Incurious Bush Not Known for Being a Tourist

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Bush Not Known for Being a Tourist
Peter Baker

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania -- President Bush is not known for being much of a tourist. He likes to race through even the most extraordinary corners of the world as quickly as possible -- he skipped the Taj Mahal in India, powered through the Kremlin cathedrals in seven minutes flat and turned around to go when brought to the Great Wall of China until Laura Bush made him linger a while longer.

So it should come as no surprise that as the president hits five countries in six days, he is not taking time out for a safari. After all, the last time he tried that, during a 2003 visit to Botswana, he got quite an eyeful when right in front of the first family a pair of elephants started, um, trying to make little elephants.

"There was one wild young elephant," the first lady recalled Sunday. But she said she plans to come back to Africa at least for another journey into the wild after leaving the White House next January. "We'll come back for sure," she told reporters. "I know we will -- I mean, I will."

She disclosed that the president has made some commitments to their daughters that she seemed to doubt. "Barbara and Jenna say their dad promised them that they would go on a big safari," she said. Then she added sardonically, "This is (like) the promise that he made to take them to the Grand Canyon camping too." Just guessing here, but it sounds like the twins have never made it to the Grand Canyon, at least not with dad.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/on-the-plane/bush-in-africa-feb-2008/bush_not_known_for_being_a_tou_1.html?hpid=topnews

[babylonsister]

1. How very sad. Ignoramus comes to mind... nt

[Stinky The Clown]

2. The Bush Family's Embarrassment

[treestar]

3. How could he skip the Taj Mahal?

More proof that he is a moran of the first order.

[WinkyDink]

10. It wasn't built for HIM.

[grasswire]

13. here's a real president in India

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. "I know we will -- I mean, I will."

Oh, my god the tabloids will kill for that line.

[matt819]

5. In contrast. . .

when Al Gore visited South Africa after the elections there in 1994, he and Tipper delayed their departure because they were so taken in by the scenery that the pair lingered at the beach for an extra hour or so, delaying their scheduled departure.

[MiniMe]

6. Bush, who was never out of the US before becoming President, is now a jet-setter

Somehow, it doesn't fit together.

[grasswire]

8. actually, he did travel out of the US

...prior to being president. They just didn't talk about it because it didn't fit their "country hick" narrative. He had spent some summers in Scotland as a youth, on the country home of a wealthy family friend. And he had traveled to England with his parents when he was an adult. And he had visited the Holy Lands.

[Ichingcarpenter]

15. Got proof of that? He didn't even have a passport until 2000

and that is documented by the US passport office.



http://usa.mediamonitors.net/content/view/full/49495

[grasswire]

18. sure

http://www.lhhscotland.com/property?id=47

http://www.americanpolitics.com/20010718LittleBoCreep.html

From wikipedia:

Gammell's father invested in US oil company Bush-Overbey, owned by future US President George H. W. Bush. The two families became friends, with George W. Bush spending the summer at the Gammell's farm in Scotland. George W. attended Bill Gammell's wedding in Glasgow in 1983. The two have remained close friends. When George W. Bush assumed the Presidency, both he and Blair reportedly called their mutual friend Gammell to ask his opinion of the other.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Gammell

Isreal:
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/govbush.html

Here's even a transcript of Bush talking to an American fundie at the Temple Mount in 1998:



: ". . . boy you brought the tour here."

: "Yeah. I got a whole group . . ."

: "Where you live?"

: "I've got 150 Americans here."

: "That's good. Where do you live?"

: "Cleveland, Tennessee."

: "Yeah you are."

: "And they all want you to run for president."

: "Thank you."

: "So I want to encourage you."

: "Thank you, Perry."

: "Ok"

: "You bet."

: "God bless you, buddy."

: "Thanks."

http://www.geocities.com/rebornempowered/visions/1998bushpresidency.htm

[grasswire]

19. I should note...

...that I don't know if he traveled with his family when he went over the pond for Bill Gammell's wedding. He may have gone alone.

[Ichingcarpenter]

20. Damn, I did not know that

And I thought I knew the bastards habits.


Thanks for all the links and setting me straight,
I bookmarked it for my own files.

[grasswire]

21. few people do

Most people would say he's never traveled out of the U.S. Someone started that fable early on, and his handlers never wanted to correct it, apparently.

[Ichingcarpenter]

22. I found a interesting story of him visiting Guatemala

from your links.
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2001/061501a.html

[grasswire]

23. wow, look at this from Consortium

"The confusion over Bush's travels began during last year’s campaign when aides told The New York Times about three overseas trips: a visit to China when his father was U.S. envoy in 1975, a trip as Texas governor to the Middle East (with a stopover in Italy), and a ceremonial visit to the African country of Gambia.

That account was followed by some clarifications and more locales to bolster Bush's image as a more seasoned world traveler. In mid-December, spokesman Gordon Johndroe released a list claiming that Bush had been outside the United States “more than a dozen times,” counting “many, many” visits to Mexico and Canada.

The overseas trips included France on vacation; Bermuda on vacation; Italy with his family (presumably en route to the Middle East); Israel and Egypt with the National Governor’s Association; Gambia with a delegation during his father’s presidency; England and Scotland; and China to visit his father, with a stopover in Japan on the return flight. "

More than I knew about! So why didn't he have a passport?

[Ilsa]

9. He'll be jet-setting in Highland Park (Dallas) Texas. Probably join

the PC Country Club. When I lived in D twenty years ago, it was $25,000 to join the PCCC. I bet he rarely goes any further than his SMU-based "library" after he leaves next January.

[grasswire]

7. I went looking for those beautiful pics of Bill in India...

...where he's walking in the markets, riding elephants, speaking to the common people everywhere -- they've been scrubbed from the Internets, apparently. They were lovely, and showed a man of lively intellect and curiosity as well as compassion and talent.

[WinkyDink]

12. Try "Google: Images."

[grasswire]

17. I did.

....and the original sites for those photos have removed them.

[DeepModem Mom]

14. And great photos of Hillary and Chelsea in Africa, and Barack and family in Kenya...

visiting his father's homeland. Someone upthread mentions an Al Gore trip. What contrast!

[VP505]

11. I hope he

does keep his promise for a safari, I am sure the lions would love to see the whole Bu$h clan, in fact they might find them, well, tasty. he he he:evilgrin:

[Iktomiwicasa]

16. Probably is busy thinking...

...how much better Africa would be all filled up with white people and walmarts.

[Octafish]

24. Here's what's on the war criminal's ''mind.''

If he's lucky, he gets to spend the rest of his time there.

More than likely, the man in the Black Hood will be calling for him.