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Ciao to Official Dinners for Bush
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ShareOctober 13, 2008 5:52 PM
ABC News' Jennifer Duck and Ann Compton report: Although Monday night's White House dinner in honor of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is not officially labeled a "State Dinner" because the Prime Minister is not the official head of government, it is full of the same frills and fanfare.
Officials say it is the last time President George W. Bush will host a foreign leader with a full arrival ceremony, greeting, and dinner in the State Dining Room.
The dinner has been long-planned but with economic pangs being felt around the world, it could be seen as not the best timing for an extravagant evening at the White House.
However both leaders addressed concerns with the economy today reassuring the world they have confidence in the global economy in the long term.
"America and Italy are working to stabilize global financial markets," Bush said standing alongside Berlusconi.
"These are tough times for our economies. Yet we can be confident that we can work our way through these challenges. And America will continue to work closely with the other nations to coordinate our response to this global financial crisis."
Prime Minister Berlusconi added, "the concerted and common action between the United States and Europe will certainly have chances to make the real economy -- to prevent real economy from being affected by what has happened all over the world in the financial markets."
Bush has hosted only four "official visits" in his presidency according to the White House. The president and First Lady Laura Bush welcomed the Italian prime minister with a 19-gun salute and military officers walking in cadence playing both Italian and American national anthems.
Three other notable leaders have received similar welcomes in the president's second term--Queen Elizabeth II, Pope Benedict XVI, and President John Kufuor of Ghana. However many leaders have attended working visits at Camp David and at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas.
Around 130 people are expected to attend tonight's dinner and another 100 guests will be invited for champagne and entertainment. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson will not attend the dinner but his wife Wendy will be there. Other guests include Vice President Cheney along with his daughters Elizabeth, Mary and Mary's partner Heather Poe, Olympic gymnasts Alicia Sacramone and Mary Lou Retton-Kelley, Archbishop Pietro Sabmi, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Justice Scalia and Justice Alito, singer Frankie Valli, race car driver Mario Andretti, and Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and his wife.
October 13, 2008 in Bush, George W., White House | Permalink | User Comments (69)
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What's on the menu? Moose sans permit?
Range cleared brush ala Crawford? Lie-berrys SMU? New Clear soup?
Posted by: ricky | Oct 13, 2008 6:05:46 PM
President Bush is the best president we have had in the last 20 years. So, ABC, and everyone that has anything to say, just keep it to yourselves. That is the least you can do. So do it.
Posted by: Janice | Oct 13, 2008 6:41:25 PM
President Bush is the best president we have had in the last 20 years. Now if you listen to ABC you will find all of those people so liberal it is unreal. They want to elect Obama so whatever and whenever they have to say, they will. President Bush is certainly a man of character and morals which is debatable in the one running, would you not say?
Posted by: Janice | Oct 13, 2008 6:47:41 PM
President Bush is the worst president in the history of the nation - get over it!
Posted by: eyeonyou | Oct 13, 2008 6:58:20 PM
Janice - He may have ment well, but his mind was far too simple to understand the complexities of what he is emmersed in, especially with regards to foreign policy. Arrogance and recklessness are not qualities to be admired. The money for Iraq could have been used to build a new city with skyscrapers. Sometimes you got to look at the big picture.
Posted by: Huh | Oct 13, 2008 7:02:51 PM
You're right Janice, Bush certainly is the best at ruining not only his own country but the world!
Posted by: Enrik Van Depaalm | Oct 13, 2008 7:03:16 PM
Yes Janice Bush has been wonderful if you're a Democrat because he has exposed teh hollow and dark heart of teh neo con agenda...
As far as ABC news is concerned.. they didn't give Bush the worst ever postive ratings bar just one and THE worst negitive ratings ever. Bush has left Amercia a shell of a nation, eaten away from the inside. No allies, no economy. For such a great nation he's been a disaster and whoever wins in November will have an nearly impossible task of giving it CPR.
Posted by: Pete | Oct 13, 2008 7:04:05 PM
Oh Janice....your comments are unworthy of a serious reply.
Posted by: Homeowner | Oct 13, 2008 7:06:14 PM
I think McCain has smelled too many of Palin's brain farrts.
Posted by: rhbate | Oct 13, 2008 7:07:53 PM
First-- the presidency has been vacant since noon on Jan 20 2001, as there has been no valid election.
Second-- the imposter pretending to the office has been the WORST in the history of the Republic. Not only is he stupid, he is a LIAR, a COWARD, a CRIMINAL, a DRUNK, and a COKE HEAD
Third-- ABC is nearly as right wing as Faux News.
Fourth-- the one Janice undoubtedly believes should win this election is an ADULTEROUS LIAR, and he KNOWINGLY DENOUNCED the US as a POW (so much for honorable service)
Posted by: Ellis Copeland | Oct 13, 2008 7:07:59 PM
I think McCain has smelled too many of Palin's brain farrts.
Posted by: rhbate | Oct 13, 2008 7:09:15 PM
When people in our country are close to the edge of poverty, Mr. Bush has not let us down and is having the glorious spectacle of the year entertaining a few. What a way to end his career showing his constant great judgement calls. I hope the starving and homeless people don`t hear of this, but my prayers are with them on these cold nights. I am sure he just had to go with the plans, since he always has tunnel vision and can only do one thing at a time and that it is only if he agrees and wants to do it. God forbid, that he is being forced to do something someone else wants him to do. At least he is actually welcoming another country to enjoy our cooking in a grandway and the guest list is out of sight.
Posted by: A Smart Blond | Oct 13, 2008 7:17:22 PM
When people in our country are close to the edge of poverty, Mr. Bush has not let us down and is having the glorious spectacle of the year entertaining a few. What a way to end his career showing his constant great judgement calls. I hope the starving and homeless people don`t hear of this, but my prayers are with them on these cold nights. I am sure he just had to go with the plans, since he always has tunnel vision and can only do one thing at a time and that it is only if he agrees and wants to do it. God forbid, that he is being forced to do something someone else wants him to do. At least he is actually welcoming another country to enjoy our cooking in a grandway and the guest list is out of sight.
Posted by: A Smart Blond | Oct 13, 2008 7:17:24 PM
So what time shall I be there for the dinner party?
Posted by: Hungry | Oct 13, 2008 7:22:57 PM
Janice said, "President Bush is the best president we have had in the last 20 years. So, ABC, and everyone that has anything to say, just keep it to yourselves. That is the least you can do. So do it."
HA HA HA HA!!! Thanks for the laugh honey...
Read this very, very careful. Bush is the WORST president we have EVER had. Get your head out of your butt-hole.
Posted by: BJs65 | Oct 13, 2008 7:38:26 PM
Your arrogance,your ignorance, your incompetence surprises me - wait and see just how it all plays out. You will be the ones - just as you are now -simple minded. Simple-minded people think simple minded. What a real shame for all of you.
Posted by: Janice | Oct 13, 2008 7:54:10 PM
Janice has a classic case of the Stockholm Syndrome.
Posted by: ArdenJaeger | Oct 13, 2008 7:56:03 PM
gee Janice, it seems like no one understands neither you nor Bush
Posted by: get real | Oct 13, 2008 7:59:15 PM
-- Your arrogance,your ignorance, your incompetence surprises me - wait and see just how it all plays out. --
We did.. and after 8 years of arrogance, ignorance and incompetence, it isn't looking too good.
Posted by: Concerned American | Oct 13, 2008 8:10:37 PM
place looks beautiful. can i come? i love italians and don't think you'll be serving pasta. yum yum
Posted by: zorra | Oct 13, 2008 8:17:18 PM
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