Phil,

What a sweet loving story. I had tears in my eyes when I read this. How
loving! I just figured that President George W. Bush was that loving!

I'm going to vote for him again.

Thanks for sharing that with us.

Love and Blessings,
Pat Ferguson

At 04:51 PM 9/11/04, you wrote:
>I got this from a friend today and have never seen this one before.  I cried
>upon reading it, too.
>
>Phil.
>
>
> > Here is an excellent piece --- worth every minute it takes to read it.
> >
> > Bruce Vincent, from Montana who received an award from President G.W.
> > Bush.
> >
> > He writes:
> > I've written the following narrative to chronicle the day of the award
> > ceremony in DC.  I'm still working on a press release but the White House
> > press corps has yet to provide a photo to go with it.  When the photo
> > comes I'll ship it out. When you get done reading this you'll understand
> > the dilemma I face in telling this story beyond my circle of close
> > friends.
> >
> > The moment with the President in the Oval Office was incredible.  I want
> > to protect the memory because it was an intensely private moment between
> > two men.  At the same time I'd like to share it on a broader scale
> > because I'd like others to know what I know about the man sitting at the
> > desk in the Oval Office.
> >
> > For now, I'll just tell it to you folks.
> >
> > As you know, our efforts concerning the reintroduction of our rural,
> > resource providing cultures to the ever more urbane society of our nation
> > has been honored with an award from the President and First Lady Bush.
> >
> > Nominated by the Forest Service for the first ever Preserve America
> > President's Award was our cultural exchange program Provider PalsT and
> > our restoration of an abandoned CCC built Forest Service ranger station
> > (Raven Ranger Station) for use as a learning center for students from
> > throughout the nation that are now engaged in our cultural exchange.
> >
> > The award was given at a White House ceremony on Monday, May 3, 2004.
> > Guests at the East Room ceremony (the Rose Garden was going to be used
> > but it rained) included Secretary of Interior Gorton, Secretary of
> > Agriculture Venneman, Undersecretary Mark Rey, Chief Bosworth,
> > President's Advisory Council for Preserve America, and others.  The East
> > Wing was closed to the public for the event and those who attended
> > enjoyed brunch and live chamber music.
> >
> > Provider PalsT was able to bring members of our board of directors, staff
> > from our partner Communities for a Great Northwest, our Kootenai Forest
> > Supervisor and Forest Archaeologist, and two officials from our major
> > sponsor Ford Motor Company. Thankfully, I was also able to bring PJ and
> > all four children.  In the East Room, Secretaries Venneman and Gorton
> > spoke as did First Lady Bush and Preserve America's Chairman John Nau.
> >
> > The First Lady then gave autographed copies of a White House book to
> > award winners in this ceremony and posed for pictures. When the ceremony
> > concluded, the First Lady stayed for a bit in the Green Room and chatted
> > and posed for pictures.  She was then escorted outside to meet the
> > President and board a Marine One helicopter waiting to whisk them off to
> > the airport.
> >
> > For me, however, the biggest event of the day had already happened when
> > the East Room Ceremony started up.  While the East Room ceremony was
> > being prepared, the four national award winners and the entities that
> > nominated them were taken to the Oval Office for the official award
> > presentation by President Bush and First Lady Bush.  There were eight of
> > us in total.
> >
> > Stepping into the Oval Office, each of us was introduced to the President
> > and Mrs. Bush. We shook hands and participated in small talk.  When the
> > President was told that we were from Libby, Montana, I reminded him that
> > Marc Racicot is our native son and the President offered his warm
> > thoughts about Governor Racicot.
> >
> > I have to tell you, I was blown away by two things upon entering the
> > office.  First, the Oval Office sense of 'place' is unreal.  The
> > President later shared a story of Russian President Putin entering the
> > room prepared to tackle the President in a tough negotiation and upon
> > entering the atheist muttered his first words to the President and they
> > were "Oh, my God."   I concurred.
> >
> > I could feel the history in my bones.  Second, the man that inhabits the
> > office engaged me with a firm handshake and a look that can only be
> > described as penetrating.  Warm, alive, fully engaged, disarmingly
> > penetrating.  I was admittedly concerned about meeting the man.  I think
> > all of us have an inner hope that the most powerful man in our country is
> > worthy of the responsibility and authority that we bestow upon them
> > through our vote.  I admit that part of me was afraid that I would be let
> > down by the moment - that the person and the place could not meet the
> > lofty expectations of my fantasy world.  This says nothing about my
> > esteem for President Bush but just my practical realization that reality
> > may not match my "dream".  Once inside the office, President Bush got
> > right down to business and, standing in front of his desk, handed out the
> > awards one at a time while posing for photos with the winners and Mrs.
> > Bush.
> >
> > With the mission accomplished, the President and Mrs. Bush relaxed and
> > initiated a lengthy, informal conversation about a number of things with
> > our entire small group.  He and the First Lady talked about such things
> > as the rug in the office.  It is traditionally designed by the First Lady
> > to make a statement about the President, and Mrs. Bush chose a brilliant
> > yellow sunburst pattern to reflect 'hope.' President Bush talked about
> > the absolute need to believe that with hard work and faith in God there
> > is every reason to start each day in the Oval Office with hope.
> >
> > He and the First Lady were asked about the impact of the Presidency on
> > their marriage and, with an arm casually wrapped around Laura, he said
> > that he thought the place may be hard on weak marriages but that it had
> > the ability to make strong marriages even stronger and that he was
> > blessed with a strong one.
> >
> > When asked what the biggest challenge of the Presidency was, he talked
> > about the daily frustration of partisan politics.  'This from a
