Bush leaves Utah following Hatch fund-raiser

Earlier in the morning, the president met with LDS leaders

Published: Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006 1:01 p.m. MDT
RELATED CONTENT |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
President Bush left on Air Force One just about 12:05 p.m. today, ending a 15-hour visit to Salt Lake City.

Bush headed to the Utah Air National Guard base immediately after speaking at a fund-raiser for Sen. Orrin Hatch at the Grand America Hotel. The president waved to about a dozen National Guardsmen as he boarded the plane.

Though commuters found out the hard way this morning that Bush was in town, downtown streets returned to normal this afternoon.

This morning, State Street from 600 South to North Temple was closed for more than 30 minutes to make way for the president's motorcade as it headed to headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where Bush met with the church's governing First Presidency at about 8:30 a.m.

Church employees said they were instructed not to arrive at work until after 10 a.m. today.

After his meeting with the First Presidency, Bush then left for the Salt Palace to speak to the American Legion convention, promoting his policies in the Middle East and against terrorism. His final event was the Hatch fund-raiser.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.

 - President Bush, front, visits with LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley, President Thomas S. Monson, President James E. Faust (obscured) and executive secretary Michael Watson, top. (Eric Draper, White House)
Eric Draper, White House
President Bush, front, visits with LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley, President Thomas S. Monson, President James E. Faust (obscured) and executive secretary Michael Watson, top.