[YAHOO] It is supposed to be a light-hearted gathering of journalists, celebrities and the president, where differences are put aside for good-natured jibes.Probably they'll just invite Obama instead. Pretend it's eight years ago.
But amid a bitter war of words between the Trump administration and the Fourth Estate, plans for the 2017 White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in April have been thrown into turmoil.
Nerd prom no more!
After President Donald Trump
...New York real estate developer, described by Dems as illiterate, racist, misogynistic, and what ever other unpleasant descriptions they can think of, elected by the rest of us as 45th President of the United States...
's repeated barbs against the "dishonest media" and "fake news," some journalists and media outlets are thinking twice about their participation in the April 29 dinner, a tradition that dates back to 1921.
"How can media clink glasses with a White House that makes clear its contempt for press freedom and its admiration for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin methods?" tweeted David Frum, a senior editor at The Atlantic.
I dunno, Dave, how'd you manage all those past dinners?
The association, which organizes the annual event that raises money for journalism scholarships, said the dinner will be held as planned.
The White House has indicated it is on Trump's calendar -- despite some doubts about whether he will attend.
Opinion editor Robert Schlesinger of US News & World Report said that regardless of what Trump does, "the media should boycott the dinner."
Sure. Go ahead. It's not like anyone outside Washington will notice, let alone care.
"News organizations should buy tickets as usual (it's for a good cause) but make other plans that night and if he does attend, let the ratings- and crowd-obsessed narcissist freak address an empty ballroom," Schlesinger wrote.