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Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Bush offers a view from the top on what ails the Mariners
WASHINGTON -- The White House is renowned for its serious thinkers, so it seemed the perfect time to pose this important question yesterday to President Bush: What gives with the foundering Mariners?
"The Mariners? Here's the answer. They're a lot better than the Rangers," said Bush, an avid baseball fan and former owner of Alex Rodriguez's current team, the Texas Rangers.
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Bush made the remark during a round-table discussion with 12 reporters, including one from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer who also had a notebook full of serious questions.
And knowing full well how hot opinions run when it comes to baseball -- and the especially the Mariners -- Bush sidestepped potentially dangerous commentary to stick with the facts. The Mariners, even in their tailspin, are 86-65 while the last-place Rangers are 67-84. But last night, Texas got the better of the M's, 10-5.
Bush's response to the Mariners question was just one of several instances where he displayed his more jovial side.
When a reporter from Iowa surprised Bush by asking a question about new regulations regarding overtime pay rather than about Medicare as Bush expected, he offered a confession.
"I'm really surprised you're not asking about Medicare. I'm going to answer your labor question with a Medicare answer," he said. In the end, Bush answered both.
Later during a tour of the Oval Office, Bush described his thinking behind the bright, sunlit decor.
"It's very important for a president to know where he's come from ... what you believe in because this job will overwhelm you if you don't know where you stand," he said.
"This place's paintings remind me of what I love and where I'm from and where I'm going, hopefully later on than sooner," he said, referring to the 2004 election.
Most prized was a collection of works by Texas painters and landscapes of his home state.
There was also a large portrait of Abraham Lincoln, whom Bush described as the best president in U.S. history. On another wall was a large painting of another famous president, George Washington.
The explanation for the Washington painting was less prosaic.
"George Washington, just because you have to have George Washington up there," Bush said. "With all due respect to Rutherford B. Hayes, it just wouldn't be the same."
And finally, Bush suggested another -- important -- reason for the bright, disarming feel of his pastel-painted office.
"This is the kind of place people stand outside and say, 'I'll walk inside and give him the what for' and they walk in and they go, 'Man, you're looking pretty, Mr. President.' "
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