First Couple-Elect Have a Quiet Holiday; Children Are Scattered

Like millions of other Americans, Barbara Bush cooked the turkey and George Bush carved it--as the President-elect indulged himself in a quiet and restful Thanksgiving.

Bush, his wife and two long-time employees shared one of their smallest Thanksgiving Day gatherings in memory. An aide explained that the Bush’s five children and 10 grandchildren, after the long grind of the campaign, were scattered at various locations spending time with other family members.

At his family compound here, Bush spent a couple of hours in his office reading through material prepared by his transition team, and he also placed a number of “happy Thanksgiving calls” to supporters, an aide said.

He ventured off his compound, situated on a dramatic oceanfront spit of land known as Walker’s Point, only once--to take a 2-mile, 20-minute jog through the Maine woods.

Acting playful with reporters, Bush plowed directly into a gaggle of cameras as he ran, panting “gotta go straight.”

During the morning, Mrs. Bush slipped and fell on the grounds of the compound while greeting crewmen from a Coast Guard cutter that is stationed off the point as a security precaution. She said she caught her heel in her pants cuff and stumbled. But an aide said she was not injured.

Joining the Bushes for their quiet Thanksgiving dinner were Don Rhodes, an employee of Bush’s Capitol Hill staff, and Paula Rendon, the family’s longtime housekeeper. The luncheon menu was purely traditional, with dressing, green beans, sweet potatoes, gravy and blueberry pie.