Chanukah scandal in Washington
Posted by Y.O. contributor, Chief of Staff:
Only one "Party" invited to the party?
Forward:
It's not every day that you hear Democrats complaining that they missed a chance to party with President Bush. But lots of Jewish Democratic lawmakers are miffed that they weren't invited to the White House Hanukkah party Tuesday night.
Oddly, some of them were invited to the White House Christmas party - sorry, the "holiday" party - on Monday night, but they didn't get invited to the Hanukkah party. Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Jewish Democrat, said he had a good time at the Christmas party and wished he had been invited to the Hanukkah party but figured there was "limited room."
But when he heard that Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the only JewishRepublican in the House, had scored an invite to the Hanukkah party, Sherman said, "Well, that means that 100 percent of the Jewish Republicans in the House were invited and zero percent of the Jewish Democrats [were], as far as we can tell."
Rep. Steve Israel, (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Jewish Outreach Council, was doubly snubbed. "I knew I wasn't on the White House Christmas list, but I hoped I would at least make their Hanukkah list," he said.
Some lawmakers were downright verklempt when they realized they were left off the guest list. Alex Formuzis, spokesman for Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), was so upset by the White House dis that he launched into Yiddish, even though he's a Gentile.
"Nisht gut - a shanda. I'm farblondget, farmisht and fartootst," he said. "I may plotz." His own English translation: "Not good - scandalous shame. I'm confused, addled and disoriented. I may explode."
But others understood perfectly why they weren't invited. Lale Mamaux, a spokeswoman for Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.), laughed, saying facetiously, "Wexler is one of President Bush's staunchest critics, so I can't imagine why he didn't want him at the White House."
The White House couldn't believe all the griping. Susan Whitson, presssecretary for first lady Laura Bush, told HOH that every one of those complainers (HOH's words, not hers) "were invited to the Congressional Ball,which was hosted the night before the Hanukkah party." She said all Members of Congress were invited to the black-tie Congressional holiday party on Monday - one of the 26 receptions in 21 days that the Bushes are throwing for 9,500 guests.
A spokesman for Cantor, one of the fortunate invitees to the Hanukkah party, said the Congressman and his wife "were honored to be invited." Maybe he brought back a few dreidels for those who were not invited.
Only one "Party" invited to the party?
Forward:
It's not every day that you hear Democrats complaining that they missed a chance to party with President Bush. But lots of Jewish Democratic lawmakers are miffed that they weren't invited to the White House Hanukkah party Tuesday night.
Oddly, some of them were invited to the White House Christmas party - sorry, the "holiday" party - on Monday night, but they didn't get invited to the Hanukkah party. Rep. Brad Sherman, a California Jewish Democrat, said he had a good time at the Christmas party and wished he had been invited to the Hanukkah party but figured there was "limited room."
But when he heard that Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the only JewishRepublican in the House, had scored an invite to the Hanukkah party, Sherman said, "Well, that means that 100 percent of the Jewish Republicans in the House were invited and zero percent of the Jewish Democrats [were], as far as we can tell."
Rep. Steve Israel, (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Jewish Outreach Council, was doubly snubbed. "I knew I wasn't on the White House Christmas list, but I hoped I would at least make their Hanukkah list," he said.
Some lawmakers were downright verklempt when they realized they were left off the guest list. Alex Formuzis, spokesman for Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), was so upset by the White House dis that he launched into Yiddish, even though he's a Gentile.
"Nisht gut - a shanda. I'm farblondget, farmisht and fartootst," he said. "I may plotz." His own English translation: "Not good - scandalous shame. I'm confused, addled and disoriented. I may explode."
But others understood perfectly why they weren't invited. Lale Mamaux, a spokeswoman for Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.), laughed, saying facetiously, "Wexler is one of President Bush's staunchest critics, so I can't imagine why he didn't want him at the White House."
The White House couldn't believe all the griping. Susan Whitson, presssecretary for first lady Laura Bush, told HOH that every one of those complainers (HOH's words, not hers) "were invited to the Congressional Ball,which was hosted the night before the Hanukkah party." She said all Members of Congress were invited to the black-tie Congressional holiday party on Monday - one of the 26 receptions in 21 days that the Bushes are throwing for 9,500 guests.
A spokesman for Cantor, one of the fortunate invitees to the Hanukkah party, said the Congressman and his wife "were honored to be invited." Maybe he brought back a few dreidels for those who were not invited.
posted by Y.W. Editor
at 11:56 AM
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