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American Morning

President Bush Having Simple Lunch at Local Pub with Blair

Aired November 21, 2003 - 08:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, after three days of dining with the queen at the palace, President Bush today having a simple lunch at a local pub with the British prime minister, Tony Blair. Sedgefield, England is where the two men are now. The town is in Blair's home district.
John King standing by live in nearby Darlington with this live report now -- John, hello there.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Bill.

This visit by the president designed to be a show of friendship, the final stop before Mr. Bush heads home after his four days here in Great Britain. Before the friendship, though, Mr. Bush also conducting a bit of important business. As he flew here from London on Air Force One, the president calling Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey to voice condolences for the tragic terrorist bombing in Istanbul yesterday, also offering any U.S. assistance, whether it be with the investigation or the recovery effort. A White House spokesman telling us the two leaders agreed that this bombing proves that, "Terrorism knows no ideological or religious boundaries."

So the president keeping tabs on the terrorist bombing.

He is here, though, to say thank you and to celebrate his friendship with the prime minister, Tony Blair. The Bushes, First Lady Laura Bush and the president, greeted by Prime Minister Blair and his wife, Cherie, in Sedgefield, the prime minister's home district, where he maintains a home. And one of the duties when you come to visit is, of course, posing for pictures with the neighbors. Mr. Bush did that quite happily outside of the Blair residence.

The two leaders will have a pub lunch today. Some of the locals calling it the million pound lunch. That a reflection of the fact that even though the president is in the tiny town only for about four hours, some $1.7 million spent on security efforts. All of this part of an effort by the president to stand with his chief ally in the war on terrorism, also an effort by the president to try to improve his image here in Great Britain and across Europe.

Some protesters even in Sedgefield, a relatively modest amount. And, Bill, this is, of course, an official state visit by Mr. Bush, so before he came up to Sedgefield, one final farewell with the queen back in London. The president and the first lady thanking Queen Elizabeth for three nights of hospitality at Buckingham Palace. Mr. Bush heading home in just a few hours -- Bill.

HEMMER: History throughout the week.

John, thanks.

John King live in Darlington.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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Aired November 21, 2003 - 08:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, after three days of dining with the queen at the palace, President Bush today having a simple lunch at a local pub with the British prime minister, Tony Blair. Sedgefield, England is where the two men are now. The town is in Blair's home district.
John King standing by live in nearby Darlington with this live report now -- John, hello there.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Bill.

This visit by the president designed to be a show of friendship, the final stop before Mr. Bush heads home after his four days here in Great Britain. Before the friendship, though, Mr. Bush also conducting a bit of important business. As he flew here from London on Air Force One, the president calling Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey to voice condolences for the tragic terrorist bombing in Istanbul yesterday, also offering any U.S. assistance, whether it be with the investigation or the recovery effort. A White House spokesman telling us the two leaders agreed that this bombing proves that, "Terrorism knows no ideological or religious boundaries."

So the president keeping tabs on the terrorist bombing.

He is here, though, to say thank you and to celebrate his friendship with the prime minister, Tony Blair. The Bushes, First Lady Laura Bush and the president, greeted by Prime Minister Blair and his wife, Cherie, in Sedgefield, the prime minister's home district, where he maintains a home. And one of the duties when you come to visit is, of course, posing for pictures with the neighbors. Mr. Bush did that quite happily outside of the Blair residence.

The two leaders will have a pub lunch today. Some of the locals calling it the million pound lunch. That a reflection of the fact that even though the president is in the tiny town only for about four hours, some $1.7 million spent on security efforts. All of this part of an effort by the president to stand with his chief ally in the war on terrorism, also an effort by the president to try to improve his image here in Great Britain and across Europe.

Some protesters even in Sedgefield, a relatively modest amount. And, Bill, this is, of course, an official state visit by Mr. Bush, so before he came up to Sedgefield, one final farewell with the queen back in London. The president and the first lady thanking Queen Elizabeth for three nights of hospitality at Buckingham Palace. Mr. Bush heading home in just a few hours -- Bill.

HEMMER: History throughout the week.

John, thanks.

John King live in Darlington.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




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