Laura leaves 'em laughing, gasping (Not a very family-values-type speech..very risque: David Korn)

WashingtonTimes ^ | May 02, 2005 | By Joseph Curl

[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."

[Howlin]

at one point I saw her throw her head back in laughter hardly the action of someone who was offended.

Well, of course, that only goes to show how void of "real conservative" values she is. / sarcasm off.

[yellowdoghunter]

You were attacked. And by the usual suspects. Please know that you are not the first...nor will you probably be the last. It is one thing for a few people who are not in a small group to disagree with you but quite another for the small group to show up and attack you over and over again.

Please know that there are those of us who, even though we may not agree with you on everything, everytime, will not attack you over and over for saying something we disagree with. And there are many more of us.

[Proud 2BeTexan]

I just told my husband that the 'milking a bull' joke could have been told at church.

I've never been as puzzled in my life as I've been by the people on this thread who think that joke was 'dirty'.

Just a city slicker so dumb that he doesn't know that it's FEMALE COWS who give milk. Period.

Triple SHEESH!!!!

[ohioWfan]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm..............what????

I wouldn't like to have the movie Star Wars shown at my next church banquet, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it.

You guys are REALLY reaching! Sheesh!

[Wallace T.]

You may be right regarding the fact that those who are now defending Laura Bush would not criticize prominent Democratic women had they made similar remarks. However, there are many who may not have posted their dislike because it was Mrs. Bush who made the statements she did.

However, I believe that the butt of her jokes was not the left, but the social conservatives whose support of the Administration is unneeded and unwanted. They, and not the liberals, are the ones who are most likely to be offended. The Internet makes it difficult to hide the remarks of public figures because the gatekeepers of the three networks and the prestige newspapers are less effective than 20 or even 10 years ago. The Bush Administration officials could easily guess how these remarks would play with a portion of its base. They apparently did not care, for their goal was to reach out to the so-called center.

[Gabz]

I suspect that some of feminist, anti-male attitudes of that establishment have rubbed off on Laura, and she was out to impress that crowd --at the expense of her husband.

That is not how I took her routine at all. In fact I took it in the total opposite manner........she was skewering the feminist, anti-male attitude of that establishment and the MSM's stereotype of her and her husband and the other members of the Administration.

And the last line of the ranching joke was not obscene in the least...........that is the punch line of the joke and it was directed at the Washington insiders who only think they know everything.

And those were my immediate reactions while my husband and I were watiching it live Saturday night........and my opinion has not changed.

[Howlin]

What's not to understand? The Administration, through Laura Bush, is dissing a portion of its base (social conservatives, who are, in the view of the Administration, not needed) before a crowd made up predominantly of prominent and powerful Democrats and RINOs.

OMG, you cannot possibly be serious. SEEK HELP.

[iconoclast]

But some of the people who I know from years on FR are now making such negative comments and casting aspersions to the motives and hearts of conservative Christians that it really hurts.

I hope my comments have not been taken as being negative against conservative Christians (though I would think fundamentalist Christians might be more descriptive).

No, I know these anti-Laura remarks come from sincere people with passionately held beliefs. It's just that many of us think their view quaint, if not life shortening (I know of no tonic better than a good belly laugh).

[Servant of the 9]

Only a whore would talk this way in public.

Yes., and it makes it difficult to take them seriously.

I see you are a Yankee.
It was inevitable.
No one else would be so boorish and stupid as to say that the wives and mothers of most of us, who would say these things in public without hesitation, are whores.

It is a damned fortunate thing for you sir, that we do not know who you are. Pray that we never do.

So9

[Wallace T.]

You're right.

[ohioWfan]

Yeah. I'm sure George is just devastated. He may have to fire up the chain saw and cut down the rose garden to get over it.

Best line on the thread! LOL!

[Matchett-PI]

And when Jesus said, "You are of your father the devil ... he was a murderer from the beginning ... he is a liar and the father of it..", the religious zealot legalist replied, "And you sink to personal insults. Good show." [John 8:44]

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

What a pile of straight-laced prudes we have here.

Prudes? I believe it is the opposite. If these prudes find sexual innuendoes and invented and/or imagined sexual overtones from her speech, it is their minds that are in the gutter.

[TigersEye]

(Though I'd bet the ranch he's privately not real thrilled at the sarcastic --and lame-- "Mr. Excitement" joke.)

Right. I'm sure he's just broken up about it. He's probably wondering what happened to the woman he married. You bethca!

[sinkspur]

I suspect that some of feminist, anti-male attitudes of that establishment have rubbed off on Laura, and she was out to impress that crowd --at the expense of her husband.

You don't know a damn thing about Laura Bush then.

[Praxeus]

I'm not sure I understand your comment.

I certainly agree that one should have their own affairs in order before correcting others.. and even THEN it is sometimes not appropriate to correct. Some things are best just left unsaid.

But this is a political issue, for heaven's sake. While LB is a dear lady (AFAIK), we only know her through a political venue. She is a political personality, and to remonstrate with others to clean their own house first before making an opinion known about her, is misplaced concern IMO. After all, we are speaking among conservatives here.

All within reason, of course. The one comment was WAY past reason.

[Jackson57]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Sorry, that's about the only response I could come up with. (I'm sure that will allow you the self-righteous condension you're looking for)

[Howlin]

I don't admit any such thing; I pointed out that a vile comment was made about the First Lady and, while pontificating to the rest of us out on our Christianity, you didn't bother to disavow yourself with that remark.

[Howlin]

ROFLMAO! So true!

[snugs]

I doubt if Barbra Bush was offended after all she is GWB mother and I suspect a lot of his humour is hers also if read any of her books she does not come over a very prime and proper lady to me.

Remember the Bush twins dig at her at the RNC about Sex and City which they said there grand mother thought was what you did with your husband when you were in town (paraphrasing but it was something similar to that).

Let us also forget this is not the first time Laura has been a bit risque on TV remember the pretzel and her comment on Jay Leno show.

""Speculation had been rife that the president was knocked out by a tiny pretzel. But Mrs Bush revealed the truth: a tough specimen, perhaps four inches across. Mr Bush, she assured Leno, is now "practising safe snacks". ""