autoimmune disorders in the Bush household, including the dog Millie. Bush's pose was
one of studied skepticism: "You're kidding," he told reporters. "I'm not going to lose
confidence in the water at the White House until we know a little more about this," Bush
said. In any case, the water at the White House "tasted fine to me." [fn 33]
During the visit of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, Bush described himself as
"dead tired" on one occasion during the visit. During a May 20 press conference with
Chancellor Helmut Kohl of Germany, Bush spoke with a raspy voice, and his attention
seemed to wander. When asked about his poor performance with Kohl, Bush conceded
that he had experienced "slowing down on the mental processes." On more than one
occasion, he seemed to lose his train of thought during answers to the questions of the
journalists. The raspy voice was still noticeable in a press conference on May 21. On that
same day, the White House announced the results of what was billed as Bush's first
complete checkup since the day he swallowed radioactive iodine. The White House said
that Bush had lost a total of 13 pounds since the onset of the crisis, but had managed to
gain back a pound and a half. Tests showed that Bush's thyroid functions were now in the
low-normal range, it was further alleged. Doctors tried to explain away Bush's fatigue by
saying that it reflected the body's adjustment to a thyroid gland which was overactive less
than two weeks before, but had now possibly become underactive as a result of the
radioactive iodine therapy, which had destroyed many thyroxin-producing cells. By this
point, Bush was still taking digoxin, procainamide, Coumadin, aspirin, and non-
radioactive iodine drops. These last, it was said, were designed to reduce the amounts of
thyroxin entering the bloodstream. [fn 34]
Bush was in Kennebunkport for Memorial Day, and the White House propaganda
machine was churning out the line was that he was now well on his way to complete
recovery. "I'm sleeping much better and I really do feel good and I wish I had about four
more days here," Bush told the press. "Been taking a little sleep after lunch here, which is
good. Been sleeping very well." During this weekend, Bush tried fishing at nine of his
favorite locations. On Sunday, May 26, Bush played a total of 27 holes of golf. Reporters
found that he was back to his old ways as he "circled the golf course like a man on a
merry-go-round." When he "passed the 18th hole once again on this vacation, he
exuberantly flung a golf club at his cart and looked horrified when it nearly hit one of his
Secret Service guards." According to press reports, Bush was still suffering from dryness
of mouth. He had reduced his intake of caffeine, and of alcohol. On Monday, May 27,
Bush traveled to New Haven to speak at the Yale commencement, and lost three pounds
due to the rigors of the trip. On Tuesday, after he had returned to Kennebunkport, he told
reporters: "Yesterday I got a little tired at the end of the day, and today I feel fine. You
have to pace yourself a little." [fn 35]
Bush's speech at the Yale commencement was devoted to a pugnacious defense of his
China policy, the policy of the kow-tow to the butchers of Beijing. In the words of one
observer: "George Bush's address to the Yale graduating class was more like a tantrum
than a speech. In it, he was defiant about renewing most-favored- nation trading status for
the Chinese, and crushingly condescending to the opposition he faces. [...] The resolute
commander-in-chief sounded like the querulous candidate of yesterday. He can do what