WHITE HOUSE KIDS
July 23, 2004
48 Hours Correspondent Susan Spencer reports
Image: 631533 - President Bush is greeted by his daughters Jenna, left, and Barbara, center, before at a rally at the Kirkwood Community College Recreation Center, Tuesday, July 20, 2004, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
SCRIPT:
(t104, open with Margaret Truman singing "God Bless America")
1. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE CHILDREN OF PRESIDENTS WEREN'T THE SLIGHTEST BIT RELUCTANT TO BE FRONT AND CENTER. (singing with Boy Scouts)
(reporter in classic 40s hat asks a question about secret service of Truman)
2. HALF A CENTURY AGO, IT SEEMED HARD TO GET MARGARET TRUMAN OUT OF THE LIMELIGHT…
T 104, beginning of tape Reporter: Does the secret service follow you on tour?
Truman: They follow me on tour but not on my dates.
Reporter: Are you sure about that?
Truman: Oh yes I put my foot down.
3. PRESIDENT KENNEDY SHOWED OFF JOHN JOHN AND CAROLINE.
(Nixon walking with daughter…then Johnson…also CBS Special on "White House Weddings"…should be in your room)
4. PRESIDENTS JOHNSON AND NIXON LET THE CAMERAS IN FOR THEIR DAUGHTERS' WEDDING CELEBRATIONS… (great historic footage of each…walking with daughters…in your room)
5. EVEN AMY CARTER…JUST A KID REALLY…WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
(Awkward looking Chelsea Clinton…braces and sailor dress at convention…you have the tape)
6. BUT CHELSEA CLINTON WAS GIVEN HER SPACE…AND THE BUSHES DEMANDED NO LESS…REPORTERS WHO ASKED ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR DAUGHTERS, BARBARA AND JENNA, WERE TOLD: BACK OFF.
(bite from contentious Ari Fleisher presser: "I've just been asked about a private conversation the President had with his 19 year old daughter and I don't think that's appropriate.")
archive tape: NS010120X …154-1A-30 Laura Bush: 3710 "I want my privacy and I want my children to be left alone.")
7. FOR THE MOST PART - THE TWINS WERE ALLOWED TO STAY UNDERWRAPS… (video of Jenna walking with secret service man holding garment bags around her…jenna pitch reel) THERE WERE A COUPLE OF UNFORTUNATE - AND WELL-PUBLICIZED - MISHAPS WITH UNDERAGE DRINKING THREE YEARS AGO… (already shot…cover of People Magazine "Oops They did it Again: caught trying to sneak a drink")BUT APART FROM THAT, THE PUBLIC'S HAD LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TWINS…
AND IT SHOWS…
27, 0122 Spencer: What do you know about President Bush's children?
Man: I couldn't tell you a thing about them///my wife keep up with all that.
T27 1640 They started off wrong in the media..
1757 Spencer: Do you know their names?
Woman: No.
2338 Man: I think he has a son///I heard something about his son four or five months ago.
8. HE'S UNLIKELY TO HEAR ANYTHING MORE ABOUT THE NON-EXISTENT SON, BUT, NOW THAT THE CAMPAIGN IS UNDERWAY, THE PRESIDENT'S 22 YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS AT LAST HAVE SURFACED……
bush intros daughters..
9. DID THEY HAVE A CHOICE? ….WITH DEMOCRATS SHOWING OFF THEIR ALL AMERICAN BROODS…AND WITH THE KERRY KIDS OUT THERE SPEAKING ENTHUSIASTICALLY FOR THEIR FATHER…
Kerry kid maybe on early show, 7/19
10. THE BUSH TWINS CHOSE TO DEBUT IN PRINT….…A FLATTERING FULL PAGE SPREAD IN VOGUE MAGAZINE…COMPLETE WITH HARRY WINSTON JEWELRY AND DESIGNER GOWNS…
STAND-UP: PERHAPS TO BALANCE ANY IMPRESSION OF GLAMOUROUS SUPERFICIALITY, THE PIECE ALSO REVEALS THAT, AFTER THE CAMPAIGN, BARBARA HOPES TO WORK ON AN AIDS PROJECT IN AFRICA…AND JENNA IN A CHARTER SCHOOL IN HARLEM…
11. SO FAR, THEIR CAMPAIGN OUTINGS THIS PAST WEEK HAVE INCLUDED SEVERAL RALLIES…CLOSED FUNDRAISERS….AND AN ON-LINE CHAT ABOUT THEIR FATHER…
AND THIS…1TS UNCLEAR WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE…AN OUTBURST…A PLAYFUL MOMENT…OR SIMPLY A FAILURE TO REALIZE THAT CAMERAS CAN SEE THRU TINTED WINDOWS..
