Posted on 01/09/2009 5:51:35 PM PST by silent_jonny
Today President Bush visited privately with the White House Communication Agency and the White House Transportation Agency, and later met with the men and women stationed at Bolling Air Force Base, where he thanked them for their service over the past eight years.
Tomorrow, President & Mrs. Bush will attend the commissioning ceremony of the USS George H. W. Bush in Norfolk, Virginia, along with former President George H. W. Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush.
It was just a little over two years ago that the aircraft carrier—the 10th and final of the Nimitz class—was christened by the former President’s daughter, Doro Bush Koch.
President George W. Bush joins his father, Former President George H. W. Bush and Northrop Grumman President Mike Petters, as his sister Doro Bush Koch breaks the bottle to christen the George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in Newport News, Virginia, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006. White House photo by Eric Draper
President George W. Bush: [speaking at the 2006 ceremony] The George H. W. Bush is the latest in the Nimitz line of aircraft carriers. She is unrelenting, she is unshakable, she is unyielding, she is unstoppable. As a matter of fact, probably should have been named the Barbara Bush. (Laughter and applause.)
Speaking of the carrier, former President Bush stopped by again today and met with the crew and the ship’s captain, Captain Kevin E. O' Flaherty ahead of tomorrow’s ceremony.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze today at the State Department and signed a cooperation agreement between the US and Georgia.
Deputy Press Secretary Scott Stanzel: [Tomorrow, following the commissioning ceremony, the President] will meet with the United States Navy SEAL teams; that is closed press. When he arrives back at Andrews Air Force Base, he will visit with the Presidential Airlift Group; that meeting is also closed.And on Tuesday morning, the President will have his final Cabinet meeting; that will be pool at the bottom. Later in that afternoon, the President and Mrs. Bush will present the 2009 Presidential Medals of Freedom Awards; and that is open press.
(Source)
Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island 
Quote of the Day:
President Bush: [speaking at the christening ceremony, October 7, 2006]One of Dad's most important missions was a strike on a radio tower on an island called Chichi Jima. The Japanese were using that tower to intercept U.S. military radio transmissions and alert the enemy about impending American air strikes. On September 2, 1944, his squadron was given a simple assignment: to take it out. The pilots knew they would face heavy enemy fire, because the Japanese had fortified the island. But Dad and his fellow pilots did their duty without complaint or hesitation. During that raid, his plane was hit by anti-aircraft artillery and it caught on fire. Yet he kept his plane on course, he released his four bombs, and scored four direct hits on that tower. He headed out to sea, he ejected.
Japanese boats were sent out to capture him. And after more than two harrowing hours at sea alone in a rubber life raft, he was rescued by the crew of the USS Finback. For his action, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Photo of the Day:
A portrait of former President George H.W. Bush is on display in the tribute room aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush at the Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va., Friday, Jan. 9, 2009. The ship will be commissioned on Saturday.
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Former President George H.W. Bush, right, talks with Capt. Kevin E. O'Flaherty, left, as he arrives for a tour of the USS George H.W. Bush nuclear aircraft carrier at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va., Friday, Jan. 9, 2009.
Former President George H.W. Bush, arrives for a tour of the USS George H.W. Bush nuclear aircraft carrier at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va., Friday, Jan. 9, 2009.
Ensign, Dianna Morgan, of Danville Ill., gives a tour of the flight control center aboard aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush at the Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va., Friday, Jan. 9, 2009.
Crewman aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush clean an F/A-18 aircraft on the hanger deck of the ship at the Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va., Friday, Jan. 9, 2009.
Hi!
Crewman aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush work on a display of a statue of the former president on the hangar deck of the carrier at the Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va., Friday, Jan. 9, 2009.
Captain Kevin E. O' Flaherty, of the nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush speaks in front of a statue of the former president on the hanger deck of the ship at the Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Va., Friday, Jan. 9, 2009.
Fair Seas and Following Winds to the USS George H.W.Bush!
Howdy!
I believe that’s - fair winds and following seas.
I believe you’re correct - I guess I’m cut off! :)
lol -
Q Is there a sense of frustration and disappointment that this [the economic news] is happening on President Bush's watch as he prepares to leave office?MR. STANZEL: No, I don't think that the President looks at it that way at all. He just looks at it as a challenge, an issue that must be tackled, that we must take decisive action. That's how he's looked at all of the major challenges that he's faced throughout his presidency, be it challenges like 9/11 or wars or natural disasters or problems on the economic side. You know, the President inherited an economy that was in recession. That's why he put in place tax relief that led to 52 straight months of job growth. And that was helpful.
On the housing side, obviously, that precipitated the problems that we're in now ... We saw those problems on the horizon, and unfortunately it took a long time for Congress to act. And that was disappointing.
But the President doesn't -- isn't one who wrings his hands and says, woe is me. It is -- he has had this job now for seven years, 11 months and 20 days. And he's put in the effort every day to challenge his staff and to tackle the problems and the issues and challenges that we face as a nation.
I wonder what his thoughts are? I know when I do some things that bring back memories of my youth it would bring thoughts of “Boy - back when I walked on board ship that first time and didn’t know diddly squat, and spent that one night scrubbing the showers with a tooth brush, who woulda thunk I’d be touring one 3x as big and named after me!?”
That must be quite the honor!! Glad he got to see the day.
Awesome photo of the day. That is a great portrait of the
former president...and WWII hero!
Thanks for your hard work, Jonny!
Q There's a report that the Obama administration intends to engage in low-level talks with Hamas. Looking at the situation in Gaza now, do you think that that's something that perhaps you should have done?MR. STANZEL: Our policy has been clear, in terms of not dealing with Hamas. Hamas is a terrorist organization that took over the Gaza -- Gaza in -- about 18 months ago. So our position has been clear.
As you've heard from the State Department, in terms of the actions that the world community has taken, obviously Egypt has been working with Israel in terms of trying to get to a durable and sustainable cease-fire. And that is a process that we have supported. But our position has not changed.
Great Photo of the Day!
Thanks for your hard work!
We knew what you meant, thanks.
For the life of me, I can’t figure out what you post has to do with this thread.
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