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Some Good Stories

Friday, May 3, 2003

• TITLE: "Some good Stories "

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• "... SARS Travelogue! ..." Here is the minute-by-minute description of my brush with SARS.

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• "... Pool Report ..." The Pool Report is provided to the members of the press corps who are not included on a trip, or in an event - usually because of space considerations. Pool duties rotate through the White House press corps in alphabetical order. Jeanne Cummings, a highly respected reporter for the Wall Street Journal, wrote the following:

  Pool Report
  On USS Abraham Lincoln

  POTUS made an impromptu appearance near the pool and made few remarks. They are included in the report. First the set up:

  In mid-afternoon, the deck of the carrier came alive as three squadrons of F-18Cs and F-18Es, or Super Hornets or strike fighters, pick your name, took off for home at Lemoore Naval Air Station, near San Diego. The skies were clearing, with blue sky and a warm sun breaking through the clouds. The deck was like a furnace from the backdraft of 36 Hornets and Super Hornet that would take off. The deck thundered with the noise of the engines, and the tarmac vibrated and shuddered when the pilots throttled to full power.

  POTUS suddenly appeared in this controlled chaos. Sporting a white life vest with "Commander in Chief" on the back and a pair of khakis and helmet, he moved quickly along the deck, offering a thumbs up, and shaking hands with pilots, crews, and the firefighting squad, all of whom were wearing their silver insulated jackets. Just as quickly he vanished. Your pool was taken up to the observation deck near the end of the show.

  Suddenly, POTUS whistled from a floor above, an observation deck connected to the bridge. "Hey guys," he said, as he popped his head over the rail to peer down on the lowly press corps. He was wearing green foam earplugs and a green bomber jacket.

  In answer to our inquiries, he said:

  He piloted the jet for "about a third of it." (the trip).
  

  Did you want to land it? "Not my first time on a carrier."
  

  How did it feel? "Really excited. I miss flying, I can tell you that."
  

  He said he "just steered straight."
  

  Asked if he wobbled, he replied: "Ask the pilot."
  

  Asked how the plane compared to the jets he trained on: "Much more sophisticated."
  

  At one point he complained: "This is a formal press conference that you are now conducting. It counts," and disappeared from view.
  

  What's he been doing on the ship: "Mainly been talking to the troops."

  Just moments later, 12 Hornets fighter jets that had just taken off reappeared on the horizon in diamond formation and flew over the ship for a farewell. "Press conference is over," POTUS shouted over the rail and vanished again.

  The pool bumped into Condoleezza Rice, who was wearing a custom made fighter jacket with her name on it and patches on the back.

  Jeanne Cummings
  Wall Street Journal

• "... Drew Carey and Kelsey Grammer ..."

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        World War II Poster
  

•     Mullings' Catchy Caption of the Day:
  

  
  
  
  Dr. Rice looks better in a helmet than Michael Dukakis ever did.
  (Photos: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque) ____________________________________________________________________________________