Posted on 05/05/2002 9:12:45 AM PDT by kristinn
Honor Roll: Sauropod, FreeTheHostages, ned13 and two lurker friends, staytrue, nutmeg, zelig, Exit148 and her sister, Bigg Red and her husband, tgslTakoma and kristinn.
The D.C. Chapter of Free Republic held its fourth annual freep of the White House Correspondents Association Dinner last night at the Washington Hilton. Fourteen FReepers and lurkers braved the cold rain outside the hotel to ridicule the pompous media elite as they arrived for the dinner and to condemn the liberal bias in their reporting.
We started gathering at 4 p.m. just below the main entrance to the Hilton at Connecticut Avenue and T Street, NW. Sauropod got in costume while we worked on signs and formed our freepline at the corner.
Officer Brinkley of D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department was not assigned to us this year, thankfully. We were checked out by the Secret Service and MPD and given the all-clear with the caveat that we would be moved when President Bush arrived. The D.C. police officer who spoke with us asked if we were the ones at the White House on Saturdays during the Clinton years. We told him that was us and he laughed, saying, "You guys are alright!"
The law enforcement officers did keep an on us, though. That's their job and we didn't mind.
Before the guests started arriving, passersby had a great time with Sauropod's drag impersonation of a "Media Whore Madam" complete with wig, make-up, fishnet stockings, platform shoes and a silver sequined dress with bazooms that would've made Christie Brinkley jealous if she had seen them on her way into the dinner.
One of the signs Sauropod used with the costume said, "CNN ANCHOR BABE WET T-SHIRT CONTEST WINNER." Ned13 stood next to him/her touting her own credentials to be a CNN anchor babe. Her sign said, "CNN HIRE ME! NO EXPERIENCE, NO CLUE, WILL STRIP FOR WORK. REFERENCES--BILL CLINTON, JESSE JACKSON and HEIDI FLEISS."
Other signs we held said: LIBERAL MEDIA CREDIBILITY QUAGMIRE;
FORMER NEW YORK TIMES FACT CHECKER--UNEMPLOYED FOR THIRTY YEARS;
LIBERAL MEDIA GET OFF YOUR FOGGY BOTTOMS; DAN RATHER PUTS THE 'B.S' IN CBS NEWS;
ABC IS MICKEY MOUSE NEWS;
PETER JENNINGS IS A LIAR AND A BIGOT;
NO ALPHABET SPIN;
NO TEAR GAS NECESSARY, WE'RE CONSERVATIVES.
We also carried abner's gift banner to the D.C. Chapter that we've used all four years. It features the logos of network TV news divisions with the message, "LOSING SHARE? TRY THE TRUTH."
One woman walking by asked me about the banner. I told her we were calling on the media to report the truth and the facts without liberal spin. I added we don't want news reported with a conservative bias, either, we just want the unspun news. The woman's face got contorted and she snarled, "Well, watch FOX News then," as she stormed off.
A man in a tuxedo crossed Connecticut Avenue with his date and walked towards our protest with his middle finger angrily extended at us for the entire time it took him to cross the street (no, it was not Rep. Peter King.)
We also had some good conversations and interactions with pedestrians. tgslTakoma had a genial exchange with a man who ended their talk by saying, "I hope you don't hate me because I'm a Democrat."
tgslTakoma smiled and said, "No, I used to be one too. It's okay"
FreeTheHostages had a good patter going for the media as they arrived. She would tell them to be sure to report what they talked about at the dinner because we know how they love to write about themselves. She also criticized them for trying to annoint the winner in presidential elections with their biased reporting and undercutting the voters.
The on-and-off-again rain (what Jimmy Valentine's brother calls heavy mist :-) forced alot of attendees to the dinner into cabs to get there rather than walk our gauntlet as in past years. However, the usual stretch limos carrying the annointed slowly crawled by us on the approach to the Hilton, giving the media poohbahs time to take in our protest against them.
Not everyone being driven there was a liberal media whore--several high-ranking Bush administration officials arrived with the fanfare of flashing lights to clear the gridlock at the corner.
Some of us saw General Tommy Franks riding in a government issue vehicle. He looked out the window as the vehicle was stopped at our corner and busted out laughing, and gave us a thumbs-up when he saw Sauropod in his drag costume holding the "CNN ANCHOR BABE WET T-SHIRT CONTEST WINNER" sign.
The highlight of the freep was seeing our friends Matt Drudge, Ann Coulter and Peggy Noonan come walking up the sidewalk together towards us from the direction of Dupont Circle. The trio looked like the new Mod Squad: Matt wore his trademark fedora and dark sunglasses to go with his tux, Ann was stunning in her beautiful black dress and Peggy looked elegant with a cape draped around her shoulders and tinted spectacles perched on her lovely face.
We spoke with them and posed for pictures for a few minutes before they went on to the dinner. Matt looked over the buttons I was wearing to see if he if wanted to wear one inside. However, nothing can top the 'Elian seized at gunpoint' t-shirt Angelwood and I gave him to wear at the dinner two years ago so he took a pass on the buttons.
A short while later, our old friend Christopher Hitchens walked by. He was not going to the dinner. Chris spoke with us for a minute about why he wasn't going and the unseemliness of the press and the President (not just this one, mind you) engaging in this annual faux lovefest.
Some of the media whores tried to avoid our protest by jay-walking or taking other shortcuts. Others just walked right on through. Washington Post sports columnist Tony Kornheiser warily eyed us from the median strip as he waited for the light to change so he could cross the street. We called out to him, "Tony, you're a sports reporter. It's okay for you to come over." He chuckled and walked on over to the dinner unmolested.
ABC's Sam Donaldson and his wife, local anchor Jan Smith, walked though our freep while we gently chided Sam to 'tell the truth' in his reporting.
