Bush was full of quips during the 45-minute news conference, poking fun at the media and deflecting some of the heat when questioning got intense.
Yes, Bush acknowledged, he had his picture taken with admitted criminal Jack Abramoff.
“Having my picture taken with someone doesn’t mean that I’m a friend with him or know him very well,” he said. “I’ve had my picture taken with you at holiday parties.”
Oooh, that’s gotta hurt.
Environmentalists have been caught off guard by South American leaders’ plans to build a massive natural gas pipeline through the Amazon rain forest from Venezuela to Argentina.
The plan, unveiled earlier this month by the region’s left-leaning leaders, was short on details, but one thing seemed certain: The $20 billion pipeline would destroy part of the environmentally sensitive Amazon, the world’s largest wilderness.
Environmentalists contend construction of the network of pipelines would pollute waterways, destroy trees and create roads through the jungle that could draw ranchers and loggers.
At a meeting in Brazil’s capital in mid-January, the presidents of Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil promised to prepare in-depth studies for the 10,000km pipeline by mid-year.
Somehow this is the imperialist Americans’ fault.