The Bush administration may be coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean things are slowing down at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And that means Sally McDonough’s still working as the First Lady’s press secretary. Though busy preparing for the first family’s forthcoming move, her daily duties and a seemingly endless flood of e-mails, McDonough took a break to sit down with wOw friend Sue Carswell, and chat about the First Lady’s travels, her love of football and how the presidency changed the first couple’s relationship.
 
Sue Carswell: I imagine moving the president and First Lady must be quite the undertaking. So, just how many moving vans are coming to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?

Sally McDonough: That is the million-dollar question, but the move will be private. We’re not providing comments on the moving vans. The president and First Lady will definitely be moving their personal items out by moving vans and then most of it will be shipped. The Bushes didn’t come with a lot of their own furniture. They were already familiar with the White House and knew how much furniture was already there in the executive residence (because of the former Bushes). Also, keep in mind that they lived in the Governor’s Mansion in Texas before moving here eight years ago.

SC: Who does the actual packing up?

SM: It depends on what items you’re talking about. If an item requires special packing or if Mrs. Bush requested a loan of a painting from a friend or an institution, etc., than the curator’s office would be involved in paying special attention to the packing. But knowing Mrs. Bush, she will be very hands-on and work very closely with the executive residence staff. As for the packing, I think it will be more of Mrs. Bush’s job because President Bush holds his office up until January 20 and he is sprinting to the finish. So it’s really the executive staff that will be very helpful to the Bushes as they prepare to return to Texas.  

Google Maps

SC: Where exactly are they moving to in Dallas?

SM: Preston Hollow, the same neighborhood they once lived in. (The four-bedroom property was erected in 1959 and is estimated to be worth about $2 million.)

SC: Is there a swimming pool?

SM: I have not seen it, just the pictures in the news like everyone else. It’s a ranch and very typical for that neighborhood. I don’t know if it has a pool.

SC: Haven’t you tried to Google Earth it?

SM: Isn’t that scary? (She whispers) I think I see through most of the picture that it does a have a swimming pool!

SC: It’s been reported blacks — other than servants — weren’t allowed into the neighborhood until 2002. Do you know anything about this?

SM: I don’t know about that. I think it was on a blog. I doubt the Bushes were aware.

SC: Isn’t it a bit scary that first dog Barney, who bit a reporter last month, will be walking the streets in Preston Hollow come January? Do you think Barney will gather bite reports from the police?

SM: I am not scared for Barney one bit. Barney was on a leash (when he bit the photographer). I think he’s just a little tired of the paparazzi. I play with Barney all of the time, as does my four-and-a-half-year-old. You just need to be careful how you approach terriers.  Look at the video. I would fault the person. And trust me, I have watched that video.

SC: You really don’t think the paparazzi will follow them to Dallas?

SM: God I hope not.

SC: Have you been in touch with First Lady-elect’s press secretary? And what advice, if any, have you given her?

SM: I have been in touch and I’ve met her. She doesn’t need my advice. I think she’ll be great and I just told her it’s a true honor to serve in this capacity. It’s an interesting role we play in helping the First Lady protect the privacy of the family. It’s one of the most important roles I serve for her frankly. Mrs. Bush is not an elected official, and I really don’t have a problem saying to the press, ‘You know, you really don’t need to know that because she is a private citizen.’ She’s not the president — although she’s been a vocal First Lady and I’ve had a very active two years.

SC: Where was your favorite place to travel to, and Mrs. Bush’s, as well?

SM: For her, it was important to go to all 50 states — and she did that. Her last state, North Dakota, was pretty special, because when she got there, there were these wonderful kids White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

dressed in red, white and blue. They were very patriotic and held up these big signs saying, ‘Thank you for saving the best for last.’ That was a very sweet moment. I also think the Bush family has been very moved with their trips to Africa. Mrs. Bush has been there five times. It’s definitely something that has affected their family in the work that they’ve done with AIDS and the president’s malaria initiative. Mrs. Bush has had the privilege of being an unofficial ambassador for the president on those issues. When she speaks out at a podium she is able to bring a brighter light on the two programs. Africa was life changing and eye opening for me, too, in a way that I could have never predicted. Laura Bush has been to 76 countries, the Middle East and has gone to Afghanistan three times. It was important to her because Afghanistan has been such an important part of the last eight years. And I know she wants to get to Iraq.

SC: What will you miss about Mrs. Bush?

SM: She truly is one of the smartest and nonjudgmental persons I know. I’m getting sad already. I’ll miss her wit and her smarts, her generosity and her kindness.

SC: What didn’t America understand about the president and First Lady?

SM: I think what America didn’t understand was their relationship. It is unbelievably strong, powerful and real. When you see the two of them together, it would make anyone jealous quite frankly. They came here with a strong marriage, but now it’s even stronger. I also think people don’t realize that they are both really funny.

SC: What does Mrs. Bush read every day?

SM: She reads the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and the The Washington Times.

SC: What about The New York Times?

SM: (Silence and laughs).

SC: All right. Does she have a book deal yet?

SM: She doesn’t have a deal. She has definitely had some meetings. She’s interested in writing a book. I think she’ll write more about other people then she’ll write about herself.

SC: Finally, are you going to be sad come January 20th?

SM: Absolutely! It’s an important day. It’s very historic and what a privilege it is to be part of a transition. I’m looking forward to witnessing history, as is the First Lady. I have seen a more sentimental and reflecting First Lady than quite honestly I thought I would have seen. Will I walk away with a tear in my eye? I wish I could tell you it would just be one.