Paws across the water

Washington Bureau Chief FRITZ E-mail: Click here Archive

By SARA FRITZ

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 1, 2001

From a White House pool report written recently by reporter Dana Milbank of the Washington Post.

In Washington, pool reports are considered an art form.

Whenever the president attends a meeting or event where there is not enough space for the entire White House press corps, a few journalists are designated to act as pool reporters. One of them then writes a report for use by the others. The pool report usually is filled with details that never find their way into any news story.

You need to know that POTUS is a commonly used White House abbreviation for President of the United States and FLOTUS is the first lady. Andy Card, Condi Rice and Karen Hughes are aides to President Bush. Ahern is Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern. Stretch is the nickname that Bush has bestowed on a reporter for one of the wire services.

-- Times Washington bureau chief

Welcome to this special, pet-lovers edition of the daily pool report, in which we learn nothing much of substance about George the president but many interesting details about Sammy the springer spaniel, Barney the Scottish terrier and our old friend Spot Fetcher.

To attend the Friends of Ireland Luncheon, our protagonist (POTUS, not Sammy) entered his limousine at 11:53, accompanied by Andy Card and Condi Rice, and proceeded down Pennsylvania Avenue, to the delight of many tourists.

At the Capitol, he entered on the House side, greeted by a group of bagpipers in blue plaid kilts. Your pooler interviewed one of the pipers but did not get his name; let us call him Peter Piper. Peter informed us that the pipers were from Robbins Air Force Base in Georgia. They are a Scottish-style ensemble, but "We're Irish today," Peter explained. For those wondering what Peter and the other Pipers were wearing under their kilts, he told us "shoes."

Your pool proceeded to Statuary Hall for the "pool at top" of the Friends of Ireland Luncheon, but the print pooler was told that it would be wires only. Leslie, our capable and kindly handler from the White House, arranged for the rejected poolers to lunch in the House dining room.

The following information was obtained from a highly placed source in the Rayburn Room luncheon, whom we shall identify as Stretch. Hastert gave a pewter bowl to Ahern, explaining that it was "sturdy" to represent the strong ties between America and Ireland. Ahern gave a gift to Hastert, too, but Stretch could only report that it came in a larger box. Jerry Adams, Rice, Henry Hyde and Peter King were all at one table. Joe Moakley sat with Bush. Powell was also in attendance.

The menu: "Shamrock salad, lemon-walnut vinaigrette, tenderloin of veal, port wine and orange sauce, medley of vegetables, chocolate royale, vanilla whipped cream."

Entertainment: Nanci Griffith.

After lunch, the pool was led outside to wait in the rain for POTUS, who was to walk down the east front stairs. First, however, Secret Service/Capitol police, figuring that they couldn't be too safe, decided to sweep your pool for a third time, walking your representatives back into the Capitol to go through the metal detector and then out into the rain again. It was at this point that your very clean pool encountered Sammy the springer spaniel, who was sniffing our equipment. Sammy is a 3-year-old, weighing 47 pounds, and is fed a diet of Pro Plan chicken and rice.

The president left the Capitol, led by a drum major, with Ahern on one side and Hastert on the other, Adams following. Your pool counted Eight Pipers Piping. The return motorcade deposited POTUS, Karen Hughes, Card and Rice outside the Oval Office. Presently, the president greeted his wife, returning from Texas, outside the south entrance. POTUS was accompanied by Spot Fetcher, his own spaniel, who carried a tennis ball in his mouth.

"Hi, everybody," FLOTUS said (to) the pool.

"Barney's back," POTUS said, referring not to FLOTUS but to the first family's Scottish terrier, which was small, black, furry and in FLOTUS's arms.

While POTUS took questions on campaign finance and his visit with the Irish leader (see transcript), FLOTUS placed Barney on the ground, whereupon Spot and Barney sniffed each other.

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