March 9, 2014

At the Gridiron Dinner — a congregation of elite journalists and politicians — "Chris Cristie’s recent 'Bridge-gate' scandal got laughs."

WaPo reports:
Sung to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Feelin’ Groovy,” they lyrics, “Hello, Fort Lee/ How’s it flowing? /I’ve come to watch your gridlock growing,” were made particularly funny by use of sight gags — new Gridiron members Bret Baier of Fox News and NBC News Washington bureau chief Ken Strickland appeared onstage sporting an elaborate getup as the George Washington Bridge.
Also, John Kerry made the joke about Charlie Crist: "we Vietnam vets just call you ‘Agent Orange.’” Get it? It might be because he's from Florida, and oranges are one thing you associate with Florida, but WaPo informs us that orange must refer to his perennial tan. As for "Agent Orange" and the connection to Vietnam vets, WaPo says nothing, so here, I found this on Vietnam:

The Vietnam Red Cross reported as many as 3 million Vietnamese people have been affected by Agent Orange, including at least 150,000 children born with birth defects. According to Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 people being killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth defects....
I hope that helps you see how terribly funny John Kerry's joke was. But presumably the important thing is that John Kerry served in Vietnam. Perhaps he is privileged to crack Agent Orange jokes... at least when his Vietnam vet privilege is augmented by his elite Washington gala dinner privilege.

I noticed this event because Jane Harman, the former congresswoman, mentioned it on "Fox News Sunday" this morning. She said: "Ted Cruz was, by the way, fabulous at the gridiron dinner last night, making fun of himself...." The only joke told by Cruz that appears in the WaPo article is: "I’ve been thrown out of our Senate lunches, so it’s really nice to be invited to dinner."

We're also told John Kerry's joke on Cruz: "Ted Cruz was also really funny.  But this is the first time in Gridiron history that the Republicans asked for time to respond to the Republican speech."

So it's not surprising that Jane Harman found Ted Cruz "fabulous." Harman proceeded to offer the GOP some advice:
Start holding meetings about how to change the nomination process for president and what the party stands for, not just what it stands against.
That's the "Party of No" taunt that works so well for Democrats, who always want government to do more. Those who think smaller government is a good thing get painted as negative. The GOP needs to bring out the positivity of "no."

45 comments:

Robert Cook said...

No reporter with integrity or self-respect would think of even attending one of these incestuous parties by the power elites, much less appearing in skits making comfortable fun of offenses perpetrated against the American people with the very persons responsible for those offenses.

Michael K said...

I watched Harmon and hoped for better from her but it was the DNC line all the way. I have been interested in Cruz but Rand Paul seems to be the guy with momentum this early. It all depends on the fall election and Harmon knows it.

The Crack Emcee said...

At the Gridiron Dinner — a congregation of elite journalists and politicians — "Chris Cristie’s recent 'Bridge-gate' scandal got laughs."


Honestly? So what? He's toast.

Anonymous said...

I think you beat me to it but Secretary Kerry served in Vietnam don't cha know.

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

Wow, the WaPo really did publish Chris Christie's last name as "Cristie." It must be the unfortunate proximity of Charlie "no-H" Crist.

"Hey, this fact-checking stuff is hard. They don't pay us editors remotely enough to spot that kind of thing reliably."

jacksonjay said...

So, Thelma and Louise are pedal to the metal headed for fundamental transformation. Jane Harman is in the back seat screaming, "FASTER, FASTER."

What does reason dictate?

Enjoy the ride?

Birkel said...

Robert Cook is correct, above.

But Leftists are attracted to power like moths to lights, so they will attend in spite of themselves.

RecChief said...

so Ted Cruz told jokes about himself, and John Kerry told jokes about Ted Cruz. see the difference there?

Known Unknown said...

What's an elite journalist?

The Crack Emcee said...

RecChief said...
so Ted Cruz told jokes about himself, and John Kerry told jokes about Ted Cruz. see the difference there?


Yeah - Ted Cruz is stupid.

Birkel said...

The Crack Emcee:

"Your comprehension skills are shit."

Birkel said...

EMD:

I'm going to guess "an elite journalist is one to whom other journalists refer when mimicking the talking points given them by their Democrat handlers".

What do I win?

jacksonjay said...


It tells me that John Kerry is insecure, just like Mr. Crack.

jacksonjay said...

Aren't the "elite" journalists the one who get together on that Ezra Klein thing and decide how they will defend the Democrats?

Humperdink said...

Re:Kerry/Cruz. Crack with you, ignorance is bliss. Once you veer off the "race" track, you are out of your element.

Wince said...

We'd circle and we'd circle and we'd circle to stop and consider and centered on the pavement stacked up all the trucks jacked up and our wheels in slush and orange crush in pocket and all this here county hell any county it's just like heaven here and I was remembering and I was just in a different county and all then this whirlybird that I headed for I had my goggles pulled off I knew it all I knew every back road and every truck stop.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Humperdink said...

