Bush's tranquil Thanksgiving

2007-11-22 14:09

Washington - President George W Bush is spending a long Thanksgiving holiday weekend at the presidential retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains, where he will 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 spokesperson Tony Fratto said.

Bush left for the retreat on 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 will be talking over a roasted turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day. The menu also included jellied cranberry moulds, whipped sweet potato soufflé 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 could not say whether the president might take some work with him by making calls to any military or foreign leaders.

But he is heading back to the White House two days before a much-anticipated Mideast peace conference, which begins on Monday and runs through Wednesday.

- AP