So I'm reading what is supposed to be a puff piece by Mike Celizic in the Today Show section at MSNBC about Jenna Bush's upcoming wedding to Henry Hager on May 10.
It seems to do a serviceable job of describing their upcoming nuptials, what the attendants will wear, where it will be (an informal affair at the Bush family Crawford, Texas ranch), where they met, where he proposed. All nice stuff.
It's only slightly annoying that a picture caption at the article reads, "Jenna Bush, 25, and her fiance Henry Hager are scheduled to be married on May 10 in Texas." Cold feet on the part of the bride or the groom is always a possibility, but "will be married" seems more appropriate. But really, not a big deal.
But towards the end, Celizic drops in this:
Jenna Bush, 26, is a 2004 graduate of the University of Texas, where she was twice charged with misdemeanors for alcohol-related offenses.
What? He's kidding, right?
No, he's not. Not only did the classless Celizic decide to bring forth news of minor misdemeanors that is almost seven years old (note how he omitted 2001, the year of the offenses, when Ms. Bush was 19), he brought up nothing else about her time at UT.
So, for the record, Mike, here is what Wikipedia has that you didn't have the decency to include:
She attended the University of Texas at Austin where she was a legacy member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority (her mother, First Lady Laura Bush, is also a Theta).
..... Jenna graduated from UT with a degree in English in 2004.
It also appears that Celizic's chronology of Jenna's work career thus far is incomplete. He writes:
On graduation, she worked as a teacher for a charter school in Washington, D.C. She took a leave of absence from the job to work as an intern for UNICEF in Latin America. Her book about the experience, “Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope,” was published last year.
Along with her mother, Jenna Bush has written a second book — "Read All About It!" — to encourage children to read.
But the Wiki entry adds this:
After her internship for UNICEF, she returned to her teaching position at the charter school in Washington, D.C., where she is again currently teaching.
Ms. Bush may or may not be currently teaching, but, unless there's an error in the admittedly less-than-perfect Wikipedia, Celizic appears to have missed the fact that she returned to teaching after her UNICEF internship.
Additionally, the intro tease at a feature article in the November 2007 edition of Texas Monthly ("Girl Gone Mild"; only the tease and the first four paragraphs are available without registration, which probably requires a subscription) says this:
Today, the president’s daughter is all grown up, teaching in an inner-city public school, soon to be married, and even sooner to be the best-selling author of a serious book about AIDS.
Apparently, in Mike Celizic's world, telling readers about the noble things a daughter of George Bush has done is less important than citing the minor blemishes in her distant past -- even in a puff piece.
Shame on you, sir.
Cross-posted at BizzyBlog.com.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters




















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Sigh. Well, at least it
April 15, 2008 - 20:36 ET by Chris NormanSigh. Well, at least it didn't read, "Jenna Bush, 26, who's father, the president, invaded Iraq, slaughtering thousands, and has suppressed civil liberties in the US...". You know they'd like to print that...
OMG Chris, I cracked up
April 16, 2008 - 06:44 ET by motherbeltOMG Chris, I cracked up when I read that; you are so right!!
Update: Just goes to show ya....there is no such thing as a "puff piece" when it comes to the Bush family.
No! You forgot.........
April 15, 2008 - 22:31 ET by Scout Finch"...has suppressed civil liberties in the US and was an alcoholic after ditching the Texas ANG..."
So I'm guessing he never saw Chelsea's Pictures?
April 15, 2008 - 20:34 ET by PamYou know the ones ! I posted them in reference to Mark's article that day!
Meanwhile, the Hufftard
April 15, 2008 - 20:36 ET by Roger the ShrubberMeanwhile, the Hufftard Post covers Jenna Bush's meeting the Pope in their usual class and style.
Fortunately, many Hufftards agreed with me on the stupidity of this story.
Hufftard jerks
April 15, 2008 - 20:46 ET by nkviking75They got on Jenna's case for trying to keep the wind from blowing her skirt up? They'd surely get on her if she let her skirt be lifted up ala Marilyn Monroe. If Barry wants to talk about angry, bitter people, he ought to look at those on his side. When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Rightfully so, many people
April 15, 2008 - 21:05 ET by balboaRightfully so, many people on that site are saying it's a really, really stupid article, which it is. HuffPo must have their own version of WTH. ;-)
Hahah, good one, Bal!
April 16, 2008 - 10:57 ET by Roger the ShrubberHahah, good one, Bal!
What if the White House could respond in kind
April 15, 2008 - 20:42 ET by nkviking75Imagine a White House statement like this:
The President deplores the cheap shot taken by MSNBC reporter Mike Celezic at Jenna Bush in a recent article on their website. Celezic, who has 3 arrests for smoking pot on his record from his college years, is in no position to throw stones at Jenna for her earlier indiscretions at the age of 19. We're proud of Jenna for facing up to her mistakes and for the mature young woman she's become.
(Note: I have no idea of Celezic did anything like smoking pot, let alone being arrested for it. I'm just trying to make a point with this imaginary White House statement.)
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
As if these reporters weren't under-age drinking in college
April 15, 2008 - 21:11 ET by Free StinkerWhen Al Gore's daughter was getting married, did the MSM run stories mentioning her brush with the law over drinking?
And as a Liberal buddy of mine said referring the the hubbub over Jenna drinking: "As if these reporters weren't under-age drinking in college themselves."
Pledge to not support RINOs ever again!
It's just as bad when they
April 16, 2008 - 06:22 ET by JerryIt's just as bad when they refer to President Clinton as .. "a former resident of the White House where he was charged with perjury, sex with minors, accepting illegal communist campaign contributions, illegal possession of fbi files, accused of rape, etc..."
Oh wait... never mind.
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).