Friday, November 28, 2003
More inside details on Bush's trip to Baghdad
DRUDGE REPORT 2003®: "XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU NOV 27, 2003 17:00:01 ET XXXXX
HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN: DETAILED REPORT OF BUSH'S SECRET TRIP
**Exclusive**
Trip of the President to Baghdad
Pool Reporter Mike Allen's [WASH POST] Private Notes
Nov. 26 and 27 (Thanksgiving Day), 2003
The President left Waco secretly Wednesday at 8:25 p.m. Eastern (7:25 p.m. Texan) with a small pool, stopped at Andrews to pick up a few staff and a few more poolers, change planes and then head to Baghad. Both flights were what we think of as the normal Air Force One, Boeing 747 with the normal marking. The President landed in darkness at Baghdad International Airport at 9:31 a.m. Washington time (5:32 p.m. local) on Thursday, Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day. He took off at 12:03 p.m. Eastern time, so was in Baghdad roughly 2.5 hours.
The staff aimed to keep the trip secret until after he had taken off from Baghdad ? no filing was permitted from the site, by the pool or by locals. The President landed with barely a sliver of a moon. He was already in a white Land Rover or Land Cruiser by the time the pool reached the Tarmac. The staff said the motorcade was 12 vehicles plus a military ambulance. Short motorcade of less than five minutes through a blacked out, rutty part of the airport, which looks like a military base. Passed Humvees, dog teams. The President pulled up to the back of the Bob Hope Dining Facility, a huge soft-sided, white building that looks like the most expensive and sturdy type of party tent. The soldiers, we were told about 60
The programs at each place said 'Happy Harvest Thanksgiving 2003 Baghdad, Iraq.' On the front were the logos of the First Armored Division ('Old Ironsides') and the logo of the Combined Joint Task Force Operation Iraqi Free"
HOW IT ALL WENT DOWN: DETAILED REPORT OF BUSH'S SECRET TRIP
**Exclusive**
Trip of the President to Baghdad
Pool Reporter Mike Allen's [WASH POST] Private Notes
Nov. 26 and 27 (Thanksgiving Day), 2003
The President left Waco secretly Wednesday at 8:25 p.m. Eastern (7:25 p.m. Texan) with a small pool, stopped at Andrews to pick up a few staff and a few more poolers, change planes and then head to Baghad. Both flights were what we think of as the normal Air Force One, Boeing 747 with the normal marking. The President landed in darkness at Baghdad International Airport at 9:31 a.m. Washington time (5:32 p.m. local) on Thursday, Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day. He took off at 12:03 p.m. Eastern time, so was in Baghdad roughly 2.5 hours.
The staff aimed to keep the trip secret until after he had taken off from Baghdad ? no filing was permitted from the site, by the pool or by locals. The President landed with barely a sliver of a moon. He was already in a white Land Rover or Land Cruiser by the time the pool reached the Tarmac. The staff said the motorcade was 12 vehicles plus a military ambulance. Short motorcade of less than five minutes through a blacked out, rutty part of the airport, which looks like a military base. Passed Humvees, dog teams. The President pulled up to the back of the Bob Hope Dining Facility, a huge soft-sided, white building that looks like the most expensive and sturdy type of party tent. The soldiers, we were told about 60
The programs at each place said 'Happy Harvest Thanksgiving 2003 Baghdad, Iraq.' On the front were the logos of the First Armored Division ('Old Ironsides') and the logo of the Combined Joint Task Force Operation Iraqi Free"
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