Posted on 12/19/2007 5:55:55 PM PST by silent_jonny
The day got off to an interesting start when a fire broke out at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, located across the street from the White House.
Press Secretary Dana Perino: Today, at 9:15 a.m., the D.C. Fire Department received a call about smoke in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building -- that's also known as the EEOB. Firefighters arrived and found that the second floor through the fifth floor of the EEOB was fairly filled with smoke.... They were able to identify, isolate and … put out the fire within 30 minutes. The Vice President's Ceremonial Office received smoke and water damage, but there is no fire damage. (Transcript)
President Bush and Vice President Cheney were both in the White House at the time of the fire. They met with firefighters outside the EEOB afterwards and thanked them personally.
In other news, the president signed HR 4118 this morning in the Oval Office, a bill that ensures the payments sent to families and survivors of the Virginia Tech shootings earlier this year will be exempt from taxes.
President Bush:“I want to say to the families who still suffer, we think about you. And to the students and faculty and alumni and leadership of Virginia Tech, thank you for helping those who suffer reconcile and recover from the grief they feel. So it's my honor to sign this important piece of legislation.” (Transcript)
The president also signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
“One of the most serious long-term challenges facing our country is dependence on oil -- especially oil from foreign lands … I hope the Congress will continue to open access to domestic energy sources -- certain parts of the outer continental shelf in ANWR. And to protect us against disruptions in our oil supply" (Transcript)
And this afternoon, the president visited privately with wounded soldiers and their families at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
President Bush: It's an honor to see the troops who have been wounded, and it's an honor to hug their families, and it's an honor to see the fabulous care that these folks receive.[speaking to Rear Admiral James Jeffries, commander of the medical center] … it's a wonder what takes place here, Admiral … I know Americans join me in praising our troops and honoring their families.
Merry Christmas to you.
Admiral Jeffries: Thank you, sir. It's an honor to serve them and you. (Transcript)
Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island
Photo of the Day:
President George W. Bush shakes the hands of Washington, D.C. firefighters Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007, after they battled a morning blaze at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex.
Wow am I first tonight?
A Secret Service officer keeps people back as smoke billows from the Eisenhower Executive Office Buildings next to the White House in Washington December 19, 2007.
A firefighter walks through the smoke as he fights a fire at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House in Washington, DC.
thats a larger fire than i had envisioned when i read about it.
p.s. any report on what caused it?
God bless our brave troops.
Firefighters battle a blaze inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Buildings next to the White House in Washington December 19, 2007
Just the VP preparing some paperwork to comply with the latest congressional subpoenas. Carry on Mr. Vice President. Make sure you sweep up all the ashes Sir. You wouldn’t want to be accused of withholding anything now.
More information on the fire from today’s Press Briefing:
Dana: I have an update for you on the fire. Today, at 9:15 a.m., the D.C. Fire Department received a call about smoke in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building -- that's also known as the EEOB. Firefighters arrived and found that the second floor through the fifth floor of the EEOB was fairly filled with smoke. They located an area on the second floor of the EEOB. Initial reports is that it appears to be an electrical room, a closet -- or a telephone bank, they're not quite sure and we'll get more information from the U.S. Secret Service and D.C. firefighters later, I'm sure. But they do believe that that area is the origin of the fire.They were able to identify, isolate and pull out the fire within -- put out the fire within 30 minutes. The Vice President's Ceremonial Office received smoke and water damage, but there is no fire damage. The D.C. Fire Department is working at the direction of the Secret Service to determine the cause. As you know, over 1,000 employees work in this building; fortunately, everyone was evacuated safely -- except for one individual suffered a minor injury, some cuts to his hand, and he is being treated at the White House Medical Unit right now.
White House Management has suggested that all staff members that work in the EEOB go home for the remainder of the day, as the smoke and the situation is just such that they can't work there productively today.
And the President and Mrs. Bush and the Vice President really appreciate all the work that the D.C. firefighters did, and the Secret Service, to make sure that all the White House employees are safe. We don't know the extent of the damage, but they said everyone was safe and property can be replaced or repaired.
Q Will they be able to occupy the building tomorrow -- by tomorrow, do you know?
Dana: I certainly think some office will be -- and I think that they just need to do an assessment to find out how much water damage there is, because given that the fire was on the second floor, water damage can flow downwards.
And so they're going to need some time to be able to go into the building and find out how bad it is.
The Vice President's Ceremonial Office shown after a fire erupted Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
Before the fire... 
Vice President Dick Cheney is seen in this April 20, 2006 White House archived photo meeting with United States Military Academy Cadets in the Vice President's Ceremonial Office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
"God bless President Bush. It has been a tough year for him but he ended up victorious over the traitors at home and over the terrorists abroad. His strong leadership, the bravery and professionalism of our troops led by General Petraeus made us win this war in Iraq.
God bless our brave troops."
A firetruck parked in front of the White House.
A firetruck is parked outside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building after firefighters put out a fire near the ceremonial office of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney
Excerpt from Rush Limbaugh’s Show today:
Rush: The Drive-Bys... Some in the Drive-Bys actually think that Cheney might have started the fire to destroy more CIA tapes or other sensitive documents! (laughing) From MSNBC this morning, the anchorette-info babe Contessa Brewer is talking to reporterette Kelly O'Donnell. Brewer said, "How much paperwork -- how many files, important documents -- might have been in that building?"O’Donnell: We're talking about top-secret, highly classified documents that are in those offices. What's important about this is that under the Presidential Records Act, all paperwork that emanates from the office of the president or vice president -- and it's known as the executive office of the president, all of that -- must be preserved for legal reasons. Now, when any company has a fire, much less the White House, there's always a problem about preserving documents. What's lost? Can records be re-created? It will be an issue for them to explore.
Rush: No, it will be an issue for YOU to explore, because... (laughing) Note the suspicion. Can't you just see Cheney in there with a book of matches, you know, at the fireplace? He's reading documents. "Yeah, let's destroy these, and make it look like there was a fire!" (laughing) Yeah, I could understand it. These guys, it's the way they think. (Transcript)
Here’s the firebug now ;)
Vice President Dick Cheney shakes hands with Washington, D.C. firefighters as he and President George W. Bush thanked the men for their efforts Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007, in battling a morning blaze in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney thank firefighters for extinguishing a fire in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the grounds of the White House in Washington, December 19, 2007
Look at that smirk! He’s up to something!!!
President George W. Bush shakes the hands of Washington, D.C. firefighters Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2007, after they battled a morning blaze at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex.
President Bush introduces a firefighter to Vice President Cheney.
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