(January 25, 2007)--Two leading opponents have softened their stance against building George W. Bush's presidential library and museum at Southern Methodist University, but they still object to the associated public policy institute.

SMU President R. Gerald Turner says the library, museum and institute are a package deal that would benefit the university.

SMU is the front-runner in the library competition in which only Baylor remains after the University of Dallas withdrew its bid last week.

Some of the opponents' concerns were how some faculty would be able to counter the viewpoints of the Bush Foundation.

Also, institute fellows will be published automatically, while that's not the case for SMU professors.

SMU announced last month that it was entering into exclusive talks with the committee formed to recommend a site and earlier this month the president said he was leaning toward SMU as the site for the library and think tank.

Baylor officials said earlier they remain cautiously optimistic, despite the apparent choice of SMU as the sole finalist for the facility.

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