Chelsea Piers complex in New York. He also led the unsuccessful effort to build an International Freedom Center museum near the World Trade Center memorial site.

Museum Director Sara Bloomfield says Bernstein and Bolten are "ideal leaders" for the museum.


Fan, Follow and Text: Get the latest from NBCWashington.com anytime, anywhere. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up for our e-mail newsletters and get breaking news delivered right to your mobile phone -- just text DCBREAKING to 622339 to sign up. (Message and data rates may apply.)

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us