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 ...
should have added an "I" to my post. I heard it here first. New York Slimes, no thanks.
But I'm still lauging at that inbound hug expression on the President's face. Afterall, the guy IS 6'7". That's a tall drink coming at ya!!! Too funny.
On the back of the shirt a picture of Mr. Whitney and the American flag, with the legend: "Passing all licensing exams on the first try . . . Priceless."
But OMG that's a lot of demerits . . .
I still remember from reading a very old National Geographic a feature article on Kings Point, a photo of a group of students with clipboards observing a ship model (the S.S. Miss Calculation) designed to demonstrate all sorts of stability and weight-and-balance problems.
MSNBC Video interview of 3rd Mate Gabriel Witney. Well qualified to tell sea stories!
http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=71d7209e-d460-4f24-9a7a-704e71b605b1&f=00&fg=email
Matt Lauer: I have to say that I look at the look on his (Pres. Bush's) face I'm just happy for you sake that the Secret Service didn't take you right out.
(laughs)
3rd Mate Witney: Well there's no way that any Secret Service is taking that diploma out of my hands!
(more laughs)
Figure you would like the ping on this story.
As well as a "day in the life of..." photos of the USMMA graduation.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1652134/posts
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