President Bush Addresses Correspondents’ Dinner

The annual correspondents’ dinner is generally a jokey roast-type affair, especially when the President is a Republican. This year the President had some more serious comments, especially about the relationship–contentious for a generation–between journalists and the American military:
“‘I think it is fair to say the journalists grew to respect the skill and bravery and decency of the men and women who wear our nation’s uniform,’ Bush said, prompting applause from the audience. ‘And I am certain that our military gained greater respect for the journalists traveling with them, who showed a tenacity and courage of their own,’ he said, prompting more applause.
“‘Because of journalists who accepted risk and hardship, the first draft of history has been vivid and has been moving,’ Bush said.
“Bush paid tribute to 13 journalists who died covering the war and singled out two: Michael Kelly, editor-at-large for The Atlantic Monthly magazine and a columnist for The Washington Post, and NBC News correspondent David Bloom.
“Bush called Kelly ‘a soldier’s journalist,’ and said Bloom was ‘the perfect man to carry viewers along on the charge to Baghdad.’”