WH Pool Report: Bianca's Identity, REVEALED!
In the White House pool report, we learn that "Bianca" is "Bianca Davie of Bloomberg News." We also learn the Prez is quite a kidder!
The Oval Office statements with Jordan's King Abdullah were standard -- leaders in chairs in front of the fireplace, etc. The Jordanian press corps was well-behaved. White House aides yapped "thank you!" immediately at the end of the two leaders' statements, but Bush got a twinkle in his eye as the press headed out the door and quipped: "Hey, the king wants to know if Bianca is here."
Full report after the jump.
UPDATE: Sources inform us that Biancawasat the Pentagon for the President's remarks, but she was sitting in the back, and she's in radio so she had headphones on. After the conference, someone said: "Who's Bianca?" She said sheepishly: "I am." Someone asked, "Didn't you hear him?" She said: "I didn't have a question." Of course most people don't have questions, but ask them anyway. Not everyone can be Dickerson right out of the gate.
From: Press.Releases@WhiteHouse.Gov
Subject: POOL REPORT #2, 9/22/05
Date: September 22, 2005 2:57:47 PM EDT
Reply-To: Press.Releases@WhiteHouse.Gov
Pool Report #2
Pentagon/Oval Office
Sept. 22, 2005
-------------
Who is Bianca?
The intown travel pool was trotted into the Defense Secretary's Dining Room in the Pentagon about 11: 40 a.m. to await the noon remarks by President Bush. Two Department of Defense seals and eight flags behind the podium; to stage right, two large charts. One was a bar graph titled "Iraq Army Units in Combat." The bars conveyed this information:
August 2004, Divisions - 0; Brigades - 0; Battalions - 5.
February '05, Divisions - 3; Brigades - 15; Battalions - 69.
Aug. '05, Divisions - 4; Brigades - 28; Battalions - 92.
The other chart was titled "Offensive Operations." There was a map of Iraq with seven cities in large writing -- Mosul, Tikrit, Baghdad, Kirkuk, Tall Afar, Al Qa 'im and Fallujah. The president did not refer to either chart in his remarks.
Just before noon, five top officials entered and stood to stage left. They were, left to right: Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers, and Admiral Edmond Giambastiani, vice chairman of the JC of S.
Also standing in the small room were Dan Bartlett, Steve Hadley, Fran Townsend, Andrew Card and Karl Rove.
In the 20 seconds before POTUS entered, Rumsfeld made note of Admiral G's footwear. "Those are some white shoes." VP and Myers smiled.
You have the transcript. What you couldn't see on television is that all in the room shared the president's grim visage. POTUS, holding the podium at the 10 and 2 positions like a steering wheel, stepped in occasionally to turn the pages of the prepared remarks he was reading.
Bush et al remained grim-faced when CNN producer Paul Courson shouted out: "Mr. President!" at the conclusion of Bush's remarks. "I'll get you in a minute. You seem anxious to ask a question," Bush said. They were even less amused when Courson chimed in at a lull: "I'll follow up ..." Cheney broke his "at ease" stance and shot a glance toward the White House staffers that was, wisely, not returned.
But all were amused when the president searched for Bianca -- Bianca Davie of Bloomberg News. "Bianca. Nobody named Bianca? Well, sorry Bianca's not here. I'll be glad to answer her question." Cheney was re-amused when Bush said: "Just trying to spread around the joy of asking a question."
Most smiled again when Bush said to a Fox producer: "Are you Bianca?" "No, I'm not. Anita -- Fox News."... "Okay. I was looking for Bianca. I'm sorry."
Bush left the Pentagon at 12: 35 and was back at the White House 10 minutes later.
The Oval Office statements with Jordan's King Abdullah were standard -- leaders in chairs in front of the fireplace, etc. The Jordanian press corps was well-behaved. White House aides yapped "thank you!" immediately at the end of the two leaders' statements, but Bush got a twinkle in his eye as the press headed out the door and quipped: "Hey, the king wants to know if Bianca is here."
------------------------
Joseph Curl
The Washington Times