Posted on 08/06/2005 12:40:58 PM PDT by Wolfstar
PRESIDENTIAL NEWS OF THE DAY: With the President, First Lady and the dogs relaxing at the ranch this weekend, there are no new photos to post. So I've selected a theme -- GWB and our Armed Forces -- and found many photos to let us enjoy a walk down memory lane. The theme photos are all from early in his presidency. They show GWB's closeness with our military both before and after 9/11/01.
THE WEEK AHEAD:
Monday, the President travels to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He will be touring the Sandia Laboratory there, and then will be making remarks after signing the comprehensive energy legislation that passed recently.
Tuesday, the President is going to have his economic advisors to the ranch. He will participate in a briefing with them on the state of our economy. Afterwards, GWB will make some remarks and participate in a press availability.
Wednesday, President Bush will traveling to Aurora, Illinois, where he will sign the transportation legislation. Aurora is the largest town in the north-central Illinois congressional district of House Speaker Dennis Hastert.
Saturday, tentative, but the President usually participates in an RNC event in August at the ranch. As of yesterday, the President's schedule was not firmed up beyond Wednesday.
QUOTE OF THE DAY Excerpt from the presidential radio address, Saturday, August 6, 2005:
As families across the country enjoy the summer, Americans can be optimistic about our economic future. In the past four years, our economy has been through a lot: we faced a stock market decline, a recession, corporate scandals, an attack on our homeland, and the demands of an ongoing war on terror.
To grow the economy and help American families, we acted by passing the largest tax relief in a generation. And today, thanks to the tax relief and the efforts of America's workers and entrepreneurs, our economy is strong and growing stronger.
This past week, we learned that America added over 200,000 new jobs in July. Since May of 2003, we've added nearly 4 million new jobs. The unemployment rate is down to 5 percent, below the average of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. And more Americans are working today than ever before in our nation's history.
We need to make the tax relief permanent, end the death tax forever, and make our tax code simpler, fairer and more pro-growth.
Q Why did the President invite the President of Colombia to the ranch?
SCOTT McCLELLAN'S ANSWER: Well, President Uribe is a strong and courageous leader. He is a good friend of the President. He is someone who is committed to peace and prosperity in Colombia, committed to expanding democracy throughout the hemisphere. And we've worked very closely with Colombia in the war on terrorism. We've worked closely with Colombia and supported President Uribe's efforts to crack down on the narco-terrorism. So the President looks forward to welcoming him to the ranch.
We had a good visit to Colombia last November, and the President looks forward to welcoming him to the ranch and talking about how we can continue to move forward together on our shared priorities for the hemisphere, as well as how we can continue to support President Uribe and the people of Colombia as they move forward to build a more peaceful and prosperous future.
WOLFSTAR'S ANSWER: Well, duh?! Why do you THINK President Bush invited his colleague, the President of Columbia, to the ranch? Why does any national leader invite another national leader to his home? I know you presstitudes are dimbulbs, but this question is dumber than a box of rocks.
Pinging you to the Saturday Dose. Lot's of photos to post today, so please hold off posting any photos/images until the all clear is given. Thanks.
President Bush gives the press pool a tour of his ranch Aug. 25, 2001. Notice that none of the White House press corps big shots took the tour.
The President and First Lady share a little bit of Texas hospitality with Prime Minister Tony Blair as the British leader arrived for a weekend retreat at Priarie Chapel Ranch, April 5, 2002.
President Bush speaks to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon during a phone call from the ranch, April 6, 2002.
Pictured with the President in this photo are, from left, friend Ken Englebrecht, Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Hagin, and White House staffer Reed Dickens.
President George Walker Bush had a close relationship with our military even before being elected in 2000. The selected photos are a trip down memory lane (in chronological sequence) from the beginning of his presidency in 2001 through 2002.
2001
Lunch with troops at Ft. Stewart, Savannah, Georgia, February 12, 2001.
Inspecting the troops at Ft. Stewart.
Speaking to sailors and other members of the military at NATO ACLANT headquarters, Norfolk (Virginia) Naval Air Station, February 13, 2001. President Bush visited several military bases that week to reaffirm his commitment to improve living conditions for the people who serve in America's Armed Forces.
President Bush shares a laugh with, from left, West Virginia Governor Robert Wise, Colonel Bill Raney (President of the Army National Guard), Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and Lieutenant Colonel Chester Carter of the Army National Guard during a visit to the West Virginia National Guard Headquarters in Charleston, February 14, 2001.
Slipping in an update on the Reagan: Onboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), June 1, 2005. An RTM-116A Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is fired from the Reagan against a BQM-34S aerial drone during a live weapons fire exercise. It was the first test of this weapons system onboard the Reagan. The Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier was conducting Combat System Ship’s Qualifications Trials (CSSQT). (Official U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Aaron Burden. For more photos and other info on the Reagan, click the link provided with the christening photo above.)
Shaking hands with troops at Tyndall Air Force Base.
Descending the steps of the National Defense University before his speech about the national defense shield, May 2001.
Members of the Air Force Academy football team take pictures of President Bush after he gave the team the Commander-in-Chief Trophy at the White House, May 2001. [Remember this happy pre-9/11 photo when viewing the somber one in the 2002 group. Same event. Same service academy football team. Different world.]
The President lays a wreath during dedication ceremonies of the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va., June 7, 2001.
President Bush drapes the Congressional Medal of Honor on Ed Freeman of Boise, Idaho, in the East Room at the White House, July 16, 2001. Mr. Freeman was awarded the honor for his actions in Viet Nam in 1965 when, as a helicopter pilot, 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.
Stories were exchanged as President Bush presented Prime Minister Howard with the bell from the U.S.S. Canberra at a ceremony commemorating 50 years of military alliance between the two countries. "The President had received word of an exceptional action in battle by the Australian Navy, which were steaming alongside American vessels at Guadalcanal. His Majesty's Australian ship Canberra did not survive the battle, disappearing into the depths where she rests today," PM Howard said.
President Bush gives a thumbs up to a crowded cafeteria while visiting the Pentagon, September 17, 2001. The President talked with hundreds of employees throughout the complex.
In a very real way, our airlines became "military" on 9/11/01. It's in that spirit that I'm including the next two photos:
Greeted by a roaring crowd, President Bush visited with airline employees at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, September 27, 2001. "And one of the great goals of this nation's war is to restore public confidence in the airline industry," said the President explaining that his staff flew on commercial airplanes for the Midwest meeting.
Airline employees crowd together on the tarmac at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to meet President Bush and honor their industry colleagues who died on September 11, 2001. "I think it's interesting that on one side, we see American; on the other side, it says United," said the President in his remarks. "Because that's what we are -- America is united."
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