D.C. FANS WALK OUT ON PRESIDENT BUSH DURING SPEECH
(Associated Press)

(4.04.03)
WASHINGTON, D.C. --About 60 attendees of a speech held by President Bush outside the Washington Memorial stormed out in disgust when the president made an flattering comment about the popular "grunge" band Pearl Jam during a speech and impaled a mask of lead singer Eddie Vedder on the microphone stand, to the cheers of the rest of the crowd, apparently in response to derisive statements made by the band's lead singer in Denver, Colorado.
"Criticism of the office of the highest office in the country will not go without rebuttal," said Mr. Bush, with a smile and a wink, to the wildly applauding crowd. The speech continued without incident, but outside the grounds, disgruntled attendees expressed their dismay with reporters.
"The president really stepped over the line this time," said Melanie Chorazin, of Bethesda, Maryland. "He can't seem to take criticism in stride."
"Does he even know who Pearl Jam is?" said Donnie Merkle, of
Whitelion, Illinois. "He has a lot of gall, when a band like that has more in touch with young people than he does. He's still thinking
the Osmonds are the baddest of the party-hearty bands."
But not all attendees agreed with the dissenters. "Our president shows he is in touch," said Deniece Hornsby, Charlotte, South Carolina. "He's got a real sense of humor. He's not out of touch--didn't he invite Ozzy Osbourne to the White House a year ago?"
After the speech, the president admitted that he had nothing against the band personally, he is "very much hip with bands that have come out of Spokane, Oregon."
Neither the members of Pearl Jam nor their management could be reached for comment.







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