President Bush and Polish leader Aleksander Kwasniweksi traveled to the midwest state of Michigan Thursday where they met with Polish-American leaders to discuss the war on terrorism and expanding the NATO alliance.
It was diplomacy and politics for President Bush Thursday as he brought the Polish leader to a key electoral state where Polish-Americans are a significant voting block. With a lively crowd waiving Polish and American flags, Mr. Bush praised President Kwasniwski as a steadfast ally in the fight against terrorism.
"When America was attacked, NATO and Poland, led by this good man, immediately declared that an attack on one of us was an attack on all of us," Mr. Bush said.
He says both men agree on the continued expansion of the NATO alliance to protect Europe against threats from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
Polish-Americans account for nearly 10 percent of the population in Michigan. This was the president's fourth visit to the key swing state since losing Michigan to Al Gore in 2000.
Mr. Bush and his guest continued their tour with a traditional lunch of dumplings and stuffed cabbage at a Polish Cultural Center where they also discussed U.S. investment in Poland to create more high-tech jobs.