April 16, 2005, 6:29PM
WASHINGTON - President Bush spoke last week to 25,000 soldiers at Fort Hood, but how many were actually listening?
Associated Press President Bush enters a field at Fort Hood to speak to the troops Tuesday. The 1st Cavalry Division is just back from Iraq, and the 4th Infantry Division is getting ready to return there. |
But maybe the shine is starting to come off. His reception at an outdoor rally on one of Fort Hood's parade grounds was, in contrast to past outings, notably subdued.
Bush first visited the Army base in January 2003, during the intense buildup to the war in Iraq. On that trip, the president was greeted with thunderous cheering by a smaller, but much more enthusiastic, crowd of soldiers.
These days, Fort Hood soldiers are a weary lot. The 1st Cavalry Division is just getting back from more than a year in Iraq, and the 4th Infantry Division is getting ready to ship out to Iraq — again.
It was hard to miss the low-key applause and perfunctory "hoo-ahs," the distinctive Army war whoop, that punctuated the president's address.
Even more telling: the dozens of soldiers who slept through Bush's appearance, crashed out on the grass behind the rows of portable latrines.
It was the third time in four years the Super Bowl champion Pats came to be honored by the president. This year in the Rose Garden, Bush managed to inject a little Texas humor.
"I appreciate Larry Izzo," Bush said of the Patriots' linebacker. "He went to Rice, as I understand it. Is that right? Yes, Rice University, in Houston, Texas."
Bush noted that Izzo, whose name he pronounced as "Eyezo," recently completed a USO tour of Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan.
"I want to thank you for doing that," Bush said. "Is it Izzo or Eyezo?"
"Izzo," the player said.
Responded Bush, "Yes. Well, if you're from Texas, you say 'Eyezo,' and if you're from Massachusetts, it's 'Izzo.' At least I got Rice right."
Seated in front were Massachusetts Sens. Edward M. Kennedy and John Kerry, who arrived on crutches from some arthroscopic surgery on his knee.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft said if his team gets to return to the White House, it will take Kennedy's advice and bring the cheerleaders. Kraft gave the president a team jersey and told him to wear it with pride.
"You won't see it on eBay, I can assure you that," Bush said.
"Jefferson said, 'Our liberty depends on freedom of the press, that cannot be limited without being lost,' " Bush said, reading from a slip of paper. "He also went on to say, 'I've given up newspapers and I find myself much happier.' "
Bush said although he has not given up newspapers, he is enjoying his job. He said most of the work he does is making decisions.
"I've got a decision to make today. Do I go with the fastball or a slider?" Bush said.
Later in the evening, the president was off to throw the first pitch on opening night for the new Washington Nationals baseball team. It was obviously much on his mind.
"I've got to go warm up," he told the lunchtime audience.
Bush may have felt he had some proving to do. In 1971, the Washington Senators moved to Texas and rechristened the Texas Rangers. Bush was part of a group that bought the team in 1989, and later became general manager.
Washington went without baseball for 34 years. Bush eventually gloved $15 million from the sale of the Rangers.
Once at the stadium for the opener, Bush warmed up out of sight and emerged, in a red Nationals jacket, to throw out the pitch. To a strong ovation and a scattering of boos, the first fan threw high and perhaps inside.
It was his fourth appearance as presidential first-pitch thrower, having performed the honor at home openers in Milwaukee in 2001 and St. Louis in 2004, and at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 30, 2001, at Game Three of the Yankees-Diamondbacks World Series.