Obama passes on Gridiron invitation

WASHINGTON, March 16 (UPI) -- The Gridiron Club, officially, understands that U.S. President Barack Obama is too busy to attend a dinner this month; unofficially, leaders say they're miffed.

With his decision not to attend the dinner, Obama becomes the first commander in chief since Grover Cleveland to skip the white-tie-and-tails affair in his first year in office, Politico reported Monday.

"People feel uncommonly saddened, miffed and burned," Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page said. "I don't think he understands the implications of not coming to the club in the first year. It's not your ordinary state dinner. I think it would be helpful for him and his relations with the Washington establishment to come to the club."

At first, Gridiron members -- Washington reporters, columnists and bureau chiefs -- thought the Obamas would be in Chicago during the Obama daughters' spring break, the Washington publication said. Then, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the family would be in Camp David March 21, the night of the dinner.

An official told Politico via e-mail, "The assumption was we would do this -- then we found out the girls would have spring break -- it was as simple as that."

Associate Gridiron member Annie Groer said she doesn't view Obama's decision to skip the song-and-dance extravaganza as an insult.

"I think his priorities are perfectly in order," she told Politico.