Dana Milbank Blasts his employer for inviting Trump to the correspondent's dinner

[n2doc]

Dana Milbank
Opinion Writer
How the journalist prom got out of control

On Thursday, The Washington Post editorializes that Donald Trump has been campaigning on “bogus” issues and that he should “cease and desist.” An article in the news pages the same day reports that the great orange charlatan’s “simply wild speculation” has “almost no basis in fact.”

Then, on Saturday night, Post reporters and editors, in black-tie finest, go to the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner to host their invited guests, including . . . Donald Trump.

Awkward though the Trump invitation is, it is just one of the many problems with the annual dinner and its satellite events.

The fun begins, appropriately enough, at the offices of the American Gas Association, where White House reporters are feted by the lobbyists of the Quinn Gillespie firm. More lobbyist-sponsored entertainment comes from the Motion Picture Association. Along the way, journalists wind up serving as pimps: We recruit Hollywood stars to entertain the politicians, and we recruit powerful political figures to entertain the stars. Corporate bosses bring in advertisers to gawk at the display, and journalists lucky enough to score invitations fancy themselves celebrities.

more

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-the-journalist-prom-got-out-of-control/2011/04/28/AFla9PCF_story.html

[SoCalDem]

1. I agree with him.. It's not worth watching

It's just an excuse to try & embarrass whomever is in the WH..right or left.

The format needs revamping ..

The invited ones should be legitimate press and their dates/spouses..and the whole "entertainment" part should go as well.

There are plenty of venues around for comedians to do their shtick, and to criticise the president.


It's not "lighthearted, harmless fun".. It's meanspirited and just a lame excuse for the 6 & 7-figure media prompter readers to dress up & vamp for the cameras....and of course to make fun of the president..

Why not just have a WH Press Picnic at the White House?..makes as much sense..

[grasswire]

4. they do have WH press party every year at the WH

And a Christmas party for the press too, IIRC.

[SoCalDem]

6. This "thing" is not even needed since most of the people there are not "correspondents"

they are just there for the free food & the voyeurism:puke;

Joan Rivers is an invited guest of Politico.. really?? really?? double :puke:

[JBoy]

2. It's a shame it's turned into an Oscar party.

More evidence that serious journalism has long since been flushed down the toilet.

[HipChick]

3. Trump will be sitting with Boehner...

Go figure

[malaise]

5. That Donald Trump is invited is all the proof you need that

M$Greedia facilitates these racists

[JohnnyRingo]

7. I just saw him on CSPAN...

I couldn't tell by looking, but I hope he remembered to pack his sense of humor.
"Birther" jokes should be the staple of the day, and I'm sure the cameraman knows where he's seated.