Ever wonder what life in the White House is like? Now you can end the guessing by watching an online tour of the White House peculiarly led by the nation's highest executives, including President Bush himself.
A series of online videos posted on the White House website reveals the insides of the White House, including the history of various pieces of furniture and art. President Bush leads off with a five minute tour of the Oval Office in which he fumbles his way through an assessment of the room's windows, rug, and artwork. Often repeating himself several times, Bush either expected someone to edit the video (who failed to do so) or simply reiterates out of a lack of attention to his own thoughts and words.
"First thing I see every morning when I come in is the sun shining through these big windows," said Bush. "The windows are magnificent. They let in the sunlight. There, it's a great place for me to view the wonderful south lawn. And the rug we designed - each President designs a rug for the Oval Office - and the rug that Laura designed for the Oval Office captures the sun and helps make this room an open and optimistic place."
"Each President can put whatever paintings he wants on the walls. I've chosen some paintings that kinda reflect my nature. This is called, A Charge to Keep I Have, by W.H.D. Koerner...The song is based upon a Methodist hymn, A Charge to Keep I Have. A Hymn. The painting is based upon A Hymn called A Charge to Keep I Have and it talks about serving something greater than oneself in life. A President must always keep that in mind."
Other former and current cabinet members host these online tours. Andrew Card, former Chief of Staff, conducts a tour of the Cabinet Room. Karl Rove narrates a tour of the Roosevelt Room. And what tour would be complete without hearing from former Press Secretary Scott McClellan in the White House Briefing Room.
Although the tours don't take very long, it begs the question: Why aren't interns or lower ranking staff members giving these tours? Surely the nation's highest executives have better things to do with their time than make tourist videos. Maybe next time, Bush can give a tour of the White House lawn in a Tommy Bahama shirt with a dakari in hand and talk about the sunshine a bit longer.