Posted on 02/19/2005 2:32:18 PM PST by Wolfstar
PRESIDENTIAL NEWS OF THE DAY: On Wednesday, the President hosted the bipartisan Congressional leadership at the White House. It was an opportunity to talk about a range of issues, including the President's upcoming trip to Europe. The President and First Lady, who are spending a quiet day in the White House today, will leave Washington Sunday enroute to their first stop in Brussels, Belgium. The President will hold summit talks with leaders of NATO and the European Union, and will meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Russian President Vladimir Putin among a number of other leaders. (The President's itinerary does not appear to include time for a meeting with the socialist Spanish PM, however.)
PHONE CALLS WITH FOREIGN LEADERS: Monday, the President spoke with Crown Prince Abdallah...to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the meeting between President Roosevelt and King Abdallah Aziz, that opened the modern period of U.S.-Saudi relations...The President commended the Crown Prince on the successful start last week of municipal elections in Saudi Arabia. He also complimented the Crown Prince on last week's successful counter-terrorism conference in Saudi Arabia. Finally, the two leaders discussed the murder...of former Prime Minister Hariri in Beirut.
THE WEEK AHEAD:
Sunday evening: President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush will arrive in Brussels.
Monday morning: President Bush will meet with King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium, Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, and NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
Monday afternoon: The President will deliver a speech on United States and European cooperation at the Concert Noble in Brussels.
Monday evening: The President will have a "working dinner" with French President Jacques Chirac.
Tuesday morning: The President will meet separately with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko, and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The meeting between GWB and Tony Blair will be at breakfast.
Tuesday afternoon: The President will hold a joint press conference with European leaders, including European Council President and Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and European Union Security Policy Representative Javier Solana. The President will visit the EU headquarters.
Tuesday evening: The President will participate in a working dinner with the European Union representatives.
Wednesday morning: The presidential party will travel to Mainz, Germany, where GWB will meet with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. The two leaders will greet American and German soldiers who have served in Afghanistan.
Wednesday afternoon: The President will participate in a roundtable with German citizens and visit the Gutenberg Museum.
Wednesday evening: The President and First Lady will travel to Wiesbaden, Germany, to meet with members of the U.S. Army’s 1st Armored Division. They will then travel to Bratislava, Slovak Republic. "We are honored that the President and Mrs. Bush have chosen Wiesbaden to visit soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and family members of the U.S. European Command," Maj. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, 1st AD commander, stated in a news release. [This is the same unit the President visited in Iraq during his surprise Thanksgiving trip.] "I’m sure many Iron soldiers still remember with great pride the visit the commander-in-chief made to Baghdad to spend Thanksgiving with us during our deployment," Dempsey stated. Details on what the 1st AD is doing to prepare for the president’s visit have not been released -- but this time, the visit isn't a surprise, so the base is closing schools and facilities, and is giving all non-essential personnel the day off. German schools in the Mainz and Wiesbaden areas also will be closed for the day, according to a statement issued by the Rheinland-Palatinate state chancellor’s office. [Let's hope the weather's good, because we here on the Dose will be eager for some great photos. I'm sure I speak for most "Dosers" in saying that are hearts are with our troops, not with a bunch of European stuffed-shirt politicians.]
Thursday morning: GWB will meet with Slovak Republic President Ivan Gasparovic and Prime Minister Mikulás Dzurinda, and deliver a speech to Slovak citizens.
Thursday afternoon: GWB will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Thursday evening: The presidential party will depart for Washington, D.C. [We on the Dose will welcome them home with open arms and hearts grateful for their safe return.]
IN MARCH:
March 7: The President and Mrs. Bush will host the King and Queen of Norway for a lunch at the White House. The visit of their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja will mark 100 years of U.S.-Norwegian diplomatic relations.
QUOTES OF THE DAY: During his news conference last Thursday, there were several examples of the President subtly giving the rhetorical version of "the finger" to the media. The following exchange gives us an insight into how the nation's first MBA chief executive manages his people:
Q: Will you back him [Negroponte] if he goes up against Don Rumsfeld, [if] Rumsfeld wants a certain amount of money for his intelligence budget and Negroponte says, I don't think so?
THE PRESIDENT: I don't think it necessarily works -- I know that's how the press sometimes likes to play discussions inside the White House -- X versus Y, and butting of heads and sharp elbows. Generally, it works a little more civilly than that. People make their case, there's a discussion, but ultimately John will make the decisions on the budget.
"Backing" means it's kind of zero-sum; that's not the way our team works. It's not a zero-sum attitude in the White House, it is -- people have strong opinions, by the way, around here...I would hope you'd want your President to have people around who have...strong opinions; people who are willing to stand up for what they believe; people who say, here's what I think is right and it may not be what so-and-so thinks is right. Then the question is, do I have the capacity to pick the right answer, to be able to make a decision. I think people have seen that I'm capable of making decisions. And one reason why I feel comfortable making them is because I get good advice. And John is going to be a great advisor.
