Posted on 04/16/2006 12:55:36 PM PDT by Wolfstar
PRESIDENTIAL NEWS OF THE DAY: President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush left the White House last Thursday for a long weekend at Camp David. The President and his family enjoyed an early Easter dinner today before returning to Washington.
The family's Easter meal included two kinds of ham, spinach salad, macaroni and cheese, asparagus, deviled eggs, fresh fruit and biscuits. For dessert, could choose between double coconut layer cake and lemon curd trifle with fresh berries.
Unfortunately, on this lovely day when Christians everywhere celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the Left will not restrain itself from turning even the innocence of children and a 128-year-old non-political tradition into a propaganda tool. In a story that is getting wide coverage, gay and lesbian groups are planning to crash the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. The event occurs tomorrow, from 8:00am to 2:00pm. About 200 gay and lesbian couples are planning to attend, and most lined up days early to obtain tickets. Here are two articles to give you a sense of how the media is playing this story. The first is from Agence France Press via Yahoo News, and the second is from Cox News Service.
Gay parents to crash White House Easter partyWASHINGTON (AFP) - Dozens of gay couples and their children are planning to make their presence felt at the annual White House Easter egg party -- no matter what the conservative occupants think.
The Easter Egg Roll is a traditional all-American event held on the White House lawn each year since 1878, where kids push an egg with a giant wooden spoon, often with the proud president and his wife looking on. The gay groups say their gesture is to make their presence felt in American society -- the president has supported calls for a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
"Like other parents in this country, we want to give our children the best opportunities, to shower them with love, to teach them respect and a love for the rich and diverse traditions America has to offer them," said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director for the Family Pride Coalition. Chrisler said she will queue for tickets with her partner and two sons. Some are queuing through the night to be at the front of the line on Saturday morning.
Family Pride has been behind the calls for gay groups to crash the White House party which conservatives have condemned as an attempt to politicize a family event.
But the homosexual groups say it will not be a protest.
Family Pride spokeswoman Cathy Renna said about 100 families had already indicated they would try to get tickets. They have committed though not to use slogans or even wear t-shirts that could get them barred from the White House. Renna said the families would wear flowers in "rainbow colors" which symbolize gay pride. "Just so that people identify us and our families are visible, because unfortunately we're not visible in this country."
Bush may avoid gay politics at White House egg roll
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Ken Herman, COX NEWS SERVICEWASHINGTON — Wacky Jack Hanna the animal guy will be there. So will astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Cookie Monster, a couple of Olympians, thousands of families and an Easter bunny.
But the White House is declining to say whether President Bush will attend Monday’s Easter-egg roll on the South Lawn, targeted this year by gay parents unhappy with his stance on gay parenthood.
In a cleverly orchestrated move, the gay parents and their kids are using the event to bring their cause inside the White House gates.
"Mrs. Bush welcomes all families," said Susan Whitson, spokeswoman for first lady Laura Bush, who will be on hand to welcome the thousands of parents and children expected to show up.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan has not said whether the president will attend. Delaying the decision could allow the administration to see how much of a presence the gay parents will have.
Bush’s schedule Monday offers both an excuse for skipping the egg roll and an opportunity to attend. His schedule has him in nearby Sterling, Va., at 11:15 a.m. for a tour of a stone business and a discussion on taxes.
The egg roll is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of Family Pride, the group organizing gay parents for the event, said "it would be great for the kids to see either the president or the first lady because everybody knows who they are.
Chrisler, who will bring her 4-year-old twin boys and spouse, Cheryl Jacques, said it’s neither a protest nor an attempt to politicize a nonpolitical event.
"We hope the American people see that gay and lesbian parents are participating in all of the great American traditions, just like all families in this country do," Chrisler said.
But Chrisler is not shy about criticizing Bush, who for years has tried to use nonconfrontational words to voice his opposition to same-sex marriage and adoptions by gays.
Family Pride’s plan calls for the gay parents to make their case merely by showing up — all wearing rainbow-colored leis to identify themselves — and having their kids enjoy the White House festivities.
Groups opposed to gay rights are not buying the line.
"It’s unfortunate that an event that is simply designed for children, perhaps the only event that takes place at the White House that is not political, is now being politicized," said Peter Sprigg, the Family Research Council’s vice president for policy.
On a much happier note -- and one more appropriate to the Easter holiday: Each year, one egg decorated by an artist from each state is displayed at the White House visitor's center. The Lincoln, Nebraska, JournalStar told their readers about Grace Adam, and Wood TV8, Ludington, Michigan, told their viewers about Deb Malewski, whose hand-painted egg depicts the Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Ludington. As part of their trip to Washington, the artists toured the White House and met First Lady Laura Bush.
