First Lady a big hit at dinner for scribes

WASHINGTON — President Bush planned a speech last night at the 91st annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner, but was quickly "interrupted" by his wife in an obviously planned ploy.

"I've been attending these dinners for years and just quietly sitting there. I've got a few things I want to say for a change," she told a delighted audience.

The president sat down and she proceeded to note that he is "usually in bed by now" and said she told him recently, "If you really want to end tyranny in the world, you're going to have to stay up later."

She outlined a typical evening: "Nine o'clock, Mr. Excitement here is sound asleep and I'm watching 'Desperate Housewives.' " Comedic pause. "With Lynne Cheney. Ladies and gentlemen, I am a desperate housewife."

Joining the Bushes were Vice President Dick Cheney and wife, Lynne, nine Cabinet members and two Supreme Court justices, Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer.

News organizations hosted show-business and sports stars such as Goldie Hawn, LL Cool J, Richard Gere, Jane Fonda, Tom Brady and Donovan McNabb.

Award winners were announced last month:

• Ron Fournier of The Associated Press, the Merriman Smith Award for his stories on Bush's victory over John Kerry.

• Susan Page of USA Today, the Aldo Beckman Award for her stories on the presidency and the presidential campaign.

• Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Edgar A. Poe Award for a series of stories on athletes' steroid use.