a celebration of specialness

President Bush Participates in Joint Press Availability with Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom

(Question: when did a press conference become press availability, and when can we have press conferences back? Ed.)

Bush: I'm -- been a pleasure to welcome a good friend to the Oval Office, and had a good discussion. Appreciate our special relationship with Britain, and I believe that the actions we've taken are making it stronger.

All in all, we had a fabulous conversation. I'm looking forward to dinner tonight. The Prime Minister is bringing his wife Sarah up here to the White House. And I'm -- Laura and I are going to cook you up a meal. (Laughter.) Well, we'll eat one with you. (Laughter.) (He's here for eight years -- try the veal. Ed.)

Brownie: It's my profound belief that over many decades, no international partnership has served the world better than the special relationship between our two countries, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Bush: Look, I'm interested in succeeding in Iraq. I mean, it's -- this is a mission that is succeeding on the security front, it's getting better on the economic front, and it's improving on the political front... And so, so long as I'm the President, my measure of success is victory and success.

We got a great relationship. And it's -- we're working on a variety of issues... So it's -- our relationship is very special and it's -- I'm confident future Presidents will keep it that way. There's just such a uniqueness in the relationship. That's not to say you can't have other friends, and we do. But this is a unique relationship, truly is. And I value -- I value my personal friendship, as well as our -- the relationship between our countries.

Look, if there wasn't a personal relationship I wouldn't be inviting the man to a nice hamburger. (Laughter.) Well done, I might add.

Brownie: I'm very proud to be here today to celebrate a special relationship. In 1941, Winston Churchill met Franklin Roosevelt and inaugurated what is the modern phase of that special relationship... And what I think is fascinating is that over the next few months we will be developing that special relationship in new ways... So this is a special relationship not just of governments, but of peoples. And I look forward to its enhancement at all levels in the years to come...