President George W. Bush • In Person!
By Patti Dahlstrom

On March 8th, 2004, President George W. Bush came to Houston for a fundraiser. The founder of Babes for Bush, Karen Henry, invited me as her guest to attend. Karen had raised the amount necessary to meet the president and have a photo taken with him.

The day arrived. It was surreal in that we went through the motions, and yet it didn’t seem as though we would really go to this hotel and stand face to face with the man we have believed in and worked for over the years. And yet here we were dressed in our Babes For Bush t-shirts, pins, and hopes.

As we rode up the escalator the first person we recognized was Dr. Denton Cooley. We spoke for a few moments, gathered our nametags, and continued on. Karen, being a mother of four and owner of a public relations firm could not turn without seeing a familiar face. In addition, there were Senator Tom DeLay, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Governor Rick Perry, Senator John Cornyn, and as we walked into the Host Committee room and got in line for the photos, whom were we standing in front of other than U.S. Congressman Joe Barton! The room was filled with people you see on the 6 O’clock News, local politicians, high-profile executives, and all the sweet faces of the young volunteers there to help a man they felt best secured their futures.

The line began to move. It was then Karen discovered that the young man at the door had inadvertently given us two cards to fill out for the photo identification and receipt.

“What should we do?” Karen asked.

Looking for the hand of God in everything I said, “We each fill one out and take an individual photo with him. There are no accidents.”

“But I wanted a picture of both of us with him for the website!”

Ever the optimist I said, “Fine, we’ll take an individual photo with him, and then take one together.” I had no idea how that would happen, but trusted that if we were given 2 opportunities when others were paired 2 per photo, I wasn’t going to start doubting now!

We arrived at the front of the line and Karen told me to go first. The area was a curtained off space about 20’ X 25’. The only people in the room were the photographer, a Secret Service agent each at the entrance and exit flaps, and the President of the United States, George W. Bush. I walked in.

There he stood. Not quite as tall as I’d imagined, probably about six feet, still I was surprised by how handsome he was, much more so than in photos or on TV. As I glided toward him (I don’t remember walking), every thought I brought to share with him evaporated in his presence. I got about two feet from him, stopped, looked up at his gorgeous face, and said, “I love you.”

He reached out his hands to this childlike creature, gently pulled me toward him, and gave me a hug. It was the kind of hug you get from a family member who really loves you and hasn’t seen you in a while. Oddly enough, it felt familiar, and I felt safe with my cheek resting against his chest. It lasted for several seconds and then he said, “In that case, let’s get a really good picture of the two of us together.”

I turned, looked dazed into space, and a flash went off. I began to walk away, and it was at that point my nephew’s request to give the president a message took hold of my conscience, and I turned back.

“Oh, my nephew is a Marine, and he asked me to give you a message.”

President Bush’s entire countenance changed. His expression became intent; he leaned in, looked right at me, and asked, “What is his message?”

“He wanted you to know what an honor it is to serve a commander-in-chief who is a man of his word.”

President Bush answered, “You give your nephew a message from me. You tell him how proud I am of the great job he is doing for this country, and that I thank him for his service.”

“I will.”

As I walked off, I heard Karen coming in behind me, beaming, “Hello, Mr. President!”

I turned to see her beautiful smiling face, and to watch her take her picture with him. After the flash, she said, holding up her lapel pin, “I created a website in your honor, Babes for Bush.”

I realized I forgot to say something about that and walked back toward Karen and the president saying, ”I’m a Babe For Bush too!”

He looked over and kind of smiled and said, “You are?” I think he was a little surprised to see me yet again.

Without hesitating I asked, “Could we have a picture of the two of us together with you for our website?”

“Sure!” he agreed, as we stood on either side he put his arms around both our shoulders, drew us in, turned to the photographer, and stated, “Let’s take one for the Babes!”

As Karen and I walked out together, he said to us, “Ladies,” we turned back, “we’re gonna win this one!”

We smiled back, “Absolutely!”

As we walked out and into the adjoining hallway, Karen asked, “Did you see his eyes? They carry such a strong feeling of sincerity and confidence.”

“I was so overwhelmed by his presence, his intensity, but yes, he looks right in and through you. He knows the spirit of Christ runs through him.”

“Yes,” Karen said, “and I think he is looking for it in others, in everyone he meets.”

We have still not returned completely to the reality we were in before. I’m not sure we can. Everything we admired about this man, everything we thought about his sincerity and kindness was confirmed by his being. He understood how nervous people felt walking into that room, and he made everyone feel comfortable and welcome.

In the ballroom we returned to after the photos, I kept hearing the women comment on how good-looking he was in person, and the men commenting on how kind and unpretentious he was.

The president came out and spoke to us about the promises he’d kept, the promises he planned to keep, the gratitude he felt for the people in the armed services, and the love of the hard-working Americans who kept this country great. When he was through, he stepped down and shook the hands of the people standing on the front rows, signing autographs for some.

Karen and I were about four people back, but when he arrived in front of us, he reached over and shook both our hands. It was then I purposely looked for and saw those eyes. He was looking directly at Karen and then directly at me when he shook our hands. We looked right back, directly into him.

“We’re praying for you,” I told him.

“Thank you,” and he walked on.

We are praying for him, and we know he is right when he says, “We’re gonna win this one!”