The following passage is from Vice President Dick Cheney's speech to the Annual Conservative PAC Conference at the Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, Thursday. [This passage gave me chills, because I didn't know that one of the NYFD men who helped raise one of the flags at Ground Zero was later killed in Iraq.]
Freedom's advance in the broader Middle East is bringing new hope to a troubled part of the world, and freedom's victory in that region will make America safer for generations to come. The effort has been difficult, and there is more hardship and hard work ahead. And our whole nation is grateful to every member of our military, and to the families who share in their sacrifice.
Our deepest debt is owed to the men and women who have fallen in service to America. (Applause.) We think of young volunteers like Jeff LeBrun, the son of Haitian immigrants, who used to ride the A train into Manhattan -- and passed under the World Trade Center every morning on the way to school. After experiencing the events of 9/11, both he and his brother, Stanley, decided they were going to join the military to defend the country. Jeff became an Army specialist, and was serving in Iraq when he was killed by terrorists last month. He was 21.
We think of soldiers like Sergeant Christian Engeldrum. He was a New York City firefighter, and was one of those who helped raise the flag over the ruins at Ground Zero. Last year his National Guard unit was deployed to Iraq. He was killed in action near Baghdad, age 39. At his funeral, the New York Fire Commissioner said that Christian Engeldrum "gave more than most men who live twice as long." [NOTE: At his death, Sgt. Engeldrum left two teenage sons and a wife pregnant with their third child.]
now: c-span1 and c-span2, stories about W, this is too much! LOL
He's talking about birth order, family scripts of presidents' families. Mentions the Kennedys and how shocked Joe was that Jack made it to president, as he always expected it would be Joe Jr.. Bush Sr. says it's like expecting your child to come home with F's on his report card and he comes home with A's .. that's how it felt that W won the presidency.
Also, mentions Alexandra Pelosi's interviews with W on the campaign trail, and apparently at the end, she says to him, "you know, you just might be elected president .. if you are, what are you going to do for the little guy?" His answer: "I am the little guy." .. and he mentions how tall he is compared to Jeb, so maybe there was rivalry about that. My sons are in their 30's, and my younger son IS taller than my older and very confident son, and I do believe that's a sticking point for him.
Also mentioned that when he interviewed Neal about who had the chance to make the presidency .. Neal speculated about Jeb and Wead asked him: "what about George .. he's the oldest?" Neal's answer .. "George? He's the clown."
W tells him when he's governor and considering a presidential run .. "good," when Wead tells him that Saturday Night Live is making fun of his intelligence .. indicating he should do something to change that perception.
Wead thinks it's the Momma's boy that makes it to be president .. mentions LBJ, Reagan as Momma's boys.
Just learned something I never heard of: said the Barbara Bush and her mother were estranged for years before her death, and Barbara did not attend her funeral. She named her first daughter after that with the middle name of Pauline (her mother's name), but would not call her Pauline.
But for his betrayal of his friendship .. ESPECIALLY without clearing it with W first which I find unconscionable ..it sounds like an interesting study in the profiles of presidents and their family dynamics that contributed to their drive and ultimate success.
Forgive any typos .. I'm typing as fast as I can and could have goofed. Off to get some din-din.
Have a good din dins - not heard that expression since I was little.
Wow great summary, I'm watching and you got about every word! You're quick. It is interesting to hear these stories about the families.
I would NOT want to be at the wrong end of a betrayal of this family, though. Loyalty is one of the most important characteristics to them, and this pretty much stinks.
great pics....I never knew he said that about laura. aww!
Maybe someone has it written down somewhere?
It is a very interesting account of presidents and their children. He says that while Momma's boys seem to be elected more, those who achieve the presidency seem to also strive to identify with their fathers, either by mimickry or completion. This is apparently his second book about the presidents and their families.
So does he really think that W was a 'mama's boy'?? That sounds a bit far fetched, IMO......
Darn .. I wanted to hear Karl Rove SO bad .. but I got diverted with the Weady guy. Our handsome VP is on now.
Yes .. he mentions the death of his baby sister, and the huge impact it had on him and everything else that followed.
Roses are red Violets are blue
Oh my, lump in the bed, How I've missed you.
Roses are redder, Bluer am I
Seeing you kissed by that charming French guy.
The dogs and the cat, they missed you too
Barney's still mad you dropped him, he ate your shoe
The distance, my dear, has been such a barrier
Next time you want an adventure, just land on a carrier.
I knew somebody had to have that poem somewhere!
I love it!
Thank you! aww that's so funny and cute...lol I love it how they are so much in love.
It has entirely negative implications, IMO, and it's crazy to call him that if you know anything about him. You can't make the leap from one to the other.
Don't you agree??
I have it somewhere I will try and find it and post tomorrow.
(I also liked the reference to the aircraft carrier in it!)
Timeout already posted it. But thanks!
Just watched back now with you all
Thanks I had the prospect of turning my bedroom upside down to find it.
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