Singh Gives Bush Grief Over Taj Mahal Snub [View All]

Singh Gives Bush Grief Over Taj Mahal Snub

By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer
9 minutes ago



NEW DELHI - Add India's prime minister to the list of people giving President Bush a hard time for not visiting the country's famed Taj Mahal.

As the leaders toasted each other and their nation's ties Thursday before lunch alongside several hundred guests, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh briefly paused and addressed Bush's wife, Laura.

"I am truly sorry the president is not taking you to Taj Mahal this time," Singh said. "I hope he will be more chivalrous next time you are here."

The president said Singh was not alone in his disappointment. "I've been hearing about it from Laura ever since I told her that we weren't going," Bush said.

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In an interview with Indian reporters before the trip, Bush blamed the decision on his scheduler and said he'd have to come back to India to make up for it.

"Look, if I were the scheduler, perhaps I'd be doing things differently," he said. "But you want me doing one thing. I'll be the president, we've got the scheduler being the scheduler. I'm going to miss a lot of the really interesting parts of your great country."

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060303/ap_on_re_as/unchivalrous_bush_4