Bush passes presidential power to Cheney during colon screenin

WASHINGTON -- President Bush transferred presidential powers to Vice President Dick Cheney for more than two hours Saturday during a routine colon screening that ended in a clean bill of health.

It was only the second time in history that the Constitution's presidential disability clause was invoked. Bush was sedated during the 20-minute procedure.

"The president continues to be in outstanding health," said Air Force Col. Richard Tubb, the White House physician who led the examination. "No polyps were found, no abnormalities were found."

The procedure, a colonoscopy, was done at the well-equipped medical facility in Camp David, the presidential retreat in western Maryland. Bush felt well enough afterward to play with his dogs and take a 4 1/2-mile walk with the first lady and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card and his wife. He then went to the gym for a light workout.

Tubb said two polyps were discovered during examinations in 1998 and 1999 while Bush was governor of Texas. That made Bush a prime candidate for regular examinations.

Saturday's procedure began at 7:09 a.m and ended at 7:29 a.m. Bush woke up two minutes later but did not resume his presidential office until 9:24 a.m., after Tubb conducted an overall examination.

Tubb said he recommended the additional time to make sure the sedative had no aftereffects.

White House counsel Alberto Gonzales 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, Gonzales 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.

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Cheney carried out no official acts as acting president.

The spokesman did not think Cheney's staff addressed him as "Mr. Acting President."

"It's a mouthful," Fleischer said.

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 said he was transferring power as a precaution in a time of terrorism. President Reagan was the first to invoke the Constitution's 25th Amendment since its adoption in 1967 as a means of dealing with presidential disability and succession.

Bush transferred and resumed his powers in letters to House and Senate leaders, as spelled out by the amendment.