Surprise! Bush throws press a party

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3326954 Aug. 27, 2005, 11:48AM Surprise! Bush throws press a party Pool coverage takes on a whole new meaning at Crawford ranch By JULIE MASONCopyright 2005 Houston Chronicle CRAWFORD - President Bush's approval ratings are the lowest of his presidency, protesters are camped a mile from his door and he's never been much for socializing. Sounds like the perfect time for a party. Bush and first lady Laura Bush hosted a dinner Thursday night for a few dozen members of the White House press corps, serving Shiner Bock, fried catfish and a selection of cold salads poolside at the ranch. It was the second time Bush used his private Crawford retreat to work his charm offensive on the press. The last such gathering was in 2003, right before he ran for re-election. The off-the-record evening was intended as a pool party, but the Washington-based press corps, who spent the past month in Texas eating barbecue, declined to wear bathing suits around each other or the buff and tanned president. The invitation was last-minute because Bush likes to restrict attendance to those who take time away from their lives and families to swelter it out with him in Texas. Still, as it often can be when strange bedfellows find themselves at a party, the evening had a somewhat awkward atmosphere. Was it work or social? Neither side seemed sure. Nothing the president said could be quoted, but it's rare that reporters get uninterrupted access to him for 90 minutes, particularly when beer is served. Bush, who gave up drinking years ago, drank a non-alcoholic Buckler. The president, looking thinner and slightly more weather-beaten since he left Washington, was ranch-casual in Wrangler jeans, brown cowboy boots and a plaid, short-sleeved shirt. Laura Bush, appearing tinier in person than on television, was friendly and relaxed, sporting a much-lightened strawberry blond wedge with bright blond streaks in the front. The correspondents, technicians, producers and others were ferried in vans to Bush's sprawling, 1,600-acre ranch in the early evening. Filing past the limestone guest house, each was greeted by the Bushes. The swimming pool sits just below the main house in a natural grove of oak trees. Surrounded by journalists, Bush sat on a low, paved limestone wall, where he was peppered with questions and made several jokes. His interlocutors stood, sat, hovered — and two dangled toes in the pool. In the fields surrounding the pool, insects buzzed and dogs dashed about. Armed Secret Service agents guarded the area. After 90 minutes, the sun was setting on the Bush ranch. Their guests were packed into the vans and driven to town. julie.mason@chron.com Comments: No wonder some news reporters are not happy because they didn’t get invited. It is getting more non-traditional down in Texas. Pool side talks with the president and nothing can be leaked out. That is not exciting news! Maybe a Hispanic song or dance, flamenco should be quite fun. What’s a true Texas color or activity? From the description, it may well be in California. Maybe more Latinos? We saw practically all Hispanic news reporting. I would not know the difference where the border is. If one wants to enjoy a Latin vacation, the president should take his entire favorite Latin group for a trip in the entire Latina America, to make social ties. Then we will enjoy much more! To be complete with real swimming, real photos. What can be leaking out anyway? President’s ranch is very huge with 1600 acre ranch. It reminds me of Hearst ranch. It has all the fun. Oak trees. Cactus taller than humans. We would have Texas Charlie steak making for barbecue. Julia Morgan designed the Hacienda Lodge. It is of Moorish Arabic and Spanish. It has mission. It was a colonial Spanish era. One co-worker told me a headless Indian warrior woman was searching for her head and scared me off in the night exercise. Some workers got Homestead land of 500 acres, and some 5000 acres. It is quite interesting. I saw a hawk with a serpent in the mouth flying high above the empty fields. The red fox was waiting in the misty morning around bend of the road possibly after foray into the grapes patch. The fox waited for me in the morning several days in a row. The coyote walking and looking outside the mission on the long paved road, but it was not domesticated. With a missionary in the Greek long robe. It is a rare experience.