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CNN Saturday Morning News

Laura Bush Kicks Off National Book Festival

Aired September 08, 2001 - 09:22   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.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: Reading is a pet project of first lady Laura Bush, and today she kicks off a National Book Festival at the Library of Congress.

CNN's Kelly Wallace joins us now live from the White House with a preview of this. Hey, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Colleen.

Well, this event to promote reading and help libraries around the country is modeled after the Texas Book Festival Mrs. Bush created when her husband served as governor of Texas.

Now, since coming to the White House as first lady, Mrs. Bush has deliberately kept a low profile. But lately we have certainly seen the first lady take center stage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Laura Bush doesn't love the spotlight, but she seems comfortable enough in it right now, whether it is hosting her first state dinner or giving reporters a playful account of the night she planned.

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm wearing a really very festive red dress. I made it myself. No, I'm only kidding.

WALLACE: Her profile is about to get even higher, kicking off her National Book Festival and heading to Capitol Hill next week to talk about early childhood development. But that visit won't exactly be like this. When her predecessor, Hillary Clinton, testified about national health care. It's almost cliche by now. Laura Bush is the anti-Hillary, and observers believe that's just the way the American people want it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Laura Bush has kind of mastered the Zen of the first ladyship, which is, if you don't overdo it, if you have kind of minimal public actions, you can sometimes have maximal public effect and affection.

BUSH: "And the voice of the horn calls out as loud as it plays... " WALLACE: The first months, the first lady was hardly seen, making just a few appearances on education. But nearly two-thirds of Americans like what they see so far, according to a summer poll. And "People" magazine called her one of its 50 most beautiful people.

SARAH SKOLNICK, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: I think that Americans find her sort of soothing. She's very pleasant, she's not confrontational. The issues that she supports are easy to be enthusiastic about.

WALLACE: There is still much we don't know about the shy former teacher and librarian, but we do know her impact on the president cannot be overstated.

SALLY QUINN, "THE WASHINGTON POST": There's a serenity about her, when you meet her, a calmness and a sense of security. I can see how -- people talk about how he really needs that from her.

WALLACE: The president, aides say, is always at his best when Mrs. Bush is by his side.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And so you can expect Mrs. Bush to continue joining her husband, especially to promote education and reading, her book festival kicking off the administration's week-long focus on reading. That will be the focus of President Bush's radio address later today. Mr. Bush's goal, to get every child in the United States to read by the third grade -- Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: Kelly Wallace, thanks very much.

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