> > politician,' he said.  He said that when he was elected he promised that
> > he would do in DC what he had done in Texas and that was build alliances
> > and coalitions that bridged party lines in order to move the nation
> > forward.  He had quickly learned that there are those in the nation's
> > capital that would rather see the nation dismantled than work together to
> > achieve a common good.  "That", he said "is a bitter and continuing
> > disappointment."
> >
> > The President talked about the artwork and other items of interest in the
> > room.  For instance the desk he uses is the one that was given to the
> > U.S. by Queen Victoria and used by FDR and JFK.  In fact FDR had a front
> > panel added to the desk to cover the mid section because FDR did not want
> > the country to know he was in a wheelchair.  President Bush laughed and
> > said, "My how things have changed, FDR hid a wheelchair and if I eat a
> > pretzel and get a tingle in my arm it's front page news around the
> > globe."   That little desk faux front is hinged by the way, and is the
> > door that we all have seen John-John sticking his head from behind in the
> > famous photo of JFK at work.
> >
> > The President also noted that much of the artwork in the office is from
> > Texas or about Texas.  He said that it made sense for him to have it in
> > his office because Texas is part of who he is.  He talked about family
> > and place and faith helping to build the person you end up being and
> > noted that the Oval Office reflected who he is.  He noted that it would
> > be a mistake to come to the Oval Office and entertain a mission to 'find
> > yourself.' He said that with all of the pressures and responsibilities
> > that go with the job, you'd best know who you are when you put your
> > nameplate on the desk in the Oval Office.  He said he knows who he is and
> > now America has had four years to learn about who he is.  If they like
> > what they see, he may have another four years. If not, then he may be
> > going back to Texas.
> >
> > After about 30 or 35 minutes, it was time to go.  By then we were all
> > relaxed and I felt as if I had just had an excellent visit with a friend.
> >  The President and First Lady made one more pass down the line of
> > awardees, shaking hands and offering congratulations.  When the President
> > shook my hand I said, "thank you Mr. President and God bless you and your
> > family."
> >
> > He was already in motion to the next person in line, but he stopped
> > abruptly, turned fully back to me, gave me a piercing look, renewed the
> > vigor of his handshake and said, "Thank you - and God bless you and yours
> > as well."
> >
> > On our way out of the office we were to leave by the glass doors on the
> > west side of the office.  I was the last person in the exit line.  As I
> > shook his hand one final time, President Bush said, "I'll be sure to tell
> > Marc hello and give him your regards."  I then did something that
> > surprised even me.  I said to him, "Mr. President, I know you are a busy
> > man and your time is precious.  I also know you to be a man of strong
> > faith and have a favor to ask you."  As he shook my hand he looked me in
> > the eye and said, "Just name it."
> >
> > I told him that my step-Mom was at that moment in a hospital in
> > Kalispell, Montana, having a tumor removed from her skull and it would
> > mean a great deal to me if he would consider adding her to his prayers
> > that day.  He grabbed me by the arm and took me back toward his desk as
> > he said, "So that's it.  I could tell that something is weighing heavy on
> > your heart today.  I could see it in your eyes.  This explains it."  From
> > the top drawer of his desk he retrieved a pen and a note card with his
> > seal on it and asked, "How do you spell her name?"  He then jotted a note
> > to her while discussing the importance of family and the strength of
> > prayer.
> >
> > When he handed me the card, he asked about the surgery and the prognosis.
> > I told him we were hoping that it is not a recurrence of an earlier
> > cancer and that if it is they can get it all with this surgery.  He said,
> > "If it's okay with you, we'll take care of the prayer right now.  Would
> > you pray with me?"  I told him yes and he turned to the staff that
> > remained in the office and hand motioned the folks to step back or leave.
> >
> > He said, "Bruce and I would like some private time for a prayer."  As
> > they left he turned back to me and took my hands in his.  I was prepared
> > to do a traditional prayer stance - standing with each other with heads
> > bowed.  Instead, he reached for my head with his right hand and pulling
> > gently forward, he placed my head on his shoulder.  With his left arm on
> > my mid back, he pulled me to him in a prayerful embrace.  He started to
> > pray softly.  I started to cry.   He continued his prayer for Loretta and
> > for God's perfect will to be done.  I cried some more.  My body shook a
> > bit as I cried and he just held tighter.  He closed by asking God's
> > blessing on Loretta and the family during the coming months.  I stepped
> > away from our embrace, wiped my eyes, swiped at the tears I'd left on his
> > shoulder, and looked into the eyes of our President.  I thanked him as
> > best I could and told him that me and my family would continue praying
> > for he and his.
> >
> > As I write this account down and reflect upon what it means, I have to
> > tell you that all I really know is that his simple act left me humbled
> > and believing.  I so hoped that the man I thought him to be was the man
> > that he is.  I know that our nation needs a man such as this in the Oval
> > Office.
> >
> > George W. Bush is the real deal.  I've read Internet stories about the
> > President praying with troops in hospitals and other such uplifting
> > accounts.  Each time I read them I hope them to be true and not an
> > Internet perpetuated myth.  This one, I know to be true.  I was there.
> > He is real.  He has a pile of incredible stuff on his plate each day -
> > and yet he is tuned in so well to the here-and-now that he 'sensed'
> > something heavy on my heart.  He took time out of his life to care, to
> > share, and to seek God's blessing for my family in a simple man-to-man,
> > father-to-father, son-to-son, husband-to-husband, Christian-to-Christian
> > prayerful embrace.
> >
> > He's not what I had hoped he would be.  He is, in fact, so very, very
> > much more.
> >
> > Bruce Vincent
> >