A day in the life of President Bush (Many photos) 08-21-2007

Joint Statement by Prime Minister Harper, President Bush, and President Calderón

We, the leaders of Canada, Mexico and the United States, have met in Montebello to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing North America and to establish priorities for our further collaboration. As neighbours, we share a commitment to ensure North America remains a safe, secure and economically dynamic region, and a competitive player in global markets. We also discussed opportunities to cooperate globally and within our own hemisphere. The values and principles we share, in particular democracy, the rule of law and respect for individual rights and freedoms, underpin our efforts in building a more prosperous and secure region.

The Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), launched in 2005, is aimed at jointly achieving tangible results across a spectrum of areas, while respecting each nation’s sovereignty. On February 23, 2007, our ministers responsible for the SPP met in Ottawa to review progress and discuss our further cooperation. Our ministers of industry and commerce, foreign affairs, security, environment, energy, health, transportation and trade have also met in recent months, reflecting our deepening dialogue within North America. They have made progress in advancing the priorities we identified at our 2006 meeting in Cancun. In particular, our three countries have completed:

Today President Bush gave a joint statement with Prime Minister Harper, of Canada, and President Calderón of Mexico

PRESIDENT BUSH: Thank you, Prime Minister. Thanks for having us here. I, too, want to thank the good folks of Montebello for their wonderful hospitality. The food was good, the hospitality was warm. You picked a great place to come.

I expressed my country's concerns for the citizens whose lives will be affected by Hurricane Dean. I respect the fact that President Calderón has decided to get back to Mexico as quickly as possible in a safe way. I want you to know that U.S. agencies are in close touch with the proper Mexican authorities, and if you so desire help, we stand ready to help. The American people care a lot about the human condition in our neighborhood, and when we see human suffering, we want to do what we can to help alleviate that. So we wish you all the best.

These meetings are -- I'm not going to try to reiterate what Stephen said. He went through the list of the meetings. And he's a -- he's right, that we talked about a lot of issues. I just want to give you the spirit of the discussions and why I think they're important.

It's our people's interests that Canada and Mexico work closely together. In other words, there's a good reason why our leaders should come together on a regular basis. First reason why is to figure out ways to continue to enhance prosperity. It's in our interests that the Canadian lifestyle be as strong as it is, and it's in our interests that prosperity spread to Mexico. If you're a U.S. citizen, you want people that live close to you to be prosperous. The more prosperity there is in your neighborhood, the more hopeful your neighborhood is.

NAFTA, which has created a lot of political controversy in our respective countries, has yielded prosperity. Since NAFTA came to be, trade between our respective countries has grown from $293 billion a year to $883 billion a year. Now, for some, those are just numbers; for many, it's improved wages and a better lifestyle and more hope. And the question that we're faced with is how do we continue to enhance prosperity so the average citizen understands the benefits of three countries working together? And I think we made some good progress toward eliminating barriers and toward harmonizing regulations to a point where more prosperity will come to be.

And we discussed a lot of other issues. We discussed bilateral issues. Stephen and I talked about border issues. Of course, Felipe Calderón and I talked about border issues and migration. These are complicated issues, but they're issues that we can work out in good spirit as friends.

One reason one meets is to reconfirm friendships, is to make sure that not only at the leaders' level is there conversations taking place that are friendly, but that that spirit translates throughout our governments. And I think we've accomplished that objective today.

We also talked, as Stephen mentioned, about international issues, issues concerning South America, the Middle East. These are meaningful discussions. I'm glad I came and I'm looking forward to hosting them next year. Matter of fact, it's in the interests of our countries that we have these meetings on an annual basis and then have working groups follow through on the discussion items that -- during our meetings with the business leaders or our own Cabinet Secretaries.

After returning from Canada to the States President Bush stopped in Minneapolis where he participated in a briefing on the Interstate 35-W Bridge damage and Minnesota floods
You can read the text here

I could not find a quote of the day

Photos Of The Day

President George W. Bush stands next to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper as he reaches to shake hands with Mexican President Felipe Calderón at the conclusion of their joint press conference Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, at the North American Leaders' Summit at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Montebello, Canada. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush speaks with Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, prior to their meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen at the North American Leaders’ Summit in Montebello, Quebec. White House photo by Eric Draper

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

U.S. President George W. Bush (L) walks with Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon during the two-day North American Leaders' Summit in Montebello, Quebec, August 21, 2007.

U.S. President George W. Bush (L) walks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexican President Felipe Calderon at the North American leaders summit in Montebello, Quebec, August 21, 2007.

U. S. President George W. Bush (L) waves while posing for an official photograph with Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon during the two-day North American Leaders' Summit in Montebello, Quebec August 21, 2007.

U.S. President George W. Bush (L) walks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexican President Felipe Calderon at the North American leaders' summit in Montebello, Quebec, August 21, 2007.

President Bush gestures during a press conference with Mexican President Felipe Calderon and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the 2007 North American Leaders summit at Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello on Tuesday, August 21, 2007, in Montebello, Canada.