JENNA DIDN'T EXPLAIN…IN FACT, NEITHER TWIN HAS BEEN NEAR A MICROPHONE SO FAR…AND THEIR PARENTS ARE UNLIKELY TO PRESS THEM ON THAT..…
01:23:27:24 Ann Gerhart: They've never seemed to have a particle interest in politics. And their parents have not pushed them to be interested in politics.
12. ANN GERHART IS A WASHINGTON POST REPORTER WHO HAS COVERED FIRST LADY LAURA BUSH FOR THREE YEARS..
Spencer: I get the sense that you don't think they - if they could choose an occuptation for their father, being the President of the United States would be way at the bottom of the list.
Ann Gerhart: I think that's true.
01:10:19:09 Spencer: Describe these twins for me//What are Jenna and Barbara Bush like?
01:10:31:11 Ann Gerhart: They're fraternal twins. They're not identical. // the girls are named for their grandmothers, Jenna Welch who is Laura's mother and Barbara Bush is, of course, George's mother. And I think their personalities got kind of switched up in utero. Jenna is very much like her grandmother, Barbara. And Barbara is more like her grandmother, Jenna, a little quieter and a little more bookish.
0212 Spencer: I remember you when you were in the White House.
Ford: When I was young….
13. SUSAN FORD WAS ROUGHLY THE TWINS' AGE WHEN HER FATHER GERALD FORD WAS PRESIDENT…
Spencer: Ah yes (laughs) but I remember thinking "oh boy. That's neat. That's cool." Did you enjoy it?
Ford: I had a blast. There's no question I had a blast//
14. SHE EVEN HAD A PROM.
T23, 1812 Spencer: Oh come on. Senior high school prom in the White House?
Ford: yeah///1858 We had the prom at the White House. I graduated in a class of about 74 girls///(off camera sound on pix) We had an absolute blast///we couldn't spike the punch.
T26, 0803 Spencer: Just overall, is it really tough to be a Presidential kid?
Susan Ford: It is tough///
Susan Ford: (continue bite) it's the articles that are written, the critical letters that you get in the mail from people who don't even know you//and you really didn't ask to be there.
15. AND, SUSAN SAYS, YOU CERTAINLY CAN'T DO WHAT EVERONE ELSE IS DOING….AS THE BUSH TWINS FOUND OUT…
T25, 0546 Ford: I did underage drink. I will you know admit…
Spencer: (feigning shock) What?
Ford: Yes. I know my children have done it too. They're being normal kids//they're just college kids. And///what do college kids do? They're doing what the normal do.
16. SUSAN FORD IS SUSAN BALES TODAY…AND LIVES QUIETLY IN NEW MEXICO...
Susan Ford: I'm a mom and got kids getting married and kids in college///
17. BUT SHE CHERISHES HER MEMORIES…OF PEOPLE SHE MET…FROM PETER SELLERS….TO QUEEN ELIZABETH…AND OF THE STORIES SHE ENDURED…...(we have her looking at these photos and some were shot separately tho possibly not peter sellers one)
T25, 1340 Ford: Didn't you know I was engaged to Rod Stewart?
18. SHE, TOO, CAMPAIGNED FOR HER FATHER…AND SHE SAYS SHE HAS NEVER FOR A MOMENT REGRETED HER TIME IN THE WHITE HOUSE…
T25, 1806 Ford: I got to meet Chairman Mao. I got to go to the Phillipines. I got to go to Indonesia. There were trips to Russia and Japan. Those are incredible opportunities///
19. THE BUSH TWINS TOLD VOGUE THEY WERE AFRAID IF THEY DIDN'T CAMPAIGN THEY MIGHT REGRET MISSING THE OPPORTUNITY…AND WHO KNOWS, AFTER WEEKS ON THE RUBBER CHICKEN CIRCUIT, MAYBE THEY'LL ACTUALLY COME TO ENJOY POLITICAL LIFE…
SOME OTHER PRESIDENTIAL KIDS HAVE FOUND IT QUITE TO THEIR LIKING….
(shot of him being applauded at State of the Union? Or waving as he gets into helicopter on White House lawn?)
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