President Bush spoke Tuesday morning with the crews of the shuttle and station. NASA, which called the event a “private phone call”, only said that “the president told the astronauts that they represent the best of service and exploration, and he thanked them for the job they are doing.” The White House only offered a photo of event, which for all the world looks like the president making any ordinary phone call. White House officials later told the New York Times that Bush said he had watched part of Monday’s spacewalk by STS-121 astronauts Mike Fossum and Piers Sellers, and invited the shuttle crew to the White House after their mission.
