Bush's Colonoscopy Shows No Abnormalities
Friday: President Bush announces plans for a colonoscopy.
Saturday, June 29, 2002
WASHINGTON — George W. Bush took back the powers of the presidency from Vice President Dick Cheney Saturday after transferring them to his second-in-command during a routine colonoscopy that required sedation.
The test revealed no polyps or other abnormalities, according to White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.
"The president continues to be in outstanding health," said Air Force Col. Richard Tubb, the White House physician who led the examination.
Bush felt well enough after the procedure to play with the dogs and take a 4-mile walk with the first lady and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card and his wife. Bush then went to the gym for a light workout.
"The president says he feels great," Fleischer said.
Bush invoked the 25th amendment and handed over the reins to the vice president for more than two hours while he was sedated. The procedure itself lasted just 20 minutes.
Bush transferred the powers of the presidency at 7:09 a.m. EDT, Fleischer said. Anesthesia was administered and the procedure was completed at 7:29 a.m.
At 9:24 a.m., after Tubb conducted an overall examination, Bush resumed powers — two hours and 15 minutes after Cheney became acting president.
Tubb said he recommended the additional time to make sure the sedative had no aftereffects.
Bush transferred and took back his powers in letters to House and Senate leaders.
Tubb said it was Bush alone who made the call to temporarily hand over his powers.
"It's his decision. I applaud him for making that decision," the doctor said.
White House counsel Alberto Gonzalez said Bush wanted people to know that every precaution was taken.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we wanted to reassure everyone that the president was not making a hasty decision" to return to work, Gonzalez told a briefing.
During the two hours while he was acting president, Cheney met with his staff and received an intelligence briefing at the White House.
Fleischer said Cheney carried out no official acts as acting president.
Bush said Friday he decided to transfer authority to Cheney as a precautionary measure. "I did so because we're at war and just want to be super cautious," he said.
Section 3 of the 25th Amendment was enacted in 1967, four years after President Kennedy's assassination. The invocation of that amendment calls for a transfer of power in the event the president is unable to fulfill the duties of the office.
President Reagan also transferred powers when he underwent surgery for colon cancer July 13, 1985.
Tubb said Bush does not have to repeat the procedure for five years. One of the reasons Bush underwent the procedure, Fleischer said, was to underscore its importance for people over 50 who are at risk. Bush turns 56 on July 6.
Bush was diagnosed with benign polyps previously and told that he would need a checkup. He said he had no symptoms of a return of the condition and Saturday's exam was routine.
The procedure was conducted at the Camp David, Md., presidential retreat by a team of military doctors overseen by Tubb.
Tubb said Bush had the same procedure in July 1998 and December 1999 — while governor of Texas — and both times two polyps were found and surgically removed.
"This is preventive medicine at its finest," the doctor said. "If you're over 50 you ought to make it part of your practice as well."
Tubb, an Air Force colonel, said a sedative called propofol was administered to Bush through an intravenous line. It takes effect in a minute or less and wears off quickly.
A colonoscopy is considered the best way to examine the colon and to find and remove polyps. The procedure, performed regularly, is believed to reduce the risk of colon cancer by up to 90 percent. More than 2 million are performed annually in the United States.
The procedure uses a flexible tube containing an optical scope that enables the doctor to view the entire length of the colon. A wire cutter can be threaded through the tube and used to remove any polyps discovered.
Generally, physicians recommend that people after the age of 50 receive a colonoscopy every three to five years, depending on the patient's personal and family history of colon cancer. For some patients, the procedure is done annually.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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