Bowling Green, Va. – Succeeding on his third try to visit them, President Bush comforted thousands of Boy Scouts on Sunday at a national Jamboree marred by the electrocutions of four leaders and stifling heat that sickened 300.
“The men you lost were models of good citizenship,” Bush told the estimated 50,000 Scouts, leaders and visitors attending the event near Bowling Green, Va. “As Scout leaders, they devoted themselves to helping young men develop the character and skills they need to realize their dreams. These men will always be remembered for their leadership and kindness, and you Scouts honor them by living up to the ideals of the Scouting they served.”
Bush, a former Cub Scout in Texas, was met by a sea of cheering, uniformed Scouts.
As the sun set, Bush told the crowd that the first man he often sees every morning, chief of staff Andrew Card, is a former Scout from Massachusetts; Vice President Dick Cheney was a Boy Scout in Wyoming; and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was an Eagle Scout in Illinois.
Bush’s speech was about patriotism and community and service to the nation, but he also recalled how his mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, was the den mother of his Scouting troop.
“It’s about the time her hair turned white,” he joked.
It was Bush’s third attempt to travel to Fort A.P. Hill, the Army base hosting the Jamboree, where Scouts are ending their 10-day gathering with memories of mountain biking, fishing and trading patches with new friends from across the nation.
On Wednesday, Scouts waited hours in the heat for Bush, who later canceled his appearance because of threatening storms.
Then Scouts began collapsing from high humidity and temperatures in the high 90s. More than 300 people were treated for heat-related illnesses.
Bush’s second attempt to visit the Jamboree was postponed from Thursday at the Scouts’ request. Officials wanted to review safety procedures for large crowds and replenish water and other supplies.
The illnesses came after the deaths July 25 of the four adult Scout leaders, who were electrocuted in front of several Scouts when a metal pole at the center of a large dining tent touched power lines. The tent caught fire, and the men burned. An investigation into the accident is underway.
The day before, a volunteer suffered a fatal heart attack.
