America's First Lady Begins Foreign Mission To Mend Fences

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 9-29-2003 | Alec Russell

[blam]

America's first lady begins foreign mission to mend fences

By Alec Russell in Washington
(Filed: 29/09/2003)

Laura Bush, the United States first lady, flew out of Washington yesterday entrusted with the delicate mission of helping to rebrand the image of America and her husband's administration to a sceptical world.

As wrangling continued over the future of Iraq, she flew to Paris where she will represent her country today at a ceremony marking its re-entry to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). She will also try her hand at healing the most bitter transatlantic feud for years when she pays a courtesy call on President Jacques Chirac.

Laura Bush: 'We want to have a friendship with France'

While Franco-US relations have improved a little in recent weeks, M Chirac is still seen by the Bush administration as little short of a traitor for his leadership of international opposition to the American-led war in Iraq.

"We want to have a friendship with France and I know Americans want a friendship with France," Mrs Bush said last week while discussing her third solo foreign trip as first lady. "There's a great benefit for our country if we can let people around the world know what we are really like and what our values are like."

From the start of George W Bush's campaign for election four years ago, the former librarian and schoolteacher made clear that she intended to keep a low profile.

This was in deliberate contrast to her predecessor, Hillary Clinton, now a New York senator, who was never far from the political limelight.

Now, there are signs that Mrs Bush may be coming more into the open, with plans to travel across America to raise money for her husband's re-election campaign.

The first test of her diplomatic skills on her five-day trip will come today, when she speaks at the Unesco re-entry ceremony. America left the organisation nearly 20 years ago, citing mismanagement and anti-Western bias. President Bush announced that it would rejoin last year while Washington was courting the UN for support over Iraq.

The US State Department says membership will help Washington to fight "toxic ideologies" fuelling terrorism. Mrs Bush said last week: "The stated goals of Unesco are the goals that many, many Americans have."

Tomorrow, she will fly to Moscow for a book festival with her Russian counterpart, Lyudmila Putin, whose husband had a chummy but inconclusive summit with Mr Bush over the weekend.

The two leaders pledged to end their differences over Iraq and called on Iran and North Korea to halt nuclear weapons programmes. But there was no sign of substantive agreements - least of all that Russia had agreed to US requests that it stop helping Iran build its first nuclear power station.

Mrs Bush will try a different tack at tomorrow's book festival when she presents American children's literature as an entree into US values.

"Children's literature, and much US literature in general, is better than television at portraying themes such as a pioneer spirit, building society and striving to be moral," Mrs Bush said before her trip.

It is not as wishy-washy as it sounds. She is expected to make a pointed reference to press freedom - still a delicate subject in Russia.

[blam]

Screw the French!

[Arpege92]

Perhaps she could introduce something to the french culture.....DEODOERENT!

[Quilla]

I saw the movie "Casablanca" for the first time last weekend. Tears came to my eyes just thinking about how short French memories are. My father was a pilot in WWII who lost two brothers defending the French. Your post captures my sentiments perfectly.

[mtbopfuyn]

I don't have a good feeling about this. Hope security is beefed up.

[demkicker]

The first test of her diplomatic skills on her five-day trip will come today, when she speaks at the Unesco re-entry ceremony. America left the organisation nearly 20 years ago, citing mismanagement and anti-Western bias. President Bush announced that it would rejoin last year while Washington was courting the UN for support over Iraq.

Mark my words, this will get ugly. Unesco is akin to a terrorist group and will probably be rude to our First Lady. When that happens, we can count on our elite liberal media to bash the Bush administration even further.

[blam]

"My father was a pilot in WWII who lost two brothers defending the French. "

Bless them. I too have some WW2 relatives buried in your area.

[quidnunc]

Ten bucks says that if the truth could be known Chirac is going to try to put some moves on Laura like he did on the wife of a Middle East head of state who was making a state visit to France.

Apparently he's notorious for counting sexual coup.

[ladyinred]

Laura will show them all what a real lady is!

[wizardoz]

"We want to have a friendship with France and I know Americans want a friendship with France," Mrs Bush said last week

No, Laura! No! Come back from the Dark Side!!

[Cicero]

UNESCO is deep into condoms, pills, and abortions. "Save the children by killing them" might be their motto. Why are we rejoining this evil outfit?

[wizardoz]

Ten bucks says that if the truth could be known Chirac is going to try to put some moves on Laura like he did on the wife of a Middle East head of state who was making a state visit to France. Apparently he's notorious for counting sexual coup.

Laura Bush'll reintroduce him to the Arab concept of zero.

[xJones]

While Franco-US relations have improved a little in recent weeks, M Chirac is still seen by the Bush administration as little short of a traitor for his leadership of international opposition to the American-led war in Iraq.

Bush is sending his wife to help mend fences with a Gallic chauvinist like Chirac? Laura Bush is a class act, but why use her like that?

[Pan_Yans Wife]

The president called for us rejoining, last year, IIRC. I believe it was the carrot that he used to entice the UN into believing that we are team players.

I won't comment on if he was right or wrong, except to say that sometimes you have to give in on some things, so that other events and situations can come about.

[SJSAMPLE]

I really love Laura Bush, so I hate to send her out into the cultural wastelands to "mend fences" with people I wouldn't bother having for neighbors, anyway.

The thought of Euro-trash shouting her down and calling her names they reserve for the worst of their scum is too much to withstand. She's too much of a treasure to dirty her feet on their soil.

[hoot2]

"Laura Bush: 'We want to have a friendship with France' "

"Screw the French! "

can't; darn it. we're outta cheese...

[OzGM]

I think the French need to pick a side of the fence before they start to mend the damn thing. They are all happy and freindly when they are in trouble and we help, but once they are safe again they go back to there nuclear testing and defying there "freinds" when they are asked to help out? I too have NZ and Oz Relatives out in Flanders Fields from both wars. I know you wouldn't see me there if they scream for help again in the future.

[chiefqc]

I understand that sh is going to france to assist france's fearless leader, joke strap, in pulling his head out of his butt.

[Keith in Iowa]

I'd like for her to tell ol' Jack to play ball, or we'll shove the bat up 'is arse.