White House Christmas tree to include 'impeach Bush' message

[G_j]

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/White_House_xmas_tree_to_feature_1202.html


White House Christmas tree to feature 'impeach Bush' message
RAW STORY
Published: Tuesday December 2, 2008

<snip>
The globes (to be unveiled by the first lady tomorrow) are supposed to showcase something special about each congressional district. Washington state's Rep. Jim McDermott contacted a local arts organization, which asked Lawrence, a collage artist, to create the local entry.

"I was at first nauseated, then realized it was an opportunity," said Lawrence, 55, who frequently combines politics and satire in her work and saw this as the perfect way "to highlight Jim McDermott because he's a hero of mine."

The nine-inch ball is covered with swirly red and white stripes -- and, in tiny glued-on text, salutes the Democratic congressman's support for a resolution to impeach President Bush. (Also showcased: Washington state's 1919 labor strike, its suffrage movement and the violent anti-World Trade Organization riots of 1999.) Lawrence sent it off to D.C. in September and was very surprised it was accepted for the tree -- and that she was invited to this afternoon's White House reception for the artists, which she flew to D.C. to attend.

"Apparently, they didn't read it -- or Laura Bush is more progressive than I believed," Lawrence told us.

A White House spokesperson told the column that the ornament would not be removed but condemned the "divisive and partisan" message as inappropriate for the tree.

[norepubsin08]

1. I personally love the message but WTF we're paying

tax dollars for a god damned christmas tree AND we're paying for and wasting the extra electricity that it will generate AND we paid for the transportation of said tree AND paying for the artists who made those ornaments...FUCK christmas!!! Give me my money back!!!!

[Atman]

2. Actually, Rachel reported that the "offending" ornament had been rejected

by the First Lady as being "inappropriate."

However, the artist was still invited -- and attended -- today's ceremony honoring the contributing artists.

.