Posted on 08/12/2007 4:30:41 PM PDT by Wolfstar
PRESIDENTIAL NEWS OF THE DAY: President and Mrs. Bush hosted a luncheon today for the new president of France, Nicholas Sarkozy. (Sarkozy's wife declined the invitation to lunch.) After meeting with Sarkozy, the first couple returned to Washington, where they attended a wedding..
President Bush, First Lady Leave MaineKENNEBUNKPORT, Maine -- Hours after French President Nicolas Sarkozy left Kennebunkport, President Bush attended the wedding ceremony of Cary Gottesman.
She is the daughter of Bush's longtime friends from Texas, Sandy and Lisa Gottesman, and the sister of Bush's former personal aide, Blake Gottesman.
Bush was using all the trappings of his family's oceanfront estate in Maine Saturday as he worked on a cozier relationship with France and its new president.
Privately, Bush and Sarkozy met for about 50 minutes for what the U.S. president called a "heart-to-heart" talk. Former President George Bush sat in on the session with them.
The president and first lady left Maine Sunday afternoon aboard Air Force One.
Bush, France's president do casual lunch in Maine
by Ben Feller, Associated Press, August 12, 2007KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine -- President Bush, using all the trappings of his family's oceanfront estate, worked on a cozier relationship with France and its new president Saturday.
Bush welcomed Nicolas Sarkozy, the French leader known for his fast-paced style who may also be this White House's last true chance for better relations between the two nations.
"He's bringing a good brain, good vision and goodwill," Bush said from his parents' compound, which juts out like a finger pointing into the Atlantic Ocean.
Bush called Sarkozy a friend who could be counted on to speak frankly.
"We have had good disagreements -- on Iraq, in particular," Bush acknowledged about the frayed U.S.-France partnership. "But I've never allowed disagreements to not find other ways to work together."
Sarkozy, visiting Bush for the first time as France's president, came with plenty of his own warm words. He focused on more than two centuries of united history between the countries, thanking the U.S. for sacrificing lives to help defend France in time of war.
"That is a lot more important than Mr. Sarkozy or Mr. Bush," he said. "Because after Mr. Bush, and after Mr. Sarkozy, we'll continue to be friends of the Americans."
All the effusiveness was intended to be a message to the world that diplomatic life is on the upswing for the U.S. and France. It comes in contrast to the bitter relationship with former French president Jacques Chirac, who clashed with Bush most notably over Iraq.
Privately, Bush and Sarkozy met for about 50 minutes for what the U.S. president called a "heart-to-heart" talk. The former president sat in on the session with them.
The topics included Iran, where Bush is seeking Sarkozy's aid in thwarting Iran's suspected pursuit of a nuclear weapon. Other world hotspots were likely discussed, but the White House refused to divulge details.
The French president was treated to a true day in the life of the Bush experience.
There was the greeting of handshakes and hugs from two presidents -- the current one and his dad, former President George H.W. Bush, who owns the Kennebunkport compound. They were joined by President Bush's wife, Laura; his mother, Barbara; and other family.
As if to pound home the point that the event was a casual one, the White House put no seafood entree on the menu in a region renowned for its lobster. Instead, the visiting president got American picnic fare of hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans and blueberry pie.
GWB can never win with the media. They usually whine that he spends "too much" time on vacation in Texas every August. Now they whine that he has never vacationed outside the United States. Some reporter apparently asked him if he would vacation in France. Here's the article with his answer:
Bush would vacation in France, if he can go mountain biking
9 minutes agoKENNEBUNKPORT, United States (AFP) - President Bush, who has never vacationed outside the United States since taking office, on Saturday said he would take time off in France, as long as he can go mountain biking.
Bush, who doesn't speak French, said he would eagerly accept an invitation to visit France if it came from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whom he was hosting Saturday at the Bush family holiday compound in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Asked by reporters if he would be willing to follow Sarkozy's example and take a vacation away from home, Bush said: "Of course I would ... there's some spectacular spots around the world ... great places to relax."
What about France, if Sarkozy should invite him?
"Absolutely. Absolutely. Particulary if he could find a place for me to ride my mountain bike," responded Bush, who is an avid enthusiast of the sport.
However, Bush made it clear he was not planning a trip to France any time soon, but not because he can't speak French -- "I can barely speak English," he said to chuckling reporters well acquainted with his frequent malapropisms.
The chief reason, Bush said, was "I'm a Texan, I like my place down there. I like to go down there as much as I can. It's where I can relax." He was referring to his ranch in Crawford, Texas.
