[silent_jonny]

Quote of the Day:

President Bush: [speaking at the Max M. Fisher National Republican Award Dinner]

The last time I attended this dinner, I was the governor of Texas, running for President of the United States. Maybe some of you are old enough to remember that. (Laughter.) Since then, some things have changed: My daughter got married, my hair is grayer, the entourage is bigger -- and I haven't seen a traffic jam in eight years. (Laughter and applause.) But some things that haven't changed: the principles that are etched in my soul, and my faith in the American people.

Over these past eight years, we've endured a lot together. When you think about what has taken place, it's been a challenging time for the American people. We've had a recession, high energy prices, housing downturn, unprecedented attack on our homeland, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and devastating natural disasters. The reason I bring that up is because you can't know what the future will bring, but you can bet there's going to be some unexpected challenges facing our country. And that is why the United States must elect a leader that has the experience and judgment necessary to handle those challenges.

Photo of the Day:

President George W. Bush shakes hands with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani during a meeting in the Oval Office, June 25, 2008 in Washington DC.

[silent_jonny]

Dose Ping!

Please Pray for President Bush

Please wait for the "All Clear" before posting or reposting pictures and graphics.

[txrangerette]

hi

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush meets with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in the Oval Office at the White House, June 25 2008 in Washington DC.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush and Iraq's President Jalal Talabani speak to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington June 25, 2008.

President Bush: It's been my honor to welcome a friend, President Talabani, back to the Oval Office. He is the President of a free Iraq. He is a man who's been on the front lines of helping to unify Iraq and to help Iraq recover from a brutal regime -- that of Saddam Hussein.

I complimented the President on the progress that the government has made. I complimented the President on the fact that as security has improved, he and his fellow officials are reaching out to all aspects of society to help people realize the blessings of a free life.

There's still a lot of work to be done, we recognize that. We talked of a variety of subjects. We talked about a strategic framework agreement that suits the Iraq government. We talked about elections and different laws that have been passed. I did compliment the President on working hard to see to it that the legislative session this year has been very successful. We talked about the fact that the economy is improving, and that the attitude of the people there has improved immeasurably over the years.

And so I welcome you here. I'm proud of what you've done, and I thank you for the tough decisions, so that the people of a free Iraq can realize hopes and dreams. Welcome.

[silent_jonny]

Members of President Bush's cabinet and staff listen in the background as the President meets with Iraq's President Jalal Talabani, Wednesday, June 25, 2008, in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington. From left are, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, Vice President Dick Cheney, and White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush listens as the President of Iraq Jalal Talabani speaks in the Oval Office of the White House June 25, 2008 in Washington, DC. The two leaders discussed US-Iraq relations.

President Talabani: Well, I am proud to have the honor of meeting President George Bush, whom we consider the liberator of Iraq from the worst kind of dictatorship, as a great friend of the Iraqi people. I'm grateful for what he said about me, but I agree with him that we are going to work together for having this agreement -- security agreement between the United States and Iraq, and also to continue our cooperation in our struggle against terrorism, for promotion of democracy in Iraq and Middle East.

We are proud to have such a good friend here in this great country …

Now I can say that Iraq -- big part of Iraq is stable and is secure and liberated from the danger of terrorism and militia.

Yes, some places still there are some groups that remain here and there, but I think big achievement we have done this year with the support of the United States Army and government, and with the friendly advices from President Bush. I can say that we are proud to achieved good successes in Iraq, and our economy is growing …

And again to thank -- here I am again to thank here our great friends, President Bush and American people, for their sacrifice and their support for the Iraqi people. Thank you very much.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush and Iraqi President Jalal Talabani shake hands during a meeting on June 25, 2008 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC.

[maica]

That is a photo of two happy men!!!

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush speaks to reporters at the National Security Advisor's meeting with representatives of the United Nations Security Council Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at the White House. From left are, Ambassador Liu Zhenmin of China, U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad and Ambassador Vitally Ivanovich Churkin of Russia. White House photo by Eric Draper

President George W. Bush participates in the National Security Advisor's Meeting with the United Nations Security Council Permanent Representatives in the Roosevelt Room of the White House June 25, 2008 in Washington, D.C. The U.N. Security Council condemned the Zimbabwean government under Mugabe for intimidating people with violence making it impossible to hold a fair presidential election.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush sits with US Ambassador to the United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad (R) during a meeting of UN Security Council permanent representatives at the White House in Washington, June 25, 2008.

President Bush: We've had a really good discussion. We talked about a U.N. Security Council role for Darfur and Burma …

And then we talked about Zimbabwe. Friday's elections, you know, appear to be a sham. You can't have free elections if a candidate is not allowed to campaign freely and his supporters aren't allowed to campaign without fear and intimidation. Yet the Mugabe government has been intimidating the people on the ground in Zimbabwe. And this is an incredibly sad development …

I want to thank very much the leaders in the region, those who have stepped up and spoke clearly, I appreciate them doing every -- taking their responsibility seriously. And I want to thank the members here around the table of the United Nations Security Council for your strong presidential statement. It was a powerful statement for fairness and decency and human dignity. And I suspect you'll still be dealing with this issue. And as you do, I hope you continue to speak with the same clarity that you spoke with last Monday.

People of Zimbabwe deserve better than what they're receiving now. People there want to express themselves at the ballot box, yet the Mugabe government has refused to allow them to do so. This is not just, and it is wrong.

