NOW --THERE ARE NEW
DEVELOPMENTS TONIGHT
IN THE STATE HOUSE TREE
CONTROVERSY ----
TONIGHT, GOVERNOR
CHAFEE WENT ON
NATIONAL TELEVISION ---
HOURS AFTER A TREE
LIGHTING CEREMONY
TOOK PLACE AT THE STATE
HOUSE, WITH ONLY 30
MINUTES WARNING.
(MM)
THE CONTROVERSY
WHICH DEVELOPED LAST
YEAR OVER WHETHER TO
CALL IT A HOLIDAY OR
CHRISTMAS TREE, BLEW
UP AGAIN EARLIER THIS
WEEK --- WHEN WE WERE
ORIGINALLY TOLD--- THERE
WOULD BE---NO
--LIGHTING CEREMONY.
EYEWITNESS NEWS
REPORTER JENNIFER
MOBILIA IS LIVE IN STUDIO
WITH MORE ON OUR TOP
LOCAL STORY TONIGHT.
(J-MO)
FOR THE THIRD DAY IN
ROW -- RHODE ISLAND
AND OUR CONTROVERSIAL
- "HOLIDAY TREE", AS
GOVERNOR CHAFEE
CALLS IT... IS TOPPING THE
NATIONAL NEWS.
AND JUST A FEW HOURS
AGO, CHAFEE AND FOX
NEWS ANCHOR- BILL
O'REILLY HAD SOME
PRETTY HEATED
EXCHANGES ABOUT THE
NAME OF THAT TREE.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK....
"And that's what T's people off.
Ya
say you want people happy...
they're
not happy with you Governor.
They
want you to call a Christmas
Tree, a
Christmas Tree...
RHODE ISLAND'S "HOLIDAY
TREE" CONTIUES TO INFURIATE
AMERICANS -- AND FOX NEWS
ANCHOR BILL O'REILLY.
O'REILLY HAS BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THE CONTROVERSIAL
TREE HERE IN RHODE ISLAND,
FOR THE PAST THREE DAYS.
AND THURSDAY -- GOVERNOR
CHAFEE EXPLAINS HIS
DECISION.
"It's changing times." BO "The
christmas tree is a secular
symbol,
it's not a symbol of religion.
it has
nothing to do with it. GC this
is a
secular building, it's a public
building,
it's paid for by people of all
religions.'
CHAFEE SAYS THE RHODE
ISLAND "HOLIDAY TREE" DATES
BACK TO THE 90'S... HE SAYS
HE'S JUST CONTINUING TO CALL
THIS LIGHTED - DECORATED
TREE WHAT THE PAST TWO
GOVERNORS HAVE CALLED IT.
BO the white house has a
christmas
tree, why cant Rhode Island? GC
No your wrong Bill it's a white
house
tree... BO no, it's a christmas
tree.
Barack Obama calls it a
christmas
tree, he's your guy. Obama: for
89
years presidents and americans
have come together to light the
national christmas tree.
GC Your show, fox news, you guys
are too angry. this is an agry
network. BO I'm not agry I just
want
our traditions to be respected,
that's
all. GC well, Merry Christmas.
(J-MO)
GOVERNOR CHAFEE
CLAIMS HE ONLY GAVE THE
MEDIA 30 MINUTES NOTICE
AND THE PUBLIC NO
NOTICE OF THE "HOLIDAY
TREE" LIGHTING BECAUSE
HE DIDN'T WANT ANY
PROTESTORS TO ATTEND.
WE HAVE ALSO
CONFIRMED THERE WILL
BE A MENORAH LIGHTING
AT THE STATEHOUSE FOR
HANNUKAH.
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
HASN'T SAID WHEN THAT
WILL TAKE PLACE.
JENNIFER MOBILIA,
EYEWITNESS NEWS.
(MM)
THE NORTHWEST MOBILE
