White House Asks Reporters to Wear Cancer Bracelets

[Newsjock]

Source: ABC News

ABC News' Jessica Yellin Reports: The White House press office has handed out yellow cancer bracelets that say 'Tony Snow' to reporters.

Member of the press office said they would like the press corps to wear these bracelets during Snow's on camera briefing Wednesday, scheduled for 1:00pmET.

Reporters are divided, some plan to wear them but others are aren't.


Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/05/white_house_pre.html

[aquart]

1. I'm actually appalled by this.

I'm trying to work out exactly why.

[rodeodance]

6. Its an effort to make them sypathhic to Tony--any 'objectivity" they might have

had with will be diminished!! (they will be extra Tony Light with the questioning)

Sounds hard-----but that is what I do believe is happening.

[redirish28]

11. That is exactly what my wife is thinking only now they can make easy for Tony

To snap and demean and even get cocky. After all if he sounds too harsh to a reporter or does something off the wall like we have seen in the past. It's because Tony isn't feeling well today.


My wife says right now there are two Tonys in her eyes. The only she supports that is battling cancer and trying to hold onto a normal life and than the scum who allowed the White House to use "support for his illness" to get photo ops, soft ball questions and excuse for him not answering questions.

[mancandy]

26. The only objectivity thats gone is from

people here who are disgusted by this and have nothing but jaded cynicism about showing unity with a man who has cancer. I cant believe what I'm reading here

[tanyev]

32. The White House has cut funding for cancer research for the last 2 years

and now they want the press corps to participate in a feel-good PR stunt? Don't lecture me about cynicism.

[TankLV]

39. Get over it - he enables the WAR CRIMINALS...

he was a cheerleader for this ILLEGAL CRIMINAL misadministration when he was LYING at FAUX news...

he gets what he gives out - and he is lucky to get only our scorn...

[BonnieJW]

12. Because

it's obvious this is a way to make reporters feel sorry for Tony Snowjob and throw him softball questions and let him get away with the usual lies and misinformation. It's a ploy that anyone can see through and Snowjob should protest it.

[Rose Siding]

44. I see them soliciting a sense of comraderie.

Not good.

[madrchsod]

2. now that is a sick joke...

these guys are getting so desperate they`ll do anything to make people feel sorry for them. the press show up wearing black arm bands

[bigworld]

5. I anticipate he'll resign today

to fight his cancer. I don't like you very much, Tony, but fight on!

[madrchsod]

9. do we get the valley girl again?

or will baghdad bob get another chance?

[Benhurst]

3. How grotesque. It will be interesting to see how many fall in line.

:puke:

[Phredicles]

4. Excellent discussion on this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x804866#810468

(Granted, it's gotten pretty long)

[whistle]

7. The White House uses every excuse possible to coerce and harass behavior

...from the press corps. What is wrong with just making a box of bracelets available at the door and if press corp members wish to take one and wear it, it would be their choice to do so.

[Tempest]

8. Joseph Goebbel's would be proud

Just another way of getting the press corps to fall in behind the WH propaganda.

[MuseRider]

10. Exactly.

This has nothing to do with cancer it is all about getting the press to feel all warm and mushy and sympathetic to them. I doubt it really has anything to do with Tony except to get them to lighten up on him.

[Vidar]

19. We're lucky they don't have a Leni Riefenshtal as well.

[Tempest]

36. Well, we do have Judith Miller

And the entire Faux News crew.

[Catherine Vincent]

13. I disagree with this.

They shouldn't ask reporters with the press corps to wear these bracelets. I could see Bush admins but not the press corps.

[CharmCity]

14. I don't know any REAL reporters who would wear them.

The REAL reporters I know -- the ones who know how to write and think -- would also be appalled and be pissed to be put in such a horrible position.

Everyone at the WH press room feels bad for Tony Snow, I'm sure. But Snow is the spokesman of the Bush Administration. When reporters are on the job covering the Administration, it's wrong for them to wear anything that is supportive (or against, for that matter) the Administration. They're supposed to be objective. Period.

