President Bush plans quiet Thanksgiving

President Bush Spending Thanksgiving at Tranquil Retreat With Family, Future Son-In-Law

CHRISTINE SIMMONS
AP News

Nov 21, 2007 21:52 EST

President Bush is spending a long Thanksgiving weekend at the presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains, where he'll enjoy a traditional turkey dinner with family and get a little quality time with his future son-in-law.

Joining Bush at Camp David were his wife, Laura, daughters Jenna and Barbara, and Henry Hager, who proposed to Jenna in August, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said. Bush left for the retreat Tuesday and was to return to Washington on Saturday.

"He likes to keep it quiet when he's away up there, and he likes spending time with family," said Fratto, who added that the president didn't have much time to do that in his regular schedule.

They'll be talking over a roasted turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day. The menu also included jellied cranberry molds, whipped sweet potato souffle and pumpkin mousse trifle.

And if Bush needs to shed some Thanksgiving meal pounds, he probably will have his bike with him during the break. Fratto said even if the weather's not nice, "I'm sure he'll be on his bike."

Bush is a devoted mountain bike rider, regularly leaving the White House for rides on Saturday mornings or after church on Sundays.

Fratto couldn't say whether the president might take some work with him by making calls to any military or foreign leaders. But he's heading back to the White House two days before a much-anticipated Mideast peace conference, which begins Monday and runs through Wednesday.

Source: AP News