He said he was pleased Sarkozy and his family were spending their summer vacation in the United States, in the lakeside resort of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, just 80 kilometers (50 miles) away from Kennebunkport.
"If people were asking me where I think they ought to vacation, it would be right here in America -- where I'll be vacationing, as you know. Monday, starting in Crawford," Bush said.
Bush began his vacation Thursday at his family's ocean-side estate. On Monday, he will continue on to his ranch in Crawford.
However, things in the European Union are not going swimingly, as this article from the UK Telegraph makes clear:
Arrogant Germany and fearful France tearing euro apart
By Ambrose Evans- PritchardIt's back to Verdun. France and Germany can no longer share a currency, or an aviation industry for that matter. Reverting to historical patterns of behaviour, they are each embarking on policies that must lead to bitter conflict and endanger monetary union.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy is at root an anti-globalist, champion of a weak euro in a trade bloc shielded by "Community Preference". He is letting rip on fiscal policy, gutting the EU's revamped spending rules.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel - a Baltic PhD physicist and daughter of a Lutheran pastor - is the white angel of orthodoxy. She will sooner break EMU than allow a resurgent Germany to succumb to wage and price inflation.
The culture clash was masked in the euro's early - aberrant - years, when Germany was battling slump, and France had not yet tipped into obvious decline.
The cycles have now reversed as the Teutonic Tiger roars back, able to cope with a doubling of interest rates and a euro surge to all-time highs of $1.38 against the dollar and Y168 against the yen.
By screwing down wages, Deutschland AG has deflated costs since 1995 by 20pc against France, 30pc against Spain, and 40pc against Italy.
Germany is now seizing market share across southern Europe, without reciprocating. Total imports fell by €2.2bn in May. This is not a case of German recovery lifting Club Med. It is a beggar-thy-neighbour squeeze. Germany's trade surplus was €17.5bn in May alone. France had a deficit of €3bn.
German finance minister Peer Steinbrück mischievously professed last week to "love the strong euro". He may regret his flippant words as Germany reaps the political whirlwind of its newfound conceit.
How quickly Berlin forgets that the European Central Bank held rates at 2pc until December 2005 to prop up Germany, damning Club Med to deadly bubbles.
[SNIP]
The culture clash was masked in the euro's early - aberrant - years, when Germany was battling slump, and France had not yet tipped into obvious decline.
The cycles have now reversed as the Teutonic Tiger roars back, able to cope with a doubling of interest rates and a euro surge to all-time highs of $1.38 against the dollar and Y168 against the yen.
By screwing down wages, Deutschland AG has deflated costs since 1995 by 20pc against France, 30pc against Spain, and 40pc against Italy.
Germany is now seizing market share across southern Europe, without reciprocating. Total imports fell by €2.2bn in May. This is not a case of German recovery lifting Club Med. It is a beggar-thy-neighbour squeeze. Germany's trade surplus was €17.5bn in May alone. France had a deficit of €3bn.
German finance minister Peer Steinbrück mischievously professed last week to "love the strong euro". He may regret his flippant words as Germany reaps the political whirlwind of its newfound conceit.
How quickly Berlin forgets that the European Central Bank held rates at 2pc until December 2005 to prop up Germany, damning Club Med to deadly bubbles.
Q And one of the -- the President has not hosted any of his counterparts in Crawford for a very long time. Is it -- does he think that Kennebunkport is more appropriate now to host Mr. Putin or Mr. Sarkozy --MS. PERINO: No, no, no. I can't remember when the last time that there was a foreign leader in Crawford, but I don't feel like it was that long ago. The Putin visit was also a very good visit. That was, again, a meeting where geography helped in terms of a confluence of events where President Putin was flying, I believe, from Canada down to Latin America, and the President thought it would be a good idea to invite him up here when he was on his way. So I think that's just a coincidence.
Pinging you to the Sunday evening Dose, with photos of the Sarkozy visit, the twins, and even a really nice one of the Vice President.
Hi
The common French embrace -- an air kiss on each cheek.
Walking toward the house.
And warmly embraces Laura. (Mrs. Sarkozy stayed behind in New Hampshire where she and her husband are vacationing.)
Thanks for the ping
And this is why they can make such effortless speed in Fidelity: three huge outboards.
The weight of those three outboards really do pull her stern down, though.
Thanks for dose a great way to begin the week both with a new edition of sanity island and with you. :o)
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