George W. Bush

NOTE: We now provide you with a momentary break from Ashley Alexandra Dupre news to bring you a lighter, less controversial political story.

Love him or hate him, there's no denying that President George W. Bush has faced tough economic and diplomatic issues during two terms in office.

Daughter Jenna Bush's upcoming wedding has presented its own challenges.

"I had to face some difficult spending decisions and I've had to conduct sensitive diplomacy. That's called planning for a wedding," George W. Bush said, eliciting laughs from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

President Bush, who will be replaced by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton or John McCain on January 20, has bigger things to stress out about - wedding planning.

Proving that even being Commander-in-Chief can't get you out of shelling out too much for your daughter's wedding - or get you control over the details, the Prez quipped when asked how the planning is going:

"They're letting me spend money, that's how it's going."

Jenna Bush is set to wed Henry Hager at her parents' ranch in Crawford, Texas, on May 10. The couple's engagement was announced in August.

Bush, 26, and Hager, 29, who make a very cute couple, recently enjoyed respective bachelorette and bachelor weekends in Florida.

Wow. And we thought President Bush was being phony this afternoon when he pretended to approve of John McCain as the Republican nominee for president.

Take a look at what Bush was thinking when last year's American Idol champion, Jordin Sparks, performed at the White House earlier this year...

Do you agree? Do you think Blake Lewis should have won?

We wonder how Bush will feel about David Archuleta ... we mean, whoever ends up being crowed this year's American Idol champion.

George W. Bush may have really low approval ratings, but at least he can distract himself with the paternal rite of passage of writing fat checks - in preparing for the upcoming wedding of Jenna Bush and Henry Hager.

The president, who is currently on a trip to Africa, joked with Ann Curry of the Today show when asked how the wedding is coming along: "It's coming like I have nothing to say about it, that's how it's coming."

"Oh, really?" inquired Curry. "They're not letting you do anything?"

"They're letting me spend money," the chief executive said.

Laura Bush was more far more expansive. Hearing what her husband had said to Curry, she interjected, according to The Washington Post: "Jenna and I have been having a really good time planning the wedding."

Henry Hager and Jenna Bush will marry this spring.

Laura Bush added: "It'll be small and private, just what Jenna wants. I think it'll be lovely and simple and just perfect."

Jenna Bush, 26, and Henry Hager, 29, will officially get married May 10 at the president's ranch in Crawford, Texas, sources say.

The couple's engagement was announced in August.

In November, Laura Bush said that she "of course" had fancied the idea of a White House wedding for daughter Jenna.

"But I also know it wouldn't be very private," she said. "And of course we want to do what Jenna wants to do."

In potential First Daughter news, Chelsea Clinton is the prime age (27) to subject Bill and Hillary to a similar situation. Barack Obama, meanwhile, has a ways to go before he's writing the checks - his daughters are only six and nine.

Before delivering his final State of the Union address Monday night, the lame duck President of the United States shook many hands in the House chamber.

Greeting supporters and political foes alike, one can't blame the Prez for showing some affection as all of Congress gave him a standing ovation.

But it was Congressman Christopher Shays, a Republican from Connecticut, who received the biggest display of love from George W. Bush ...

Somewhere, Larry Craig is smiling. And possibly jealous.