Free Republic

Responding to Russia’s bullying of Estonia (see EDM, April 27, May 1, 3) the U.S. White House has invited Estonian President Toomas Ilves to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush on June 25 in Washington. The invitation itself, and the announcement’s timing in May, is the strongest demonstration of support for Estonia against Russia’s escalating threats since April 26. Estonia’s presidential office as well as the ambassador to the United States, Juri Luik, remarked that the invitation validates Estonia’s policy choices: democracy and freedom as Western values at home, participation in NATO-led peacekeeping missions, and assistance to countries in...

President Bush on Friday greeted Olympic figure skater Sarah Hughes at the White House. The president met privately with the 16-year-old gold medalist in the Oval Office, said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer. Hughes arrived and left outside the view of reporters. The high school junior from Great Neck, N.Y., shocked the sports world Feb. 21 when she turned in a gold medal-winning performance in the figure skating finals, after finishing fourth in the Olympic short program.