Fellow Virginia blogger Leslie Carbone reports that she was invited, and then unceremoniously booted, from today’s White House Conference Call:
I dialed in a little before 11:00, got the please-wait message, and listened to the butchered music. An operator came on and asked me for my identity, which I provided, and then subjected me to a few more minutes of music. Then I heard a voice saying something unintelligible, and the line was cut off. I dialed back in, explained to the operator that I’d been cut off, gave my information again, and was connected to the conference call, which was already in progress.
I listened for around 10 minutes to the doomsday talk and pleas to “work” the Republicans who voted with the Constitution yesterday.
Suddenly, the line went briefly silent, and then a voice said, as nearly as I can reconstruct it:
“We have been advised by the host that you are not allowed on this call, so I’m going to hang up your line; please do not dial in again.”
Now, if the White House doesn’t want me on its calls, that’s its prerogative. But kicking me off after I’ve been invited is a lousy way to win my support, makes them look like they don’t know what they’re doing, and is just plain tacky.
Leslie’s been fairly critical of the bailout plan, so I guess the guys in the White House can’t stand the heat.
Now, personally, I’ve never been invited to listen in on one of those conference calls, but then I was comparing Bush to LBJ nearly three years ago so they probably don’t like me all that much.
Thanks, Doug. As a friend of mine noted years ago, this White House is none too fond of conservatives.
Leslie,
Isn’t a big part of it the fact that they take blind loyalty just a bit too seriously ?