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Bush Drives Putin to Texas Ranch in Truck
Reuters ^ | 10/14/01 | Randall Mikkelsen

Posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:14 PM PST by BunnySlippers

Wednesday November 14 6:15 PM ET

Bush Drives Putin to Texas Ranch in Pickup Truck

By Randall Mikkelsen

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - President Bush welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to his Texas ranch on Wednesday, hoping some down-home hospitality would soften Putin's skepticism over U.S. missile defense plans.

With a light rain falling, Bush drove the Russian leader to his ranch house in a white pickup truck as their summit moved to the wide open spaces of Texas.

v ``The president brought rain for which we are always grateful in the state of Texas,'' Bush shouted to reporters from behind the wheel of the Ford truck with Putin at his side. In seats behind them were wives, Laura Bush and Lyudmila Putin.

Wearing black slacks and a black shirt, the Russian leader became the first foreign leader to visit Bush's Prairie Chapel ranch.

A Marine One helicopter brought Putin and his wife to a helipad located on the ranch. Stepping off the chopper, Mrs. Putin offered a yellow rose to Mrs. Bush.

Then they all climbed into the truck for the short drive to the main house and nearby guest house where the Putins were staying overnight on the 1,600-acre ranch.

``I still know how to drive,'' said Bush, who is more accustomed to being driven around in a limousine.

He said he wanted to show Putin some sights on his ranch.

``We're going to take a tour. I want to show him some of my favorite spots on the ranch,'' Bush said, who had shed his dark Washington suits for faded blue jeans, cowboy boots and a rugged gray jacket.

A big party for 28 people was in the planning for the evening. The dinner menu included such Texas favorites as Mesquite-smoked peppered beef tenderloin, southern fried catfish, fire-roasted potatoes with poblano peppers, old-fashioned green beans, and pecan pie.

The guest list included famed pianist Van Cliburn, who once won a piano competition in Moscow and lives in Fort Worth. Golfer Ben Crenshaw was also attending.

The Ranch Hands Band, a Texas swing band, would also provide some of the entertainment.

Crawford, a tiny town outside Waco in central Texas, rolled out a homey welcome for the two leaders on Wednesday, with signs made by local school children decorating fence lines along the road into town.

``Texas says 'howdy' Russian Pres. Putin,'' said one banner.

Bush hoped the Texas stop would give Putin a glimpse of rural America and solidify their already warm personal relationship.

He also was planning to follow up on their Tuesday talks in Washington on a new strategic relationship.

``The best diplomacy starts with getting to know each other,'' Bush said on Tuesday.

This week's movable summit is the fourth meeting between Bush and Putin, and their warm personal chemistry showed no signs of cooling when the two met at the White House on Tuesday. ``You're the kind of guy I'd like to have in a foxhole with me,'' Bush told Putin in their Oval Office meeting, according to a senior U.S. official.

Each leader agreed to cut their nuclear weapons stockpiles by two thirds, although they failed to resolve differences over U.S. plans to develop a missile defense system.

In Crawford the two leaders will again try to make progress on missile defense, Bush said. However, he showed no sign of yielding on his aim to abandon the 1972 Anti Ballistic Missile treaty in order to develop a missile shield.

Putin views the treaty as an essential cornerstone of the strategic relationship between the two countries.

``He has got some concerns about getting rid of the ABM treaty,'' Bush said in Waco. ``I've listened very carefully to him. But I've made the case to him that we need to move beyond the vestiges of the past,'' he said.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer declined on Wednesday to predict whether Bush would initiate missile defense system tests that were suspended last month to avoid violating the ABM treaty. The tests were suspended to give the two leaders a chance to bridge differences over the pact.

NO BREAKTHROUGH EXPECTED

Bush said he did not expect a breakthrough in Crawford, and top aides said specifically they did not expect an agreement on the ABM treaty during Putin's visit.

``I don't think there's a particular moment where a relationship breaks through,'' Bush said. ``Actually, it takes a while. It takes a while to build up the trust necessary for him to know that I intend to keep my word when I say I'm going to do something and vice versa.''

Bush said on Tuesday he would cut the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile by two thirds over the next decade, to between 1,700 and 2,200. Putin said Russia would follow suit, but said he wanted a verifiable treaty to cement the reductions, something Bush views as unnecessary.

``Today the world is far from having international relations based solely on trust, unfortunately,'' Putin said at the Russian Embassy on Tuesday.

Putin, on his way to Crawford, stopped in Houston, and spoke at Rice University.

There, he made a case for Russia to work more closely with NATO to counter the threats of terrorism as well as weapons of mass destruction following the Sept. 11 attacks.

``We are ready to cooperate with NATO to the same extent that NATO is ready to cooperate with us,'' he said. ``This is in the interests of Russia and we are examining different options on this.''

Also on the agenda in Crawford were talks on containing biological terrorism, combating weapons proliferation, and NATO enlargement. A senior U.S official described Russian arms sales to Iran as one of the most difficult bilateral issues.

