“I want to say one thing about the budget that didn’t get passed, the omnibus bill. You know, we talk a lot about – we just passed this huge tax cut in part because business said, you know, we have to plan, we have to know what kind of tax cuts we have. Well, these agencies, including the Defense Department, don’t know how much money they’ve got and for what. And I was at – forgive the expression – a Christmas party at the Department of Justice and people actually were really worried about this,” NPR’s Totenberg said on PBS this weekend.
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11 comments
Christopher says:
Dec 21, 2010
she said, while flanked by a bank of poinsettias…
Jeff Hual says:
Dec 21, 2010
I wonder if she would have apologized had it been a celebration from some other religion. Probably not… sigh…
bls says:
Dec 21, 2010
She's being ironic, I'm pretty sure….
paul says:
Dec 21, 2010
I think bls is onto something.
The aside felt more like irony, at least to me.
StampDawg says:
Dec 21, 2010
Well I suppose that's possible.
An ironic dig at left-wing political correctness would be plausible if the reporter had a record of criticizing the Left or criticizing PC; or if she was a committed Christian; or if her news agency was known for being free of liberal bias.
But it's Nina Totenberg, working for NPR. She in particular and NPR in general have been regularly criticized for liberal and PC bias. That doesn't make her a bad reporter, just not the first person one would look to if one is expecting criticism of that worldview.
Interestingly, this news story was forwarded to me by some liberal Episcopalian friends of mine who are pretty bright people — they were certain she meant it literally (and were not impressed).
All that said, it is in fact possible she was objecting to the very antiChristian PC waters she swims in. It's a surprise to me, but it could be the case.
Michael Cooper says:
Dec 21, 2010
I agree with Stampdawg. It has not been my experience that people as sincere as Nina Totenberg are that adept at such subtle, self-effacing irony. But, hey, it's Christmas, and anything is possible!
bls says:
Dec 21, 2010
Well, I don't think it's any kind of commentary. Just a bit of passing irony, what the hey….
StampDawg says:
Dec 21, 2010
You guys are right though, PZ included… what the hey, it's Christmas!
Certainly this day should be about giving everyone a gigantor Free Pass, which I wasn't doing.
Fond wishes to all. God Bless us Everyone.
Margaret E says:
Dec 21, 2010
God bless YOU, Stampdawg. You give more passes than anybody I know. Merry Christmas, friend!
paul says:
Dec 21, 2010
Hooray for Stampdawg!
I'm probably wrong, in any event.
Charles Gaston says:
Mar 2, 2012
I know this is late, but I think the expression she was saying you should forgive was not “Christmas party” but rather “Christmas party at the Justice Department”…