BUSH HAILS JOURNOS WHO DIED IN WAR

New York Post ^ | 4/27/03 | Deborah Orin

[kattracks]

April 27, 2003 -- WASHINGTON - President Bush skipped the usual jokes last night at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner and instead paid warm tribute to two journalists who died in Iraq: columnist Michael Kelly and NBC's David Bloom.

[xm177e2]

Bloom left three daughters.

Kelly left at least one child, too. Very sad.

[dixiechick2000]

I thnk Kelly laft two children.

President Bush's speech tonight was a total departure from previous speeches.

Instead of a funny speech, he had a memorial for the journalists who lost their lives.

My observation os that there were many in the audience who were taken aback...

Go figure...

[Slings and Arrows]

President Bush is the embodiment of Class.

Big W bump!

[W04Man]

We had a great FReep of the press also.

[BushCountry]

I could not imagine, in my wildest dreams, Clinton doing this! I don't know if class is the right word, he certainly was a class act by doing this. But something more is called for, so lets go with Class, Honor and Integerty.

So far, he faced a massive terrorist attack, two wars, a recession, nuclear and biological threats and hasn't skipped a beat. These are historic times.

[rabidralph]

My observation os that there were many in the audience who were taken aback...

Go figure...

I know what you mean. I watched C-SPAN last night and the people in attendance seemed perplexed, disbelieving and other odd vibes. They don't like the CINC anyway and it seemed like they were annoyed that he was paying tribute and disbelieving that he could be sincere about it. It was grudging applause at some points. Very strange.

[Trust but Verify]

I really liked the speech a lot. It was from his heart and it showed.

I would have enjoyed the customary humorous speech as well, and look forward to it every year. He has great comdeic timing and it's always a lot of laughs. Guess we'll have to wait for the Al Smith dinner.

[patriciaruth]

Grudging applause

The Gettysburg Address wasn't well received on first reading either.

There is a time for everything under heaven, and President Bush felt this time was too close to painful losses and sacrifices to give a light hearted speech oblivious to the recent pains of others. It was a time for tributes and remembrance and gratitude for lives sacrificed.

The crowd was obviously there to yuck and smooze and didn't get it. They didn't give Ray Charles much attention or respect either.

[leprechaun9]

Madelaine Microbright looked as though she was vaccinated with a phonograph needle, she was talking so often and not paying any attention to the Ray Charles performance that she might as well have been outside waiting for a cab!

[sausageseller]

I watched with my wife. I told her, he is kickin their butts again!

GW Bush doesn't fit into their narrow minded box. And they don't know what to do about it.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Two sons, Tom and Jack.

[js1138]

Some of those correspondents cheered Michael Kelly's death.

[Pure Country]

I could not imagine, in my wildest dreams, Clinton doing this!

Sure he would, if the polls showed that it would be favorable. We have never had--and hopefully never again--will have a Pied Piper like Clinton in the WH with so many duped followers. Hopefully the Clintonites are able to see through the Clinton Fog and see what a real President is!

[SamAdams76]

I know what you mean. I watched C-SPAN last night and the people in attendance seemed perplexed, disbelieving and other odd vibes. They don't like the CINC anyway and it seemed like they were annoyed that he was paying tribute and disbelieving that he could be sincere about it. It was grudging applause at some points. Very strange.

Not strange to me at all. These aren't so much journalists as celebrity-worshipping sycophants, many of whom take a celebrity with them to the dinner as a guest instead of their spouse. They were undoubtably expecting the usual low-brow hi-jinks like Ozzy Osbourne popping up in his seat like a jack-in-the-box. They were probably hoping for Michael Moore to embarrass the "straight-laced" president that they so abhor. And they were disappointed to say the least. I don't think Kelly or Bloom even crossed their minds last night until they were so inconveniently mentioned. To say that the average journalist is pining for another college frat-boy president like Bill Clinton who hobnobs with celebrities and has them sleep over in the Lincoln bedroom is an understatement.

[esopman]

"These aren't so much journalists as celebrity-worshipping sycophants, many of whom take a celebrity with them to the dinner as a guest instead of their spouse. They were undoubtably expecting the usual low-brow hi-jinks like Ozzy Osbourne popping up in his seat like a jack-in-the-box. They were probably hoping for Michael Moore to embarrass the "straight-laced" president that they so abhor. And they were disappointed to say the least. I don't think Kelly or Bloom even crossed their minds last night until they were so inconveniently mentioned. To say that the average journalist is pining for another college frat-boy president like Bill Clinton who hobnobs with celebrities and has them sleep over in the Lincoln bedroom is an understatement."

You nailed it!

Also, Bush very deliberately cited Bloom's final e-mail which mentioned, oh-the-horror-of-it-all, the Name. Yeah, that one. Jesus! Wonderful stuff and the faces of the sycophants of Hillary Regina and Bubba Rex showed a perplexity and discomfort rarely seen in that crowd. Heartwarming, indeed.

[MSSC6644]

Haven't yet seen a copy of the speech. Do you know if one exists? Am cable deprived. Would like to read it. Thanks.

BTW, hey, Katt. :-)

[SteveH]

It seems that the latest DNC talking points memo has Bush as Nazi dictator (cf. Dowd's latest column).

So apparently this speech was more than a slap in the face, it was a kick to the (you-know-where).

[dixiechick2000]

Wow! I totally butchered my post!

Note to self---there is a reason for the preview function.

"They don't like the CINC anyway and it seemed like they were annoyed that he was paying tribute and disbelieving that he could be sincere about it."

Most of the people in attendance last night wouldn't know "class" if it jumped up and bit them.