Posted on 04/07/2008 6:02:41 PM PDT by snugs
The President and the First Lady returned to Washington on Sunday as did Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates from the NATO Sumit in Europe.
Today the President spoke about the Colombia Free Trade Agreement and signed a letter to Congress on the matter.
Click here for further details
The President also hosted a ceremony honoring members of the NCAA football champion LSU Tigers at the White House.
The President also met with small and medium business owners in the Roosevelt Room of the White House.
Pray for President Bush -- Day 2762
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spokeman said today that she will return to Stanford University when President George W. Bush steps down in January, denying rumors she sought political office.
The President's father attended the Houston Astros MLB National League baseball home opener against the Cardinals.
First lady Laura Bush with the first lady of of Tanzania Salma Kikwete watched a performance of "One Destiny" by actors from Ford's Theater in the East Room of the White House.
Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island
sorry...couldn't resist
what am i missing? What does the number 7 on President Bush’s jersey mean?
Congratulations toaster winner - will attempt to do toasters tomorrow note to winners - any request for photos or colour of toaster please ping or freep
snugs! Thank you for posting the Gallery tonight! I just love the President’s impish grin and boyish enthusiasm — that he’s been able to maintain both after 8 years in DC is a testament to the strength of his faith and his family!!
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BUSH MEETS GOETTA KING
(the ‘king’ was one of the small business owners who met with the President today)
By Malia Rulon
WASHINGTON - The owner of Glier’s Meats, the largest commercial producer of goetta, met with President Bush on Monday.
The president’s first question: “What’s goetta?”
Daniel Glier said he told the president, “It’s a Cincinnati thing,” as he explained the origin of the German breakfast meat mixture popular mostly just in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. (It’s a mix of pork, beef, whole grain, steel-cut oats, and spices.)
. . . Glier said after the meeting, Bush invited him and the other business owners into the Oval Office for photos and some chit chat, including questions about why Glier’s son was planning to attend Texas A&M University.
“It was like meeting my next door neighbor in the back yard,” Glier said. “He was so easy to talk to. [. . . yes it was less than 2 weeks ago that I made a similar comment after meeting our extremely personable president!] He was asking questions of us and we could ask questions of him. It was nice to represent my industry and also my area of the country.”
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080407/NEWS01/304070037
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A WORD FROM OUR MAN IN BAGHDAD
powerlineblog.com
One of our most faithful readers writes from Baghdad, where he is serving as an officer in the Army Reserve:
I’m back over here for my fourth Army Reserve stint since 2004. What a difference a year makes. In late 2006 and early 2007, just after surge had been announced, many commentators and thinkers — in uniform and out — thought that Anbar was hopeless, a lost cause. Just google “Anbar Lost” to see what I mean. Nowadays, it has been weeks since we lost a soldier in Anbar. More incredibly Iraqi Army units, composed of Anbari Sunnis, have deployed to Basra to engage in the fighting, under PM Maliki’s lead.
A year ago, the mere thought that the much-maligned PM would announce a major Iraqi-led offensive against fellow Shia would have been met with guffaws. Yet he announced it in late March this year, did not seek Coalition permission, and ordered 30,000 Iraqi Army and Police troops to deploy. More incredibly, they did deploy in good order, arriving in less than a week, with some units traveling hundreds of miles. And they fought. And they evacuated their own wounded using their own aircraft back to medical facilities.
Was the performance of the PM or the Iraqi forces up to our standards? Certainly not. Their pre-deployment planning was weak, as was their logistical support. As water and ammunition ran low, their ability and willingness to stay in sustained offensive small-unit combat wavered. The Iraqi units in Baghdad also fought against the Mahdi Army in supporting operations, exhibiting some of the same weaknesses.
To unbiased observers, this is significant progress. Critical to the Iraqi performance was the Coalition training teams in their midst (not all of them US), Coalition air support, and Coalition logistical re-supply. If you want to know what the future of the Coalition effort in Iraq might look like after al-Qaeda is defeated, this would come close.
Speaking of the Coalition, more than 30 nations still have boots on the ground here as official members of the Coalition, as part of the NATO training mission, or under UN authority. Unofficially, about 1000 Peruvians serve in a private security company that guards the perimeter of the US Embassy. Several hundred Ugandans working for another contractor also serve as guards at some Coalition bases. Another aspect of the coalition-of-the-willing that receives little mention are the nations that permit us to sustain our effort — Ireland, Germany, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait — even though they deploy no troops. Without access to airfields and ports in these countries, the global reach of the US would be much curtailed. After five years of war, this commitment still amazes.
