President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush wave to a crowd at the American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands Sunday, May 8, 2005, honoring those who served in World War II 60 years ago.
Posted on 05/28/2005 3:32:36 PM PDT by Wolfstar
PRESIDENTIAL NEWS OF THE DAY: President and Mrs. Bush -- and the dogs, of course -- are spending a quiet weekend at Camp David. They will return to the White House Sunday to be on hand for Monday's traditional Memorial Day activities. Today, Saturday, May 28, 2005, marks something of a red-letter day, because Tom Raum of the Associated Press actually reported the following remarkable piece -- a left-handed compliment, to be sure, but a compliment nevertheless. Mr. Raum has covered Washington for The Associated Press since 1973, including five presidencies.
Newsview: Bush's Global Clout Seen GrowingBy TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writer, Sat May 28,12:49 PM ET.
WASHINGTON - In the rarified club of world leaders, President Bush has taken his share of lumps. Critics have railed against his handling of Iraq, his perceived disdain for the United Nations and what they say is a swaggering approach to foreign policy.
But Bush probably would not want to trade places with any other head of state.
Nearly all his fellow leaders of the world's big industrial democracies have stumbled. It has left them vulnerable at home and weakener on the world stage.
The president, through it all, is riding what he sees as a strong re-election mandate to trumpet his goal of spreading democracy.
That helps explains why Bush, despite a slip in his approval rating among Americans, may find himself holding the stronger hand when he travels in early July to Scotland for the annual summit of the leaders of the eight major industrialized democracies.
"His counterparts all face ill political winds that make their domestic positions rather precarious," said Charles Kupchan, director of European studies with the Council on Foreign Relations, a private research group. "I do think it puts Bush in an advantageous position."
It is not the best of times be a world leader:
_Britain's Tony Blair, Bush's chief ally on Iraq, did win re-election this month to a third term as prime minister. But he prevailed by drastically reduced margins for his Labour Party, threatening his leadership abilities.
_Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, also a strong supporter of U.S. policy in Iraq, has seen parties in his government coalition lose in regional and local elections. Defeats even forced his resignation, although he cobbled together a new coalition to regain power.
_German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, a vocal critic of the Iraq war, has called for national elections for this fall — a year early. That followed his party's crushing defeat in Germany's most populous region. The loss, he said, cost him the mandate he needs to fix Germany's struggling economy.
_French President Jacques Chirac, also a foe of U.S. policy in Iraq, is taking heat for his decision to call a referendum on the European Union's first constitution. It's set him up for what could be a humiliating defeat. Chirac's approval ratings have declined and he faces opposition from within his own party.
_Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin faces serious challenges and demands that he resign. The House of Commons tied on a vote of confidence this month. It took a vote by the parliament speaker to give Martin's minority government a one-vote victory. Canada pledged to tighten its borders after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But Ottawa has declined to send troops to Iraq or sign on to the U.S. missile defense shield.
_Japan's prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, finds his popularity lagging after four years on the job. It's down about half from the 80 percent he once enjoyed. Koizumi may be in better shape than his European counterparts. But weighing him down are tensions with North Korea and China, and public concern about expected tax cuts and pension restructuring.
_Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to consolidate power and exercise more control over regional leaders. But his rollback of press and political freedoms, and his pursuit of oil giant Yukos, have drawn international condemnation and clouded Russia's business climate.
Analysts see common themes for the leaders' tough times: high unemployment and slow growth in Germany and France; social tensions associated with Muslim immigration; and a backlash against "globalization" as industries move their operations to low-wage countries.
Bush himself is having trouble on Social Security, judicial nominations and other domestic priorities. Yet, analysts suggest, the president has had a strong run internationally over the past few months — even with the continuing violence in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He persuaded European powers to negotiate with Iran over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. He watched democratic elections and the formation of a new government in Iraq. He successfully prodded Syria to withdraw from Lebanon.
And he is taking an active role in trying to nudge Israelis and Palestinians toward peace.
France's ambassador to the United States spoke recently of the effect of Bush's winning a second term.
"The moment President Bush was re-elected, he extended the hand of friendship and cooperation to the leaders of Europe," said Jean-David Levitte. "Style has changed."
PRESIDENTIAL SCHEDULE: Once again Press Secretary Scott McClellan did not announce a week-ahead schedule. However, I obtained the following from various news reports.
Monday, The President will lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetary and participate in traditional Memorial Day ceremonies and rememberances in Washington.
Thursday, GWB will travel to Hopkinsville, Ky., to speak about Social Security reform. He will fly into Fort Campbell Army Airfield before heading to the Hopkinsville-Christian County Conference and Convention Center. The President last visited Hopkinsville while campaigning for the presidency in May 2000. He last visited Fort Campbell in March 2004 when he came to address the thousands of soldiers who had returned from combat duty in Iraq.
Friday, President Bush will address the Organization of American States on June 6 at the group's annual meeting. The United States has not hosted the General Assembly since 1974. The three-day OAS General Assembly in Fort Lauderdale brings together the foreign ministers from most of the 34 OAS member nations. The meeting will be chaired by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
President and Mrs. Bush will travel to Denmark prior to his participation in the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland. The President's bilateral program in Denmark will take place on July 6th. Denmark is a close friend and ally of the United States, and Prime Minister Rasmussen is a strong proponent of effective transatlantic cooperation.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: From today's Presidential Radio Address:
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, a victory for freedom in which more than 400,000 Americans gave their lives. Today a new generation of Americans is making its own sacrifice on behalf of peace and freedom, and some have given their lives.