[silent_jonny]

President Bush walks past the flowers in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, June 25, 2008, as he leaves the Oval Office for a day trip to attend the National Republican Award Dinner in Livonia, Michigan

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush waves as he crosses the South Lawn to travel to Michigan for a Republican event, from the White House in Washington, June 25, 2008.

The Marine One helicopter carries President George W. Bush as he departs the White House in Washington for a Republican event in Michigan June 25, 2008.

[silent_jonny]

President Bush walks to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Wednesday, June 25, 2008

President Bush waves from Air Force One prior to departing Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Wednesday, June 25, 2008, for a day-trip to Michigan

[Kaslin]

Great Photo of the Day. Whenever you get a chance. On a red toaster please

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush arrives to deliver remarks at the Max M. Fisher National Republican Award Dinner at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan June 25, 2008.

President George W. Bush listens to his introduction before delivering remarks at the Max M. Fisher National Republican Award Dinner at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan, June 25, 2008.

[snugs]

Thanks for the ping

[eyedigress]

My two-cents to the Day in the Life of President Bush series on FR. I have never seen a President work harder. The only other President I've seen tons of pics of is Kennedy, and he's playing football or some such activity most of the time.

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush makes remarks at the Max M. Fisher National Republican Award Dinner at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan, on June 25, 2008.

President Bush: Thank you. Pleased be seated. (Applause.) Thanks for the --

Audience Member: We love you! (Laughter.)

President Bush: Thank you for the warm welcome. I'm fresh in from Washington, bringing greetings from First Lady Laura Bush, who's done a fabulous job. (Applause.) And I'm so pleased to be back in Michigan. I've spent some quality time in your state. I've enjoyed it every time I've come. I remember -- you know, we've got a lot of fond memories here, such as the time when the Republican Party nominated a really good guy to be the vice presidential candidate with Ronald Reagan. That would be the first President George Bush. (Applause.)

You might remember, that was in Detroit. And I remember the night -- the time that Ronald Reagan reminisced about that evening. As he told the story, a friend of his was watching the convention proceedings in a hotel lounge in California. And he was on the stage, and my dad was on the stage, and all the supporters were on the stage. And then he heard someone ask this question: "Who are all those people up on the podium with Max Fisher?" (Laughter.)

Everybody who knew Max Fisher loved Max Fisher. He was a man of uncommon grace. He was a person that could speak to the folks on the assembly line as well as to Presidents. He was a generous soul who gave to his community, his country, and the city of Detroit. He was a man of great courage. After all, he lived some 40 miles from Ann Arbor, but always reminded people he went to Ohio State. (Laughter.)

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush delivers remarks at the Max M. Fisher National Republican Award Dinner at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan June 25, 2008.

President Bush: And when the people start paying attention and when they start looking at the philosophical differences, they're going to find that there's a wide chasm; there really are fundamental differences between what Republicans believe and what Democrats believe.

On the issues that matter most, from taxes and spending to confirming good judges and building a culture of life, to protecting our people and winning the war on terror, the American people are going to have a very clear choice.

When they get in that voting booth on Election Day, when they think about what really matters to them, they're going to vote Republican. They're going to vote Republican for Congress; they're going to vote Republican for the Michigan statehouse; and they're going to vote Republican for President of the United States. (Applause.)

This November the American people are going to have a clear choice when it comes to taxes and spending. Republicans believe that American families can spend their own money far better than the government can. (Applause.)...

Now, our opponents have a different view on taxes ... there's a reason why the Democrats want to raise taxes. It's because they need more of your money to increase -- to pay for all the new spending they have in mind. This is a well-thought-out plan on their part ...

When the Democrats campaigned for Congress in 2006, they promised fiscal responsibility. And since they took office, they've been acting like teenagers with a new credit card. (Laughter.)

When those bills to increase spending and raise taxes reach my desk, I answer them with my favorite veto pen and the famous words of Elvis Presley: "Return to sender." (Laughter and applause.)

[silent_jonny]

President George W. Bush makes remarks at the Max M. Fisher National Republican Award Dinner at Laurel Manor in Livonia, Michigan, on June 25, 2008.

President Bush: I know that you're concerned about rising gasoline prices, and so am I. I've repeatedly proposed ways to boost America's domestic oil supply. The Democrats have rejected virtually all of them.

It puts them in an interesting position. They say they want lower prices at the pump, but they're against measures that would actually do that. You might say when it comes to energy policy, the Democrats in Congress are running on empty. (Laughter and applause.) …

Republicans aspire to build a society where every human being is welcomed in life and protected in law. We funded crisis pregnancy centers and supported parental notification laws.

We outlawed the cruel practice of partial-birth abortion, and we defended this good law all the way to the Supreme Court -- and we won. (Applause.)

And that victory shows how important it is to put good judges on the bench. Republicans have made it-- they made it clear what our view is about the judiciary, the role of our courts in our democracy. We believe that judges should strictly interpret the law, and not legislate from the bench. We need more judges like Justice Sam Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts. (Applause.)

And we recently received a fresh reminder of the importance of the courts. A bare majority of five Supreme Court Justices overturned a bipartisan law that Congress passed and I signed to deliver justice to the detainees at Guantanamo Bay. With this decision, hardened terrorists now enjoy the same legal rights previously reserved for Americans.

This is precisely the kind of judicial activism that frustrates the American people. And the best way to change it is to put Republicans back in charge of the United States Senate, and John McCain in the White House. (Applause.)