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Bush on Blair: 'Don't Count Him Out'
The British press accompanying Prime Minister Tony Blair to the White House seemed to take it for granted that he isn't long for his world leader role. Only President Bush protested - even Blair never bothered to correct them.
"Wait a minute," Bush said after a second question from the British side assumed Blair's departure as fact. "Back-to-back disses."
Blair's government has lurched from crisis to crisis in recent weeks, and his Labour Party suffered a severe setback in recent local elections. Blair has said he will not stand in the next general election slated for 2010, but members of his own party have called on him to issue a timetable for departing sooner.
Though Blair has not done so publicly, it was reported over the weekend in Britain that Blair has told ministers that he plans to leave office next summer. Blair's office has refused to confirm the arrangement.
One British reporter asked Blair cheekily if his talk about the necessity of vigorous leadership at the United Nations amounts to a job application. The British leader said it wasn't, but then expounded at length on the need for strong international institutions and used the nuclear standoff with Iran as an example.
Story Continues Below Later in the hourlong news conference that alternated between questions from the U.S. and British media, another member of Blair's press corps started with "Prime Minister, this is possibly your last official visit to Washington as prime minister." The reporter asked both leaders what they will miss about each other.
"I'll miss those red ties is what I'll miss," said the U.S. president, looking at his colleague in blue shirt and red tie and then turning more serious about perhaps the most steadfast ally he has in the world.
"Don't count him out - let me tell it to you that way," Bush said. "I know a man of resolve and vision and courage, and I - my attitude is I want him to be here so long as I'm the president." Blair declined to try to improve on that. "Well, what more can I say?" he laughed. "Probably not wise to say anything more at all."
But he couldn't resist one sharp dig at the press who were doing exactly the kind of counting him out that Bush warned against. "You're the British delegation. Ask a few serious questions," he said.
© 2006 Associated Press.
Editor's note:
Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics: Inside Cover Stories
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