Today is Thanksgiving. I hope that doesn’t offend anyone.
It ought not. But modern humans can be pretty touchy.
“This will be our last press briefing before the Thanksgiving holiday . . .” White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Monday, “so I want to share a few things that I’m thankful for and I think it would be nice for you guys to do so as well before asking your questions.”
Then, after reciting a bevy of her own blessings, Sanders opened to Q&A, inviting thankful preambles to journalistic questions.
The press corps seemed unperturbed. One reporter was thankful for living in the greatest country on earth. Several expressed gratitude for the First Amendment; one was even thankful “for this exercise.”
“I’m thankful to my father, 96-years-old and going strong,” Newmax’s John Gizzi stated sincerely, “and to my wife, my heroine, I’m thankful to her for saying yes . . . on the fourth request.”
To light laughter, Gizzi continued, “My question is about Zimbabwe . . .” And the room erupted.
But this lightheartedness was not universal:
- John Kirby’s article at CNN was headlined, “How Sarah Sanders humiliated the press.”
- Newsweek’s Nicole Goodkind wrote, “The White House turned its Monday press briefing into a kindergarten game . . . And the reporters followed [Sanders’] orders.”
- In the New Yorker, Masha Gessen claimed Sanders treated the reporters “the way a sadistic teen-ager would treat a group of third graders.”
I’m grateful that we are free . . . to complain, to disagree, to express outrage. But I’m also glad that on this day each year we can tune out all that, appreciate all we have and gain a few ounces at the dinner table.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
