Cocktail Chatter With Clooney, Plame, Snow at D.C. Bash (FREEPERs mentioned!)

Editor and Publisher ^ | 4-29-06 | Joe Strupp

[STARWISE]

NEW YORK Saturday night’s much-awaited White House Correspondents Dinner, featuring appearances by President Bush, George Clooney and Valerie Plame, among others, kicked off with a round of cocktail parties scattered over two floors at the Washington Hilton. At the Reuters’ party you could get a drink called The Cheney Shot—made with Wild Turkey.

Over 2700 attendees were expected. Jeff "Skunk" Baxter of the Doobie Brothers, a guest of The Washington Times, was dressed in a kilt.

About 15 protestors from the conservative Web site Free Republic raised a fuss outside on a sunny evening, passing out baby pacifiers with “CNN” written on them and carrying signs. One featured a picture of Osama bin Laden and the words: “My best friends are Dana Priest, James Risen, and Eric Lichtblau” (all recently named Pulitzer winners).

Inside, Valerie Plame and husband Joseph Wilson were in the crowd spilling out of the ABC News party (they are guests of the network at the dinner). Plame was pleasant, but asked by E&P why she came tonight she said, “I’m sorry,” adding in mock-red carpet lingo, “I’m wearing Armani.” Her gown was ivory.

Asked what might happen if she met the president, she repeated, “I’m wearing Armani.”

[BillF]

I think that the "My best friends . ." sign was the brilliant creation of staytrue, but BufordP made an incredible Pulitzer prize winning sign, apparently suggested by (or using) another's idea. Numerous other FReepers had great signs.

Dr. Raoul had a truly funny costume.

As always, this was the most fun FReep of the year. We have numerous photos and stories.

DC Chapter was reinforced by FReepers from TN, OH, CN, and NJ.

This followed a FReep, earlier in the day, of Fred Phelps' hate cult as they did a blood dance outside Bethesda Naval Hospital, FReepers being honored by standing with large numbers of Rolling Thunder and other veterans.

A second FReep in the day was against peaceniks in Olney, MD, but distance prevented FReepers from attending both Olney and the White House Correspondents' (WHCA) Dinner FReep. We split our forces.

Just the night before, many FReepers were also at Walter Reed Army Hospital to support the wounded troops there and oppose a Code Pinko blood dance.

Four FReeps in 2 days. IIRC, PleaDeal is doing reports on Walter Reed and Bethesda FReeps, Sauropod is doing the report on the WHCA, and trooprally will report on the Olney FReep. Others will be helping supply photos and input. It may take a few days.

Let me know if you want to be pinged to the After-Action reports or simply click here http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=dcchapter
and you should start seeing the reports in a few days.

Jim, you see what you started. Thanks for giving us our voice online and paving the way for this.

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

Supposedly Duke Cunningham and other pols were supplied hookers by defense contractor lobbyists.

[kittycatonline.com]

“I’m wearing Armani.”

So what, Valerie? I'm wearing blue jeans, and I'm reading FreeReplublic on my laptop while watching playoff hockey on TV. I'd say I'm having the better evening, by far!

[BillF]

In addition to the main post, see my reply above.

Please let me know if I messed up in my summary about the report writing.

[STARWISE]

Awesome ... I'll be anxious to see the pics. Thank YOU for your devotion and for BEING there.

[Rastus]

Plame was pleasant, but asked by E&P why she came tonight she said, “I’m sorry,” adding in mock-red carpet lingo, “I’m wearing Armani.” Her gown was ivory.

Asked what might happen if she met the president, she repeated, “I’m wearing Armani.”

Is that what passes for witty repartee these days? Spider-Man comes up with better quips while getting pounded on by the Hulk.

[madconserv]

HEE HEE HE GO FR

[Cindy]

Giggling in spite of myself.

Way to go FReepers.

[AZLiberty]

Bush shook hands with dinner entertainer Stephen Colbert on the way to his seat at the head table. Colbert was seated next to venerable Helen Thomas.

Venerable?

[Proud_USA_Republican]

I was flipping channels earlier and I saw the most bizarre show on Cspan about this all.

The press produced some video parody about the whitehouse press secretary where a real Helen Thomas was interviewing a mock whitehouse press secretary about the Iraq war and kept drilling him about the reasons to go to war. It was truely horrible and like some liberals deluded dream.

I can't even imagine that they showed this at an event that Bush was at.

[Doctor Raoul]

David "Crybaby" Gregory in a diaper and Boris Badenov holding a "Where's MY Pulitzer?" sign were also there.

[sauropod]

AAR coming right up. Pics have been resized.

Uploading now.

[sauropod]

staytrue

[Socratic]

Venerable?

I'm sure it was a typo for Venereal.

[SE Mom]

What a HOOT!

Brilliant poster- no matter who made it.

[mware]

Plame would have looked great standing next to this guy.

[norwaypinesavage]

"Colbert was seated next to venerable Helen Thomas."

I didn't know that venerable meant "smelly old goat".

Way to go DC Chapter. Great "party favors"!

[Darkwolf377]

"Hello, Bolis dahlink, how do you lahk my gown?"

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Thanks to the DC Freepers and doesn't Plame's reaction show the elitist attitude of these people. They think they're entitled to do the things they do.

I'm sick of continually hearing how Republicans are in trouble. Why don't we continually hear how Democrats have NO plan to fix ANYTHING. Are we going to let them get by with this? The answer is probably "yes" as we're always playing defense.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Bring it on. I understand Mollohan will make Cunningham look like a piker.