A huge tent has been pitched on the White House lawn to accommodate 400 guests at Barack Obama's first state dinner.Alhough Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is expected to attend, top Republican congressional leaders are not invited. See the Washington Times, "Top Republican Lawmakers Not Invited to State Dinner."
An invitation to the event on Tuesday evening has become the most sought-after ticket in the US.
The event, in honour of the visiting Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, is a chance for Mr Obama and his wife Michelle to welcome the Washington elite - and a smattering of Hollywood celebrities - into their new home.
Whereas President George W. Bush would hold his 140-person dinners in the formal state dining room, the Obamas have broken with recent tradition by taking a "big tent" approach that will accommodate 400.
Secrecy surrounds the event with the White House jealously guarding details of the guest list and menu, though produce from Mrs Obama's new vegetable garden is expected to be used and curry is suspected by some to be on the menu for the first time.
Deepak Chopra, the billionaire pioneer in New Age spirituality, announced on Twitter that he would be flying to Washington to attend and was "V honored to be invited".
Oprah Winfrey, the talk show hostess, is strongly rumoured to have been invited and there is speculation that George Clooney and Brad Pitt will attend what has been dubbed "Washington's equivalent of the Oscars".
According to the well-connected Hollywood blogger Nikki Finke, the former DreamWorks partners Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Jeffrey Katzenberg will be at the dinner.
Even Senator John McCain's not invited, and that's after Obama claimed to want a new era of bipartisanship in America.
RELATED: "Let’s Face It: Obama Is No Post-Partisan."
I love this Donald, I am going to repost it on Sarge Charlie. On of my favorite things to do is see solders in a resturant and call the wattress and pay their check anonymous. To see there faces when the wattress tells them makes it worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteI hope it rains and blows...hard. Obamas promis of post partisanship is smoke and mirrors.
ReplyDeleteAll hail Liar and Chief.
Kudos, Sarge Charlie. Those of us, and other fair minded individuals, need to have their "backs," so to speak, to keep what happened to us from happening to them.
ReplyDeleteAnon,
It would seem that Obama, his administration and the democrats as a whole are far less conversant with the truth and definitely more corrupt, if that is possible than Bush. Bush was also less partisan and more mindful of our position on the world stage, sometimes to our detriment as a country, than the Obama administration.
I do the same thing, Sarge, with a note sent saying, "Thank you for your service."
ReplyDeleteAnonymous comments have been deleted from this thread, even favorable ones. Commenters should be familiar to me, with contact information at a blog profile page. I'm not putting up with the baloney, and sorry that must included friendly "anons."
ReplyDeleteI can't help wondering what it costs to heat a tent big enough for 400 in Washington in November...and surely that use of heating energy is bad for the global warming the President believes in? (Grin)
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Laura
Dinner in a tent? Who does he think he is, Moammar Ghadafi?
ReplyDeleteThanks, again, Donald, “Anonymous,” contributions to this blog generally take advantage. The rest of us that disclose our names can be at risk with the comments we make.
ReplyDeleteFirst State Dinner to Exclude Congressional Republicans
ReplyDelete"House Minority Leader John A. Boehner was invited but won't be there; he's on Thanksgiving break and home in Ohio."
and
"Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell received an invitation but decided to skip the dinner."
Why can't Donald read?
Well at least we know Anonymous won't be invited to any state dinners.
ReplyDelete