Bill Burton cuts off his own birthday song

Birthdays are a funny thing: Some people love ’em. Others wish the day
would just be over with already … And some people just really don’t
like being sung the “Happy Birthday” song. White House deputy press
secretary Bill Burton is one of those people.
 
Burton turned 33 on Monday, and members of the White House press corps planned to sing him a quick rendition of “Happy Birthday” aboard Air Force One en route to Texas with President Obama.

{mosads}But soon after 15 or so reporters burst into song, Burton cut them off.

That wasn’t the only failed attempt by the press to recognize Burton’s big day: One reporter, apparently undeterred by the singing smack-down, piped up to wish Burton a happy 33rd during a press gaggle on board. But somehow the well-wishes didn’t make it into the transcript released by the White House.

Perhaps Burton was being extra low-key because his boss, President Obama, had just come off a three-day-long “birthday/guys weekend” at the White House, complete with professional basketball stars. Or maybe the press aide just had too much on his plate to think about birthdays.

Lucky for him, Burton’s wife, Laura Capps, the daughter of Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) and the late Rep. Walter Capps (D-Calif.), understands that sometimes you just need to get out of the office: She got her husband tennis lessons.

Burton did not respond to an e-mail from ITK about his big day.