Recognizing that millions of Americans are worried about his personal safety, President Bush insisted Wednesday that he would be well protected at next week`s drug summit in Colombia.
Bush laughed off the new image of himself created by the trip to Cartagena.
”I am not going to do something stupid or macho,” said Bush, suggesting it was ironic that ”the guy they used to call timid is now Macho Man or something.”
Despite reported death threats and elaborate security measures, the president insisted he wasn`t trying to be ”whimsical” nor will he be
”putting myself in harm`s way” when he meets next Thursday with the presidents of Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.
”I`m not going to do something stupid,” Bush said as he gave his own explanation of why he`s personally going to Colombia.
Bush said he`s going to Colombia because he didn`t want to send a signal that the president of the United States was unable to go there and thus force Colombian President Viriglio Barco to made deals with the ”narcotraffickers.” Bush said he wanted to show his support for Barco, ”who is doing an awful lot to protect our children from the scourge of narcotics.”
