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Shutdown Corner

Fri May 22, 2009 9:39 am EDT

Steelers White House ceremony shuts out kindergarteners

By Chris Chase

Chalk up another shutout for the Pittsburgh Steelers. A group of 100 kindergarteners were turned away at the White House gates Thursday because of the Super Bowl champion's meeting with President Obama.

According to NBC Washington, a group from Conway Elementary in Stafford County, Va., was late to a scheduled tour of the White House because of heavy traffic. When they arrived, officials had closed the gates so staff could prepare for the South Lawn ceremony with the president and the Steelers team.

Conway parents say the bus was only 10 minutes late, but a spokesperson for the White House claims the bus was over an hour late. (For what it's worth, Nancy Pelosi said she has not been briefed about how late the bus was.)

While I feel bad for the children, the adults involved in the field trip should have been planning for traffic. Not anticipating some congestion on the 50-mile journey from Fredericksburg, Va., to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is like the Steelers playing the Ravens and not anticipating a Ray Lewis(notes) blitz.

However, this might end up being a good thing for those students. Now that this story is going to get national attention, you have a feeling the White House will want to right this wrong. That may involve another (better) tour, their own visit with Obama or, at worst, a letter from James Harrison telling them going to the White House isn't all that big a deal.

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  1. The Incredible BAM
    1. Posted by The Incredible BAM Fri May 22, 2009 9:58 am EDT

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    It's not fair! I bet if another kindergarden called and set up an appointment, and was late, they would be the ones that was turned down. Obama would have done the same to another kindergarden group. Thats why the first group should not have gone!
  2. henne_24
    2. Posted by henne_24 Fri May 22, 2009 10:14 am EDT

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    The White House will want to right this wrong? How were they wrong? You show up late...your loss. You have to anticipate traffic, not only because it is the nation's capital, but because a team with a very large fan base is coming to town. Also, to post #1...it's kindergarTen. Were you a student in this class?
  3. Chris
    3. Posted by Chris Fri May 22, 2009 10:16 am EDT

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    I'm missing the logic on the first post. The first group shouldn't have gone because they would be turned away at the gate because of something they had no control over?
  4. Jay M
    4. Posted by Jay M Fri May 22, 2009 10:19 am EDT

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    WOW...So Obama has taken a few pointers from Dick Cheney after all.
  5. Mat M
    5. Posted by Mat M Fri May 22, 2009 10:29 am EDT

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    We need to know what Pelosi knew, and when she knew it. This is all her fault that the bus was late.
  6. Buster
    6. Posted by Buster Fri May 22, 2009 10:33 am EDT

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    Does somebody PAY you to write this crap?
  7. Patrick P
    7. Posted by Patrick P Fri May 22, 2009 10:35 am EDT

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    You have got to be kidding me. I cant believe Chris Chase gets paid to write this crap. Cant you find something worthwhile to write about? What a jackass!!
  8. Steve
    8. Posted by Steve Fri May 22, 2009 11:05 am EDT

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    Fellas...it's May 22nd. Football doesn't really get going until August...just be happy with have something entertaining to read for a few minutes that has ANYTHING to do with football. Good lord, do you expect these guys to pull shocking football news out of there butts everyday? Don't like the author, don't read him; but don't bag him for not being able to create news. And we allll wish we had his job. All of us.
  9. Craptacular
    9. Posted by Craptacular Fri May 22, 2009 11:27 am EDT

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    Chris, there is no logic to the first post. Unless you pretend it was written by James Harrison.
  10. Me
    10. Posted by Me Fri May 22, 2009 11:54 am EDT

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    Twiddle Iddle Dee...Wabba Wabba Wabba
    The kindergateners learned a good lesson here; it's better to be early
  11. allie32allie66allie21
    11. Posted by allie32allie66allie21 Fri May 22, 2009 11:57 am EDT

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    Really hard hitting journalism here. What a total waste of time.
  12. happytheman
    12. Posted by happytheman Fri May 22, 2009 11:58 am EDT

