Posted on 05/02/2005 6:00:13 AM PDT by fight_truth_decay
Who knew? First lady Laura Bush took over the podium from her husband at Saturday night's annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner and knocked 'em dead, keeping Washington's most powerful politicos in stitches as she worked the ballroom like a seasoned stand-up comic.
CUT
Although Washington's movers and shakers laughed at Mrs. Bush's performance, some in the press woke up with a Sunday morning hangover and began to criticize her monologue as immodest at best and downright bawdy at worst.
"Laura Bush cracks risque jokes at the White House Correspondents' dinner," sniffed Agence France-Presse. CNN reporter Elaine Quijano, who attended the dinner, also apparently had her sensibilities scarred by some of the first lady's quips.
"In some respects, I think for some folks it was a little shocking because she kind of crossed the line a little bit in some people's minds," she said.
"It was very risque," the Nation's David Korn said yesterday on Fox News. "I was wondering what the social conservatives and James Dobson had to say about all these jokes that were laced with sexual innuendo. Not a very family-values-type speech. I'm not sure I want to explain a lot of those jokes to my 4-year-old."
Eyebrows were raised by the first lady's bit about the president's ranching skills, which Mrs. Bush said her husband lacked because the elite schools he attended, Andover and Yale, "don't have a real strong ranching program."
She then added: "He's learned a lot about ranching since that first year when he tried to milk the horse. What's worse, it was a male horse."
The crowd howled. The joke, a female Associated Press reporter said, "had women giggling in the bathroom."
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
I respectfully disagree, but you're entitled to your opinion. And if you're wanting to encourage her condemnation, have at it. However, you'll end up doing more harm than good. You could, however, choose to take it in the spirit it was intended and realize she's a decent, caring woman who's able to express her sense of humor.
This was an adult audience late at night, the jokes were milder than a lot of stuff comics used back in the 50s for an adult audience.
Dolly Madison would have shocked the hair off you. (Read Mark Twain's "Tudor Dinner Table Conversation" for an idea of what was considered appropriate conversation back in those days -- the 18th c. was not much of an improvement over the 16th). Alice Roosevelt was considered somewhat daring back in the 90s, and she told jokes a WHOLE lot worse than this! (Teddy used to say, "I can run the country, or I can control Alice. Not both.")
Trying to milk a male horse, is a compound of foolishness, not "bawdy" or dirty or anything else. I guess it is "bawdy" ony if said by a republican and listened to by lefties who have the maturity level of a 10 year old. Thse comments are v ery revealing anout ther particular lefties posing as dumb "journalists."
It's their same old trick: Take something we know the conservatives disapprove of (but we love) and then blast one of theirs for hypocrisy when we catch one doing it. According to Hannity one time with a good insight, the only moral value they seem to have is that against hypocrisy. Just as Coulter pointed out the only constitutional right they seem to care about is dissent.
IOW, when one of theirs does it, it's just what they do, but when prissy Laura Bush does it, oh the Horra!
Sorta like misery on the hoof. :)
I think his name is Richard Cohen. Either he's at Columbia or NYU in New York.
He said we would be and He's always right.
Yeah and just think about how much funny it's going to be when those of who are going to retire in about 10 year find out that our benefits have been cut or have been put off to a later age all because Congress didn't do anything about it when they could have. Oh yeah, THAT'LL be a huge knee slapper!!
But before I do, I think I'll post a picture of this classless woman and her poor neglected husband at this despicable event where she shamed us all..........
A picture is worth a thousand words. Carry on, Mother! :o)
I agree with your comment. Twigs and A FEW others like this FReeper will get played up big time in the nitpick-in' Liberal media.
LAURA DID NOT LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING..CONSERVATIVES SHOCKED,EMBARRASSED AND OFFENDED BY SPEECH.
Next, the polls will play on the First Lady's popularity numbers following her speech with "leading" Poll questions by the Left Leaning Internet and Press Media.
No. These dinners used to be a chance to bury the hatchet for one night and everybody have a good time, have some laughs, lighten up, and get along together for one night, and IIRC, during the Clinton years that's exactly what everyone did. There was never any trouble until that video of the President looking under the sofa going "where did those WMD go, they must be here somewhere." After that the rats made these dinners fair game.
Was that what he was doing? I thought he was massaging out a cramp from pulling a balky slot-machine lever.
I imagine they WERE laughing -- heh heh heh... gonna get you tomorrow for this, my pretty... heh heh heh... gonna get you tomorrow.
Whatever you do, do not read the Old Testament: it will greatly offend your sensibilities!!
Oh dear, do you now think Laura Bush is out of His good graces? If the left has an agenda here, they have certainly accomplished it through you.
How will that be different? What is the Presidents plan?
What are these people talking about? I've read the text of Laura Bush's remarks and I saw nothing "risque" about them.
You are unbelievable...... the only thing remotely sexual was the chippendales. It really isnt sexual but gives the women in the audience a chance to titter. You are completely risible in your reaction to this. It is like a formulaic response that is not applicable but was in your closet so you used it anyway.
I don't have to "study up on comedy." Obviously they were jokes. If they were told by some stand-up comedienne, I'd have no problem with them whatsoever. They were funny. But, here's the difference: Rosanne Barr isn't a standard-bearer for my country or my party. If my wife's the First Lady, I'm confident she'll never say anything in public to offend the sensitivities of the little old ladies in church.
Now, spare me any more of your condescension and faux apologies.
I never said that or implied it.
Even the just man falls seven times a day.
My point is that we should not pretend bad things are actually good things because we like the person involved.
Quite simply, a lady does not tell such jokes. Courtesy and decorum are in short supply nowadays and that's a shame.
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