Bush gets jury duty call, says he is busy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush had to explain that he was a little busy running the United States when he got called for jury duty.

Bush never received the summons to appear at a court in Crawford, Texas, for jury duty on Monday and the White House learned about it through media reports, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said on Thursday.

"We have since called the court to inform them that the president has other commitments on Monday, and that he would like to reschedule his jury duty," McClellan said.

Last week, the man Bush beat to get re-elected last year, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, served as foreman on a jury for two days at a civil case in Boston.

Bush, whose ranch is in Crawford, is scheduled to give a speech in North Carolina on Monday.

"One serious note: jury duty is an important civic responsibility. And it's important that people do serve," McClellan said