Pres. Obama Will Not Attend Annual Gridiron Dinner, First President Since Cleveland to Miss

[RamboLiberal]

Source: fishbowl DC mediabistro

A Gridiron Club member tells FBDC first that President Obama will not attend this year's dinner next Saturday, March 21st. He will be the first president since Grover Cleveland not to attend the first Gridiron Club Dinner of his presidency.

This year's date coincides with the spring break of President Obama's daughters' school and club members have been informed the Obama family will be out of town, likely in Chicago.

Vice President Joe Biden will attend and speak at the dinner in his place. This member tells us the club is delighted to have Vice President Biden, but that there will be some very disappointed guests.

Each year the dinner includes satirical musical skits choreographed by the members, and remarks by the president and various members of each party. President Obama spoke as a Senator at the March 2006 dinner.

The Gridiron Club was founded in 1885 and this year will be the 124th dinner. Membership is by invitation only and its 65 members include the most prestigious journalists in Washington.





Read more: http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlDC/events/pres_obama_will_not_attend_annual_gridiron_dinner_first_president_since_cleveland_to_miss_111152.asp

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Good. Is this the one where was it last year David Gregory was bustin' a move with Rove?

[global1]

1. Family Values.....nt

[aquart]

5. REAL family values instead of mere lip service.

Makes a nice change.

Sorry he has to miss your skits, fellas.

[WriteDown]

6. What?

This isn't a bad organization.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gridiron_Dinner

[Raine1967]

13. Did you read why he isn't attending?

It's for his children. THAT is family values. REAL family values...

[WriteDown]

14. Its says because they'll be in Chicago...

I have no objection to that. Just disappointed whenever a (good) tradition ends. Like if the ball drop was canceled one year for NYE.

[Donnachaidh]

30. so a president with actual REAL family values skips out on a dinner

for journalists, to be with his family. And people bitch about that? :eyes:

Comparing the NYE ball drop and this dinner? Apples and oranges. Not even close. :shrugs:

[Ian David]

23. Can he appear by satellite or send a videotape? n/t

[AZ Criminal JD]

26. Right. He doesn't have a couple hours to spare.

He has to spend all that time with his children.

[tabasco]

37. That's right.

Tough shit if you don't like it, too.

[AZ Criminal JD]

42. Ooohh. Tough talk on the internet.

By anonymous electrons. :rofl:

[Pale Blue Dot]

54. What a bizarre little man you are. nt

[AZ Criminal JD]

56. Not so little but if that's your fetish go for it.

[tabasco]

58. Just a fact, laughie-boy.

Just a fact.

[AZ Criminal JD]

72. So are your electrons going to beat up my electrons?

[tabasco]

76. You are the only one to mention battery in this thread.

Typically, the response of a weak mind.

[AZ Criminal JD]

79. "Tough shit if you don't like it, too. "

Yep, now there was a response from a strong thinker. :rofl:

[No Elephants]

44. If he and his family are in Chicago and the dinner is in D.C., attending would cost him a lot

more than a couple of hours.

Why do Pubs hate children?

[AZ Criminal JD]

53. So other Democratic Presidents hated their children?

Oh I know they were Pubs in disguise. Obama is the first true Democratic president.

[No Elephants]

64. Is that supposed to follow from my post? Because it doesn't.

[AZ Criminal JD]

78. Your post doesn't have any logic to it so nothing can follow from it.

[No Elephants]

80. Everyone here but you seems to understand my posts. But, hey, if you didn't understand them, you

probably should not have replied to them.

[AZ Criminal JD]

83. Everyone? You speak for "everyone" on DU?

You are a great mind reader.

[mucifer]

2. so now will the press say President Obama isn't partying enough?

:shrug:

[NewJeffCT]

4. No, he's an elitist for not liking football

which was proven by his not going to this event.

[WriteDown]

7. Funny...

Not exactly the the NFL though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gridiron_Dinner

[Blue_Tires]

50. false advertising!??!

i thought this was gonna be a fantasy football draft or something...

[No Elephants]

45. You may need to look up the definition of "proven."

[angstlessk]

3. expect retaliation from the press on this one! no smoozing no

goodnoozin!

[Donnachaidh]

31. yeah, a bunch of puffed up, whiny journos who want to dress up and play

at Masters of the Universe now need a diaper change because they can't put on *skits* for the President. Get them a waaahhhmbulance. :nopity:

[Supersedeas]

85. same Press that joked with Bushler about WMDs and were backup dancers for KKKarl Rove

[balantz]

8. Hey, that's good! Looks like an M$M liars' club gathering.

-clip-

Recently, however, it has begun opening its doors to such non-newspaper media figures as Tim Russert of NBC News, Bob Schieffer of CBS News, Mara Liasson of National Public Radio, and Judy Woodruff of PBS.

