Q Can you give some of the color of this flight here -- how many of the Mexican delegation are on board; where do find seats for them? Are the Presidents eating turkey sandwiches --
MR. FLEISCHER: The Presidents are having lunch up front. The Mexican -- the same thing we're eating. I think it's -- what's our lunch? Turkey sandwiches.
Q And where are they? What cabin?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President's cabin, the President's cabin up front.
Q Are they sort of more --
MR. FLEISCHER: I didn't poke my head in. I'll poke in. I'm sure it's the office, but I'll poke in. Unless you hear otherwise, it's the office.
Q Any chance we'll get any pictures of that?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I'm afraid not.
Q Who else is with the delegation?
MR. FLEISCHER: Several of the Mexican officials, their seats for the most part, are in the conference room. They're seated around the conference room table. Secretary Martinez is on the flight, as well. And several congressmen, congresswomen, are on the flight.
Q How many from the Mexican delegation are on board?
MR. FLEISCHER: Reed can get you that. We have it on the manifest --
Q So they're seated in the conference room?
MR. FLEISCHER: There are a couple conference room holds, and so there are several others seated in one of the staff sections.
Q Not necessarily paired off with their U.S. counterpart?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, we've been mixing and mingling. I stayed up in the conference room at the beginning of the flight and was talking to my counterpart. Joe Hagin brought back some people to introduce them to all the Mexican counterparts. I'm sorry, Ambassador Ensenat brought back Joe Hagin to introduce Joe to the counterparts.
Q The ambassadors are both here?
MR. FLEISCHER: Ambassador Ensenat is head of protocol. His title is ambassador. But I believe the Mexican ambassador of the United States is on board. You know, it's wonderful, because you see people's eyes are open wide, there's this sense of amazement that all first-time visitors have for Air Force One. On the helicopter ride over, photos were snapping, they were taking pictures of each other, taking pictures out the back of the helicopter.
Q Did you give them a tour on the helicopter, or did you make a beeline for Andrews?
MR. FLEISCHER: I wasn't on the President's helicopter, but I saw, he looked like he was taking a tour. From my vantage point on the ground it looked like he was giving them a tour of the White House area and the Capitol. You know, he had to do what they call -- what's it called when they pass? -- an interchange. They had to do an interchange. So the President's helicopter ride lasted 20 minutes, while the staff helicopter ride lasted 10, because the President's helicopter takes off first and the staff helicopters all have to be on the ground first. So they did the interchange. The President took that time to give President Fox a bird's eye view of Washington.
Q When's the last time there were two Presidents on board Air Force One, do you have any idea?
MR. FLEISCHER: We're trying to find out, domestically, and it's been a long time, domestically, best we can tell. I know that President Clinton was on board with, I believe -- don't remember which leader of a Mideastern country at one point.
Q President Fox has taken a lot of trips to the United States since he took office. Is President Bush encouraging him to do that, to travel into other parts of the United States and the Capital?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President thinks it's very constructive for U.S.-Mexico relations for President Fox to talk to the American people and to take his message to our country. He welcomes it and it's good for America to hear what President Fox has to say. It really is a testimony to the strength of this relationship.
Nothing else? Time for lunch.
Q Thanks a lot.
Q If you could just go through again what we did on the tarmac -- then what's his message here today, the leaders? What are they expected to say and why are they doing this trip?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President's message is twofold. One, that relations between the United States and Mexico have never been stronger. And two, the President thinks it's fitting for a community in America that has a very growing Hispanic-Mexican population to be visited by the American President and the President of Mexico. The Mexican culture and the Hispanic culture play a very vital role in American culture, and this visit is meant to honor that tradition.
Q I thought of another question. When they're together like this, do they mostly speak English between the two of them, or does Bush use some Spanish?
MR. FLEISCHER: It's mostly English, but they go back and forth.
Q Just phrases, or does President Bush actually --
MR. FLEISCHER: The President will speak Spanish, but it's mostly English.
Okay. If there's anything different about where they're eating, I'll advise you. But otherwise, it's the President's office.
END 1:53 P.M. EDT