Bush speaks to the World Affairs Council in Philadelphia
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Williams was a White House correspondent for NBC News during the administration of President Bill Clinton and noted in his blog on MSNBC that he been a White House intern in the late 1970s. Williams blogged that after the cameras had been ushered out of the President's office on Air Force One, "The President asked me to join him in a session of casual talk, and I remained in his office until well after the plane came to a full stop (in fact, I finally felt compelled to tell him the people of Philadelphia were waiting... he joked that he could hear stomping feet)."
Asked about his news consumption, Bush said. "Every morning, I look at the newspaper. ... I can't say I've read every single article in the newspaper But I definitely know what's in the news. Occasionally, I watch television. I don't want to hurt your feelings. But it's occasionally." They both chuckled. Then the President continued: "But I'm very aware of what's in the news. I'm aware because I see clips. I see summaries. I have people on my staff that walk in every morning and say, 'This is what's—this is how I see it. This is what's brewing today—on both the domestic and international side.' It's a myth to think I don't know what's going on. And it's a myth to think that I'm not aware that there is opinions that don't agree with mine. Because I'm fully aware of that."
Bush was in one of his better moods since the summer. At the World Affairs Council speech, at the Park Hyatt, he said when the microphone didn't get to one questioner in time: "I'll repeat the question. If I don't like it, I'll make it up." Later, he needled Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, a Pennsylvania Republican who flew back with him on Air Force One, by referring to "my peroration in this speech," then adding: "That's a long word. I'm doing it for Senator Specter here. Just showing off, Senator. Just trying to look good in front of the folks here at home." Winding up for his fifth interrogator, the President drew laughter by saying: "Last question. I've actually got something to do. You're paying me all this money, I'd better get back to work." Then he zoomed into a nearby room for a last interview with Williams. The Presidential motorcade—18 vehicles, starting with a limousine and ending with an ambulance, with police cars and motorcycles ahead and behind—rolled at 12:50 p.m., precisely on schedule.