Former CNN's Crossfire host Bill Press walked the gauntlet. He read the 'Losing Share' banner I was holding without comment. I looked him in the eyes and gave him a salute of acknowledgement. He nodded his head and kept walking.
Things heated up a bit when serpeant-head, himself, James Carville strode up the sidewalk. He stopped before he got to us, turned his back and started glad-handing a few people as if to buy a minute of time to figure out in his head how he would deal with us. He then slithered up towards us, wearing mirrored sunglasses and looking alot like Duke from Doonesbury. I asked him if he knew how many women Bill Clinton had raped, mentioning some of Clinton's victims by name. Carville coldly laughed as he slowed down to check out the FReepers. He went around and introduced himself to us and extended his hand. Some of us were overtaken by good manners and shook his hand. I kept my distance, however.
After Carville left, Bigg Red held a pair of Devil horns and asked folks going to the dinner to let Carville know that he had dropped his 'hat' outside. That brought alot of laughs, and a few scowls, from the guests.
A short while later, the police moved us back down the sidewalk in preparation for the arrival of President Bush. They strung up 'Police Line" yellow tape to bar people from getting close to the side of the Hilton where he would be driven to. Even attendees to the dinner were held back. Being that it was raining they were allowed to stand in an alcove just beyond the police tape.
Paul Begala had the misfortune of being caught in that crowd--being out of power can do that to a fella, LOL. I asked him the same question I asked of Carville, adding that as a man who 'cares about womens issues' how he could work for Bill Clinton--a man who routinely abused women and humiliated his daughter and wife by his taking advantage of a young intern.
Sauropod asked Begala when he was going to have Juanita Broaddrick on Crossfire. Begala didn't respond. He kept his back to us as he spoke with others in the crowd and act like nobody was pointing out what a pathetic excuse for a man he is.
Former Clinton Secretary of Defense William Cohen (Rino) and his wife also had to wait in the alcove. We told him we hoped "the Hilton was up to your standards, being that you like fancy hotels." We also 'thanked' him for presidng over the gutting of our nation's military while he was SecDef.
President Bush arrived on time, as usual, and the police tape went down soon afterwards. We packed up our signs and went inside to the Hilton's bar to watch C-SPAN's broadcast of the dinner. Gore_War_Vet and GunsAreOK showed up to join us there.
GWV recounted the nightmarish story of how his truck was lost and found by the D.C. police.
We had a good time watching the dinner in the bar, though a few of us were disappointed that we didn't get to meet Ozzy Osbourne before or after.
Sorry to post and run, but I've got a busy day ahead.
Thanks to all who showed up and made this a successful freep.
EAGLES UP !!!
I watched the CSPAN coverage of arrivals for shots of you guys and didn't see any :-(
BUT they did have a nice shot of Wolfie fuming, ignored in the foyer while the press mobbed ...... DR RUTH!
Was Mary Matalin a no-show?
I'm looking forward to the C-Span replay of the dinner...missed it last night.
Kristinn, did you tell Matt you've got your C-Span mug too?
and outstanding job DC FReepers!
We had 5 lurkers and friends of FReepers also in attendance.
Everybody who was there, we didn't get rained on. JVb would say we were "heavily misted." ;-)
I've gotta run off for now. Will post my pics (as links, I don't have a place to post them another way) later tonight.
We had fun last night, didn't we?
The D.C. Chapter of Free Republic held its fourth annual freep of the White House Correspondents Association Dinner last night at the Washington Hilton. Fourteen FReepers and lurkers braved the cold rain outside the hotel to ridicule the pompous media elite as they arrived for the dinner and to condemn the liberal bias in their reporting.
When did they find it???
When Ann and Matt came up, Exit148 had the camcorder rolling. Ann was taken aback by my protuberances, so i just told her that i never had to say "excuse me" on the Metro. Ned13 and i kept arguing over who was prettier (she commandeered my tiara). She would say that her boobs were real. I would respond with "The Doctor said that mine would be in about two weeks. Hard as concrete, but real."
Several groups of kids would wander by and they absolutely loved the get-up. Dunno if they got the message we were trying to convey, but many guys loved the decolletage (sp?).
Quite a few folks wanted pictures with the Madam, and kept manhandling my chest, including Kristinn. Sexual harrassment suit to follow.
As part of my function of Media Whore Madam, I would ask the guys and ladies in tuxes and evening dresses "If I told you that you had a good looking byline, would you hold it against me?" and "Is that a news article in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"
I got to ask Begala if he would put Juanita Broaddrick on Crossfire. He endured a good 5 minutes of heckling or so. Delicious.
Gore_War_Vet and son showed up to personally thank the DC Chapter for helping to get his truck back.
Just reviewed the tape. Thx, Amy and Craig for attending.
Askel, you missed it. I was positively fetching. 'Pod.
He did not even try to shake my hand because, as he was slithering among us, he said, "Glad to see y'all!" to which I replied, "Well, we're not glad to see you!" (I know -- pretty lame, but I guess I'm not good with snappy comebacks.) However, I am planning to sue him for alienation of affection in my marriage.
My husband, a polite man, shook the serpent's hand reflexively when it was extended to him, whereupon I shrieked, "Ewww! My husband touched James Carville!" I know that the scumbag heard me, but I wonder if he comprehends how many people despise him. Well, on to the lawsuit: Carville should be forced to pay for a) my husband's hand amputation or b) my divorce if the hubby elects to keep the tainted hand attached.
This was our first Correspondents' Dinner. I think we will do it again.
Thanks for the report, kristinn.
Matt asked me if I had seen Crossfire on Friday--I hadn't. I'm going to have to read the transcript. Everyone who saw it said Matt was terrific going against Begala.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.