Posted on 09/05/2007 5:24:02 PM PDT by silent_jonny
President Bush arrived in Sydney, Australia yesterday to attend the annual Asian-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC). Today he met again with his friend and ally Australian Prime Minister John Howard as they toured Sydney Harbor.
The two leaders then met with Australian troops on Garden Island Naval Base where they joined them for lunch. President Bush personally thanked the troops for their continued service in the War on Terror. (Transcript)
Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino: “[The president] said he was very proud to be with them, they're very courageous. And one of the things I overheard him say to some of the troops I was sitting with is that our military is very proud to serve along with them” (Transcript)
Prime Minister Howard and President Bush held a press conference this afternoon at the Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney. Afterwards, they formally signed a defense trade agreement and then joined each other again for dinner.
Back in the States, First Lady Laura Bush held a roundtable with the press at the White House, discussing the situation in Myanmar (Burma). The Bush Administration condemns the country’s recent crackdown on pro-democracy activists and the president is expected to speak about the matter during APEC.
President Bush: "It's inexcusable that we've got this kind of tyrannical behavior in Asia. It's inexcusable that people who march for freedom are then treated by a repressive state … And those of us who live in comfort of a free society need to speak out about these kind of human rights abuses." (Transcript)
Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island 
President Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard sign a treaty on defense trade cooperation in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007.
President Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard shake hands after signing a treaty on defense trade cooperation in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007.
Just need to ask you a question about polling. They are doing all these polls for the election cycle, are they still doing a lot of polling on President Bush or is that slowing down? I see one every once in a while but it seems like there aren’t as many as there once were.
President George W. Bush and Prime Minister John Howard, of Australia, wave to well-wishers Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007, after leaving the Commonwealth Parliament Offices and walking to the InterContinental Hotel in Sydney.
Wow! That’s a great POTD contenda(contender.)
President George W. Bush is greeted by Australian Prime Minister John Howard, left, and his wife, Janette, outside Kirribilli House in Sydney Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007 ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney.
President George W. Bush, right, poses for photographers with Australian Prime Minister John Howard, left, and his wife, Janette, outside Kirribilli House in Sydney Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007
Great pics, nice job sj!
Pray for W and Our Ausie Friends
Shaking hands with Governor-General Michael Jeffery
Sorry I’m a bit late but I am at work and have been in training all morning....
Doesn’t my hometown look SPECATACULAR....
Sydney is putting on her best face whilst the President (and the other APEC leaders are in town) - the weather is holding fine but a little cool.
The most stylish way to travel in Sydney, if you are able to, is by boat on the harbour and the President has been travelling this way a couple of times - more of that later.
Yesterday (Wednesday) the President met with Prime Minister Howard for the first time on this visit. The Prime Minister’s office is just up the road from the Inter-Continental Hotel where the President is staying. We were breathlessly told by the local media (aka lunatics) that it was only a 100 metre walk to the PM’s office and that the motorcade was 30 vehicles long - why was the President being driven there. The audacity....
Well, after the meeting the President shut them all up by walking back to his hotel with the Prime Minister - class act! Tourists were absolutely gobsmacked to see POTUS and the PM walking down Phillip Street. The President stopped to say hello. Lucky guys!
The President and PM Howard boarded a boat (hope that’s right not very good at nautical speak) that took them from the Sydney Opera House on a short trip to Garden Island, the naval base here in Sydney, to have lunch the invited guests that included returned service personnel who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. BTW Garden Island isn’t really an island - we are crazy we Aussies! The President was very gracious in his speech and seemed to enjoy himself in good company. He had a BBQ lunch and listened to a local C&W band. The President’s plate of food was photographed ( go figure!?) and analysed by local nutrition experts ( yes, for real). The verdict.....surprise, surprise....was not good - the President was not eating healthy. Ho Hum. It looked quite good in my opinion - steak, prawns, potato - what is not too like!
In the afternoon the President was able to get a little bit of exercise when he went mountain biking. The track he rode upon looked a bit rough but thankfully no spills. It was one way for the President to experience the Australian bush and get some fresh air.
The President had a dinner engagement with PM Howard and his wife Jeanette at their official Sydney residence, Kirribilli House.
Kirribilli House is a beautiful place, directly opposite the Sydney Opera House. Glorious location. The President boarded his “luxury” (local media again) boat for the trip across the harbour for dinner. Now the views that the President would have seen on this trip would have been pretty spectacular.
Picture this.....the sun setting behind the Sydney Harbour Bridge, you are travelling by boat from the Sydney Opera House across the most beautiful harbour in the world on a cool, clear evening.....being escorted by 12 police vessels.....
Once again there were photo ops with the Prime Minister and also the Governor General got a look in as well. He lives next door to the PM at Admiralty House. I can only imagine and hope that the President would have had a relaxing dinner with friends.
Today (Thursday) the schedule is once again jam packed for the President. He is meeting with the Australian opposition leader, Kevin Rudd, who is odds-on to win the next election. Don’t worry about the alliance between the US and Australia if Mr Rudd gets in - things will not change no matter how hard the opposition beats their collective chests. Two Presidents meet up later in the day - President Bush and President Ho Jintao from China.
Friday is a day-off for all Sydneysiders including yours truly ( even though I don’t work or live in the city). We are having a public holiday as the local government does not want anyone in the city of Sydney for Friday and Saturday. What will I be doing? Watching the APEC coverage on TV, of course.
AWESOME UPDATE . . . THANK YOU!
kitkat, I forgot to mention that when you are on the steering committee for these speaking engagements (which I was) there is always SS interaction. I wasnt the contact or spokesperson but was always nearby. several of the venues were security nightmares but things went okay , There was SS teams wanding, going thru bags & metal detector walk throughs at all entrances. This was a different area of the SS doing this. You rarely see Nick smile in any of these pix but he has a dynamite smile the few times I saw it. There is tremendous tension for them when the president is pressing flesh. Prior to arrival, things are a little looser..esp several hour earlier
JONNY!! Spectacular pix. Thank you.
thank you so much for your comments. Now you take care of POTUS for us, ya hear?
President George W. Bush and Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, shake hands as they meet for the start of a daylong visit Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007, at the Commonwealth Parliament Offices in Sydney.
Australian Prime Minister John Howard, left, and US President George W Bush wave from a boat as they take a tour of Sydney harbor near the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007.
Australia's Prime Minister John Howard and President Bush arrive at Garden Island naval base in Sydney for a lunchtime visit with Australian troops before the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit in Sydney, September 5, 2007.
President George W. Bush, right, shares a laugh with a chef after being served food on his plate during a luncheon with Australian troops at the Garden Island Naval Base in Sydney Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2007
You are way past pics up to Your eyballs Dear One!
Bless Your dedication & hard work You, Jonny, & All Dose posters!!!!(But I’m typing to You at present.)
Oz, you’ve done a great job with the local color. (You’re a good writer, too.)
Great dose tonight. Thank you very much!
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