White House removes press corps toilet

[kskiska]

by Dana Milbank

(snip)

Only those with big bladders need apply for the White House beat. For the past year, the 20 or so correspondents toiling in the basement of the press room in the West Wing have been fighting to keep their toilet. "We've been using that toilet since Jimmy Carter was president," said Associated Press Radio correspondent Mark Smith. But after some trouble with the commode last year, the General Services Administration announced it was flushing the troublesome fixture.

Correspondents took their case to White House press secretary Scott McClellan, threatening: "We could also hold it -- but I think you'll agree we're cranky enough as it is." The GSA said it would cost $500,000 to fix the toilet -- earning it a place alongside the $400 hammer and the $600 toilet seat. McClellan would not dirty his hands in this plumbing dispute. The GSA then announced it had poured concrete into the "sewer ejectors," making the WC permanently unusable. As of yesterday, the toilet and sink were gone, replaced with a chair and a mirror.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18907-2004Sep13.html

[WI_DEM]

1. Good, it's the first thing Bush has done that I approve of

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. This could get nasty.

They will start peeing in the potted palms. But McClellan will deserve it.

[Syrinx]

3. half a million to fix a toilet??

Good to see the GOP has repaired the wasteful government of days past.

[Spinzonner]

5. Probably a Halliburton sole-source bid

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

11. Damn! Some Halliburton peon was really hoping for that big big payday!

[Bandit]

24. You mean Halliburton has to bid??????????

I thought it was all "No Bid" for Halliburton.

[silverweb]

4. Well...

If that doesn't turn the press against BushCo, it should!

:crazy:

[Sydnie]

6. And the message to every reporter is

Don't shit where you eat! Pretty blatant at that!

[Bozita]

7. $500,000 to unclog a sewer line? Must be a Halliburton no-bid contract

Gawd bless Halliburton.

Good post.

[underpants]

17. Good Lord 1/2 a Mil to fix a toilet?

and we thought $600 hammers were bad.

[Butterflies]

22. It cost $80 to do it at my house

using one of those sewer snake machines. Does fixing the sewer line require repairing the whole building? LIARS!!!

[drdtroit]

8. Und if you don't report good szings about Iraq

ve vill take avay ze chairs alzo!

[Fleshdancer]

9. BUT...without their toilet how are they going to get their stories???

I'm confused. :shrug:

[napi21]

10. Didn't Nixon get into serious trouble by pi**ing off the press corps?

Of course that wasn't the only reason, but didn't they turn against him?

[gratuitous]

15. He did indeed

But the ink-stained wretches of yesteryear have given way to overcoiffed vanity plates who are more concerned about getting invitations to the kewl parties than they are in getting a story. The 1970s era Bob Woodward staked his job and his career on getting the story right about the Watergate break-in. The modern day Bob Woodward is more concerned that his favorite restaurant table is available.

The modern day press gaggle will simply put up with the inconvenience, and be thankful that it wasn't worse. The only ardor this episode will engender will be in trying to outdo one another in obsequious praise to the administration that has abused them so badly, lest they be abused even worse.

And Helen Thomas will continue to show up every day, do her job, and be a thorn in their side.

[Wind Dancer]

18. Well said! n/t

[BurtWorm]

12. That's just like the freepers at the counterdemos before the war.

They'd have a row of Johnnies on the spot--more toilets than freepers, actually--and all with signs on them: NO COMMIES ALLOWD <sic>. GITCHER OWN TOILETS, HIPPYS <sic>.

[Cronus Protagonist]

13. Thats IT! I've HAD IT!!

I'm becoming a plumber. Mo money! :)


Bush's Illustrated Resume
http://cronus.com/bushresume

[Bozita]

14. kick

[lunarboy13]

16. Why is it that everything that needs doing or fixing while

W is in charge costs 3000% more than it should? 200 billion for Iraq...$500,000 for a toilet? Think about this. It was a bathroom replaced by a chair and a mirror. THAT'S a $500,000 restroom? Oh, that's right, the sewer line was plugged, too. So either Haliburton has a roto-rooter-type sub-contractor, or Grandma Bush needs a new pearl necklace...

Well, maybe now McClellan will get pissed on more often.

[Ilsa]

19. I've got a HUGE bladder.

Maybe I should go to journalism school and then be a reporter.

Oh wait. Network news will never take me. I haven't won any beauty contests and I'm over 25 and I voted int he Democratic Primary. Nope. They'd never let me in.

[peekaloo]

20. Piss on the Bu$hes!

practical, no? }(

[MallRat]

21. Diapers, anyone?

:-)

[Bozita]

23. If you need a new driveway, call the GSA. They do concrete.

WTF?