A day in the life of President Bush (1/28/06): photos

White House & Yahoo News Photos ^ | 1/28/06

[Wolfstar]

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-MA) called for a filibuster of Samuel Alito's nomination Thursday while attending a world economic conference at a Swiss resort. Asked Friday if the administration was taking Kerry's call seriously, White House press secretary Scott McClellan chuckled and said:

"It was a pretty historic day. This was the first time ever that a senator has called for a filibuster from the slopes of Davos, Switzerland. I think even for a senator, it takes some pretty serious yodeling to call for a filibuster from a five-star ski resort in the Swiss Alps."

[Wolfstar]

Pinging you to the Saturday Evening Dose.

[Wolfstar]

IMAGE OF THE DAY: President George Washington's actions in office set so many of our presidential traditions, but delivering a State of the Union speech before Congress almost died with Washington. The Constitution does not require the State of the Union to be given in person. A mere written report would suffice. However, President Washington rode on a carriage driven by six horses from his house on Cherry Street to Federal Hall in New York to deliver his first annual message in person.

Federal Hall in New York City as it appeared in President Washington's time.

When he became president, Thomas Jefferson thought Washington's oral presentation was too kingly for the new republic. Likewise, Congress's practice of giving a courteous reply in person at the president's residence was too formal. Jefferson detailed his priorities in his first annual message in 1801 and sent copies of the written message to each house of Congress. The president's annual message, as it was then called, was not delivered orally by a president for the next 112 years. The message was often printed in full or as excerpts in newspapers for the American public to read.

The first president to revive Washington's spoken precedent was Woodrow Wilson in 1913. With the advent of radio and television, the president's annual message has become not only a conversation between the president and Congress, but also an opportunity for the president to communicate with the American people at the same time. Calvin Coolidge's 1923 speech was the first annual message broadcast on radio. Franklin Roosevelt began using the phrase "State of the Union" in 1935, which became the common name of the annual message. Roosevelt's successor, Harry Truman, also set a precedent in 1947 when his State of the Union speech became the first to be broadcast on television.

[ilovew]

hi

[Momaw Nadon]

Good Evening!

[RobFromGa]

bump

[Wolfstar]

PHOTO OF THE DAY: You folks in the White House press corps give new meaning to the word dense.

[Wolfstar]

Barney has a word for it. Grrrrrrrr...

I C thru your BS, Roberts.

[Mrs. Shawnlaw]

Whoopee!! one?

[Wolfstar]

OK, Helen, let's get your diatribe -- er, question -- over with.

I'm gonna start cracking a whip in this press room.

[Wolfstar]

What kind of a question was that?!

O...kay. Same dumb question asked for the 167th time. Are you sure we need a First Amendment? (Just kidding, guys n'gals.)

[snugs]

Good evening thanks for the dose

[Wolfstar]

It really only takes a teeny, weeny bit of brain power to figure this out, folks. Now stick with me, here, while I 'splain it again.

If you move to the right, things might be less fuzzy for y'all. Try it. You might find you like it.

Now hold on a minute, there.

[ilovew]

LOL! I love your captions :)

[Mrs. Shawnlaw]

Oh well, top five's cool. What a pic of Bush!! He looks like he's about to tell a snotty reporter something in Texan. (But he won't because his good character will kick in).

[Wolfstar]

The MSM hyenas in full cry.

Helen Thomas and John Roberts (CBS; gray hair, red tie) are seated in the center, first row.

[OldFriend]

Evening all.

[Wolfstar]

Ehehehehehehehe...I just love making fools outta y'all.

Only three more years to go, then I'm outta here.

[Wolfstar]

Vice President Cheney watches during a meeting between President Bush and Lebanon's parliamentary majority leader Saad Hariri in the Oval Office, January 27, 2006. Also pictured are Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Hariri's advisor Amal Modalali, and National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.

The Vice President and Secretary of State in the Oval Office.

[Wolfstar]

The VP meets with Lebanese Parliament member Saad Hariri. Earlier in the day Mr. Hariri met President Bush and discussed the pursuit of democratic freedom and economic revitalization in Lebanon.