Saving the Pope's Hat
Published Jul 14, 2003
The Pope is visiting DC and President Bush takes him out for an afternoon on the Potomac...sailing on his yacht, the Sequoia. They're admiring the sights when, all of a sudden, the Pope's hat blows off his head and out into the water.
Secret service guys start to launch a boat, but Bush waves them off, saying "Wait, wait. I'll take care of this. Don't worry."
Bush then steps off the yacht onto the surface of the water and walks out to the Holy Father's little hat, bends over and picks it up, then walks back to the yacht and climbs aboard. He hands the hat to the Pope amid stunned silence.
The next morning, the New York Times carries a story, with front page photos, of the event. The banner headline is "Bush Can't Swim."
Originally published July 15, 2003.
