Bush has near 'tractor accident' in visit to Illinois factory

Update: Another media account indicates that key White House adviser Karl Rove asked if the president could drive the tractor, warning that the president doesn't drive often. More details are below.

The White House announced its visit to a Caterpillar factory in East Peoria, Illinois, yesterday, where President George W. Bush advanced his case for expanding free trade negotiations. But it didn't detail the President's clumsy driving of a giant D-10 tractor that sent the White House press corps and presidential staff scrambling, as reported at a Newsweek blog.

<snip>

Bailey looked less fondly upon Bush's test drive of the D-10. "Yeah, almost as much fun as seeing your life flash before your eyes," she wrote in response to the president's remark about his "cool experience."

Update: A Copley News Service report in the Register-Mail, a paper in Galesburg, IL, indicates that White House adviser Karl Rove asked Caterpillar executives to give the president a photo opportunity in the tractor. "Rove chatted briefly with Caterpillar executives about whether Bush would drive one of the tractors," writes Copley's Molly Parker. "Rove reminded them Bush doesn't do much driving on his own these days and asked if Caterpillar's insurance was up to date," she added.

More:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/Bush_has_near_tractor_accident_in_0131.html


See prior threads:

Bush Accused Of Nearly Hitting Reporters With D-10 Tractor (Newsweek via HuffPost)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x90532

And

Sadist on a Bulldozer: Bush threatens to run over reporters, others at Peoria factory
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x91915

...would be much more at home here:



Under the close supervision of her:

...that Barbara Bush allowed Quaker Oats to use
her senior-class picture on their packaging.

at 2:15 PM local time.