Hot house
Washington DC: Just arrived at the White House where the temperature is fierce but President Bush's spokesman has just been decidedly lukewarm about talk of a new UN resolution.
Tony Snow told reporters here that the fundamental point is getting to have appropriate conditions on the ground to merit a new resolution and that moment has not yet occurred.
In terms of how pivotal this meeting with Blair actually is, Snow said it was arranged primarily because the prime minister was already going to be in California. "It would have been a little weird" for him not to come to the White House then.
As we queue to go through security we're greeted by a protester wearing a Bush mask with a placard saying "I love my poodle."
And Mary Masserini - the State Department's Queen of Protocol - is here to greet me too. She's been here every time I've come but informs me that this is the last time. She's decided to retire after 58 years here. Mary, I should add, is 80 years old.
I'm 
Comments
Nick,
How's the poodle coping with the heat?
I hope his handlers have ensured he's had plenty of water and wasn't left locked up in any airless vehicles?
Gordon Brown must be enjoying Blair's humilating decline even more than I am - what other reason is there to leave him in office?
seems the briefings from the White House and other places are making the Blair visit routine and not special and so playing down its impact beofre Blairs says anything, and that he is really just there on his way to California...
A Hotbed of smokescreens and actually quite damaging for Blair. In the eyes of me at least. I mean to say, they are dumbing down the visit. Tony Snow is without doubt a smart and slick operator, pity Bush ain't so slick and smart! Snow must hate his job, or have sufficient ego and pay to make it worth his while!
Well done Nick! Brilliant question - you've done us proud! Bush looked stumped!
Nick, only saw your question and first from the American gentleman before I left work, and it is clear that of the two you seemed to have out-thought the President. A well worded question left him with very little weasel room, but somehow he managed it with a little help from his friend, the PM. Good to see the 91Èȱ¬ is getting to ask the first Q!
Nick, you are in danger being grounded the next time the big boys have their day out.
But thank you.
I agree brilliant question. Best question I have seeen ffom a political journalist for years.The quality of the question reflected by Bush and Blair completely ignoring it. Why can't I find the question on the replay videos? Well done
"you spoke of having a plan to rebuild houses in Lebanon. Wouldn't the people of Lebanon rather know when you're going to tell the Israelis to stop destroying houses?"
i believe this is the question Mr Robinson asked.
Well, Mr Robinson - how do you not bomb houses when Hezbollah are hiding rockets and armaments in them?
If you can figure that out, please send it to the Chief Of Staff of the IDF. I'm sure he'll be really interested in it.
You 91Èȱ¬ types obviously know far more about military matters than the soldiers of the Israel army.
Retiring at 80? Newsworthy, I presume, as it provides a glimpse of what will happen here as the pension crisis bites.