The two are also planning to visit the small town of Crawford on Thursday and speak at the local high school.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bushbabeslist
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To: retrokitten
The're mink tails. Call PETA. ;^)
61 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:42 PM PST by wooden nickel
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To: BunnySlippers
What a classy touch by Mrs. Putin - The Yellow Rose for Texas.
62 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:42 PM PST by AmberWaves
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To: Yankee
ROTFLMAO
63 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:43 PM PST by Aquamarine
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To: BunnySlippers
What a shame it's raining ... is this normal weather for Crawford TX this time of year?

Great thread, But, I have to vent on the typical reaction: "What a shame it's raining ." Texas is trying to recover from drought. East Tenness is currently having a lot of fire.

Rain is a blessing of God. It makes our food to grow. It keeps our forests from catching on fire.

That The Presidents have to hoist umbrellas is not a shame.

Rant off

64 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:43 PM PST by don-o
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To: kayak
The man is a class act!
65 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:43 PM PST by Lurking2Long
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To: JoeEveryman
Federation looks wrong??? From here it's blurry but looks like Federbtion LOL!!
66 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:44 PM PST by lawgirl
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To: kayak
I have nothing but the utmost respect for President Bush.

I saw what he was made of, long before September 11th woke up the rest of the world.

I see little reminders of Ronald Reagan in this man, and that to me is the epitome of greatness.

I meant it as a shot at Ma' Richards, not at these two men.

67 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:44 PM PST by Yankee
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To: okie01
I thought it landed at Bergstrom AFB outside Austin. I don't really care as long as it's landing in Texas and not in Tennessee! lol
68 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:44 PM PST by lonestar
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To: NatureGirl
'what are those things on mrs putins sweater"?

Look like chili peppers to me.

69 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:44 PM PST by tubebender
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To: ken5050
Wouldn't you die for a pic of Putin in a 10 gallon hat, cowboy boots, and chaps?

Ha! We may see one in the next 24 hours. I noticed they say he's wearing sandels (I'll bet he's wearing them with socks too). Bush needs to give him some awesome black cowboy boots with the Russian insignia on the front ... you know that bird insignia. Black boots rule!

70 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:44 PM PST by BunnySlippers
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To: The KG9 Kid
I knew someone would comment on the truck...I just hope it's a 7.3 liter Turbo Diesel...the best horse hauling truck ever made!!
71 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:45 PM PST by Cuttnhorse
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To: quark
Some years ago, my company hired a former Soviet MiG-21 pilot, test pilot, and cosmonaut. One night we took him to a country & western establishment for copious amounts of alcohol and C&W music/dancing. Near the end of a long evening, our Russian friend exclaimed, "All my life I want to be cowboy! Now I living the life!!!"

DA!!

I know Russians as well. I have visited Russia to adopt a Russian boy. I am a member of a Russian Orthodox parish.

I am 51 years old as well, and I remember being raised with fear and loathing for Russia. I got past that, as we all need to do.

We can do business with Putin, and I believe W has the right mindset to do good business.

72 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:45 PM PST by don-o
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To: JoeEveryman
I love the picture of the two of them in the pickup, they look like they're already having a ball. Bush may end up inviting others to the ranch but there will never again be a "First to be invited". Bush has shown how much he likes Putin by inviting him there. I don't know if the Russians, or Putin, knows what that ranch means to him and why it's such a compliment, but we do.
73 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:45 PM PST by McGavin999
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To: ken5050
No, but I would to see Jiang wear that cowboy outfit after he made Bush wear that silly metallic polka-dot on blue thing...
74 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:45 PM PST by Nataku X
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To: BunnySlippers
Black boots rule!

Hell yeah. Nothing looks better with jeans.

I'm not supposed to wear mine any more after two herniated disk operations, because of the heels.

But I do. My back gets sore after a couple hours, but it's nothing serious.

No pain, no gain.

Besides, chicks dig 'em. LOL

75 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:55 PM PST by Yankee
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To: Yankee
your post #43. I got it. The joke was on Ann Richards. hahaha!!!
76 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:55 PM PST by Aquamarine
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To: BunnySlippers; JR
Sorry but I'm feelilng good and just have to get this off my chest:I LOVE FREE REPUBLIC Wow I feel so much better. God bless you all.
77 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:55 PM PST by fish hawk
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To: McGavin999
"I don't know if the Russians, or Putin, knows what that ranch means to him and why it's such a compliment, but we do."
Well said McGavin
78 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:56 PM PST by Cuttnhorse
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Comment #79 Removed by Moderator

To: retrokitten
I'm glad I'm not the only one!! It looks like a bunch of mice hanging on the front of her sweater! How funny! This being said, I'm glad to see such a down to earth Pres. and First Lady. They make us proud!
80 posted on 11/16/2001 1:11:57 PM PST by Clintons Are White Trash
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