Pool Report of McCain's Colombia Arrival

McCain Pool Report #2
7/1/08

Senators McCain, Graham and Lieberman, along with Cindy, gathered outside historic Fort Manzillo on a deck next to the water and talked to President Uribe,  both ambassadors and other Colombian officials. Lieberman chatted with Uribe in front of a plaque commemorating Fort Manzillo's founding. This is the deck where Bush held a press conference with Uribe during his visit in 2004.

They then came inside and stood just inside the door where they looked at two more plaques.

Uribe told them, "President Bush's father came in the year 1990."
Lieberman then asked, "So the meeting of Plan Colombia was in this room?" And Uribe said he didn't remember.

Plan Colombia was started under the previous Colombian president in the late 90s but according to embassy officials President George H.W. Bush was there for a drug summit in 1990.

Uribe then said something about President Clinton but your pool was too far away to hear the details.

Senator McCain then glad handed with some Colombian officials while the press was escorted out of the room.
Cindy left right before the pool did.

The room was long and narrow with high ceilings, a long banquet table for the meeting, big pink flowers in the corner of the room, a Colombian flag and a map of Colombia projected onto a pull down screen.

This is the third time McCain has been to Colombia since 2001 and the second time he has met with Uribe here, per the campaign.