Edited highlights of the press conference following Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves' meeting with US President George Bush at the White House, 25 June 2007. It lasted six minutes. (The press conference.)
PRESIDENT BUSH:
It is a high honor to welcome President Ilves to the Oval Office. He is a very strong advocate for democracy and the marketplace, and as a result, his country is thriving and doing well. And so we welcome you.1
I thank you very much for your voice, heard very clearly, for those who suffer under tyrannical societies. The people of Estonia paid a high price. I know you lost two soldiers in Afghanistan recently.2 We thank you for your sacrifice.3
We talked about a lot of other interesting subjects, as well. I readily concede there's an inconsistency in our visa policy where the people of Estonia are treated differently from other people inside Europe -- even though they are making great sacrifices for the cause of democracy and liberty alongside with U.S. forces.4
We also talked about an interesting subject, and one that I can learn a lot about,5 and that is the cyber attack that makes us all vulnerable. Estonia recently went through a wave of cyber attacks.6 And this President, one, understands the issue well; two, has got some ideas.7
But I'm dealing with a man who is a clear thinker, he speaks with moral authority and moral clarity, and he's a voice for reason and hope around the world.8 And we're proud to welcome you here to the Oval Office.
It is a high honor to welcome President Ilves to the Oval Office. He is a very strong advocate for democracy and the marketplace, and as a result, his country is thriving and doing well. And so we welcome you.1
I thank you very much for your voice, heard very clearly, for those who suffer under tyrannical societies. The people of Estonia paid a high price. I know you lost two soldiers in Afghanistan recently.2 We thank you for your sacrifice.3
We talked about a lot of other interesting subjects, as well. I readily concede there's an inconsistency in our visa policy where the people of Estonia are treated differently from other people inside Europe -- even though they are making great sacrifices for the cause of democracy and liberty alongside with U.S. forces.4
We also talked about an interesting subject, and one that I can learn a lot about,5 and that is the cyber attack that makes us all vulnerable. Estonia recently went through a wave of cyber attacks.6 And this President, one, understands the issue well; two, has got some ideas.7
But I'm dealing with a man who is a clear thinker, he speaks with moral authority and moral clarity, and he's a voice for reason and hope around the world.8 And we're proud to welcome you here to the Oval Office.
PRESIDENT ILVES:
Thank you very much, President Bush. I'm grateful for President Bush's position, which I did push him hard on.9
I know that President Bush has a busy schedule, but I do hope that when his term in office is up, that you will come to my ranch -- which is a lot smaller than yours.10
Thank you very much, President Bush. I'm grateful for President Bush's position, which I did push him hard on.9
I know that President Bush has a busy schedule, but I do hope that when his term in office is up, that you will come to my ranch -- which is a lot smaller than yours.10
PRESIDENT BUSH:
Thank you all for coming.
_____________________
1: Makes you wonder what he’d have to say to the President of, say, Moldova.
2: Two local soldiers were killed in Afghanistan on Saturday – the first to die in the line of duty since Estonia joined NATO, if I’m not mistaken – while the rest of the country was marking the Victory Day public holiday. (See also 4 below.)
3: Interesting take on the ‘thank you for shopping with us’ spiel.
4: I wonder if that means priority is given to countries whose servicemen are dying in other people’s wars. It must be comforting for the families of Kalle Torn and Jako Karuks, the two servicemen killed in Afghanistan, to know that they won’t have to spend a dime of their 1.5 million kroons in compensation on a visa next time they want to jet off to the States on vacation.
5: One of many, I’d wager.
6: Did Torchwood open a local branch on the top floor of Tallinn’s new twin towers?
7: And they don’t involve pre-emptive strikes on Moscow. Fancy!
8: OTT perhaps, but as labels go, you could certainly do worse.
9: Carry On Up The Oval Office, anyone?
10: Needless to say. President Bush’s ranch could be modest by American terms and still be about a quarter of the size of Estonia.
9 comments:
Awaiting joint "cyber & coffee attack" of Starbucks landing in Estonia and the president's words of wisdom on that.
Not a Starbucks in sight... as yet. Although we do have Robert's Coffee and Wayne's Coffee. Who ever thought that "Wayne's Coffee" would make a good name for a coffee chain anyway??
Who ever thought that "Wayne's Coffee" would make a good name for a coffee chain anyway??
Apparently he's to blame for it.
http://www.waynescoffee.se/press/images/stala.jpg
I've worked for Robert of Robert's coffee :-)
Oh my god, controversy! Someone posted a post and then deleted it. Do you think it was Wayne of Wayne's Coffee?
I most probably was him.
Come back, Wayne!
Oh, my blossoming schizophrenia is starting to affect my writing. The previous comment was supposed to read "it most probably was him", not I.
Goodness me, you need help.
Why? I'm doing great.
Love, Wayne
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