A heckuva party

By Libby

The Gridiron Club held their exclusive soiree this week. I don't suppose we'll see any YouTubes coming out of this closely guarded insider tete-a-tete but I found some juicy descriptions of the festivities. Before I get to those though, I'm wondering if this is a Godwin violation?

There was perpetual attendee and documentary filmmaker Ken Burns comparing this dinner to those of years past: "The Clinton ones used to go on and on. Now there's a little more achtung to it."

Strange choice of words. Meanwhile the big hit of the night was the Commander Guy.

But Bush had the last word; make that song. With a gang of Busharoos, he crooned about his future back in Texas, singing: "I spend my days clearing brush, clear my head of all the fuss, like that big fuss you made over Harriet and Brownie. Down the lane I look and here comes Scooter, finally free of the prosecutor. It's good to touch the brown, brown grass of home." He even paid the news media a compliment: "When you are not writing stories, you are not half bad."

In fact, it appears Bush was just overcome with comity.

In the club's traditional closing, with the singing of Auld Lang Syne by performers and audience alike, Bush grabbed hands and rocked with one of his harshest critics in the press, the veteran wire service reporter and columnist Helen Thomas -- and he gave her a kiss.

I'd love to see the photo of that tender moment. I have a feeling it might resemble Bush's spontaneous show of affection for Merkel. However, I won't be holding my breath waiting for it. They do have their rules.

You won’t be able to catch the Bush song on TV or the Internet (unless someone was secretly recording it.) The Gridiron Club, founded in 1885, is the oldest organization for Washington journalists. Its 65 active members are slaves to tradition, one of which is that the dinner and show are officially off the record. No TV cameras are allowed.

I'd bet somebody got it with their cell phone though and it will be traded among the elite few who so cherish their insider status.