President Bush leads the band in tribute to historic anniversary

Jamestown (Map, News) - President Bush called Jamestown “the story of hardship overcome by resolve” in a speech Sunday honoring the 400th anniversary of England’s first permanent settlement in North America.

“It’s easy to forget how close Jamestown came to failing,” he said.

Bush amused the crowd after his speech by spontaneously deciding to take the baton from conductor Joann Falletta and briefly lead the symphony orchestra as the musicians played “Stars and Stripes Forever.”

Falletta, who led an orchestra of professional musicians and 400 children from around the country, willingly gave Bush her baton.

“It was totally unplanned,” she said. “We had no idea that the president was going to come up to the podium to conduct the orchestra. He was very good; he cued the brass, he cued the percussion. He kept the tempo. I had no idea he was on the podium waiting to conduct until one of the musicians told me to turn around. It was overwhelming for us.”

Speaking exactly 400 years after the day about 100 colonists came ashore to found Jamestown, Bush said the perseverance shown by early settlers and the country’s founding fathers should be a reminder that the country should not end its military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“From our history, we know that the path to democracy is long and hard,” he said. “There are setbacks and roadblocks along the way, but we can be confident in the outcome.”

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com

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