WASHINGTON – President Bush was able to cast his worries aside Friday. 'American Idol' runner-up Katharine McPhee was well enough to keep her scheduled Oval Office appointment.
McPhee sang to the commander in chief Friday, along with other Top 10 finalists from last season.
McPhee recovered from a nasty bout of bronchitis and laryngitis just in time for her audience with Bush, said Eric Green, a publicist with the FOX network program.
McPhee, champion Taylor Hicks and the other Top 10 'Idols' in the group were the first contestants from the hit show to be invited to the White House. They posed for photos with the country's head honcho.
The visit and photo opportunity with Bush — with still cameras only, no reporters allowed — came during a one-day visit to Washington for the "American Idols Live" tour. McPhee rejoined the group Thursday in Pittsburgh after missing a string of recent performances.
Sure, dignitaries from Iraq, Romania, Britain, Sudan and Saudi Arabia also got an invite to the Oval Office this week. They may have had issues of war and peace to discuss, but how many of them survived the challenge of performing a Stevie Wonder tune on live TV?
It's unclear how familiar Bush is with the 'Idol' finalists' talents. Asked whether he had ever seen the show, the White House responded that he was "aware" of it.
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