In their hometowns, these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines are more than names on a roll of honor. They were friends and neighbors, teachers and coaches, classmates and colleagues. Each was the most important person in someone's life; each had hopes for the future, and each left a place that can never be filled.
We mourn their loss, and we honor their sacrifice. We pray for their families. And we take heart in knowing that these men and women believed deeply in what they were fighting for. Christopher Swisher was a staff sergeant from Lincoln, Nebraska, who joined the Army a year after graduating from high school. He was killed in an ambush while on patrol in Baghdad. Sergeant Swisher told his loved ones: "If anything happens to me, I'm doing what I want to be doing -- I'm protecting my family and my home."
Rafael Peralta also understood that America faces dangerous enemies, and he knew the sacrifices required to defeat them. An immigrant from Mexico, he enlisted in the Marine Corps the day after he got his green card. Just before the battle of Fallujah, he wrote his 14-year-old brother, "We are going to defeat the insurgents. Be proud of me, I'm going to make history and do something that I always wanted to do." A few days later, Sergeant Peralta gave his life to save his fellow Marines.
'Most likely to assassinate President Bush' caption blacked out of yearbooks
Associated Press, Posted May 27 2005, 11:53 AM EDT
WIDEFIELD, Colo. - High school yearbooks were recalled so that administrators could black out a joke caption under one student's picture: "most likely to assassinate President Bush."
Mesa Ridge High School officials recalled about 100 yearbooks earlier this month and had staffers use markers to obscure the words in them and in the still-undistributed copies. The Secret Service even launched an investigation.
"They kind of ruined our yearbook," said Christina Tredway, who just graduated from the school just south of Colorado Springs. Most students thought the blacking-out was a bad idea since the caption obviously was a joke, she said.
Widefield School District officials called the caption a prank that wasn't caught before the yearbooks were printed, and district spokesman James Drew said future yearbooks will be triple-checked before printing.
Lon Garner, special agent in charge of the Secret Service's Denver District, said the agency would look into the incident because all threats against the president must be investigated.
Pinging you to the Saturday Dose.
President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush wave to a crowd at the American Cemetery in Margraten, Netherlands Sunday, May 8, 2005, honoring those who served in World War II 60 years ago.
Laura laying flowers at some of the graves in the Netherlands American Cemetery.
President Bush greeting some of the veterans who came to see him at the Netherlands American Cemetery.
Laura greeting veterans.
Woo-hoo--maybe top 10?
President Bush drapes the Congressional Medal of Honor on Ed Freeman of Boise, Idaho, in the East Room at the White House, Monday, July 16, 2001. Mr. Freeman was awarded the honor for his actions in 1965 when, as a helicopter pilot during Vietnam, he flew through gunfire more than 20 times during a single, ferocious battle, bringing supplies to a trapped batallion and flying more than 70 wounded soldiers to safety.
July the 7th, 1944, Captain Salomon was serving in the Marianas Islands as a surgeon, in the 27th infantry division, when his battalion came under ferocious attack by thousands of Japanese soldiers. The American units sustained massive casualties, and the advancing enemy soon descended on Captain Salomon's aid station. To defend the wounded men in his care, Captain Salomon killed several enemy soldiers who had entered the aid station.
As the advance continued, he ordered comrades to evacuate the tent and carry away the wounded. He went out to face the enemy alone, and was last heard shouting, "I'll hold them off, until you get them to safety. See you later."
In the moments that followed, Captain Salomon single-handedly killed 98 enemy soldiers, saving many American lives, but sacrificing his own. As best the Army could tell, he was shot 24 times before he fell, more than 50 times after that. And when they found his body, he was still at his gun.
A helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, Captain Swanson flew his last mission on his second tour of duty, on February 26th, 1971, over Cambodia. As Allied forces on the ground came under heavy enemy fire, Captain Swanson was called in to provide close air support. Flying at tree-top level, he found and engaged the enemy, exposing himself to intense fire from the ground. He ran out of heavy ordinance, yet continued to drop smoke grenades to mark other targets for nearby gunships.
Captain Swanson made it back to safety, his ammunition nearly gone, and his Scout helicopter heavily damaged. Had he stayed on the ground, no one would have faulted him. But he had seen more -- he had seen that more targets needed marking, to eliminate the danger to the troops on the ground. He volunteered to do the job himself, flying directly into enemy fire, until his helicopter exploded in flight.
Captain Swanson's actions, said one fellow officer, "were the highest degree of personal bravery and self-sacrifice I have ever witnessed".
Thank you
To be honest, these people at Colorado are pukes.
Sgt. Paul Smith was 33 years old when he gave his life so his men might live.
Sgt. Smith's young son, 11-year-old David Smith, looks solemnly towards the audience as he and his step-sister Jessica, left, hold their mom's hands during the ceremonies. (If that isn't a face that will break your heart, nothing ever will.)
President George W. Bush places his hand on David's shoulder after he presented the boy with the Medal of Honor awarded to his father. (I'm quite literally crying as I put this segment together.)
David holding his dad's Medal of Honor.
So sad, yet so proud.
#1, not counting my posts.
You're most warmly welcome.
Absolutely pukes.
OMG! I never thought I would ever be fast enough to be first! Now I am excited!!!!......oh!...and thanks for all the great pictures. As you know, I LUV W!!!
It's a holiday weekend. Not many people around. [grin]
Well, I'll take it anyhow!! LOL!
Oh my, God bless you, Ed Freeman. May we always have men like you. Our deepest gratitude.
I was just teasing you, BTW.
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