U.S. President George W. Bush (L) holds a news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexican President Felipe Calderon at the North American leaders summit in Montebello, Quebec, August 21, 2007.

U.S. President George W. Bush listens to a question next to Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon while participating in a joint press availability after the two-day North American Leaders' Summit at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Canada, August 21, 2007.

U.S. President George W. Bush (L) listens as Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks during a joint news conference at the two-day North American Leaders' Summit in Montebello, Quebec August 21, 2007

U.S. President George W. Bush (L) holds a news conference with Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon at the North American leaders summit in Montebello, Quebec, August 21, 2007

From left to right, President Bush answers questions during a news conference with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon at the closing of the North American leaders summit in Montebello, Quebec, Canada on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007.

U. S. President George W. Bush listens during a news conference with Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon at the two-day North American Leaders' Summit in Montebello, Quebec August 21, 2007.

U.S. President George W. Bush (L) holds a news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon (not shown) at the North American leaders summit in Montebello, Quebec, August 21, 2007.

Thanks for this island of sanity on a site that seems to be overwhelmed with Bush haters sometimes.

I have disagreements with W as I have will each president in my lifetime, but the man is possibly the only world leader who is willing to do what is necessary to stop the expansion of Islamofascism.

I notice, btw, that he never, ever gets the credit he deserves for our economy humming along after 9/11, which could very well have sent us into a depression.

But your threads are welcome reminders that SOME folks still appreciate the man, and I thank you for them.

President Bush gestures as he responds to a question during the closing news conference at the North American Leaders Summit in Montebello, Que., Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007.

U. S. President George W. Bush (L) speaks during a news conference with Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon at the two-day North American Leaders' Summit in Montebello, Quebec August 21, 2007

U. S. President George W. Bush laughs during a joint news conference with Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon at the two-day North American Leaders' Summit in Montebello, Quebec August 21, 2007.

U.S. President George W. Bush listens to questions during a news conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon at the North American leaders summit in Montebello, Quebec, August 21, 2007.

President Bush listens to a question while participating in a joint press availability after the two-day North American Leaders' Summit at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Quebec, August 21, 2007.

Hi .. and thank you, Kas .... ;) I thought he comments about al-Maliki today were right on.

As mentioned prevously, Pres. Bush will be speaking tomorrow at the annual VFW convention. The White House has released parts of his speech in advance of it.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/washington/22cnd-prexy.html?ref=world

“Late in the afternoon, the White House said Mr. Bush, in a speech on Wednesday, would declare the battle in Iraq as vital as earlier American campaigns and would once again call for perseverance.

“There are many differences between the wars we fought in the Far East and the war on terror we are fighting today,” Mr. Bush plans to tell the convention of Veterans of Foreign Wars. “But one important similarity is that at their core, they are all ideological struggles.”

According to excerpts released by the White House, the president will hit hard against those who would force an end to the troop buildup. The speech includes this sharp warning:

“Our troops are seeing this progress on the ground. And as they take the initiative from the enemy, they have a question: Will their elected leaders in Washington pull the rug out from under them just as they are gaining momentum and changing the dynamic on the ground in Iraq?”

The White House said Mr. Bush’s speech to the V.F.W. in Kansas City, and another at the American Legion convention next week in Reno, Nev., are part of the president’s attempt to provide “broader context” to the debate in advance of assessments on military and political progress in Iraq, to be delivered in mid-September by Gen. David H. Petraeus, the American commander, and Mr. Crocker.”

U.S. President George W. Bush speaks next to Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon while participating in a joint press availability after the two-day North American Leaders' Summit at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Canada, August 21, 2007.

President Bush listens to a question during the closing news conference at the North American Leaders Summit in Montebello, Que., Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007.

President George W. Bush walks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, center, and Mexican President Felipe Calderón Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, during the North American Leaders' Summit outside the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Montebello, Canada. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush participates in a joint press conference Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, during the North American Leaders' Summit at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Montebello, Canada. "Since NAFTA came to be, trade between our respective countries has grown from $293 billion a year to $883 billion a year," said the President. White House photo by Eric Draper

Air Force One, framed between the flags of the United States and Canada, is seen Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007 on the tarmac in Ottawa, Canada, awaiting the arrival of President George W. Bush after the conclusion of the North American Leader’s Summit in Montebello, Quebec. President Bush flew on to Minneapolis for an update meeting on the I-35W bridge collapse and Minnesota flooding. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush talks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, following their joint news conference with Mexico’s President Felipe Calderón at the North American Leaders’ Summit in Montebello, Quebec. White House photo by Eric Draper

From yesterday

U.S. President George W. Bush (R) walks with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexican President Felipe Calderon at the North American leaders summit in Montebello, Quebec, August 20, 2007.

U.S. President George W. Bush (R) waves beside Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon before dinner during the two-day North American Leaders' Summit at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Canada, August 20, 2007.

U.S. President George W. Bush (R) walks with Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper (C) and Mexico's President Felipe Calderon (L) before dinner during the two-day North American Leaders' Summit at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello in Canada, August 20, 2007.

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