Posted on 06/21/2006 10:10:13 AM PDT by catholicfreeper
Gabriel Whitney says he did not plan to nearly suffocate President Bush in a bear hug. In fact, he did not plan to hug him at all. But when Mr. Whitney, one of 202 midshipmen to graduate from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y., on Monday, stepped forward to receive his diploma, it just sort of happened. Call it irrational exuberance. But after six years of undergraduate school and 4,872 demerits, Mr. Whitney, 25, of Nashua, N.H., could hardly restrain himself. With more reason than most to be overjoyed, the 6-foot-7 midshipman stepped onto the stage to accept his degree and hugged Vice Adm. Joseph D. Stewart, the academy's superintendent. Then he raised both arms in a victorious salute as his classmates roared their approval. Elated and with his arms still upraised, he turned toward President Bush, who had just delivered the commencement address. Mr. Bush, wearing a quizzical expression, responded by raising his arms as well and moved in for a hug. The midshipman — almost unwittingly — found himself squeezing the president in his powerful arms. When the president caught his breath, he shook Mr. Whitney's hand. "I said, 'You're the man! Thank you very much,' " Mr. Whitney said in a telephone interview yesterday. "The president thought the .......
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
This is prceless
"Mr. Whitney's sister, who works in an advertising office, had designed T-shirts for the 15 family members who attended the ceremony. Mr. Whitney's many difficulties in reaching graduation were emblazoned on the front of the shirt: 4,872 demerits ("painful"); four and a half years on academic restriction ("wounding"); two visits to the committee that weighs student expulsions ("agonizing"); two reprieves from the admiral ("necessary"); and six years of school with only an undergraduate degree to show for it ("humbling")."
LOL! Happy days!
4,872 demerits?
Is that the view from the Secret Service sniper? :-)
He'll make a great skipper.
ROFLMAO!!! Great funny to start the day!
Is that John Candy?
Yowza!
Great post. I'm kind of shocked it was in the slimes.....
I am sure the Secret Service seeing the President suffocating for a bit was tad interesting lol
Bah. He's an amateur.
When I first heard of this midshipman on the radio, my reaction was that he had "challenged" himself. A-students wouldn't understand one bit.
great story!
WOOO WOOO! He made it.
Hummmm.....this identical pose was done at last year's graduation.....
The little known Federal Academy. King's Point. Other know as the "zoo" to it's inmates and alumni.
Most excellant. Here it first on Free Republic, turn off the MSM.
I am surprised that he was the first President to speak at such a event there.
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