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Bush blushes on Mideast arrival

Posted: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 12:27 PM
Filed Under:

By John Yang, NBC News' White House Correspondent 

JERUSALEM – Whenever a president participates in an event, he's carefully briefed on what's planned. No doubt President Bush was told that when he went to call on Israeli President Shimon Peres at his official residence in Jerusalem, there would be a "children's performance," which was the guidance that was given to the press.

But from the look on Bush's face Wednesday, it seemed he didn't quite expect what he got. Outside the residence, a line of children waving U.S. and Israeli flags sang what sounded like a club remix version of the Hebrew celebratory folk song "Hava Nagilah."

George Bush Arrives In Israel For Middle East Visit
VIDEO: Bush grooves to Israeli beat
 
At one point, both Bush and Peres stepped behind the singers. The two men started swaying slightly to the music, but stopped themselves before getting fully carried away. As they moved out of the group, Bush had to duck to avoid a waving flag.

That seemed to be the end of it.

But after the two men moved inside, a young girl appeared and sang "Over the Rainbow" in Hebrew and English. She gave each leader a red rose. Then back-up singers appeared to sing more verses. Then came a dance troupe.

At one point, Peres rid himself of his rose, handing it to one of the performers. Bush tried to follow his lead, but it was too late – the troupe had turned its back to him. So there he stood, looking a bit awkward, blushing deeply and holding the flower.

All in a day's work.

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Comments

Who else is with Mr. President? Mr. Vice President or
Ms. Condi Rice. Whose idea for the trip this time?

Honyuan Chin, Hopatcong, New Jersey (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 1:45 PM)

What is the purpose Mr. President visiting the country. Whose idea for the trip?

Honyuan Chin, Hopatcong, New Jersey (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 1:59 PM)

President Bush has a helluva' lot more than a remixed version of Hava Nagilah and a single stemmed rose to blush about...

Lex DeNovo, Portland, Ore. (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 2:12 PM)

knucklehead

Bob (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 2:22 PM)

I am wondering if MSNBC will Honestly report how Presidential: How geniune  George W Bush was during the Press Conference and How atleast Israel can see that this American President cares for more than just popularity He cares that terroist not get support, because we all are tired of the fight. History will speak for this man, not the slanted media. shame shame when you cannot count on NBC even to build up America!

Chandra Byrd Richmond, Virginia (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 2:46 PM)

Tell me about it. It was totally ackward. As a Jerusalem resident, I felt the whole song and dance routine was over the top.

Zelda (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 3:11 PM)

Where's he been for 7 years? Our single best ally in the Middle East gets short shrift + a war in Iraq + threats against Iran from George "with us or agin us" Bush. Only when his Presidency and popularity are sunk in the mud does he try for an new image. No doubt: The Worst President in American History

Jon Schuller Charlotte, NC (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 4:42 PM)

Bush has no plan whatsoever.  Unless he stops Israel from killing off the Palestinians, there will be no peace.  I so not know why he (Bush) is so biased.  Maybe it is due to all our taxed money being sent to Israel every year.  The imprisoned Palestinians are living on shoe strings and not much water... as even water supply has been cut off by our Israelly friends.  We will have peace as soon as we stop giving Israel our vanishing tax dollars... If you want to start praying for peace,  pray for the Palestinians ... and include the impeachment of Bush/Cheny    

John Anshus Menomonie WI (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 5:24 PM)

Dear Mr.Yang, I viewed the video and I must say I really enjoyed the singing by the group of young people. I love the song "Over the Rainbow" but I have never heard it sung in hebrew. It is a beautiful song in any language and it was nice to hear it in english and hebrew. The dancers were very graceful and the costumes were very pretty. After seeing President Bush watching all of the performances he did appear awkward and sometimes it looked as if he didn't quite know what to do. Yet, I do hope that his meeting with President Peres goes smoothly. Much turmoil in these regions. Hopefully peace will befall this region soon. Peace to all!

Lisa McNeil,Alpharetta,Georgia (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 5:38 PM)

Bush is using this as a opportunity to bash Iran and tell us how dangerous they are and all you sheep need to get your heads outta your butts and recognize this for the propaganda that it really is

Nicklaus Berry, Los Angeles, Ca (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 5:39 PM)

LIKE WE ALL HAVE THOUGHT, BUSH IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, THE DUNCE OF ALL PRESIDENTS, FOR ALL TIME.
(UNLESS WE ARE STUPID ENOUGH TO ELECT YET HIS "OTHER-BROTHER" JEB. DUH !

TOM MICHEL, ANKENY, IOWA (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 5:41 PM)

So Dick Van Dyke trips over the ottoman again.  For seven years L'il Bushie has been playin' cops and robbers, defining our complex world in Good/Bad broad strokes--not even knowing he's his own worst enemy.  Tragic flaw?  Delusion.  The tyrant is a lame duck; no one is laughing ... except the rest of the world.  There'll be another ottoman.  He'll trip again.  That's what you get when you scare the sheep into voting for the terror-ier who bullies them into submission the most--and who takes care of all his loyal li'l playmates first.  Oh, Rob!

