Bush: On the Road in Utah and Idaho

It was another busy day for the President during his summer vacation.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- After more than a week out of the public eye, President Bush left the seclusion of his Texas ranch Monday to remind Americans why he thinks they must not give up on peace and stability in Iraq.

Out of the public eye?

Did you happen to see pictures of the President biking with Lance Armstrong on Saturday? Did you read accounts of Armstrong's visit to the ranch?
Armstrong, Bush Ride 'Tour De Crawford'
Lance Armstrong Cycles With President Bush

Back to the AP article:

Bush chose the national convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Republican-friendly Utah as the site for the first of two speeches this week, both to reaffirm his plan to stay the course despite the recent focus on problems in Iraq. The second comes Wednesday to a National Guard group in Idaho.

...An anti-war rally was planned near the convention site, but some VFW delegates said they considered it disrespectful to veterans.

Bush has strong support in Utah, where he received nearly 70 percent of the vote last fall. But nationwide polls find the public growing more skeptical about his handling of the war.

The Associated Press continues to slant its reporting in an anti-Bush direction.

This article is a perfect example.

AP reporter Nedra Pickler, aided by Jennifer Dobner in Salt Lake City contributing to the report, fails to say a single positive thing about Bush or his supporters without countering with a negative comment ripping the President and his Iraq policy.

Does Pickler say anything about how the vets at the convention responded to his remarks? NO.

Does Pickler say much about the substance of Bush's speech? NO.

Does Pickler give the reader ANY information about Bush's Iraq policy? NO.

The article is pure anti-Bush propaganda and nothing more.

It looks like President Bush was warmly greeted at the VFW convention. Pickler must have missed that.

President George W. Bush talks with Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander-in-chief John Furgess during his visit to the VFW national convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, August 22, 2005. White House photo by Paul Morse
Transcript

(Excerpts)

I'm honored to serve as the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces. The men and women who wear the uniform today are protecting our nation and our way of life. And they are upholding a tradition of honor and bravery and integrity set by America's veterans. All of you defended this country with unselfish courage. You've earned the respect of our citizens. And so, on behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for your service for the cause of freedom and peace.

...We have lost 1,864 members of our Armed Forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and 223 in Operation Enduring Freedom. Each of these men and women left grieving families and loved ones back home. Each of these heroes left a legacy that will allow generations of their fellow Americans to enjoy the blessings of liberty. And each of these Americans have brought the hope of freedom to millions who have not known it. We owe them something. We will finish the task that they gave their lives for. We will honor their sacrifice by staying on the offensive against the terrorists, and building strong allies in Afghanistan and Iraq that will help us win and fight -- fight and win the war on terror.

As veterans of foreign wars, you know that the rise of liberty is critical to our national security. You understand the power of freedom because you've witnessed it with your own eyes. In a single lifetime, many of you have seen liberty spread from Germany and Japan to Eastern Europe, to Latin America, to Southeast Asia and Africa and beyond. You've seen that democracies do not fight each other, and that liberation leads to peace. With your courage and commitment to freedom, you have lifted lives of millions around the globe, and you made this country and our world more secure.

The generation of men and women who defend our freedom today is taking its rightful place among the heroes of our nation's history. Once again, America has found patriots who are selfless and tireless and unrelenting in the face of danger. Once again, the American people have been steadfast and determined not to lose our nerve. And once again, we have confidence in our cause, because we know that freedom is the future of every nation, and that the side of freedom is the side of victory.

I want to thank you for the example you have set for all who wear our nation's uniform. I want to thank you for your bravery and your decency. May God bless this nation's veterans, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.


After addressing the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention, President George W. Bush chats with troops from the Utah National Guard shortly before departing Salt Lake City, Utah, August 22, 2005. White House photo by Paul Morse
Our troops look happy to see the President, don't they?

It appears that his visit was quite a morale booster.

Was there an AP reporter around at the time to write about that? I'm sure a reporter was there, but there was no AP report about Bush's meeting with the troops. If such a report was filed, it wasn't picked up by any mainstream media outlets.
That's understandable. They wouldn't want to bump Cindy Sheehan's media monopoly for a story dealing with the President receiving positive reaction from the troops.
That wouldn't fit their template of Bush as a cold, heartless, uncaring, detached figure.
After his time in Utah, the President made his way to Idaho via helicopter.
DONNELLY, Idaho (AP) -- President Bush has arrived in Idaho to spend time at a mountain resort and to speak to military families later this week.

After jetting in on Air Force One from Salt Lake City, the president switched to a helicopter and landed on a golf course at a resort in Donnelly, Idaho. He plans to spend the rest of today and tomorrow in seclusion at the brand-new resort, most likely fishing or mountain biking.

On Wednesday, Bush will tell National Guard troops and families why America needs to stay the course in Iraq. The speech will reprise themes he sounded earlier today at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Utah.

The visit to Idaho is Bush's first as president.

But anti-war protests are following him to Idaho. Backers of Cindy Sheehan, who's led a protest near his Texas ranch, plan a rally tomorrow in a Boise park.

What would an AP article about President Bush be without some mention of an anti-Bush group or bad poll numbers?

Has there ever been one?

You can count on AP to take positive news about the President and tack on some negative point to attack him. It's like clockwork.