That's the way the Cokie crumbles...

I wonder if Cokie Roberts thought maybe I was some kind of weirdo groupie when we met the other day.

My great friend, Beth Barrett, was being honored Wednesday night at the Society of Professional Journalists awards at the Omni Hotel in downtown LA. She had called me in the afternoon and said, "We're all going to be there at 5:30 to buy Cokie Roberts' book."

Cokie was the event's keynote speaker and is promoting her latest best seller, "Ladies of Liberty." I get to the Omni a little before 6 p.m. and no Beth, no anybody. Except for a nice woman from SPJ who said hello and as I was talking to her, I suddenly noticed Cokie was standing next to her, was surprised, and said something like, "Oh my gosh! It's Cokie Roberts!" She kind of laughed nervously as she held a glass of red wine in her hand. I went on to say that I'd watched her for years on ABC's "This Week" and blah, blah,blah. Frankly, she could not have cared less.

I wandered off as they set up her table and stacks of books. Beth and co. were still NOWHERE (I later learned she and her entourage were over at the hotel bar!) so I'm lingering and other than the SPJ officer on hand, I'm the first person to buy Cokie's book. I waited for her to finish chatting with a woman who was clearly an old friend then approached her to sign my copy.

Cold. As. Ice.

I told her my name and mentioned that I also have her mother's book (her mom is former congresswoman Lindy Boggs). She handed me back the book with I think a slight smile and I walked away. I opened it and she had written, "To Greg, Cokie Roberts."

Gee thanks. not even an "Enjoy!" or "Best wishes" or "Thanks for shelling out $24 for this opus." I was actually kinda miffed. But the Cokie snub made for a pretty funny story once Beth and her gang finally arrived and we had some wine before dinner. I started getting really good at telling the tale and probably started to exaggerate as the wine took hold: "And then she SHUT the book on my hand!"

Oh well. Got home and Cokie was on Tavis Smiley's show hawking the book and she was smart and insightful as ever. The real reasons why I have long admired her anyway.