I’m incredibly honored to be given the opportunity to serve here one more time.
http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives2/2008/04/020230.php
Exactly the impression I have had of him, and now I guess you can attest to that from personal experience!
Ahhhh....an athletic “trophy”! No wonder he’s got such a
grin on his face. He is SUCH a sports enthusiast!
Thanks for Sanity Island tonight. It’s more and more welcome
as we come nearer to the next election!
How are you? You know I have been having severe pain in my right arm and hand. Well, it started hurting so bad Wednesday night that I went to the ER Thursday night. The dr. there said I need to have carpal tunnel surgery again. So, granddaughter and I have appts. the 14th with our surgeon down in B’ham. This is all I need but I know something has to be done. I can not put up with this much pain for much longer. We will see how things go after the appt. Prayers would be appreciated for both of us.
Snugs, thanks for your Monday Dose. Where would we be without you?
Prayers for you, Mama. Hope the pain is relieved quickly.
re:7
Hi snugs. Hope all is well with you.
Great to see Condi smile!
& Laura is as classy as ever.
President Bush: ***During the 16 months since the Colombia free trade agreement was signed, my administration has worked closely with the Congress to seek a bipartisan path for considering the agreement. We held more than 400 consultations and meetings and calls. We led trips to Colombia for more than 50 members of the Congress. We worked closely with congressional leaders from both parties — including the Speaker, Leader Hoyer and Chairman Rangel, Minority Leader Boehner, Ranking Member McCrery, and Senators Baucus and Grassley.
On May 10th last year, my administration and congressional leaders concluded a bipartisan agreement that provided a clear path for advancing free trade agreements, including the agreement with Colombia. As part of that agreement, we included the strongest labor and environmental provisions of any free trade agreement in history. These provisions were negotiated with — and agreed [to] by — by the leadership of Congress — like the Democratic leadership in Congress.***
cspan have this statement by President Bush scheduled to air at 11:30pm Edt
Investors Business Daily has two excellent editorials about the Trade Agreement and the Democrat congress.
Pass The Pact
By INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Monday, April 07, 2008 4:20 PM PT
The Hemisphere: President Bush’s risky decision to force a vote on the Colombia free trade agreement in Congress wasn’t undertaken lightly and underscores that this pact is about far more than politics.
Read More: Latin America & Caribbean | Business & Regulation
Toward the end of his term, there’s probably nothing a president wants less than to take big risks. But Bush is forcing Colombia’s trade pact to a vote without congressional leaders’ approval, right in the heat of election season.
Why? Because doing nothing would be worse than losing.
“By acting at this critical moment, we can show a watching world that America will honor its commitments,” Bush announced.
This is a first. No major trade pact has ever failed in Congress. Yet no ally to our south has ever been so valuable to the U.S. as Colombia. Bush isn’t just forcing Congress to vote within 90 days on the permanent treaty. He also is asking Congress whether, after years of deliberation and winning every amendment Democrats have sought, they really want Colombia to be as rich and democratic as the U.S. — or an isolated pariah state shut out of investment and a regional laughingstock at the mercy of our enemies.
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=292460781731011
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=292460600468367
Oh boy, Oh boy! This is exciting. I’d like the fourth picture of the President and Laura in post #5; the one where the President is pointing and it looks like they’re looking up at the White House, on a red toaster, please!
Hi
It is a cute one
You are correct - congratulations you also win a toaster under the 10 second rule
Does your grandaugher have a similar problem or something else?
I am fine thanks but very busy with clearing out junk upstairs and also decorating.
Carpet for back bedroom should arrive this week. I managed to pick up a remnant fairly cheap which with careful arranging after cutting it in half should be able to lay it without noticing the join as I have 2 large rugs and various pieces of furniture.
I am going to get rid of the bed and use the room as a sort of dressing room/sitting room.
Good Evening Snugs. Against all odds you and I are getting pings! What a change, woke up and my Ping page is so confusing! Change, I guess. Your new room will be a FReeping Room!
Looks like we did! I think this is only the second time I’ve been first! It’s exciting!
Thanks for posting all these many photos.
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