-clip-

Also as is true of the WHCA Dinner and RTCA Dinner, the Gridiron Club Dinner has been subject to criticism that it encourages journalists to engage in undue coziness with the political officials they are supposed to fairly cover, and also that the public spectacle of "playing footsie" with reporters' main subjects is bringing the political press into disgrace.

-clip-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gridiron_Dinner

[No Elephants]

46. Thanks. Wish I could kick this post.

[monmouth]

9. I think POTUS very subtly told these people to do the physically impossible. Just my take.

The way the media has been treating him? They should be so lucky to have him there, he has better things to do...

[AwakeAtLast]

25. It was my take, too.

Maybe the media should have been, I don't know, actually reporting the news instead of catapulting the propaganda?

[Hekate]

68. Both you and monmouth: Yes.

:thumbsup:

[Javaman]

10. See it works like this: President Obama likes his family, unlike moron*. nt

[Demeter]

11. That's Why I Have Kids. They Are a Great Excuse For Not Doing Things

and usually they are better company (and go to bed earlier).

[AZ Criminal JD]

27. If you feel that way you shouldn't run for President

[tabasco]

38. So you are ruling out devoted family men as President.

That's really stupid.

[AZ Criminal JD]

40. For you to make that statement is the only thing that is stupid

To say a person who can't take a couple of hours and go to a dinner every President goes to, is not devoted is really stupid. I suggest a course in time management.

[No Elephants]

47. Speaking of time management, please see post #44.

[NYC Liberal]

59. So he should go because "everyone else goes"?

That's a bizarre reason to do something.

[treestar]

66. Minor customs can be changed

Other Presidents may not have had minor children or made different plans.

There appear to be many demanding traditions - this one sounds like one that can go. I've never even heard of it and I'm not young.

[AZ Criminal JD]

71. JFK had no minor children? LOL

You say you have never heard of it? I think you don't follow news much.

[treestar]

75. Fatherhood was way different in the early 60s

This dinner is dumb. Biden is good enough.

[AZ Criminal JD]

84. It was?

So now in 2009 if you go to a two hour dinner you are a bad father? What are you going to think whmen Obama goes overseas? Are you going to start a campaign to take away his children? We should use Biden for the "dumb" things?

[SOS]

69. The dinner is on Saturday night

Why would anyone waste an entire weekend on an idiotic, pompous, phony, glad handing dinner when he could spend the time with his family?
The previous Presidents should have taken a time management course and dumped this thing 130 years ago.

[bluestateguy]

12. Good

Obama isn't part of the Georgetown Cocktail Party set.

[Mind_your_head]

60. I'm glad Obama doesn't seem to be a part of the "Georgetown Cocktail Set"....

....they've been a constipated bunch for AT LEAST the last eight years!

[Merlot]

15. I'm so glad he's not attending this. Especially now with economy, war, etc

I think it's always in poor taste. Remember bushcos "can't find the WMD?" wasn't that at a gridiron dinner?

[Bigmack]

32. Yessss.....

I don't want to see Obama - or any of them - laughing and smokin' and jokin' with the economy in the crapper and the warS ongoing.

Looks bad.

[sallylou666]

16. Excellent decision

Excellent decision. The kids should come first. A snooty party is less important than being with the kids. This is why I don't get invited to cocktail parties, which is fine my me!

[Doctor_J]

17. Everyone in Big media is an enemy of Obama anyway

Remember when journalism was an honorable profession? Now these high-priced hookers belong to a 65-person club.

[sallylou666]

18. Helen Thomas is a real journalist.

Helen Thomas is the only real journalist we have left.

[Enrique]

19. I'm expecting someone to call him elitist for this

without realizing the irony of course.

[cutlassmama]

20. but of course n/t

[peacetalksforall]

21. These are the people who laughed heartily at Bush looking for the WMD's

Though not at a dinner, these are the same who laughed hyterically at Rumsfeld for all his non-answers and inane, clever-if you're-a-juvenile answers and pass-offs.

[politicasista]

24. Then that's even better for PO to miss this

Besides he is a REAL family man compared to Blinky. :)

[marshall]

22. Every cynical pundit will be shadowing him for a photo of Obama and Michelle out without the childre

Mark my words--that will be the news story the cable papparazzi will be kneeing and elbowing each other to get. Especially the night of this little soiree. They will seek to portray them out on the town without the kids.

