

White House Basement Flooded. What’s New?

Well, another day, and another environmental disaster in the White House press room.

We’re all used to peeling walls, weird wet spots, strange and lingering smells, rats and mice, and discoveries of like half eaten sandwiches from reporters who worked the White House beat in the 1970s.

So when a reporter yesterday entered the basement area of the press room – where nearly half the White House press corps that shows up at the White House works – and discovered that the carpet was suffused with water, it was hardly a big surprise. He called the General Services Administration “hotline” and by 7:30 am they arrived for the Big Cleanup.

Now, if you’re wondering why there is so much incompetence and bumbling in the Gulf, you need look no further than how the White House treats itself.

GSA got right on the issue, hauling out some kind of fan from the Truman administration.

White House press room basement

Now, as you can see, some drying does appear to be occurring. But with only one fan operating, it’s a race before mold begins to set in, as has happened previously in this Toxic Waste Cleanup Area basement section of the White House.

White House reporters reacted with understandable disgust. Here, radio reporter Greg Clugston of SRN News recoils in obvious horror.

Well, OK, actually Greg would want you to know he was just putting on his jacket. But still, I think his actions speak for us all.

GSA has determined that the water, which materialized after some heavy DC downpours, appears to be descending into the basement from behind this wall.

So, you’re probably thinking that this being THE WHITE HOUSE,  people are all over the problem, gauging potential structural damage, making plans to rip out sections of the wall to try to locate the source of the leak, and so forth.

As of this morning, the actual plan is the following: Keep Your Fingers Crossed and Hope Somehow It Doesn’t Happen Again.

3 Responses to White House Basement Flooded. What’s New?

    • The desks are also too close together back to back so you can kill someone just by moving your chair back. And there’s no bathroom down there. I think litigation is in order.