Enjoy the Pool

One of the fun things about being a journalist is that you get easy access to all sorts of cool stuff. Exhibit A today are the White House pool reports that we've been getting. Some of the best reporting and writing I've read all week has come from the pool reports, and today's description of Bush attending a church service and then doing his MSG walk-through is no exception. Bennett Roth of the Houston Chronicle writes:

After the church service, the president and entourage motorcaded to Madison Square Garden, once again passing throngs of people behind barricades looking only mildly interested. At the Garden, Bush walked out to the round platform and checked out the microphone on the wood podium. He was accompanied by the First Lady, Dan Bartlett, Andy Card, and Mark McKinnon, looking unYankee like in a straw hat. The president uttered a few phrases to check out the sound quality, "Four score and seven years ago," he said. "We have come here to dedicate a portion of it as a final resting place." Then looking at your poolers he said "My fellow Americans of the press corps, especially the cameramen, tax relief is on the way. Don't spend it all in one place. Thank you very much."

Poolers then exited the Garden. Motorcade back was uneventful and crowds placid, except again for the occasional finger.

That's funny, well-observed reporting done with a nice light touch. Kudos or props or whatever the kids call them these days to Roth and the rest of the press pool for the fine work they've done this week.