Bush jokes during visit to Germany

Thursday, July 13, 2006

July 13, 2006 -- President laughs about roast pig, leading the band, and a historic church

STRALSUND, Germany (AP) - President Bush was high on the hog in Germany.

Even before he sat down for dinner with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Bush commented again and again on how much he looked forward to the 65-pound wild boar that was on the menu.

"I understand I may have the honor of slicing the pig," Bush told Merkel during opening remarks at a news conference Thursday.

One German reporter asked Merkel about violence in the Middle East, then asked Bush for his impressions of the region - aside from the pig. Bush cut Merkel off.

"I haven't seen the pig yet," he said with a chuckle, then apologized to Merkel for interrupting. She said she hoped it was already roasting, with six hours until dinner time.

And when a U.S. reporter asked for a follow-up, Bush seemed disappointed by the topic: Iran.

"I thought you were going to ask me about the pig," he said.

The boar and two deer rotated slowly on spits as Bush arrived later in the tiny nearby town of Trinwillershagen, site of a barbecue for the two leaders and about 100 guests.

Smiling, he cut several slices near the boar's ribs before handing the knife and fork to Merkel, who took some meat from a leg.

Bush told the guests that since he and Laura come from Texas, throwing a barbecue for the them is "one of the greatest compliments you could have."

The Germans kept most protesters far from Bush's events, although one clumsy demonstrator managed to attract some attention.

An activist from the Greenpeace environmental group took a position in the clock tower of St. Nicholas Church on the cobblestone market square where a welcome ceremony was held for Bush.

As a marching band played for the crowd that had gathered to see Bush, the activist struggled to unfurl a large yellow banner down the side of the tower. "No nukes, no war, no Bush," it said.

After trying unsuccessfully for a while, the man opted for a smaller version of the same sign. Finally, he was able to deploy the large banner - but only for a minute.

It appeared to slip from his hands and fall about five stories to the ground.

Bush later toured the 700-year-old St. Nicholas Church, where he put Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on the spot.

Rice, who once trained to be a concert pianist, admired an enormous 165-year-old organ with pipes that filled one end of the sanctuary.

Bush noticed, and saw an opening, too. He turned to the tour guide, Pastor Hans Peter Neumann.

"This is Condoleezza Rice," he said. "She wants to play the organ."

But the secretary made no music.

That came later when the party was met in Trinwillershagen by a band dressed in red jackets that played American songs.

Clearly in a playful mood, Bush took the band leader's baton and conducted a few bars. Then he sneaked behind a female flutist and poked her on the shoulder, giving her a start.

Laura Bush gave her German hosts credit for dominating the United States in one area of vital importance to them - World Cup soccer.

"It's a new sport to the United States," she said while visiting a children's library. "I guess you can tell it's a new sport by the way our team plays."

The Americans were eliminated in the first round of the tournament.

The U.S. first lady said she and the president watched the U.S. matches and last Sunday's final between France and Italy together. But she conceded that Americans don't know much about soccer, and showed she was a little unsure about the games she saw.

"I guess we did not do very well, but we did play Germany, and I think that's when we lost," she said. "Isn't it? The last time when we were out?"

Mrs. Bush was at the Stralsund City Children's Library to promote a collection of books about the United States. She talked about the World Cup in response to a question from a high school student in the audience.

Get more News »