Re:Kerry/Cruz. Crack with you, ignorance is bliss.

Hey, leave me out of this!

The Crack Emcee said...

Humperdink said...
Re:Kerry/Cruz. Crack with you, ignorance is bliss. Once you veer off the "race" track, you are out of your element.


Funny, but wasn't I the only conservative insisting Romney was going to lose?

I think I was.

And wasn't I the only conservative insisting Romney's supplements were worthless?

I think I was.

And wasn't I the only conservative insisting Ted Cruz was going to lose the shut down?

I think I was.

And wasn't I the only conservative insisting,...

I think I was.

Drago said...

Ill try and answer cracks questions:

No.

No one cares.

No.

That should cover it. I dont to belabor it.

Anonymous said...

Remember, Cook likely sees the whole system as rotten, and all competing interests as a part of that system.

The system must fall eventually for Red Robert sailing the socialist seas. He sees the world as it is and will be.

He has the knowledge and the ideology which will replace all of this.

***You can have access to this knowledge at the Swanson County Library reading room 2 every third Wednesday.

damikesc said...

I love that the only issue the press is concerned with is the bridge.

Outright violation of the Constitution by Obama? No big deal.

Anonymous said...

@Crack: Ted Cruz is stupid.

Whatever else he may be, he's not stupid.

Alan Dershowitz has stated that Cruz was among the very smartest students he had ever taught in decades at Harvard Law, and at the very top of the Senate in intellectual firepower.

Maybe he's politically tone-deaf, or lacks common sense, or what have you. But not stupid.

Anonymous said...

@Crack: Ted Cruz is stupid.

Whatever else he may be, he's not stupid.

Alan Dershowitz has stated that Cruz was among the very smartest students he had ever taught in decades at Harvard Law, and at the very top of the Senate in intellectual firepower.

Maybe he's politically tone-deaf, or lacks common sense, or what have you. But not stupid.

paminwi said...

You didn't mention that Chris Wallace said he wasn't invited. Jane Harmon had some comment to that.

Since I don't know much about the invite list I don't know if this was a snub or not. I am guessing that Wallace found it to be a snub since he mentioned it. He must be feeling very left out these days with the White House snubbing him by not letting admin. officials on his show to talk about the Ukraine situation and now his "colleagues" not inviting him to their white tail dinner.

Humperdink said...

Ignorance is Bliss said:

"Humperdink said...

Re:Kerry/Cruz. Crack with you, ignorance is bliss.

Hey, leave me out of this!"

Sorry, lost my head there.

Fen said...

"we just call you Agent Orange"

= joke about Agent Orange

"we Vietnam vets just call you Agent Orange."

= John Kerry needing to remind us he served during Vietnam

What a douche. Its like these people don't have mirrors. Or advisors to tell them "not only no but fuck no".

navillus said...

When it comes to jokes about Agent Orange, Eddie Murphy beat John Kerry to the punch by thirty-odd years. Murphy's character in Trading Places, Billy Ray Valentine, is a sidewalk scam artist who pretends to be a blind & legless Vietnam vet. When quizzed by the Chi-town cops as to what he did in Nam, he says "I was Agent Orange, Special Agent Orange, that was me." If you're a movie buff, it's pretty famous line & I'm guessing Treebeard's speechwriter was riffing on the Eddie Murphy connection. I agree 100% that it was super-douchey for to Kerry to include the "we Vietnam vets" bit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKtjBqJ4NxA

The Crack Emcee said...

Skookum John,

Maybe he's politically tone-deaf, or lacks common sense, or what have you. But not stupid.


My bad - I equate those qualities as the same thing:

Stupid.

cubanbob said...

Fen your are being to harsh on John "French" Kennedy. He used up whatever intelligence and competence he ever had on marrying really rich woman. Figures the Democrats would nominate a giggolo to run for president and later make him Secretary of State. Not to mention probably the only potential Secretary of State that could make Hillary look good in comparison. Give him credit he does have his talents and uses.

Unknown said...

----so Ted Cruz told jokes about himself, and John Kerry told jokes about Ted Cruz. see the difference there?


Yeah - Ted Cruz is stupid.----

The meme on the right is that you libs are humorless jerks. Thus, Cruz deprecates himself but pompous blowhard Kerry, who has a majic hat from Cambodia, makes a 'comic' attack.

Your post just proves the meme.

Anonymous said...

RecChief said...
so Ted Cruz told jokes about himself, and John Kerry told jokes about Ted Cruz. see the difference there?


Plus, he had his own movie camera in Viet Nam. Wow, what a visionary.

Birkel said...

Remember:

Conservatives must be evil or stupid or both.
W. was evil and stupid and an evil genius.
George HW Bush was stupid (grocery store scanner).
Reagan was evil and stupid and an evil genius.
Ford was stupid.
Nixon was evil.

