Monday, March 16, 2009

Teh One Can't Let Himself Be Lampooned

The buzz among journalists is that President Obama will not attend the annual Gridiron dinner, making him the first president not to attend since Grover Cleveland.

Apparently, the Obamas will be at Camp David for the children's spring break. And we all know how nothing interferes with spring break.

The official line from the Gridiron Club — a society of Washington reporters, columnists, and bureau chiefs — is, “We understand.”

But some Gridiron veterans make clear they don’t understand. Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page said, “People feel uncommonly saddened, miffed and burned.

“I don’t think he understands the implications of not coming to the club in the first year. It’s not your ordinary state dinner. I think it would be helpful for him and his relations with the Washington establishment to come to the club.”

One can only hope this will be an eye-opening event for the press.