[Utah Girl]

Pretty good article, except for the "confounding place setting" remark. This is the second article I've seen this in. Haven't these reporters ever been to a formal dinner? For heaven's sakes I'm from UTAH and I've eaten formal dinners with more than one knife, fork, and spoon.

[Lizzy W]

Bachelor press secretary Ari Fleischer traded his signature spectacles for contact lenses, brought a date, and left his cell phone and pager at home.

I'm so sorry, Dio. I know you are heart broken L

[daisyscarlett]

Heck, I don't think I am that much older than these media hacks and I learned in Home Ec that when in doubt either a)follow the hostess's lead or b) start with the inside utensil and work your way out. Course if you don't know whether to grab a fork or spoon b) won't help, and if you're in the back of the room, like Tommy Daschle was, or at a side table, like Dickie Gephardt was, far from the head tables, a)won't help much either.

[green team 1999]

thanks for the posting.

[lawgirl]

But, being neither a night owl nor much of a Fred Astaire, Bush warned would-be waltzers that he would not be with them for long. ``For those of us who like to go to bed early -- well, I guess I'll be here for one dance.''

:-D

[SmartBlonde]

Maybe former WH occupants - from ARKANSAS - ate finger food or - are you ready - CHINESE!!! Perhaps they used chopsticks.

[PRND21]

except for the "confounding place setting" remark.

At the the Clinton suppers the setting consisted of corn cob holders, wet-naps and can coolers.

[ClancyJ]

``For those of us who like to go to bed early -- well, I guess I'll be here for one dance.''

This is the most amazing thing for me. Must be a Texan thing. My F-I-L was like that. Company was there but when ready he would say "enjoy yourselves but I'm going to bed."

[ladyinred]

Not to mention the "in step with his courtship of Catholics....." remark. Since when does the media make remarks like that about those invited to state dinners? Since Bush of course. Nothing he does suits them, and any opportunity to get in a little dig is never passed up.

[kayak]

fyi

[wimpycat]

...had to navigate a confounding place setting of three gold forks, three gold knives and an oversized spoon.

To whoever authored this column: that oversized spoon is a soup spoon, you dork! Soup spoons are larger just about everywhere else in the world than they are in the U.S. Jeez! Were you raised in a barn or something?

[ohioWfan]

But, being neither a night owl nor much of a Fred Astaire, Bush warned would-be waltzers that he would not be with them for long. ``For those of us who like to go to bed early -- well, I guess I'll be here for one dance.''

I haven't seen any pictures or video from his "one dance." I wonder if the President timed this one too? LOL!

And lawgirl.....;o)

[eureka!]

The Cymers sure changed their tone on this one. Must want to go to the next dinner....

[Republic of Texas]

The best part of this dinner is that the only media invited was Britt Hume. The rest were shut out. (Except for Andrea Mitchell, wife of big Al)

[bootless]

Confounding? Sheesh. Start on the outside, and work in. Don't eat peas with your knife... for the voters in Palm Beach.

[redhead]

"In step with Bush's courtship of Catholic voters, Cardinal Roger Mahony, the archbishop of Los Angeles, was at the president's table.

(Expletive deleted) Of ALL the UN-CATHOLIC Catholics in this country, why did he have to invite this miserable heretic??? Grrrrrr!!

[joathome]

Who cares about the place setting. :) I would have loved to have heard Dawn Upshaw!

[OrioleFan]

The Texas political clan was the largest, with Bush's homestate exporting to Washington for the night a governor, a congressman, two senators, a painter/sculptor, a CEO, a rancher, even the railroad commissioner.

Any short ones with really big ears, and grating drawl???

[tillacum]

UtahGirl, have you forgotten, the presstitutes are still trying to say the trailer trash, from the past 8 years, did not have confusing state dinners. That's because all the guests ate out of troughs.

[tillacum]

I saw the arrival of Pres. and Mrs. Fox at 0100 today. Laura Bush was a picture in her red lace, over hot pink, sparkly dress, and her beau, Pres. Bush looked spiffy too.

Did anyone else notice there was no confusion where Laura would stand when receiving the guests, there was no pushing her husband around, as was done by the previous first "wench"? Also did anyone notice, how Laura reached over and took Vicente Fox's hand to bring him and Mrs. Fox closer into the camera lens? Our President and First Lady were a pleasure to watch.

[Josiah6]

Cheney, Bush's designated arm-twister on Capitol Hill, was at a back table with Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, while Card took a side table with House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt.

Man, take about taking one for the boss.

I wonder how many phone books Little Tommy Dasshole had to sit on to be eye level with Cheney.