Bush Feeling 'History of Moment' at Second Inaugural
NewsMax.com Wires
Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2005
WASHINGTON -- Relishing history as he awaited his second oath-taking, George W. Bush paused amid celebratory galas Wednesday to contemplate America's most treasured historical documents, including George Washington's inaugural speech.
Asked whether he was feeling the history of the moment, Bush said ``Absolutely.'' He and Laura Bush studied original versions of the Declaration of Independence so faded that most signatures were illegible; the Constitution; the Bill of Rights; and Washington's address and Bible.
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The sense of history was palpable in the dimly lit, dome-shaped room. A portrait of the Founding Fathers gazed down on the president, his wife and their entourage.
Top presidential adviser Karl Rove said Bush was ``focused, upbeat, optimistic'' about the job at hand: four more years in the Oval Office, starting Thursday, when he will be sworn in anew for a second term.
``Anybody's who concerned with creating a legacy will fall short if he's not focused ... on the right policy and service to the country,'' Rove told The Associated Press as Bush donned spectacles to view the documents. ``And let history take care of itself.''
David McCullough, who wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of John Adams, suggested to the White House that Bush pay a visit to the historical documents, Rove said.
``He thought it would be a nice act of respect in veneration of the Constitution and the Declaration if the president visited the archives to see the two documents, and perhaps it would become a tradition,'' Rove said.
Bush is calling for national healing after last year's bitterly divisive election, while devoting parts of his inauguration week to core Republican supporters - the big donors who helped finance the festivities.
From the National Archives, he made a stop at the ``Chairman's Luncheon,'' the latest thank-you appearance, behind closed doors, with the donors who ponied up millions to finance inaugural festivities. Snow blanketed the streets of Washington as his motorcade made its way through the streets.
Later Wednesday, Bush was making a dash through three ``candlelight dinners'' with the heaviest donors to the inauguration. All were closed to journalists.
Tickets for the candlelight dinners were distributed to those who chipped in $250,000 or $100,000 to the inauguration. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and their wives were attending the candlelight dinners.
Wednesday evening, he was to attend ``A Celebration of Freedom,'' complete with musical performances and fireworks, scheduled for dusk on the Ellipse south of the White House. Bush's schedule was ending late Wednesday night with the first of the week's inaugural galas, the Texas State Society's Black Tie and Boots Ball.
During Bush's first-term inaugural week, the festivities were ``such a whirlwind we didn't really absorb it,'' Mrs. Bush said Wednesday. This time, she said, she plans to ``make notes every night so I can remember things that happened that day, feelings that I had.''
Asked during an appearance on CBS' ``The Early Show'' whether those notes might be turned into a book one day, Mrs. Bush said, ``They might. I hate to act like I'm going to write a book. So far I haven't managed to write one...maybe I will.''
Bush said Tuesday his second inauguration should serve as inspiration to fledgling democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan.
``The inauguration of a president is a great moment in the life of our country,'' Bush said in a speech to thousands of military personnel and supporters at a sports arena.
``With an election behind us, the American people come together in unity to celebrate our freedom,'' Bush said. ``A presidential inauguration is a testament to the power of democracy, a symbol of our confidence in the popular will and a sign of hope for freedom-loving people everywhere.''
The inaugural committee raised money from corporations and individuals to finance galas and other festivities during inauguration week. Through Friday, the committee had collected $25.5 million toward a goal of $40 million.
The biggest donors, those donating $250,000, also got four seats to Bush's swearing-in ceremony; 10 VIP seats at the inaugural parade; and two tickets to an underwriters' luncheon featuring Bush and Cheney.
Unlike Bush's presidential campaign, the inaugural committee could accept unlimited contributions from any source except foreigners, although donations were voluntarily capped at $250,000. Bush's campaign could only accept limited donations from individuals and political action committees; corporate, union, unlimited and foreign donations were banned. © 2005 The Associated Press
Its a great day to be an AMERICAN!! Hail to the Chief!!! Congratulations Mr. President!!!Read
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