Gridiron singed by Obama no-show
… And make no mistake: President Barack Obama deciding that he is too busy to attend the Gridiron’s annual banquet later this month is a slap. He’s the first president since Grover Cleveland to skip the white-tie-and-tails affair in his first year in office. The official line from the Gridiron Club — a society of Washington reporters, columnists, and bureau chiefs — is, “We understand.” But some Gridiron veterans make clear they don’t understand. Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page said, “People feel uncommonly saddened, miffed and burned.