Incurious Bush Not Known for Being a Tourist [View All]

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Bush Not Known for Being a Tourist
Peter Baker

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania -- President Bush is not known for being much of a tourist. He likes to race through even the most extraordinary corners of the world as quickly as possible -- he skipped the Taj Mahal in India, powered through the Kremlin cathedrals in seven minutes flat and turned around to go when brought to the Great Wall of China until Laura Bush made him linger a while longer.

So it should come as no surprise that as the president hits five countries in six days, he is not taking time out for a safari. After all, the last time he tried that, during a 2003 visit to Botswana, he got quite an eyeful when right in front of the first family a pair of elephants started, um, trying to make little elephants.

"There was one wild young elephant," the first lady recalled Sunday. But she said she plans to come back to Africa at least for another journey into the wild after leaving the White House next January. "We'll come back for sure," she told reporters. "I know we will -- I mean, I will."

She disclosed that the president has made some commitments to their daughters that she seemed to doubt. "Barbara and Jenna say their dad promised them that they would go on a big safari," she said. Then she added sardonically, "This is (like) the promise that he made to take them to the Grand Canyon camping too." Just guessing here, but it sounds like the twins have never made it to the Grand Canyon, at least not with dad.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/on-the-plane/bush-in-africa-feb-2008/bush_not_known_for_being_a_tou_1.html?hpid=topnews