A Day in the Life of President Bush (photos): 7-11-07

WhiteHouse.gov & other sources ^ | 7-11-07

[silent_jonny]

President and Mrs. Bush mourn the passing of Lady Bird Johnson and send condolences to the Johnson family. (Transcript)

Earlier today the president and first lady unveiled the newly renovated James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. The president spoke at the ribbon cutting ceremony (Transcript) and Mrs. Bush toured the new work areas around the room.

President Bush later spoke about the budget and how to keep the economy growing. (Transcript)

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke at the Organization of American States/African Union Democracy Bridge Forum in Washington.

Mrs. Lynne Cheney spoke to students at the Ambassador Baptist Christian School in Washington.

Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

[silent_jonny]

Quote of the Day:

President Bush: Welcome back to the West Wing. We missed you -- sort of. (Laughter.)

Photo of the Day:

President George W. Bush and Mrs. Laura Bush, with White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, left, welcome reporters and photographers back to the newly re-modeled James S. Brady Press Briefing Room following an official ribbon cutting, Wednesday, July 11, 2007, at the White House. White House Correspondents' Association president Steve Scully is seen at right.

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A warning to trolls, disruptors and other idiots:
“If you value your posting privileges, don’t let me
catch you on a Dose thread again. Got it?” ~ Lead Moderator

[silent_jonny]

Dose Ping!

Sorry it’s a little late. Had to wait for a thunderstorm to pass before I could get online.

Please Pray for President Bush

Please wait for the "All Clear" before posting or reposting pictures and graphics.

[Majie Purple]

Not agian...me?

[silent_jonny]

Yes, you :)

[jlyspio]

HI!

[snugs]

Thanks for the ping

[silent_jonny]

President and Mrs. Bush Mourn the Passing of
Lady Bird Johnson

Laura and I mourn the passing of our good friend, and a warm and gracious woman, Lady Bird Johnson. Those who were blessed to know her remember Mrs. Johnson's lively and charming personality, and our Nation will always remember her with affection. Mrs. Johnson became First Lady on a fateful day in November 1963 - and was a steady, gentle presence for a mourning Nation in the days that followed.

In the White House, Mrs. Johnson shared her love of the environment and nature with our entire country. The native wildflowers that bloom along roadsides today are part of her lasting legacy. She joined President Johnson in the struggle for civil rights, inspiring millions of Americans. Her commitment to early education gave many children a head start in life.

President Johnson once called her a woman of "ideals, principles, intelligence, and refinement." She remained so throughout their life together, and in the many years given to her afterward. She was much-loved in our home State of Texas, and the Bush family is fortunate to have known her.

Lady Bird Johnson leaves behind her devoted daughters, Lynda and Luci, their fine families, and a Nation that joins them in honoring a good life of kindness and service.

[Kaslin]

Good evening!

[Majie Purple]

Man! I don’t understand my T streak but I’ll thankfully accept it!
;)

[bray]

Nice pic jonny. The Funeral Home look is perfect for the WH Press Corpse.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Kaslin]

Good evening! Congratulations

[snugs]

Hi Kas

[Kaslin]

Good evening!

[Kaslin]

Hi snugs!

[Majie Purple]

Thanks! I truly can’t phathom why so many lately!
I went MONTHS Nov-06-Lately without a new one...

[silent_jonny]

I'll get to today's photos in a moment. I found these interesting early pics of the Press Briefing Room and I thought you might be interested in them too.

The area of the White House now known as the Press Briefing Room was originally built as a swimming pool for President Roosevelt in 1933. Roosevelt often swam to alleviate the pain of his polio and he was thankful that a pool was now convenient to him inside the White House.

This is how the pool looked in 1948, during President Truman’s term. (Truman enjoyed the pool as well and swam in it with his glasses on.)

The pool is 15 feet wide, 50 feet long and 8 feet deep.

[silent_jonny]

JFK had the pool remodeled in 1961. A large mural covered the original windows. The opposite wall was covered with a series of floor-length mirrors. Kennedy liked the pool so much that he swam in it as much as three times a day, sometimes having swimming races with his cabinet members.

Astronaut Edward White (the first man to walk in space) plays with his kids in the pool, 1966.

The mirrored wall reflects the mural.

This part of the mural now hangs in the Kennedy Library.

[silent_jonny]

In 1970, with increasing demands for television news access to the White House, President Nixon had the pool covered with a wooden floor and converted the space into more of a living room type of environment for his meetings with the press. Very informal.

The original Press Briefing Room. This view is facing where the president would speak, in front of the white curtain.

The pool remained hidden for 30 years, until workers rediscovered it—still intact—as they were installing new wiring in the room in 2000.

[silent_jonny]

President Reagan gave the Press Briefing Room its signature look in the 1980s, replacing Carter’s 70’s gold motif with a nobler blue décor. Reagan also had the loose chairs replaced with blue theater-style seats and the White House emblem placed on the background curtain.

The room is now named after Reagan’s first press secretary James Brady who was wounded during the assassination attempt in 1981.

The Carter version.

The Reagan version.

[silent_jonny]

But by 2005, the room was outdated and in need of another overhaul.

The Washington Post:

Although the briefing room might appear spacious and even glamorous to those watching at home, it is not. In a space no larger than a decent-size living room, 48 small theater-style chairs are crammed together, feet from the podium … The carpet is worn, and cameras, ladders and other equipment are piled along two walls and in the back of the room.

The room is, quite literally, a fire hazard, with wires fraying and cameras, cords and equipment piled throughout. It has all the comforts of a 1970s schoolroom: cramped, ergonomically challenged desks and seats for reporters, and no high-speed Internet access

On August 2, 2006, President Bush invited former press secretaries, including James Brady, to tour the room once more before it was closed for renovations.

Accompanied by seven White House Press Secretaries, President George W. Bush jokes with reporters Wednesday, August 2, 2006, during the last day of operation of the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room before it undergoes a renovation. On stage with the President are, from left: Joe Lockhart, Dee Dee Myers, Marlin Fitzwater, Tony Snow, Ron Nessen, James Brady and his wife Sarah Brady.

President Bush: I know you've been complaining about the digs for a while. (Laughter.) So this is like the end of an old era. And let me just say, we felt your pain. And so we decided, you know, to help you renovate and come up with a new Brady center.

… So, like, suede chairs? (Laughter.) Is that what you're looking -- kind of velvet armchairs? Armchairs. Everybody wants to be able to lean back.

It looks a little crowded in here. And so you want to double the size?

Q Yes.

Forget it. (Laughter.) You get to work like the rest of us. We may let you have some air conditioning if we decide to. (Laughter.)