    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [March 28, 2007]
    [Pages 356-357]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association Dinner
    March 28, 2007

        Thank you, Brian. Laura and I are happy to be here. I'd like to thank the Radio
    and TV Correspondents' Association for providing dinner tonight. And I'd
    like to thank Senator Webb for providing security. [Laughter]
        I'm glad to see everybody here is enjoying themselves. Don't think I
    haven't noticed all the drinking that's been going on. [Laughter] In my
    State of the Union Address, I said we needed to increase the use of
    ethanol. [Laughter]
        Well, where should I start? A year ago, my approval rating was in
    the thirties; my nominee for the Supreme
    Court had just withdrawn; and my Vice President
    had shot someone. [Laughter] Ah, those were the good old days.
    [Laughter] Sorry the Vice President couldn't be here. [Laughter] He's
    had a rough few weeks. To be honest, his feelings are kind of hurt. He
    said he was going on vacation to Afghanistan, where people like him.
    [Laughter]
        You in the press certainly have had a lot to report lately. Take the
    current controversy. I have to admit, we really blew the way we let
    those attorneys go. You know you've botched it when people sympathize
    with lawyers. [Laughter]
        Speaking of subpoenas, it's good to see Speaker Pelosi tonight. [Laughter] You know, some have wondered how
    the two of us would get along. Some say she's bossy; she's opinionated;
    she's not to be crossed--hey, I get along with my mother. [Laughter]
        But between the Congress and the press, there is a lot of scrutiny
    in this job. Not a day goes by that I don't get scrutineered one way or
    the other. [Laughter] The press is a lot tougher the second term. It's
    reached the point I sometimes call on Helen Thomas just to hear a friendly voice. [Laughter]
        No matter how tough it gets, however, I have no intention of
    becoming a lameduck President, unless, of course, Cheney accidentally shoots me in the leg. [Laughter] Hey, I
    have 664 days left in the White House, so technically, I'm a temporary
    guest-worker. [Laughter]
        I'm considering what's next. President Clinton, of course, wrote a very successful Presidential memoirs,
    with 10,000 pages or something. [Laughter] I'm thinking of something
    really fun and creative for mine--you know, maybe a popup book.
    [Laughter] I'm considering a number of titles--which do you like: ``How
    W Got His Groove Back''--[laughter]--``Who Moved My Presidency?'' or
    ``Tuesdays With Cheney''? [Laughter]
        By the way, I'm not sure whether or not Senator Obama is here. The last I heard, he was not coming to the
    Radio and TV Correspondents' dinner--not enough press. [Laughter] People
    Magazine recently had a photo of the Senator there on the beach in
    Hawaii--his sleek, hairless pecs glistening in the surf. [Laughter] It
    shows how biased the press is. Have you ever seen a shot like that of
    Denny Hastert? [Laughter]
        Before I do sit down, I do want to say a couple of things. I'm very
    happy one person who could not be here last year is here tonight, and
    that's Bob Woodruff.

    [[Page 357]]

    Bob, we know it hasn't been easy. We admire you all the more for what
    you've overcome and what you're still overcoming.
        And, Ava and Christine and Nicole Bloom, many of
    us knew your dad. And I know life is hard without him. He was such a
    fine guy. But one thing we've all seen this evening is that he has fine
    daughters, and I know he would be really proud of you.
        Someone who is not here tonight is Tony Snow.
    When Tony called me and told me the outcome of his surgery, my heart
    just sank. But I know Tony is a fighter. And, Tony, we're all looking
    forward to the day when you come back to the White House.
        Last week, we all heard the news about Elizabeth Edwards, and, again, your heart just sinks for what she and
    her family faces. And so to Bob Woodruff,
    the Bloom
    girls, Elizabeth Edwards, Tony Snow and, of course, our
    men and women in uniform, Laura and I and
    millions of other Americans are praying for you and your families.
        May God bless you, and thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at approximately 9:40 p.m. at the Washington
    Hilton Hotel. In his remarks, he referred to Brian Wilson, vice
    president and bureau chief for Washington, DC, FOX News; Helen Thomas,
    syndicated columnist, Hearst Newspapers, and member, White House press
    corps; ABC News reporter Bob Woodruff, who was injured in Iraq on
    January 29, 2006; Ava, Christine, and Nicole Bloom, daughters of former
    NBC reporter David Bloom, who died in 2003 while reporting in Iraq; and
    Elizabeth A. Edwards, wife of 2008 Presidential candidate John R.
    Edwards.