CRAWFORD, Texas, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- In what may later go on the road as the George and Vladimir show, President Bush and Russian President Putin traded one-liners, accolades for their wives, gentle spoofing and fielded questions from middle and high school students at what is doubtless the most historic assembly Crawford High School ever had.
The extraordinary performance of the two leaders capped a three-day U.S.-Russian summit that did not produce major diplomatic agreements but went a long way to cinching Bush's contention that he and Putin have formed a new relationship for American and Russian leaders.
"A lot of people never really dreamt that an American president and a Russian President could have established the friendship that we now have," Bush told an audience of schoolchildren, parents, town dignitaries and visiting Russian students in the Crawford High School gym, its walls lined with the victory banners of Pirates' basketball.
"When I was in high school, Russia was an enemy. Now the high school students can know Russia as a friend; that we're working together to ... establish a new spirit of cooperation and trust," Bush said.
Putin began with a compliment for the people of Central Texas and the president, disclosing that Laura Bush had told him Wednesday that the people of Crawford have a "special kind of pride of their position and their heritage."
"I realize that the first lady was right," Putin said. "He is right from the heart of Texas and he is a Texan."
As a cap to the summit, the White House arranged for the people of Crawford to meet Putin and his wife at a part-town and part-school assembly. It began with the audience reciting the Pledge Allegiance and ended with the two presidents and their wives passing through the audience shaking hands to the tune of the Washington Post March in a finale reminiscent of a political campaign.
In between, the youngsters of Crawford stole the show. Sean Laws, a senior at Crawford High, wondered if the two presidents had come to a conclusion about whether or not to deploy a national missile defense system. That is the question that Bush has been peppered with for weeks, and he jokingly asked Law, "Are you with the national press corps?"
But joking aside, young Law's question disclosed where the two men remained at the end of the summit. "What we differ in is that we differ in the ways and means we perceive suitable for reaching the same objective," Putin said. But he assured the American audience "whatever final solution is found, it will not threaten or put to threat the interests of both countries and of the world."
Danny White, a senior, also elicited some news when he asks the presidents about the nuclear weapons cuts they had both announced on Tuesday. He wondered if they were just "de-alerting them," in effect standing down from launch status, or actually destroying the nuclear warheads.
Bush said the United States was "talking about reducing and destroying the number of warheads to get down to specific levels." Bush said at present most U.S. strategic weapons are on a de-alert status, "however, it doesn't take long to fire up, if we need them."
Putin had a more cautious answer, suggesting his approach to the summit, when he noted, "What you do with these is subject to negotiations, with the result of those negotiations depending on the level of trust between the United States and Russian."
Mentioning the barbecue at Bush's Prairie Gospel Ranch, Putin said it was with a "single purpose," to increase "the level of confidence between the leaders and the people."
Jody Swinson, a seventh-grader, wanted to know whether Bush would take Crawford kids with him when he visits Moscow. Bush has received a formal invitation to visit Moscow and Putin's hometown of St. Petersburg during the summit.
"I am extremely grateful for this question," Putin said wryly.
"This is not a mere coincidence," he said. "On our way here, the president invited (me) to come here when it is 40 Celsius, more than 110, and he invited me to join a plus-40 club who jog when it's 110."
In his country, Putin said, there are places where the temperature dips to 50 below Celsius (minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit) for two weeks running. "My promise is that I will not terrorize your president with such low temperatures."
Zalacia Stanford, a senior, wanted to know how Putin liked the mesquite barbecue he had for dinner at Bush's house Wednesday evening.
"I just had a hard time imagining how could a living person create such a masterpiece of cooking. A fantastic meal! And when I said so to the president, he said, indeed, this cannot be done except for in Texas."
Jana Heller, an eighth grader, wanted to know Putin's favorite thing about Texas.
"We in Russia have known for a long time that Texas is the most important state in the United States," Putin said to thunderous applause. "We in Russia somehow tend to know about Texas rather better than about the rest of the United States somehow. Except for Alaska, which we sold you."
He said Russia has enormous connections with Texas, including oil, space exploration and high technology centers and he pointed out that it is a state with a statue to Yuri Gagarin, a Russian pilot who was the first man to fly in space.
