Before he leaves Washington to celebrate Christmas and usher in Election Year 2004, the White House issued three successive statements from President Bush:
Laura joins me in wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Laura joins me in sending our best wishes for a joyous Kwanzaa.
Laura joins me in wishing you a blessed and Happy Hanukkah.
PC GREETINGS
Thanks to our readers who risked sending us spiritual greetings this holiday season, particularly Robert Jason of Canada who, given "political correctness gone mad," realized his simple Christmas greeting was fraught with potential complications.
"So here is my amended greeting to you," Jason writes.
"Please accept with no obligation, explicit or implied, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, non-judgmental, tolerance embracing, inclusivity enhancing, equality seeking, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious/secular persuasion of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice any religious and/or secular traditions."
CHRISTMAS FLIGHT
As is tradition at the annual holiday White House Basement Party, a Christmas poem, penned this year by Greg Clugston of Salem Radio News, was read to all assembled, including White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan.
The talented Clugston titled his verse: "'Twas the Night Before Christmas - 2003 White House Press Basement Version":