As so many of you have indicated, the President has such an incredible 'heart' for people. [It's one of the MANY reasons I love and respect him so!]
Karen Hughes offers this insight from her book, "Ten Minutes from Normal":
[Javits Center, New York, September 2001]
"When the president first entered the makeshift room . . . it was silent, suffocated by agony, the only noise an occasional sob. "I've been working presidential advance for more than 20 years and this is the saddest thing I've ever seen," Bruce Zanca said, coming out of the room, wiping tears from his eyes. The president walked first to one family, then another, looking at pictures, asking about their loved ones.
"It takes a special kind of guy to do this, be this patient," the Reverend Kirbyjon Caldwell said to me as we watched . . . "He does it better than a lot of pastors."
I couldn't stand it; I had to walk out after about 20 minutes with a terrible headache from trying to keep from breaking down. When I returned an hour or so later, the room felt much lighter. People were talking, even laughing occasionally as they shared happy memories.
. . . the President is awesome -- the rest of us are taking our lead from him."
your quote from Karen Hughes was wonderful.
I watched the Peace Officer's Memorial on C-Span last night and President Bush stayed there for at least two hours, hugging, kissing, signing autographs, having pics made with those attending. It was awesome. I'm surprised C-Span showed that much of it.
The introduction of President Bush was fabulous, his speech was great, but that lingering, as if he had nothing else to do, with those attending is something I will NEVER forget. I taped it, although I paused it many times and at times forgot to click back on record, it was still a VERY long time.
Can't remember what time it came on, but it seems like around 2:00 or shortly thereafter and it was still on at 4:30 this morning. I dozed several times.
It's worth getting a copy from C-Span if they'll have the whole thing on it. If I had two VCRs, I would make some copies, but since I also left out some sections, everyone would probably like to have the full version.