Next thing you know the media's going to be asked for donations to legal defense funds...

[Benhurst]

15. Other than Helen Thomas, there aren't any REAL reporters in the

White House Press corps.

[CharmCity]

16. Sad but true.

[anotherdrew]

17. they're probably radioactive! n/t

[Orangepeel]

23. Hell, they probably have implanted listening devices (n/t)

[monmouth]

18. Such hypocrisy...This admin. cut $40 million from the cancer research budget...n/t

[0rganism]

20. someone should arrive wearing *only* the bracelet

That would just make my day, especially if it was Helen Thomas. :D

[State the Obvious]

21. Wear Armstrong's BE STRONG bracelet,instead...for ALL cancer patients n/t

[LiberalFighter]

40. Having "Tony Snow" inscribed on the bands is inappropriate

Having the White House encourage the press to wear them is wrong.

The press wear the yellow band without being prompted by the White House or anyone connected with the WH the first day he returned would had been good.

[mnhtnbb]

22. Totally inappropriate of the WH. What else is new?

[eppur_se_muova]

24. Yellow bracelets with big, bold, black letters: LYING CAUSES CANCER

[DinahMoeHum]

25. ". . .Watch out where the huskies go, and don't you wear that yellow snow. . ."

"...watch out where the huskies go, and don't you eat that Tony Snow..."

- with apologies to Frank Zappa

:evilgrin::P:evilgrin:

[IWantAChange]

27. When will the hypocrisy end?????

[mitchum]

28. Go toward the light, Tony

[porque no]

29. Whatthefuckever.

Not a day goes by when I am not appalled by their gall.

[rucky]

30. Lie Strong, Tony! n/t

[DemSoccerMom]

31. As a journalist, I . . .

am absolutely APPALLED by this. While there is nothing wrong
w/ supporting an issue, no journalist worth his or her
"salt" would agree to support an issue at the
"suggestion" of the subject (in this case, the White
House). How outrageous. I am definitely disgusted, but by no
means am I surprised. Think the White House (or any journalist
who does this strictly b/c the White House asked them to) has
ever heard of journalistic integrity?

Strangely enough, when it came out that Cheney's daughter was
gay, the White House didn't ask members of the press corps to
wear Rainbow ribbons. Hmmm. Gee. I'm shocked :sarcasm: .

Needless to say, any reporter who I see wearing the yellow
bracelet will immediately lose any credibility he or she may
have once had w/ me. 

[Blue_Tires]

43. welcome to the site!

[Tyler Durden]

33. Who PAID to have these things made?

Can you say, YOU AND ME?

[Placebo]

34. Shameful.

Reporters who agree to do this are agreeing to nothing less than being a PR pawn for the ridiculously unpopular Bush Administration!

And reporters better not take it easy on Snow just because he has cancer. That's an unfortunate fact, tragic and sad and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but these are important times where TOUGH questions need to be asked dammit. I feel for Mr Snow, but I feel even more for our soldiers in Iraq, the Iraqis themselves, and many others who have suffered and are suffering at the hands of this criminal pack of liars.

[DUyellow]

35. Great PR story for them, if they wear them good story for WH....if they dont wear them...

It's a distraction story, either way it works for the WH. You don't ask somebody to wear those, you do it on your own.

[TankLV]

37. How 'bout if we wear a "FUCK YOU SNOWJOB" instead...

fuck him...

he enables the WAR CRIMINALS...

[Maeve]

38. No. Just ....no.

Playing the victim card as a PR stunt...and that's the NICEST way I can think to put it. :argh: :argh: :argh:

[soothsayer]

41. Tony, your boss would prefer you to die than permit stem cell research,

or fund cancer research. But maybe he can wear a bracelet to go with his lapel pin---signifying things he couldn't care less about.

[LibDemAlways]

42. If the chimp requested that WH reporters all

kiss his ass, would they do that, too?

Absurd and inappropriate.