CIA HQ Named for Bush

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LANGLEY, Va. (AP) -- Former President Bush saw the CIA's sprawling headquarters named for him Monday and declared himself as close as a heartbeat to the agency he once headed.

Bush told a cheering audience of intelligence workers he has nothing but ``contempt and anger'' for those who would betray the sources of U.S. intelligence.

The 74-year-old Bush, the only CIA director ever to become president, told a VIP audience gathered under a tent on the plaza outside the spy agency's front door he deeply appreciates the act of Congress that renamed the building.

``I left here 22 years ago after a limited tenure and my stay here had a major impact on me, he said. ``CIA became part of my heartbeat back then, and it's never gone away.''

Bush said that in the perilous world left after the breakup of the Soviet Union more protection than ever is needed for the sources and methods of intelligence.

``Even though I am a tranquil guy now at this stage of my life,'' Bush said, ``I have nothing but contempt and anger for those who betray the trust by exposing the name of our sources,'' Bush said.

He said of his own tenure at the intelligence agency: ``I got some things right, and I'm sure I could have done many things better.''

``But I hope it will be said of my time here and in the White House that I kept the trust and treated my office with respect. I know you do that every day, and I know I tried.''

Bush had his one-liners honed for his appearance. When he was told that one CIA veteran had said his appearance would ``be like Elvis had returned,'' Bush said he would do anything to please except sing ``Hound Dog.''

He said his wife, Barbara, brought him back to earth to remember that ``they only name things after you when you're dead or really old.''

Bush was named CIA director by President Ford in 1976 and served into the next year after Ford's re-election defeat.

Beginning public life as a two-term congressman from Texas, Bush served also as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, chairman of the Republican National Committee and U.S. envoy to China. He was Ronald Reagan's running mate and was elected president in his own right in 1988 after eight years as vice president.