Posted on 07/07/2006 2:16:23 PM PDT by RWR8189
President Bush traveled to Chicago on Thursday night to celebrate his 60th birthday with Mayor Richard Daley, a bipartisan meal in which both men had one thing in common to chew over: the work of federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.
Reporters were only briefly allowed into the dinner at the Chicago Firehouse Restaurant on a day in which Daley's former patronage chief, Robert Sorich, and three others were convicted on federal corruption charges.
Daley issued a brief statement and took no questions at a City Hall news conference after the verdict, disappearing behind a door after reminding reporters it was the president's birthday.
There was no mention of the scandal when reporters were allowed into the restaurant toward the end of the dinner to watch Bush presented with a white birthday cake with strawberries while Daley and other guests sang "Happy Birthday."
"We had a wonderful discussion," Bush said. "Chicago is a fabulous town, Mayor, and you're awfully kind to host."
Daley sat to Bush's left, both men in shirtsleeves and no ties.
"Laura said, `What do you want for your birthday?' I said I want to have a dinner in Chicago with the mayor," Bush said, prompting Daley to laugh.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
My pick for this week's most awkwardly-worded headline.
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