Bush Lunches with Bono

WASHINGTON – Rock star Bono had a working lunch at the White House today with... President Bush.

Bono and the president had their lunch in the private dining room off the Oval Office. Bush was dressed in the classic presidential uniform of suit and red tie. He showed Bono, who was dressed in his trademark black jeans and sunglasses, around the Oval Office (search).

The meeting at the executive residence was a follow-up on talks he had with President Bush in July at the G8 summit in Scotland (search).

Presidential spokesman Scott McClellan says Bono and Bush discussed debt relief, AIDS, malaria and world trade. McClellan says they also talked about the concerts that Bono's group, U2, is putting on at Washington's MCI Center tonight and tomorrow night.

In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Bono heaped praise on Bush for providing 15 billion dollars to help fight AIDS in Africa. He said he was disappointed that Bush and Congress had cut the Millennium Challenge program (search) that gives foreign aid to countries that pursue political, economic and human rights reforms.

McClellan said Bono also planned to meet with National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley before U2's concert at the MCI Center. The spokesman laughingly told reporters that Bush was not planning to attend the concert.