WP: White House Press Room To Be Closed For Makeover

[kskiska]

Tuesday, December 27, 2005; A23

The White House spokesman will spin on a new stage next summer.

With the administration moving ahead with plans to renovate the dirty and decaying press room off the West Wing of the White House, spokesman Scott McClellan -- or his replacement, if he steps aside before then -- intends to start briefing the world from historic Jackson Place, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, as early as July.

This means the television, print and radio reporters and crews will be booted from the White House for at least seven months as the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room is modernized. To the casual viewer of McClellan's briefings, the press room might look ready for prime time. It's not.

The room is, quite literally, a fire hazard, with wires fraying and cameras, cords and equipment piled throughout. It has all the comforts of a 1970s schoolroom: cramped, ergonomically challenged desks and seats for reporters, and no high-speed Internet access. If this sounds like whining from a pampered reporter, here's more to stew over: The renovation will be paid for largely by taxpayers.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600591.html

[shockingelk]

1. The room is, quite literally, a truth hazard

Maybe they'll add a laser light show and smoke boxes.

[meow2u3]

12. And don't forget those mirrors

Nothing like a show full of smoke and mirrors :sarcasm:

[MO_Dem]

2. A new press room?

Why do we need to pay for a new state-of-art press room when all they do is pick up their daily propoganda "catapults" and reprint them? Seems to me that all they need is a phone booth with a fax machine??

Forgive me. I've become the ultimate cynic in the last 5 years.

[MichiganVote]

3. Why bother opening it at all for the likes of Marshmallow McClellan

So glad now we're going to pay for the usual Fox News report from the WH.

[goclark]

6. Marshmallow ! That is the perfect

name for him.


He is sopuffy and wishy washy.

Tries to say the same old lies and jumps around with his talking points.

How much longer can we bare him?

[MichiganVote]

8. He should be an honorary guest at a bonfire

[goclark]

14. Delicious! nt

[The Roux Comes First]

11. Careful! - it's easy to burn a "s'more" if too close to fire ... (eom)

[DBoon]

4. They should have a virtual press room

Instead of Scotty, use a computer graphics press spoke. They can also use computer graphics to generate realistic looking reporters. It will enhance the viewing experience and avoid those rare but awkward moments when human reporters ask real questions.

They should beware of any computer generated reporter going by the name "Max Headroom", though

[DemonFighterLives]

5. Question Max -

Will little jeffy gannon be helping you makeover the room?

Maxclellan- wewe we will not comment on work in progress that could jeopardize the final product.

Truth be told, the room worked about as well as any would

Maxclellan- tt truth is in the ee eye of the beholder

[daleo]

7. They had to clean the bovine excrement off the walls. n/t

[Old and In the Way]

9. Just 7 months to refurb a room? Is FEMA in charge?

With a few delays, they can probably push it out past the mid-terms. Maybe no one will care about a WH press after November and they can scrap it entirely. The Press Briefings aren't working for these criminals anymore....

[Ilsa]

19. Halliburton "won" the no-bid contract. eom

[soothsayer]

10. Awww, shucks, I've come to love that spot on the curtain behind

the lecturn. It's a big round stain. I always wonder about the horrible ways in which it might have gotten there.

[AndyTiedye]

13. Installing Trapdoors in the Floor

[Jane Austin]

23. Snort! That was my first thought.

Trapdoors.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[rooboy]

15. God knows what Jeff Gannon got up to back there... n/t

[jeff5]

16. That is OUR Room, In OUR House

It is in disgraceful condition, and badly in need of renovation.

That is a separate matter from the disgraceful people who perform there and the disgraceful purposes to which it is being put.

[Benhurst]

20. Yeah, it's OUR house all right.

:sarcasm:

The People's House: Closed to the public until further notice.

[newspeak]

22. yeah, tell that to Bush

I remember reading where they took all of the historic photographs of previous presidents down in the hall going toward the dining room, and being the narcissistic personality that he is, put up all pictures of him and his family. It sounds like he thinks it's his house that we just happen to pay for.

[MaineDem]

17. One way to get the press out of the White House

I hope the reporters will still have access...assuming they have in the past.

[peacefreak]

18. White House is doing the refurbishing?

All the better to install bugs on the phone & internet lines. There will be more surveillance than the KGB had!

[zanne]

21. Didn't they do this a year or so ago?

I seem to remember reading about this or hearing it on CNN quite a while ago. They said it needed repairs and remodeling. Is this the second time around, or are they only now getting around to it?