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.
CBS Radio correspondent Mark Knoller does more than just report on President Bush: The journalist keeps detailed records on where W is and what he's doing, sometimes down to the minute. And a new look at his data reveals that Bush is quite the travelin' man.
So far, the sitting president has stopped in 49 states--sorry, Vermont. He's visited 75 countries on 46 international trips, and he has another coming up later this week, as he heads to Beijing's opening ceremony. He's also logged 466 days at the Western White House in Crawford, accrued over 74 separate trips.
Knoller says the numbers offer a revealing picture of the commander in chief:
They tell what's important to him. They offer insight into his work ethic and personal habits.
With plenty of hip museums in and around LA, the Museum of the American West in Griffith Park is not usually high on the itinerary. Essentially a shrine to cowboy culture, the museum's drab permanent exhibits are far less interesting than the aging Will Rogers wannabes who show up dressed in full Western gear, right down to the boots and spurs.
But this year's election-themed special exhibit is worth a trip for both Wild West lovers and political junkies. The exhibit traces how the cowboy image has shaped US electoral politics, from Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders to George W. Bush and his brush clearing in Crawford. Visitors are left with the realization that you can't get to the White House without having at least a little John Wayne in you--hence Cowboy Obama, above).
Cowboys and Presidents is on display at the Museum of the American West through September 7, before heading off on a national tour.
It may cost $1.55 to buy a euro, but President Bush is still enjoying high season in Europe. The commander in chief has been on a whirlwind tour of the Continent since June 9, making stops from Slovenia to the UK.
Bush started his tour in Slovenia, which he once confused with Slovakia. After hobnobbing with European Union officials, he left for Germany to chat with Chancellor Angela Merkel. Later he flew to Italy for a two-stop meeting: After talking with Silvio Berlusconi, Bush skipped over to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI.
Later, after breakfast in Paris, the president crossed the Channel to the UK. His last stop was in Belfast, where he presumably changed his pounds back into dollars--and started planning his next trip to a place where the greenback is stronger.
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.
Bromley Mountain is having quite the political summer. Vermont's senior senator, Democrat Patrick Leahy, snuck a provision into a recent farm bill that would have had the federal government sell some national forest land to the ski resort in his state. But President Bush--or more likely one of his aides--caught the earmark; Bush specifically cited the proposed sale as one reason he vetoed the farm bill.
Congress didn't care for that, and they overrode the veto--only to find out that a paperwork mistake will force a re-vote on the entire thing. So Bush may have yet another chance to stick it to Leahy and Bromley Mountain.
In the meantime, the resort has plenty of summer activities on its current property. A three-track alpine slide is the main draw, but the zip line, "space bikes" and water slide also look pretty decent. If they ever get that extra land from the national forest, who knows what might be added... Maybe a statue of a senator?
Former Beatle and recent divorcé Paul McCartney just got an honorary degree from Yale University. Those robes just make everyone look better!
And there's no rest for the other weary stars working the commencement circuit. Harvard has invited Harry Potter author JK Rowling. After last year's backlash about "Lost" actor and alum Matthew Fox, Columbia University went the straight-and-narrow and picked New York City school superintendent Joel Klein--only to see sister school Barnard College nab Mayor Mike Bloomberg.
President Bush is doing double duty this weekend at the US Air Force Academy and Furman University in Georgia, and tiny Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois continued its tradition of getting high-wattage speakers by snagging Madeline Albright. (Both Bill Clinton and Stephen Colbert have spoken there in recent years.)
If you want to chase down your favorite star, USA Today has a great list. Stay tuned for our report from Planet Oprah in June!
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!
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