June 08, 2007

Avoiding His Father's Footsteps

When President Bush began feeling queasy before today's G-8 activities, he tried to nip it in the bud. He went on with his scheduled meeting with new French President Nicolas Sarkozy, but they met in Bush's private room and Sarkozy appeared before the cameras alone afterward. The president skipped two morning sessions, one with African leaders and one with developing nations that aren't members of the G-8.

White House counselor Dan Bartlett told reporters that Bush was having stomach trouble -- which Bartlett specified was probably caused by a virus rather than food poisoning, perhaps in an effort to avoid offending the German hosts at the seaside resort of Heiligendamm -- and joked that the president "didn't want to follow in the footsteps of his father in Asia." In 1992, the elder Bush took ill during a state dinner in Tokyo and wound up vomiting and collapsing next to the Japanese prime minister.

But Bush 43 is on the mend. He rejoined the conference in time for the closing lunch, and his plans to travel to Poland and Rome after the summit's conclusion today are still intact.

Posted at 7:42 AM
Posted to: Bush Administration, G-8, President Bush
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