Conrad, Naples, FL (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 5:44 PM)

While Bush is in Israel how about one of your correspondents spending 24 hours in Sderot and interview  injured residents or relatives of people who were killed by the rockets from the Gaza Strip Also maybe he should also report about the psychological problems children who live there have

Robert Schoenfeld, East Meadow NY (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:01 PM)

This probably isn't the right place for this but I couldn't find another place for comments about the president's Israeli trip.  I find it interesting that it was not even mentioned on the nightly news tonight; however, the news team went to great lengths to say they are embarrassed over making incorrect outcomes for the New Hampshire primaries.  And aren't the president's presence in Israel more important than this report on his embarrassment?  When I studied Journalism in college, we learned to report the most important news first and to stick to the facts without trying to give our personal feelings. You've come a long way from that!

Nancy Smith, Madison, AL (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:14 PM)

This probably isn't the right place for this but I couldn't find another place for comments about the president's Israeli trip.  I find it interesting that it was not even mentioned on the nightly news tonight; however, the news team went to great lengths to say they are embarrassed over making incorrect outcomes for the New Hampshire primaries.  And aren't the president's presence in Israel more important than this report on his embarrassment?  When I studied Journalism in college, we learned to report the most important news first and to stick to the facts without trying to give our personal feelings. You've come a long way from that!

Nancy Smith, Madison, AL (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:14 PM)

Anything to make the president look bad. Come on NBC, give your bias a rest and try to be fair for a change. What if he were a Democrat; would you still try to find an obscure situation in which to embarass him?

Richard Conklin, Marathon, Florida (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:29 PM)

I'm just waiting for bush to make a "surprise visit" to Baghdad or some other part of Iraq.  When was the last time bush was in the Middle East and didn't stop in for a PR photo op?

Dewey Quong, Reno, NV (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 7:46 PM)

...but why is this important to report? I'm a liberal independent who has been disgusted and embarrassed by Bush's presidency, but had the media been more diligent at ferreting out and reporting things that mattered, maybe we would have a better president now.

Barry DeCarli, Ferrisburgh,VT (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 8:17 PM)

Exactly what does the president think he can accomplish?! As long as Israel is held in a tight grip by the Ultra Orthodox Jews there will never be peace, nor progress in Israel! Who ever advises President Bush on these matters whould take time to consult with some of the American Jews who have attempted to live in Israel. As long as Ultra Ortyhodoxy remains in control of the government there, peace is simply out of the question. The Palestinians have been held in camps too long, and as a result there are five generation of them who hate the Jews; not to mention the fact that the Ultra Orthodox of Israel teach their children to hate not only the Palestinians, but anyone who doesn't look, act , believe, and behave as they do!  

Leah (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 8:22 PM)

I have never heard "over the rainbow" sung so beautifully,  But Bush is such an idiot.  Everywhere he goes--what an embarrassment to our country..

g.eglesias~nepa' (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 8:34 PM)

This incident is not even news worthy. Stick to the important events going on in the world & stop picking on Bush!

Cathy, Novi, MI (Sent Thursday, January 10, 2008 8:10 AM)

I think blushing is a mere glimpse of this visit, let's focus on trying to get real peace. Stop the settlements, give Palestine a chance and treat both sides with respect. If as much money had been given to Palestine as to Israel, then maybe we would already have peace. Funny how it took 7 years for Bush to visit, that is what he should blush about, but then again he won based on Israel's support of him via Florida, so then in return  he gave Israel 7 years of free reign to expand settlements and illegally occupy Palestine. Now that is something to blush about..

Anita, Nyc (Sent Thursday, January 10, 2008 9:21 AM)

MSNBC reports on our current president much more factually than does Fox.  The president is an embarrassment in this country and to this country.  I blush everytime he speaks or represents our country in a foreign land.  This is the most humiliating president we have had in my lifetime of 54 years.

Michael Lawrence Glendale, Az (Sent Thursday, January 10, 2008 9:25 AM)

Pump billions of dollars of weapons into the Middle East to both Israel and Muslim nations with kings and president generals and now say you want peace. Mr. George Bush the Genocode you are carrying on to make filthy rich chiken hawk war profiteers richer has nothing to do with peace. The best move toward world peace would be to put Bushwhacker and Chainmaster in prison where they belong. The death penalty would be too good for the bad spawn.

Ken Driessen (Sent Thursday, January 10, 2008 9:32 AM)

Well put Chandra.  History will be very clear that the intentions and desires to rid this world of murderous terrorists was the right path.  The fact that President Bush's policies since 9/11 have only been met with criticism instead of praise truly shows how blind certain people and a terribly liberal media can be.  

Fred, New Jersey (Sent Thursday, January 10, 2008 9:47 AM)

funny how more than a few people, such as chandra byrd of richmond va as one example, know that msnbc would do anything and everything to "create" storied to make our President look bad.  look at this man tackling the single-greatest problem of our day - a problem in which you have guilt on both sides (of course, more is with the Palestinians, as it always is with Muslims), and they write a "story" about the minutia of the pomp and circumstance associated with his visit as a world leader, and that he "blushed."

who cares.  get real.

i'm sure this will be censored and not posted.

Mark (Sent Thursday, January 10, 2008 10:15 AM)

I really dont think that the  peace treaty will be available for the middle east by the end of bush's term. It takes a lot of time and I dont think he has that time.

Brittany Ougga (Sent Thursday, January 10, 2008 10:22 AM)

This has become a tradition, a ritual for American presidents to meet, pose for photo-ops to bring about a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. It's nothing but political theater. So, a document is signed and usually before the ink is dry there are more attacks and violence. Ho-hum!

Jim Pullen, St. Louis, MO (Sent Thursday, January 10, 2008 10:27 AM)



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