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Regime Change Travel: Sorry, Crawford

Whoever ends up taking the White House this fall, one thing's for sure: He won't be hosting meetings in Crawford, Texas. That has the dusty town a little teary-eyed after eight years in the spotlight.

Says the Washington Post:

Wednesday marks the final day of Bush's last Crawford summer vacation, a prospect [that] has left longtime residents marveling at the changes that have come to their dusty, 700-person town about 20 miles west of Waco--and wondering what comes next.

Tourist (and journalist) traffic is already drying up, and plenty of storefronts on the main drag are empty. And though the president's presence spurred a bit of development, plans for other projects have dissolved.

At least we'll always have the movie!

Related Stories:
· Ready or Not, Crawford May Soon Resume Normalcy [WaPo]
· Presidential Travel: W Loves Road Trips [Jaunted]

[Photo: mari.francille]

Tags: Presidential Travel / President Bush / Movie Travel / Videos / → All Tags

Western White House Travel: A Town Sees Itself in "Crawford"

When President Bush is your neighbor, local barbecues are never the same: A new documentary explores the relationship of Crawford, Texas to its most famous resident, currently he of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Nearly half of the town's 705 residents turned out for the film's outdoor premiere.

Bush moved to Crawford in 1999 and brought the eyes of the world with him. Opponents of the president also used the town to influence public opinion, like when soldier's mother Cindy Sheehan took her antiwar feelings public with a protest across from Bush's ranch.

Hilariously, the IMDb summary for "Crawford" is hidden because of "spoilers," just in case you've been under a rock for the past 8 years.

Related Stories:
· Hundreds Attend Documentary Screening in Bush Town [AP]
· Presidential Marriage Marked By Secrecy, Dorkiness [Jaunted]
· "Crawford" Synopsis, with Spoilers [IMDb]

Tags: Celeb Travel / President Bush / Jenna Bush / Wedding Travel / → All Tags

Presidential Marriage Marked by Secrecy, Dorkiness

Mmmm, May in Texas: It's a great time to run for the nearest air-conditioned building and never leave it. But the heat didn't bother President George W. Bush as he celebrated daughter Jenna's wedding on the family ranch in Crawford, Texas. (Jenna's on the right above with twin Barbara, impolitely wearing a white dress, on the other side of their beaming parents.)

Jenna wore Oscar de la Renta for her first dance with her new husband Henry Hager, a former employee in the office of Karl Rove (who was at the wedding); the tune was Taj Mahal's "Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes." Jenna's the first child of a sitting president to wed in 16 years, but she opted not to marry at the White House. At least there she might not have seen her dad getting down to the Archies on the dance floor. Oh, uncoordinated dads, you know no politics!

Honeymoon plans have not been released, but Jenna has been traveling far and wide to promote her family-planning novel Ana's Story, even making a stop at our old high school. Now that the president's back in DC, maybe she and Henry can have a staycation on the ranch!

Related Stories:
· Presidential Wedding Hits Texas In '08 [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel: Leave Namibia Alone! [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Just Jared]

Tags: Celeb Travel / Jenna Bush / President Bush / → All Tags

Presidential Family Wedding Hits Texas In '08

Get your parachutes ready, because you're going to have to get your own transportation in for the Wedding of the Century. That would be Jenna Bush's upcoming nuptials, which will be held not so coincidentally in the last year of her father's term at the family ranch in Crawford. Jenna's probably not too happy that details of the happy occasion have been leaked to the press, but we now know that the wedding will take place on May 10 at the ranch and not, as previously speculated, at the White House. (Hey, it was good enough for Nellie Grant, Alice Roosevelt and Lynda Johnson...)

Jenna announced her engagement to Henry Hagar, formerly in the family business (he worked for Karl Rove before the latter resigned), in August. Since then, she's been on a tour for her book, Ana's Story, which is based on her experiences as a UNICEF volunteer.

According to HotelChatter , there are no hotels in Crawford, so prepare to either pitch a tent or stay in nearby Waco. Congratulations to the happy couple!

Related Stories:
· Crawford Travel Guide [Jaunted]
· Celeb Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: cyberpresse.ca]

Tags: President Bush / Barack Obama / Labor-Day-Travel / 2008 Candidates Travel / Candidates-Travel-Map / → All Tags

President Bush Travel: Go Big Or Go Home

Ever since Guns & Ammo replaced The New Republic as the chosen reading material aboard Air Force One, the private 747 has seen a lot more pleasure travel. The president spent the last three weeks on vacation at his Crawford, Texas ranch, clearing brush and listening to national security briefings in his living room.

Through Labor Day weekend, Bush will camp out at the 1,600-acre compound. Until now, Reagan held the presidential vacation-time record, at 436 days in his two terms. Bush is already at 418 days with 17 months to go in his presidency.

Also indulging in the lazy days of late summer: Vice President Dick Cheney, who vacations in Wyoming and Maryland. Congress is gone until September 4, and the Iraqi parliament was out all month.

Even though President Bush can't run again, we have to add him to our Candidates Travel Map just because he spends so much time on the road. (While the rest of us struggle to use up our two weeks of vacation a year.) Better get that next trip planned soon, Obama!

Related Stories:
· Bush On Vacation [Houston Chronicle]
· Barack in Miami [Jaunted]
· 2008 Candidates Travel [Jaunted]

[Photo: Hot Potato Mash]