And all Liberals must be smart and well-intentioned.
(See, e.g. ALL LIBERALS)

Anonymous said...

RecChief said...
so Ted Cruz told jokes about himself, and John Kerry told jokes about Ted Cruz. see the difference there?


Plus, he got three Purple Hearts and didn't lose a day of work. Wow, what a stud.

Anonymous said...

RecChief said...
so Ted Cruz told jokes about himself, and John Kerry told jokes about Ted Cruz. see the difference there?


Plus he never, ever, falls down while skiing. Wow, what an athlete.

Anonymous said...

RecChief said...
so Ted Cruz told jokes about himself, and John Kerry told jokes about Ted Cruz. see the difference there?


Plus, he looks so young for some reason. Wow, what bone structure.

RecChief said...

Actually, what I meant was that Cruz has at least an element of humility. Kerry has none, but loads of insecurity.

Patrick said...

I did read what I thought was a good crack by Kerry: "It's nice to see you all, and put faces with the meta-data."

Of course, I credit the writer, not Kerry.

Anonymous said...

RecChief said...
Actually, what I meant was that Cruz has at least an element of humility. Kerry has none, but loads of insecurity.


Chief,
You were spot on with what you said. Kerry is a poser, more than most in a city of posers. Cruz seems to connect on an "everyman" level.


In the age of low information voters and a 47% that is growing, we seem to be mired in a permanent democrat majority.

However, in a few short years, some "real" changes will be necessary, as neither party has the answers to our future.

Retail stores are losing share as Amazon wants delivering by drones, Google driver-less cars may soon change public transportation, on-line courses will close half the colleges in America, a few robotics technicians will out produce in factories what was once done by hundreds of workers.

So what do retail workers, teamsters, professors and factory workers do without those jobs?
I've always believed that technology will help solve our problems. I think there will be a period of turmoil before it gets sorted out.

Most politicians have visions that only reach to the next election. Unfortunately, voters aren't much better.
Sometimes just being a bemused observer of the descent into idiocracy is less stressful. I can only make myself better, not the whole world.

RecChief said...

"I've always believed that technology will help solve our problems"

I was talking to my grandfather today, and this very subject came up. His take was that technology hasn't actually helped people since the 70s. In his view, most technological advances have put more people out of work. Or they made people lazy. Lest you think he is some right wing ideologue, he's a FDR democrat.

MD Greene said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

RecChief,

Technology definitely has cost jobs, even going back 100 years or more, but technology has enriched all of us as well.
I think the difference is that back then, other jobs, and more jobs, have replaced the old.

Nowadays we may have to change our perceptions on many things. What the jobs of the future will be is a huge question mark. Where will people make money?
There is a lot of talk of income inequality, but what about leisure time inequality? What is leisure time worth? And leisure time is what all of this new technology will give to us all. Hell, soon we may all be as rich, in that respect, as the 47%.
The period of turmoil to our future may last a generation or more. But the same character virtues that have always been valued, will be valuable in the future.

Robert Cook said...

"Retail stores are losing share as Amazon wants delivering by drones, Google driver-less cars may soon change public transportation, on-line courses will close half the colleges in America, a few robotics technicians will out produce in factories what was once done by hundreds of workers.

"So what do retail workers, teamsters, professors and factory workers do without those jobs?"


Go on unemployment until that runs out, then go on public assistance, (if they can get it or if there's any to be had), lose their homes, see their marriages fail, and then starve.

"I've always believed that technology will help solve our problems."

To quote Hemingway: "Isn't it pretty to think so?"

"I think there will be a period of turmoil before it gets sorted out. "

One could call the Great Depression, leading into the devastation of WWII, a "period of turmoil." Is a such turmoil, resulting in the impoverishment and the murder of millions and the devastation of nations, an unavoidable corrective to the crimes and folly of those in positions of wealth and power who bring us again to this nadir?

RecChief said...

Larry,
I used to sell industrial robotics. robots that performed welding as a matter of fact. One of the plants that I sold to used to employ 100 welders per shift. Ran two shifts at the time. After I left the business, that company installed more robot arms. Their sales have gone up, and quite a few of the welders have moved up and are programmers now (the welding skill is more important there than computer skills - long story) and make quite a bit more money. But the plant, in spite of now operating a third shift during the week, and a weekend shift, only employs a little less than 100 welders total. But each programmer is responsible for 5 machines, and they have minimum wage laborers who load the parts. Is that good for the community? Not in my view, but I can't blame the ownership either, because they do a lot for their workers, benefit wise.

Unknown said...

What don't people get about Boehner and Crist? They Both have OLIVE SKIN!

Boehner has an Italian ancestor.

Crist is Cypriot.

It doesn't take much sun to look dark when you start with OLIVE SKIN!

David said...

Chris Wallace wasn't invited.

I bet Megan Kelly was.