Running on a Campaign Trail Paved in Comfy Feathers

[kskiska]

By ELISABETH BUMILLER

When George W. Bush campaigned for president in 2000, he brought along his feather pillow, complained about having to sleep in hotels and missed his cats. He wanted to be president, all right, but he also wanted to wake up in his own bed in the governor's mansion in Austin, Tex., and pad downstairs for the comforting ritual of fetching the newspapers and making coffee.

(snip)

Which brings us to the comforts of the president's favorite mode of travel, Air Force One. These days, as if the conference room, treadmill and instant communications aboard were not enough, the plane features a big new television screen.

Representative Peter T. King, a New York Republican who spent eight hours with Mr. Bush on a trip to Long Island this month, said the president insisted that he and Representative Vito J. Fossella, another New York Republican, watch sports on the trip back to Washington.

"Coming back in the car," Mr. King said, "he's telling us: `We're going to relax on the way back. You guys are going to watch the basketball game.' He was telling us about this new screen he has, how you can get ESPN."

Once on board, though, Mr. Bush had a little trouble with the controls. "He gets the remote and nothing's happening," Mr. King recounted. "He calls the steward and says, `What's wrong with my television?' The look on his face was, `I'm the most powerful guy in the world and I can't get my television to work.' And the guy comes back and says, `It takes seven minutes to warm up.' "

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/22/politics/campaign/22LETT.html

[truthisfreedom]

1. fanfreakingtastic. he has time to watch tv. he takes more vacations than

any president in history. the level of relaxation in his life is profound... it should be an example to all of us. i'm going on vacation tomorrow, for a month, and i'm bringing my feather pillow. no, wait... i'm just going to bed and not ever, ever getting up. that should do.

[Kadie]

2. I'm glad he has got his priorities straight.

I am so glad he can watch his pretty new TV and not miss any sports. Too bad they couldn't have found one a little easier to operate for him.

:crazy:

[Sugarbleus]

4. LOL...well said...eom

[robnycny]

3. Side note on King.

Mr. King is a nightmare to progressive NY'ers -- and he hasn't stopped talking about his support of the FMA since Emperor Boy announced his constitutional intentions. Ugh.

[JoFerret]

6. Yep - a real creep

one of those Muslim fearing stir up hatred mongers.

[JoFerret]

5. Bumiller was a nightmare

at the NYC candidates debate last month - interupting, getting nowhere, being rude, stopping the flow. She writes better than she moderates/ questions.