Unfortunately my camera is not functioning right now, so there are no images or video of the scene I describe below, which is a shame. But the words will have to suffice for now.

This is a report that went out to all White House reporters. I wrote the report this morning because each of the newspaper reporters that cover the White House full time rotate into what is called the "pool" of reporters that go with President Bush to events where the full press corps can't go. On this trip to Africa, many of the president's events are "pool only."

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Pool Report #1

Meeting with President Kikwete at the State House

Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008

Wait til you see these pictures.

POTUS rolled from the hotel at 8:28 am on this fine, sunny morning. Four minutes later we were out of the vans and walking briskly toward the State House, then running as we heard drums beating and people cheering.

We ran through the gate to the compound and saw a throng of people lining a red carpet, with POTUS and President Kikwete already on their way among them toward the massive white building.

We had to do more running along the route of the crowd, but I did stop to look at them. They were mostly younger, wearing white shirts and waving U.S. and Tanzanian flags. One man was blowing a trumpet as the two leaders walked by (his trumpet was one of what sounded like a few dozen or so). The noise and the heat and the excitement were cacaphonous. It sounded like several marching bands were playing simultaneously but together. The two leaders walked slowly but I didn't see them shaking hands with the crowd. Maybe it's the influence of the recent Middle East trip, but besides the lack of palm branches and hosannas, the atmosphere was something like a triumphal entry.

At the top of a large stairway we stopped running, and saw men on both sides of an arch way beating massive drums. Four others beat smaller drums that were still pretty big.

The two leaders stopped reached the top of the stairs and watched for a moment. POTUS said, "This is great," and smiled. They then walked up the steps and inside.

A few moments later we were rushed in to the meeting room and saw POTUS sitting in a chair on the left, Kikwete on the right. They shook hands and smiled. I thought POTUS might be enamored enough with his reception to talk off the cuff about it and asked him what he thought.

He didn't like the question very much.

"You can ask me that question at the press conference," he said.

Your pool went upstairs to cool down and are now awaiting the promised questioning outside the state house.

— Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times