Mrs Laura Bush addresses reporters in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room Monday, May 5, 2008 at the White House, urging the Burmese government to accept the humanitarian assistance being offered by the United States to the people of Burma in the aftermath of the destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis. White House photo by Patrick Tierney
Mrs Laura Bush addresses reporters in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room Monday, May 5, 2008 at the White House, on the humanitarian assistance being offered by the United States to the people of Burma in the aftermath of the destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis. White House photo by Shealah Craighead
Q Mrs. Bush, why such an historic interest? This is a first, for a First Lady to come to this podium and talk about a cyclone. Why such a historic interest?
MRS. BUSH: Well, you know I've been interested in Burma for a long time. It started really with an interest in Aung San Suu Kyi and reading her works and just the story of a Nobel Prize winner who's been under house arrest for so long, whose party was overwhelmingly elected in an election and then never able to take office. And so it started with an interest in her, and then just the more I've seen, the more critical I see the need is for the people in Burma to be -- for the world to pay attention to the people of Burma, and for the world to put pressure on the military regime.
MRS. BUSH: Thank you very much. Thank you.
Q Any chance you'll let us cover it? (Laughter.)
Q No invitation for the White House press?
Q Is it true there is an altar of limestone --
MRS. BUSH: That's right, the President told that this morning on "Good Morning America." This was his idea, to build this beautiful limestone altar, and it's the Texas limestone -- the same that our house is made out of -- from a local quarry, and they're the ones that made it. Q Is it permanent? (Laughter.)
MRS. BUSH: It's permanent.
Q Is he more nervous or are you?
MRS. BUSH: Neither one of us are nervous. I'm very, very excited. It's a very interesting passage of life when you get to that time in your life when your child, first child is getting married -- and we're getting, for us, our first son. So it's a thrill and we're very happy about it.
Q When some grandchildren come will they be named George --
MRS. BUSH: George or Georgia -- Georgina. Georgette. (Laughter.)
Q President is more excited, or you are more excited?
MRS. BUSH: We're both really, really excited. We're very thrilled, and of course Jenna is so happy and Henry is very happy. And that makes their mother and dad really happy.
Q Why the wedding didn't take place here at the White House?
MRS. BUSH: Well, she just wanted to get married at home. She just feels a lot more comfortable there. And it will be really beautiful. This is the time when the wild flowers are all blooming. And I think it will be a very, very lovely wedding, and it will be very like Jenna and Henry. And of course, that's what we want. We want what she wants.
Q How early Sunday morning is the bike ride the President will -- (laughter.)
MRS. BUSH: Since he probably won't be staying up to dance the last dance, it will probably be early.
Bye, you all. Thank you very much. And thank you so much for covering Burma, and I hope you'll keep watching. Thanks a lot.
END 3:21 P.M. EDT
First lady Laura Bush leaves after a news conference on aid efforts for the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar at the White House in Washington, May 5, 2008.