Posted on 04/29/2006 3:20:36 PM PDT by Wolfstar
PRESIDENTIAL NEWS OF THE DAY: The President and First Lady have spent a quiet day in the White House today prior to attending the annual correspondents dinner this evening.
President Bush joins the reporters who cover him tonight at their annual Washington banquet, the White House Correspondents' Association dinner.Bush has attended every correspondents' dinner since he took office, and he says he's looking forward to this one. The White House isn't saying what the Bushes are planning for this year in the way of Washington humor. Last year, the first lady interrupted the president's after-dinner speech with one of her own, lampooning her husband's cowboy pretentions.
The president's after-dinner speech is traditionally the evening highlight. Comedy Central's pretend pundit Stephen Colbert serves as this year's host.
In a comparatively quiet news day, the follow items are getting the most play on Yahoo News:
Bush backs English-only anthem
BY KEN HERMAN
Cox News ServiceWASHINGTON — President Bush, adept in Spanish and the host of next week's annual Cinco de Mayo event at the White House, took a firm no-Spanish stance on Friday when it comes to "The Star-Spangled Banner.''
"I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English," Bush told reporters, "and I think people who want to be a citizen of this country ought to learn English and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English."
Bush Speaks Out Against Boycott Over Immigration ReformPresident Bush has spoken out against a planned economic boycott next week protesting proposed immigration reforms for millions of illegal immigrants.
Many businesses across the nation are expected to close as a demonstration of support.
Bush says he supports "comprehensive immigration" reforms but he is “not a supporter of boycotts.” The President said "most Americans agree that we've got to enforce our border."
Meanwhile, fears of deportation raids are spreading across the nation, keeping many illegal immigrants away from work.
Thousands of illegal immigrants stayed home this week amid rumors of immigration roundups that federal officials say were unfounded, leaving some industries scrambling for workers.
Construction and agriculture were among the industries most affected.
Katie A. Edwards, executive director of Florida's Dade County Farm Bureau, said nearly a third of farm workers did not come to the fields this week.
In lighter news, the President's father addressed the annual Acadian Ambulance luncheon Friday in Louisiana.
Former President Bush Visits Lafayette
by Marcelle FontenotFormer President George H.W. Bush captivated the audience at the annual Acadian Ambulance luncheon Friday afternoon. The former president praised the people of this area for their response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. President Bush also said through the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, $125 million was raised for hurricane recovery.
"It was a deeply rewarding task for me..." Bush says. "We were motivated in large [part] by the dedication during in the aftermath. A lot of people were surprised to see [us] working together...in fact Barbara still calls us the odd couple." President 41, as he is commonly called, says he is extemely proud of his work...but admits he is most proud of seeing his son as President of the United States.
"People ask me what's harder, you being criticized or your son. By far it's is my son. You know how it is when your son is called out at home plate when he's actually safe, it just makes you mad."
Former President Bush says he's served his country and has stepped away from the political arena, and says the titles he holds now matter most.
"That's father, grandfather and husband."
THE WEEK AHEAD: Just as an aside, I'll be interested to see how incoming White House Press Secretary Tony Snow handles announcements of the President's week ahead schedule.
— May 3: The President welcomes German chancellor Angela Merkel to the White House
— May 4: President Bush meets with the President Vazquez of Uruguay
— May 4: Vice President Dick Cheney travels to Lithuania, Kazakhstan, and Croatia
— May 6: President Bush delivers the commencement address at Oklahoma State University
ALSO UPCOMING:
— May 11: President Bush delivers the commencement address at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, MS
— May 21: Former President George H.W. Bush and Mrs. Barbara Bush are the commencement speakers at the George Washington University in Washington, DC
There is just nothing funny about a long and boring series of insults........especially if you have any respect for the person he's standing face to face with and insulting.
There was truth in the humor of the President. There was none in Colbert's. It was politically motivated and heavily liberally biased. Not funny.
(As I said earlier, my husband and I concluded that it would have been hard even for a liberal to think that routine was funny.........and we have extremely well developed senses of humor, that include a heavy dose of sarcasm. It wasn't just flat........it was concave).
> I thought Colbert fell flat..some people have off nights. I am unfamiliar with his politics.
Let there be no mistake-- he is a big lib.
From his interview on (ugh) NPR Colbert said this: "I didn't realize quite how liberal I was until I was asked [by Jon Stewart] to make passionate comedic choices."
He only may seem conservative because he mocks it -- he's trying to parody O'Reilly, apparently.
And this guy was given a golden opportunity to trash the president face to face.
Other people concluded that upthread, and I tend to agree.
A comedian who's performance is that bad can't have been trying to be funny. He knew he had a platform to bash the President and he took it. And he probably knew that the President was a gracious man and would take it.......which he is, and which he did.
Colbert goes down in my book as one of the nastiest of the nasties..........even though the little bits I've seen of him before, I enjoyed.
The only satisfaction I have is that the audience didn't like him either.
Exactly! GMTA.
He siezed the opportunity and as a result, made a complete fool of himself. Perhaps, if he has a conscience, his 'flatness' in delivery was because he realized after the President's delightful jabbing of himself, that his mean and nasty routine was out of place.
That is, if, as a liberal he has any conscience left......
Since I don't think millions of people actually watched the dinner, I don't think his career is going to suffer much.
And if the emcee is picked by the correspondents and their representatives, would they EVER pick someone that was going to be deferential to a Republican president, let alone Bush?
The last three people chosen were Cedric the Entertainer, Drew Carey and Ben Stein.
Cedric was pretty funny..........but not as funny as Laura.
Drew and Ben weren't so hot, but NONE of them leveled a series of dull, mean, humorless insults like Colbert did.
Colbert stands alone in crassness and lack of respect. He's a loser.
(Sometime, if you can think of an example, tell me what you thought was funny. Nothing even made me smile - not even about the press).
I should have pinged you to this comment..
The worst punishment a comedian can get is to bomb..He bombed..IMO.
Thanks. I'm all but convinced "getsomehelp" is a sleeper troll.
Strange he hasn't answered..Hmmm?
Prepare for the onslaught.
That's great. And an FYI to you: I don't make the decisions around here on who gets banned. As I stated earlier, (I'm assuming you're also "getsomehelp") I didn't even alert the mods on your previous posts.
Belated ............. ROFL!!!!
That is beautiful!
I missed the entire thing........ and could die having missed it. A friend of mine also missed it and loves the President. he's in his 80's but his daughter can find it for him on the computer if I know where to direct her.
Thanks in advance......
:-)
Any chance of finding an entire tape of the dinner?
Mike is our 'taper' par excellence..........maybe he's got it on a DVD????
I'm almost glad I missed this guy hitting on the President the other night!
Do you know where I can find a replay of the dinner?
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