Video by Tom George/CNS-TV
WASHINGTON — It’s not every day you see Democratic and Republican leaders hanging out at the same party in Washington. But when it comes to supporting the troops for Veterans Day, that’s exactly what they did.
Republican National Committee communications director Sean Spicer, a veteran, decided to put on an event to support public information officers overseas. So, he called up his Democratic National Committee counterpart, Brad Woodhouse, who quickly agreed.
The event was called “Flacks for Flacks Who Wear Flak Jackets,” both a reference to press secretaries who are often called “flacks” and the bullet proof “flak jackets” soldiers wear in war zones. They gathered at Bullfeathers in Washington, D.C., a popular hangout for congressional staffers for the big event.
Organizers collected gifts and money to support them and their families during the holidays. Many attendees said press officers are an often overlooked part of the military. “You’re living in constant danger,” said Susan Milligan, who reported from Kosovo and Afghanistan for the Boston Globe.
The event drew big media names such as Dana Bash from CNN and Luke Russert from NBC News, and political staffers from both sides of the aisle. But the big message was that even in Washington, when it come to supporting the military, true bipartisanship can be achieved.