Person of the Week: Laura Bush

Oct. 2, 2003 -- Laura Bush doesn't need much of an introduction. She is half of the most famous marriage in America.

This week she has been overseas, working her way through time zones, trying to mend fences.

"I really feel like I can be an ambassador, so to speak, for the United States, and I'm really glad I've had this opportunity to visit both France and Russia this week and to let people in these countries see that the things that we are concerned about in America are the very same things they are concerned about here," she said.

Mrs. Bush was in Paris this week to mark the United State's return to the United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The U.S. ended it relations with UNESCO 20 years ago, complaining of mismanagement and anti-Americanism.

"We believe in working with the nations of the world to promote the values shared by people throughout the world," Mrs. Bush told UNESCO officials in her address.

UNESCO still has many critics, especially Republicans, but Mrs. Bush says UNESCO has been reformed. Her job this week was to send the message that the President cares about the rest of the world, while seeking international support for the reconstruction of Iraq.

An Unscripted Moment

The Bush White House cares very much about symbolism, and it has been known to choreograph press conferences and other public moments.

Most of Mrs. Bush was carefully scripted, like a photo-op in Paris with the American flag and the Eiffel Tower appearing in background, with Mrs. Bush standing in the foreground.

But during one unplanned moment, when French President Jaques Chirac kissed Mrs. Bush on the hand, her intial shocked reaction made headlines.

"I think I probably was a little startled," Mrs. Bush said. "But it was very, very lovely French hospitality."

And of the recently strained relations between the U.S. and France, Mrs. Bush said: "I really think we have a long standing relationship with France. They were our first ally, and so I hope that, as President Chirac said when I visited with him, that bygones can be bygones."

Later in the week, Mrs. Bush was off to Moscow, where the Russians had a chance to see her in action, talking about children's issues and early learning — topics she says are her top priorities.

"I'm very comfortable talking about education and I'm very comfortable talking about libraries, that's been my expertise my whole life," she said.