Wilcox woman's egg on White House Easter display
by the Associated PressWILCOX— A special egg from Nebraska is part of the 2006 Easter egg display at the White House, thanks to Grace Adam of Wilcox.
Her decorated egg beat 10 other eggs submitted by Nebraska artists for the White House Easter egg contest, which is organized by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the American Egg Board.
One egg from each state and the District of Columbia are on display.
Adam went to the capital to see the display.
Each Nebraska contestant decorated a blown-out chicken egg to illustrate something special about Nebraska.
Adam’s egg features the red University of Nebraska “N,” Chimney Rock, a sandhill crane and corn and cow head.
THE WEEK AHEAD: Knowing I've been having some trouble obtaining the weekly schedule on time for the weekend Dose (normally posted on Saturdays) our own LuvyaDubya sent an email to the political unit at ABC News asking them to add the Week Ahead to their Friday Note. They said they would if they had the info before their deadline. Apparently due to the holiday weekend, they received the schedule early. Thank you LuvyaDubya for the following:
Monday, the President participates in a roundtable on taxes and the economy in Sterling, Virginia.Tuesday, President Bush will welcome Prime Minister Fouad Siniora of Lebanon to the White House. The two leaders will discuss a range of issues, including economic development and democratic reform in Lebanon and the Middle East, the investigation into the assassination of Prime Minister Hariri last year, and Lebanon's continuing efforts to reestablish its sovereignty, freedom and independence. Also on Tuesday, the President will give a speech in Maryland about American competitiveness.
Wednesday, GWB makes remarks about American competitiveness in Alabama. He will tour and speak at the Tuskegee University Center For Advanced Materials on Wednesday. The President will discuss America's competitiveness with the world as it relates to math and science.
Thursday, President Bush meets with President Hu Jintao of China. This will be President Hu's first visit to the White House. Talks will center on trade issues, particularly China's huge $102 billion trade surplus. "The large trade surplus supports the view that the renminbi is significantly undervalued, and will add to the political and economic pressure on China for exchange rate reform," Merrill Lynch's chief Asia economist, TJ Bond, said in a note to clients.
Friday, President Bush will visit Cisco Systems in San Jose, California, to discuss the American Competitiveness Initiative. If approved by Congress, the initiative would double government funding for basic research in the physical sciences, train thousands of new science and math teachers and extend a popular tax credit businesses can receive for investing in research and development. The President will stay overnight Friday in bucolic St. Helena, in Napa County. GWB plans to do some mountain bike riding.
Saturday, the President will spend the weekend in Southern California and will stay in Rancho Mirage. He will tour the California Fuel Cell Partnership in West Sacramento. Afterwards, he will attend a Republican gathering in Palm Springs.
Sunday, the President will attend church, then eat lunch with Marine and Navy families in Twentynine Palms.
Yep.. Check your FR mail
Yes, I did find the Oval Office, but I never would have if you hadn't told me it wasn't in the "main" building..so, thanks!!
LOL!
Thanks. I have just replied.
When someone posts huge pics, my ping page expands and I can't see the mail link.
Good, I'm glad you spotted it. The White House, proper, didn't have either wing when it was built. Those were added much later.
It sure looks like a slice of Heaven
*Envy!* :)
Point to point, the town of Avalon, Catalina's only town, is about 34 miles southwest across the Pacific from where I live. I go out there as often as I can manage it -- a few times a year.
Well, time for me to get on with the rest of my day. I enjoy spending a large chunk of this Easter Sunday with y'all. Have a great week everyone.
See you later, Wolfstar. Thank you for the Easter Dose :)
I have a stupid question to ask :
How do people get to their boats that are tied up like that?? Do they have to swim to them??? I don't see any docks.
Color me ignorant since I have never lived on the beach.
:0)
It seems that the gays might not get their hope for a lot of publicity. Those tickets are timed. Most of them got tickets for 10 or 11 am. The President, Laura, and most of the press attend between 8-9 am.
The Park Service says they reserve the early tickets for honorees like dignitaries', veterans' and Park Service families. The gays are protesting that, but a friend of mine tells me that it's usually that way.
I'm sure a lot of the press will want to stick around for the gay demonstration, but the Park Service has the authority to get rid of them. And any disruptive people at all.
It's sorta like trying to blog offline. :-)
My pleasure .. it was one of the readings at Easter Mass .. and when you really seriously consider all we have, all that's been put here on this earth .. .. every form of life, animate and inanimate .. the millions of plants and thousands of different creatures .. this ball of earth suspended in space .. all the seas and oceans ... mountains and deserts .. it is so spectacularly breathtaking. We take it all for granted, but just imagine what was before what is.
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How true it was not a pretty thread
I'm glad I wasn't on that thread.
Thanks for the link
That is probably my favourite song of all time.
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