Allyson Bird - Internship Diary

Me and Allawi: My first White House press conference

By ALLYSON BIRD
Media General News Service

WASHINGTON - At this moment, I'm in a terrorist's prime target. I stand no more than 50 feet in front of President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi in the White House Rose Garden.

I hear helicopters circling nearby and wonder if they are watching us.

The two leaders speak in front of four American and four Iraqi flags. From where I stand in the crowd of 100 or so - behind cameramen and big-shot journalists - a pink rose from the garden appears to be delicately creeping to Allawi.

Before the news conference, everyone is crammed into the press briefing room, the one we always see on television with the royal blue curtain and the White House insignia. As tidy and official as the room looks on camera, it's cramped and stained and awkwardly painted - with one wall in white and three in light green. But it's air-conditioned.

The Rose Garden is hot. Reporters and cameramen are sweating and cranky, barking information into their cell phones as staffers tell them, "I'm sorry. You should've gotten here earlier."

A man announces the program will begin in two minutes. The garden falls to hushed whispers, as reporters cup their cell phones to their mouths.

The entourage - National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, Press Secretary Scott McClellan and the rest - files in and parks under a tree to the left of the dual podiums. It sounds like locust wings as cameras capture Bush and Allawi arriving together. Bush, pointing, directs Allawi's attention to something in the distance as they approach. The moment just looks faked.

Bush and Allawi read statements before taking questions.

"You have not faltered in a time of challenge," Bush says to Allawi and the crowd. "And neither will America."

Allawi responds: "We are safer, the region is safer, the world is safer without (Saddam Hussein). But the scars will take time and determination to heal."

In answer to a question, Allawi says Western media have ignored improvement in Iraq since U.S. involvement and explains that of 18 provinces, 15 are " completely safe." He confirms that Iraq will hold elections in January as planned and says Iraq doesn't need more American troops.

"What we need, really, is to train more Iraqis, because this is ultimately for Iraqis," he says.

Bush uses the word "thug" three times to describe Saddam Hussein, and I hear it live. He addresses reporters by name and specifically requests questions from Iraqi media.

The Rose Garden is squishy, and my heels keep sinking into the grass. I glance back at the Secret Service agents as I yank my feet out of the garden. They study me curiously. The scent of meat cooking wafts by. I try to analyze the smell as reporters ask the same questions, and Bush offers the same answers.

The reporters are sweating, and Bush is sweating. He wipes his face and glances over at the entourage. They wipe their faces and mouth words. It looks like they're signaling the president. He adds comments to Allawi's response.

After 45 minutes, the press conference is over. As Bush and Allawi retreat, reporters futilely shout out questions. Cameramen dash alongside Bush and Allawi as they walk down the colonnade and into the White House.

I look for my phone in my shoulder bag, desperately wanting to call everyone in my phonebook, and catch the silver glint of my camera - full loaded, unused. I forgot to take a picture, and Bush and Allawi are gone.

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