and "Ohhh, look at what she is wearing!" oohhing and aaahing.

Last years was all the more amazing, when you consider what President Obama KNEW was about to happen yet he was cool, calm and hilarious.

And, they year the bushies had Stephen Colbert as the host, apparently ignorant of the fact he is performing satire. The look on jr's face when it dawned on him what Colbert was doing, was PRICELESS. The one the following year, with Rich Little??? Holy Christopher Columbus, how much more revealing of an administrations desperation could they have gone???

But, yes, I wish that amount of money was put towards something more worthy, like scholarships. However, that doesn't stop me from watching for the gems.

It's a long time tradition and most people like them. You don't have to watch or go to one if you object you know.

I am 90% sure that the AP/UPI etc sponsor this.

(not positive on that though)

took a huge amount of crap from the media. It's not a good idea to tick them off, Obama learned his lesson. IMO it's a conflict of interest for ANY politician or office holder to be there. How can the press remain objective when they're so interconnected.

Obama has attended every WHCD since he's been in office.

dinner or something else. I remember Eugene Robinson and some other media talking heads really griping because of something Obama didn't attend.

Governance is serious business, and the press should be courteous yet adversarial in order to keep it honest and open. Hobnobbing, brown nosing and cavorting with celebrities only makes the government and press look more out of touch with everyday people.

There's real waste that can be cut elsewhere.