The White House made no secret of its desire to put forth an image of diversity on the trip. Two of Bush’s most powerful advisers, Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, were prominently at his side, greeting heads of state–and were the only officials to join Bush on his tour of the Goree Island House of Slaves. But the secretary of State didn’t share in all the boss’s perks. The White House advance team spent almost a week constructing a special platform for Bush’s Goree Island speech, positioning the podium so cameras would capture the House of Slaves in the background. As he stood in the sweltering sun listening to the president’s address, the customarily crisp Powell turned damp and rumpled. A few feet away, Bush stayed cool. At the president’s feet, hidden behind the podium, an air conditioner was going full blast.
