Tirana, Albania – Whatever happened to the president’s watch? One moment President Bush was glad-handing Albanians on Sunday, proudly sporting a watch with a dark strap on his left wrist.
Moments later, it was gone.
Did it fall off? Did one of his bodyguards remove it? Did someone in the crowd artfully slip it off his wrist? Albanian media and international websites are buzzing over a video showing Bush’s watch apparently disappearing while he greets a crowd in Fushe Kruje, north of Tirana.
White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush’s watch was not stolen.
“The president put it in his pocket, and it returned safely home,” Snow said Tuesday.
An Albanian bodyguard who accompanied Bush in the town told The Associated Press he had seen one of his U.S. colleagues bend down and pick up the watch from the ground.
People waiting on the sidewalks Sunday gave Bush a rapturous welcome, shaking hands with him, grabbing him by the arms and wrists, reaching out to hug him and ruffling his hair.
Bush was clearly delighted by the attention and plunged back into the crowd for more.