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    It amazes me how that James Harrison story "got legs." Why are 'journalists' surprised that an athlete, whose sole ambition in life is to play a game in which he launches himself at people for the sake of knocking them to the ground would also not be a well reasoned thinker? By that logic, James Harrison should be upset with journalists that can't handle a full-out blitz by a linebacking core. To my knowledge, Harrison is an alumnus of Kent State, not MIT, and I think it would be fair to say he went to college to play football. Now we are going to bust on him for his linguistic and logic skills? Give it a rest.
  13. JOHN S & GRACE B
    13. Posted by JOHN S & GRACE B Fri May 22, 2009 12:00 pm EDT

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    Parents- be on time
  14. current inhabitant
    14. Posted by current inhabitant Fri May 22, 2009 12:14 pm EDT

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    Hey, those kindergarteners were NOT the winners, so T.S.!
    j/k Just being devil's advocate for Harrison. after all, he's right. they only invite the winners to the WH.
  15. current inhabitant
    15. Posted by current inhabitant Fri May 22, 2009 12:17 pm EDT

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    With respect to wanting this writer's job? You HAVE to be kidding! The guy's probably a minimum wage hack who couldn't handle the workload at Micky D's.
  16. sleeplesnights
    16. Posted by sleeplesnights Fri May 22, 2009 12:19 pm EDT

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    Big business at its best. Do you think that if Obama was 10 minutes late or anyone from the White house for that matter, they would be turned away? Besides that it’s not like there were foreign dignitaries there, it was a pro football team. On the bright side - we now have a young generation of steelers haters.
  17. Nicolas
    17. Posted by Nicolas Fri May 22, 2009 12:30 pm EDT

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    extra time in hands Obama?????????????????????
  18. FairlyHonestBob
    18. Posted by FairlyHonestBob Fri May 22, 2009 12:37 pm EDT

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    Launch a Senate investigation.
  19. ShaunDogg
    19. Posted by ShaunDogg Fri May 22, 2009 12:40 pm EDT

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    To all of you who are saying that this is a waste of space for writing this, why r u posting then? Or better yet, ur probably the same people who say this about every entry written up here, so why keep coming back?
  20. brian b
    20. Posted by brian b Fri May 22, 2009 12:52 pm EDT

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    They should have left ten minutes earlier. Let that be a lesson to the kindergartners. You got to learn how to be on time sometime in your life and age 5 is as good a time as any.
  21. brian b
    21. Posted by brian b Fri May 22, 2009 12:54 pm EDT

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    Anyone in Virginia knows that there is tons of traffic in the DC area.
  22. Cappy915
    22. Posted by Cappy915 Fri May 22, 2009 12:57 pm EDT

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    Sorry the bus was late but stuff happens!! I guess those parents need to start teaching those kids about disappointments in life...cause there will be lots of them over the years...just look at the war...the economy...etc. Or maybe get a better charter!! I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A SAFE & HAPPY HOLIDAY & REMEMBER THE GUYS & GALS FIGHTING OVER THERE SO WE CAN HAVE A HOLIDAY & OTHER FREEDOMS!!!! GOD BLESS!!!!
  23. Patrick M
    23. Posted by Patrick M Fri May 22, 2009 1:22 pm EDT

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    I think its completely fair. Its a valuable life lesson those kids learned. Plus they will always have a story to tell when they get older. I can see the set up now. In 2027 one of those kids will be in college and say at a frat party: "Yeah I could have met the president, but the secret service didn't let us. We were late! Yeah we were late b/c i couldn't finish my finger painting project on time.
  24. Gary
    24. Posted by Gary Fri May 22, 2009 1:24 pm EDT

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    If your tardy you get detention,really how special was it going to be for a five year old."hey Jimmy don't touch that,Bobby did you pick your nose and put it on President Obamas desk. Mr.s Stine i wet my pants,i want to go home." really this trip was for the chaparone and the teachers.You might as well booked them for The National museum of Crime and Punishment they would of had a much better time.
  25. Vaffanculo
    25. Posted by Vaffanculo Fri May 22, 2009 1:44 pm EDT

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    I guess all they needed to know, they learned in kindergarten.

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