AP: Bush Suffers Cuts, Bruises While Biking
President Bush suffered cuts and bruises early Saturday afternoon when he fell while mountain biking on his ranch, White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.
Bush was on the 16th mile of a 17-mile ride when he fell, Duffy said. He was riding with a military aide, members of the Secret Service and his personal physician, Dr. Richard Tubb.
“He had minor abrasions and scratches on his chin, upper lip, nose, right hand and both knees,” Duffy said. “Dr. Tubb, who was with him, cleaned his scratches, said he was fine. The Secret Service offered to drive him back to the house. He declined and finished his ride.”
***
Earlier this month, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry took a spill from his bicycle while riding with Secret Service agents through Concord, Mass., about 18 miles north of Boston. Kerry fell when his bike hit a patch of sand. He was not injured.
Told about Bush’s mishap, Kerry said, “I hope he’s OK. I didn’t know the president rode a bike.”
Matt Drudge has a somewhat cryptic note atop the page:
Kerry told reporters in front of cameras, ‘Did the training wheels fall off?’… Reporters are debating whether to treat it is as on or off the record… Developing…
Hardly a big deal, either way.
And what’s with these guys falling down all the time, anyway? First, Bush falls off his Sedgway. Kerry falls off his bike and down the bunny slopes while skiing. And now this? Clearly the Secret Service is going to have its hands full regardless of who wins in November.
Update: Responding to the CNN version of the story, Smash has similar thoughts, Tim Blair and Blackfive both note that Bush didn’t blame the fall on the Secret Service, and Josh Marshall wonders if the bike fall won’t become “iconic” in the way that Bush 41’s vomiting on the Japanese PM was.