They're all so transparent--once the agenda is set the script almost writes itself.

[olddad56]

28. That does it, I'm not going to attend either.

[Hulk]

29. Is there such a thing as "...most prestigious journalists in Washington.."??

I think journalists, or those that call themselves "journalists", are a pathetic group. I put them right ahead of lawyers and right after politicians. Disgusting, soul-selling a-holes....the lot of them.

Wonder if bor and vannity will be there....lol, lol, chortle, chortle.

[LuckyLib]

33. He's already been to one of these as a senator. He knows what ritual they are (yawn).

Spring break back home with friends and family? Priceless.

[AZ Criminal JD]

34. I guess every other President was clueless

[tabasco]

39. You probably loved it when AWOL was looking for WMDs at the press party.

I bet you did.

[AZ Criminal JD]

41. Was Bush the only President to attend the dinner?

I guess the others just weren't "devoted". What b.s. If Obama went to the dinner you would be posting how much courage he had to face the jokes.

[No Elephants]

51. What is so damned noble about attending a dinner to pander to the press again? The

President and those who cover him should not be that cosy to begin with.

Why do Republicans love getting in bed with the corporate media?

[AZ Criminal JD]

55. So the other Democratic Presidents were all in "bed with the corporate media"?

Why aren't you condemning Joe Biden? He's going.

[No Elephants]

65. Another non-sequitur. You seem to specialize in them

[No Elephants]

48. Did every other President [since Coolidge] plan to be in Chicago that week?

[AZ Criminal JD]

52. This dinner happens every year at the same time.

The Chicago "plans" came after the known dinner date. I think Chicago will still be there next week and the month after that. Also Presidents have the ability to do more than one thing at a time.

[fed_up_mother]

62. I doubt that Sidwell contacted the gridiron group when planning spring break. :)

[Lone_Star_Dem]

35. Fine by me.

I've no desire to argue about something this trivial. It's his decision and not one of any real importance in the grand scheme of things.

[bemildred]

36. Obama avoids wasting time on juvenile horseshit.

Supports daughters instead.
Biden will do great.
Good.

[onenote]

61. so does that mean Biden is wasting time on juvenile horseshit?

Frankly, if this was the second year of his presidency i wouldn't care at all. As it is, its not a big deal, although I think there are benefits from not breaking decades old traditions a couple of months after coming into office.

I hope no one here is suggesting that JFK and Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton weren't devoted to their kids just because they attended this dinner.

And if Obama decides to go next year, does that mean he cares less about his kids?

People are painting on this issue with very broad brushes.

[Mind_your_head]

63. .

:eyes:

[treestar]

67. Biden is a grandfather

His children are grown. Obama's are at a young age. JFK lived in a different time as far as family life went, and maybe Clinton wouldn't have gone had he had other plans.

[bemildred]

70. Pretty much, yeah.

But as VP, his time is less important, and he knows that. You seem fond of "broad brushes" yourself.

[marasinghe]

43. excellent decision on the potus' part.

let the media whores who cheer-lead the destruction of iraq & the iraqi people by the hole-in-the-soul gang, circle-j*k themselves. don't lend any legitimacy to their self-propagated legend, which exists only in their own minds.

the obama kids have a wonderful father. as they grow older, they'll understand the love he has for them & his moral clarity - in putting them first, over & above these festering media egos.

[No Elephants]

49. Courageous step for someone who every sneeze gets covered by these guys ad nauseum.

[DebbieCDC]

57. "The most prestigious journalists in Washington"

:rofl:

[Prometheus Bound]

82. That one got a snicker out of me too.

[lilyreally]

73. Good grief,

the man has been busier than a long tailed cat in a room full of rockers. And every rocker is loaded with dynamite. I think that he probably has not placed this event high on his priority list after dealing with horrendous real problems that are facing the country. A weekend with his family might help him to keep things in perspective.

And frankly, these past few years, clips from this event have left a bad taste in my mouth. As an American, I really don't want to see him goofing with the press. I'm craving a little dignity and gravitas after eight years of mr. heh heh heh.

[fortyfeetunder]

74. Obama should send Jon Stewart in his place

That should turn the house out!

[Zavulon]

77. Wow, the media has been so good to Obama and he's arrogantly snubbing them? What a jerk!

:sarcasm: (Sarcasm on all counts) :sarcasm:

[eppur_se_muova]

81. Under Bu**sh**, Gridiron degenerated into a mutual ass-kissing festival.

I think Obama's sending a much-needed message.

POTUSs should be open to the press, but not too cozy. *Occasional* attendance at the Gridiron is plenty.