Presidential Gifts Carted Into Storage ($1M painting from Saudis)

WASHINGTON - A $1 million painting from Saudi Arabia. An $18,000 pen from the United Arab Emirates. A $3 jar of fish bait from Morocco. <cut

Generous were some world leaders, showering the president, first lady Laura Bush and others with the $18,000 "Stars and Stripes" Mont Blanc pen inset with rubies and diamonds on an American flag pattern. From Italy, there was an alabaster sculpture of four figures, titled "Allegory of the Triumph," valued at $30,000 and a wristwatch worth $14,500.

Another pricey gift, from Morocco, was a 17-inch knife made of 18-carat gold with diamonds and rubies on an ivory hilt. Value: $20,000.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) gave Bush a toiletries bag with the president's initials embossed in gold on the top ($351).

Russian President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) gave him an elaborately detailed silver coffee urn with six matching cups and a platter ($500).

Mexican President Vicente Fox (news - web sites) gave Bush a $300 silver vase. Afghan President Hamid Karzai gave him a wool and silk rug worth $4,000.

Bush got a leather-bound reproduction of the Quran, hand lettered in the 16th century, from former Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit in January 2002 ($990).
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This has been talked about since the 60's and I do not believe the first families end up with them. They are US owned and kept some place because if given to president and family it is giving to US.

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The first family got a $1 million C.M. Russell oil canvas painting of a native American buffalo hunt from Saudi Arabian Ambassador Prince Bandar bin Sultan. The painting is being stored at the National Archives until a library is built for Bush.
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Well, you picked door number 1. Too bad. Instead of world domination, you get abject ignominy! Hey, bad show old man, but at least you're still stinking fucking rich.

See Carol Merrill for your consolation prizes, and get out of town...

Don't worry, you're only in your mid-fifties, you should be able to manage another thirty years of pure hell for a greedy narcisist. Might as well sell your phones, the only calls you'll be getting will be ones you won't want to take. Nobody you'll want to call will want to talk to you.

Maybe Barbara Walters'll have you on for a good cry.

Buck up, loser: it's only total humiliation in the mortal world.

Bummer.

When this "president" leaves the White House he will have accepted more gifts than any president in history, revealing the depth of his support from special interests.

by 5 certain US S.Ct. justices?

If you add up all the political campaign money he got and gets and will get.......we are talking close to a trillion dollars when all is said and done.

But, do we subtract the money that he GAVE back to his rich supporters in tax cuts, favors, contracts, etc.?

Oh, the math is giving me a headache......

...from the right about the gifts that the Clintons kept? Presidents are allowed to keep certain things if they are personal gifts and not gifts for the WH, but they have to record and declare them.

Geez, Hilary got some plates and stuff--they served for 8 years! The press will not make a big deal about this like they did the Clintons--a change since 9-11, ya know. It is now acceptible to receive gifts from the Saudis even though most of the highjackers came frome Saudi Arabia. Just wanted to get that straight.

I think Morocco gave the only gift Bush deserved.