President Bush Flirts With Bill Plante

(CBS)

At President Bush's press conference today, CBS News White House correspondent Bill Plante, upon hearing his first name called, began to ask a question. Reporter Bill Sammon of the Examiner was standing next to him, and he started talking as well. So Plante paused and asked, "which Bill?"

"You," the president replied. "The cute-looking one."

I asked Plante what it was like to have the president call him cute.

Plante theorized that the impetus for the comment may have been the colorful pocket square Plante was wearing, which might have lead to a little locker room teasing back in the president's baseball days.

"As long as we have a chance to talk to them, presidents can call us whatever they want," Plante added over email. "And, I'm reliably informed, they do, at least in private."

Brian Montopoli

Brian Montopoli is the national reporter and political analyst for CBSNews.com.

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