Text 2129, 97 rader
Skriven 2006-02-11 23:33:10 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0602111) for Sat, 2006 Feb 11
====================================================
===========================================================================
Mrs. Bush's Remarks in Press Availability After Attending the Men's Olympic
Speed Skating Event
===========================================================================

For Immediate Release
Office of the First Lady
February 11, 2006

Mrs. Bush's Remarks in Press Availability After Attending the Men's Olympic
Speed Skating Event
Oval Lingotto
Turin, Italy



6:46 P.M. (Local)

MRS. BUSH: Hey, everybody, that was huge thrill. Kerri, the rest of the
delegation, come on - that was just a huge thrill, we were so excited to
see Chad win - Houston, he's from Houston. It was a real thrill to get to
see him win.

I got a whole lesson in speed skating from Eric Heiden, who was telling me
everything about it. And it was really, really exciting and fun. I did get
to see Chad's parents, who were sitting right there at the finish line. I
just walked over and got to congratulate them. So we give him our very,
very best congratulations. And it's really thrilling to see that gold medal
win.

Q Did you give him the good luck? Is it because of you?

MRS. BUSH: I don't think so. I think it's because of his real hard work and
great talent, obviously.

Q Mrs. Bush, as you look back on this trip, I know you still have two
events to go, what's the most memorable moment, what are you going to tell
the President?

MRS. BUSH: Well, we've had so many memorable moments, getting to meet Pope
Benedict, which was such a thrill, having lunch with the Prime Minister.
Then we've had a terrific delegation. It's been really fun with all the
delegates.

And then of course, now, this was the reason we were here, the Olympics, to
be able to see a race like this and it was really, really terrific and so
exciting.

Q Do you wish you could stay? (Laughter.)

MRS. BUSH: Yes.

Q So do we. (Laughter.)

Q Mrs. Bush, thank you for stopping. This week you've gotten to talk to a
lot of Olympians, current and past. I wonder what you've learned this week
about how they compete, how they win?

MRS. BUSH: Well, we talked about it today at lunch. I talked about it with
Dorothy Hamill and Eric Heiden, about the talent that each of these
Olympians have, also they have that real drive, that real self discipline.
A lot of people have talent, but not everybody has that willingness to
compete and that drive and hard work that the Olympians do. So it was
really thrilling.

Q That sounds like running for office. (Laughter.)

MRS. BUSH: It's a lot like it, I think.

Q Was it special that Chad was from Texas?

MRS. BUSH: Yes, especially. That made it even better that he was from
Houston. I met him last night when I went to speak to our Olympians. And he
came up right away and introduced himself. So that makes it even better
that he's a Texan.

Q Prime Minister Sharon is out of surgery. Have you been keeping up with
that?

MRS. BUSH: I haven't. I mean, I don't know anything more than you all do,
probably. I know that he's been, you know, still in stable or critical
condition and so we're praying for him and thinking about him.

Q Now that you've seen the speed skating, do you have any predictions about
the rest of Chad's efforts in Torino?

MRS. BUSH: Well, I hope he does great in every single one. I'll be watching
from overseas, watching on television to see the rest of the week. And now
we're going on to ice hockey. Bye.

END 6:49 P.M. (Local)

===========================================================================
Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/02/20060211-1.html

 * Origin: (1:3634/12)