Uproar over woman ‘texting’ during national anthem at WHCD

A D.C. journalist who was caught on camera using her smartphone during a performance of the national anthem at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner has stoked outrage on social media.

{mosads}Helena Andrews, a Washington Post reporter and author of Bitch is the New Black, was seen fiddling with her phone as WHCD attendees around her stood at attention for the national anthem.

“Uh oh this is about to be the viral of #WHCD -> ‘Texting during the National Anthem,'” tweeted blogger Michelle Fresh. And, indeed, Andrews was soon called out by many on Twitter and elsewhere for her alleged impropriety.

Andrews finally broke her silence Sunday night, pushing back against claims that she was texting. “Apparently someone saw me on TV ‘texting’ during the dinner,” she tweeted. “FTR I was taking notes. On my phone. Because it’s 2015. #WHCD”

The explanation failed to mollify her critics, who pointed out that taking notes during the national anthem wasn’t much of an improvement over texting.

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— UMUC (@UMUC) April 16, 2015

@helena_andrews Please. You couldn’t hold off “taking notes” until our military was done playing the National Anthem? You showed 0 respect.

— Ann (@Kenshousewifey) April 26, 2015

@helena_andrews as if that is any more excusable than texting? Were you writing down the words of the song before you forgot them? Come on.

— Christopher Smith (@Chuutritt) April 26, 2015

@helena_andrews We’re all well aware of the year. Respect for the National Anthem is timeless.

— Pam Seiler (@pammygirl2) April 26, 2015