[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Court had just withdrawn; and my Vice President 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.