A day in the life of President and Mrs. Bush (5/21/05): many photos

WhiteHouse.gov; Yahoo News Photos ^ | 5/21/05

[Wolfstar]

PRESIDENTIAL NEWS OF THE DAY: While his wife was traveling in the Middle East, President Bush addressed the 2005 commencement at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., today. Bush gave his first graduation speech of the year addressing the Christian liberal arts college.

PRESIDENTIAL SCHEDULE: White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan gave the commencement speech at the University of Texas, his alma mater, on Friday. So no week-ahead schedule was announced. (If I find anything while scanning the WH website tomorrow, I'll post it on the Sunday thread.)

The President will welcome German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to the White House for a meeting and working lunch on June 27, 2005.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: From the President's commencement speech at Calvin College today.

The immigrants who founded Calvin College came to America for the freedom to worship, and they built this great school on the sturdy ground of liberty. They saw in the American "experiment" the world's best hope for freedom -- and they weren't the only ones excited by what they saw. In 1835, a young civil servant and aristocrat from France, named Alexis de Tocqueville, would publish a book about America that still resonates today.

The book is called "Democracy in America," and in it this young Frenchman said that the secret to America's success was our talent for bringing people together for the common good. De Tocqueville wrote that tyrants maintained their power by "isolating" their citizens -- and that Americans guaranteed their freedom by their remarkable ability to band together without any direction from government. The America he described offered the world something it had never seen before: a working model of a thriving democracy where opportunity was unbounded, where virtue was strong, and where citizens took responsibility for their neighbors.

Tocqueville's account is not just the observations of one man -- it is the story of our founding. It is not just a description of America at a point in time -- it is an agenda for our time. Our Founders rejected both a radical individualism that makes no room for others, and the dreary collectivism that crushes the individual. They gave us instead a society where individual freedom is anchored in communities. And in this hopeful new century, we have a great goal: to renew this spirit of community and thereby renew the character and compassion of our nation.

[snugs]

We have had a solider awarded one the first time a living soldier has been awarded it since the Korean War. He was presented with it I think by the Queen about a couple of weeks ago I will go search for further details.

[Wolfstar]

I don't know how anyone dislikes this man.

Only those blinded by their political ideology or hatred for his strong response to 9/11 dislike GWB. He is a genuinely great man, in my opinion.

[Txsleuth]

We know it won't be watching Desperate Husbands!!!

[Wolfstar]

Do you mean the Victoria or George Cross?

I don't know, snugs. I just saw or heard a brief mention somewhere. There might be a thread running about it here on FR.

[Wolfstar]

We know it won't be watching Desperate Husbands!!!

ROFLMAO!!! Good one. A very good one, LOL!

[Lemondropkid31]

Hahahahaha!!!! LOLOL!!

[Bahbah]

I heard somewhere that Blair has proposed awarding the UK equivalent of our Congressional Medal of Honor to one of your soldiers

The hero is Rick Rescorla, and if anyone ever deserved the honor, it is he.

[dmd25]

Oh, my--I am jealous! :)

How cool for you!

[Bahbah]

Yahoo said he had a mixed reaction, but I don't trust them.

I could not believe it. Fox said the same thing and must have picked it up from AP. I heard the speech. The crowd was extremely enthusiastic and the President was charming.

[Bahbah]

OMG, I have to be first again so I can get one like that.

[dmd25]

Thanks for the Saturday dose! What wonderful pictures! GWB looks great in his commencement robe! I love to see his big smile and laugh.

Thanks again.

DeLynn

P.S. Was this the first week of your new job? If so, how was it?

[Bahbah]

Oh, my--I am jealous! How cool for you!

Yes, it was quite amazing that he saw me through the tv. tiredoflaundry spotted my laundry basket through the computer monitor. I must find my tinfoil hat...now where did I put that :)

[Wolfstar]

The hero is Rick Rescorla, and if anyone ever deserved the honor, it is he.

Yes, I had the story wrong. Blair is calling for a medal for a man who helped save others in the World Trade Center on 9/11/01. Mr. Rescorla was British born. Here's the link to the FR thread: freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1407733/posts

Almost from the beginning, there was talk of awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the four men who led the passenger uprising on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania. But I think some of the more whiny survivors wanted medals for their kin also, deserved or not. So nothing was ever done.

It was and remains a difficult task to sort out the true heroes of that day with people just trying to save their own lives or the lives of immediate coworkers. I mean, how do you give the Medal of Freedom to someone like Mr. Rescorla, and not give it to all those firemen and cops who rushed up those stairs? Or to the "Let's Roll" group on that plane?

[phancypants]

Hi snugs!

Been busy lately with all kinds of craziness--hope you've been doing all right!

Gotta get going, we're raising $$ for our local Police and Fire bagpipe band tonight...should be fun!

PS--just got your pack in the mail, THANKS!!

[maica]

From the CSPAN website - (which has a photo of W in a tux) http://c-span.org/

IN WASHINGTON
American Perspectives 
For the first time during his presidency, President Bush will address the "Eyes of History" Gala, hosted by the White House News Photographers Association. The annual awards dinner honors Washington photographers. All members of this association cover news in Washington, and many cover the White House.

[Wolfstar]

Was this the first week of your new job? If so, how was it?

Yes -- thanks for asking. It went well. The company has very restrictive internet security, though, so I won't be able to post at all during working hours anymore. Oh well. Such is life.

[Wolfstar]

Hi, maica. Thanks for the info about tonight's event. I trust that with all those photogs in attendance, there will be some good pics on Yahoo to post tomorrow.

[snugs]

Here are some details and some photos

The solider is Private Johnson Gideon Beharry from 1st Battalion the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, pictured at the Ministry of Defence in London 17 March, 2005. He has been awarded the first Victoria Cross in more than 20 years for two acts of outstanding gallantry while based in Al Amarah, in Maysan Province in Iraq in 2004.

The elderly man he is with is Lt Col ECT Wilson VC, the only other living holder of the VC.

The man shaking his hand is General Sir Mike Jackson

The lady with him is wife Lynthis.

[Wolfstar]

How wonderful for Private Beharry, his family and the British people. I hope this event received the news coverage it richly deserved in the UK.

[snugs]

Right OK understand now I must admit this is the first I have heard about it but have been rather busy the last few days and today have been watching the FA Cup Final - my team Arsenal won.

Arsenal's Patrick Vieira, right, hugs his goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and is mobbed by his teammates after scoring the winning penalty during the FA Cup Final against Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales Saturday May 21, 2005. Arsenal won the match 5-4 on penalties after the match ended 0-0 after extra-time