HOKKAIDO, Japan (CNN) – It was a birthday celebration in the skies, as President Bush turned 62 aboard Air Force One while en route to Japan where Bush is attending the summit of the Group of Eight industrialized nations.
First Lady Laura Bush and White House staff members gathered in the conference room on Air Force One late Saturday night eastern time, where a steward dimmed the lights as the crowd waited for the birthday celebrant to arrive, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said.
On the table was a "large" coconut cake with a single burning candle and the words "Happy Birthday President Bush" on it.
The crowd called out "surprise" as President Bush walked into the room and then sang Happy Birthday, Perino said.
Bush "dutifully pretended to be surprised" and blew out the candle, Perino said. It was not known whether he made a birthday wish.
After cutting and serving the cake, the health-conscious president ate a "small" piece of birthday cake, she said.
There was no word on what he gifts he received from family members, but Perino noted the president was sporting a new teal-colored tie.
White House staffers presented Bush with birthday notes and cards - well-wishes delivered in a small wooden box with his initials carved on top.
The box was carved by a Texas woodworker with wood from an old Scarlett Oak tree that grace the north lawn of the White House until it fell last year.
The tree was planted in 1892 by the great granddaughter of President Benjamin Harrison, according to Perino.
From CNN Politics
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Happy Birthday Mr. President!
JOHN MCCAIN AND JOE LIEBERMAN HOLD HANDS!not that there's anything wrong with that,but?
I can't wait until I never have to hear about this guy again
Happy birthday, you silly and sad president. All you folks singing this guy's praises are drinking drano.
there are so many haters in here. Geez- give it a rest for once
thanks to the illiterati coming out and butchering the english language in wishing premiere bush a happy birthday. fortunately you all won't have much to write about when Obama is president. bush will be remembered for as many great contributions to this country as dan quayle (crickets chirping.)
Congratulations to President Bush. It doesn't matter whether you love or hate him or his policies, we should all be respectful to him on this his "Happy Birthday".
Happy B day
Thanks for nothing!
You've run up the debt to over $8 trillion, you're spending over $10 billion a month on a needless war, you've depleted the military and left us less secure, you've shreded the Constitution, you've enriched your crony friends, you've appointed judges who will progress back 100 years, you've given us a "Daddy state", and you've given us a Soviet style gulag, complete with their torture tactics.
coconut cake?....................... how appropriate.
Happy Birthday President Bush!
we can all hope his next b'day will be behind bars
Since he is on his way to Japan, his birthday present to us is leaving Chaney in charge. I shudder at that thought.
Happy birthday to President Bush. Thank you for not only respecting the office of the President of the United States but for extending respect to past occupants of the White House, and always speaking respectfully to others even when they don't speak respectfully to you. May you live to be 120 and see your great-grandchildren. You and Laura are excellent examples of good parents...and leaders.
Too bad so many people have allowed themselves to be filled with hatred for you. No one except ourselves can put hatred or anything else into our hearts. No one can blame you for that!
Happy Birthday Mr. President!
The more I hear from the obfuscating Obama the better you look.
We are winning in Iraq. History may just give you kudos yet!
Former Democrat voting for McCain 08!
Bush is still in the news? He's been a lame-duck president since 2006. At that time his own party stopped listening to him.
Can we 'surprise' him perhaps with an impeachment?
Congrats scumbag, you will go down as one of the most hated Presidents in American history!
Bush=McSame
Happy birthday Mr president.
I pray that you have many many more.and thank you for keeping our country safe since 9-11 thank you for not being a coward.thank you for all your moral thoughts and for the way you have stood up to your faith in our lord JESUS christ....yes we are in a war and everything is sky high ....but....how many preidents have we had that were war presidents and fought the war without spending money? keep your faith MR President there's a lot of people out here who still love you.
HAVE A GREAT DAY
Phyllis in nc
We should all thank Pres. Bush for keeping the pressure on Al Qaeda
and keeping them out of the U.S. How many of you would like Obama to change that scenario with you having to drive your kids to school in an armored car and wear flak jackets to work?
Think BEFORE you ask for change.
While he is flying on Air Force One, our heroes are flying in helicopters that are from the Nam Era. Shame on him!
Bush celebrates his birthday by spewing CO2 all over Japan, a country with a stronger economic system then the US and still has 1/10 of the emissions that the US has.
How appropriate...long live fossil fuels say BUSH
Let's see what he is doing when he turns "64"
Do you think though now that he is 62 and he will be "retiring" soon that he will be able to get partial social security? Or will he opt to wait until he is 65 to get full benefits? Will there be benefits when he is 65? Golly, lots of questions! Here's another one. I have been paying into Social Security since I started working (16) – I am 42 years old now. Do you think by the time I am ready to collect what is due me there will be any left? If there isn't anything left in the SS Fund, what happened to all my money?
Would I be able to take the Unted States Government to Court and demand that all I put into my retirement fund through our Great Governemt (which I had no choice but to do) be given back to me? After all, I am entitled to it – that's what I was told.
People are responsible for "false advertisement" shouldn't the government be too?
In 2000, we weren't in great shape because of the Net bubble bursting, but we were doing OK. Now, in 2008, our country is in the toilet according to every category and indicator available: unemployment is soaring, the Dow is sinking, the war drags on, gas is through the roof, and most importantly, the average American is more depressed about our nation's shape than in a long time.
To the people posting here, talking up Bush's performance and thanking him for a "scandal-free administration" (yeah right).... exactly what cave in Afghanistan did you just crawl out of?
Who's policies have kept Al Qaeda out of the U.S. for the past seven years? Pick one:
a) Barack Hussein Obama
b) George Bush
Want to CHANGE that?