White House Hosts its First State Dinner
[Guest post by DRJ]
Tonight President and Mrs. Obama are hosting the Prime Minister of India and his wife at their first White House state dinner. Reports say 338 celebrities and leaders from India and the United States will dine and be entertained in a lavish pavilion tent with gold-accented green and purple decorations, a vegetarian-based menu (the Prime Minister is described as a strict vegetarian), stunning outfits, and a mix of Indian, American, and well-known Chicago entertainers.
While some are dreaming of a new Camelot, this article in last Sunday’s UK Times suggests either the Times is making things up or the White House has changed its talking points in recent days:
“Conscious of the economic crisis, the Obamas are sticking to the White House. Their dinner will be for 130 in the state dining room, followed by dancing in a marquee on the lawn to which a further 200 guests are invited.”
If the Obama Administration lectures Americans about deficit reduction, cost-cutting, and the need to live within our means in the coming months, I’ll remember tonight.
— DRJ
Apparently the dinner was held in the tent outside so all 320 guests could dine together. Either we’re not as economically challenged as we’ve been led to believe or perhaps the UK Times was giving the administration a subtle suggestive hint, which was ignored…
Dana (e9ba20) — 11/24/2009 @ 8:24 pmSomeone needs to tell them that prawns are not exactly vegetarian.
Gina (e5d2d5) — 11/24/2009 @ 8:38 pmHas anyone thought about what new idiocy the Creep-in-Charge will cook up when it’s time to light the WH Xmas tree?
Icy Texan (0ec2fc) — 11/24/2009 @ 8:45 pmRegarding your comments about the Administration asking other people to cut back on things…
Why, this is entirely different!
Eric Blair (bc43a4) — 11/24/2009 @ 9:00 pmI wonder just how much was spent to HEAT that tent?
AD - RtR/OS! (57ed86) — 11/24/2009 @ 9:19 pmMy PC says it’s 51 in DC with a 6mph breeze from the NE.
I don’t know, it does sound lavish, but it IS India we’re talking about here. Since the beginning of Bush’s administration we have been trying to strengthen our ties with India due to our many mutual interests. Honestly, I’d be more outraged if he just bought the PM a Region 1 DVD of A Passage to India or otherwise gave him the brush off.
Sean P (4fde41) — 11/24/2009 @ 9:27 pmThe next question is, what will the Paks demand in return for this obsequious display of favoritism towards India?
AD - RtR/OS! (57ed86) — 11/24/2009 @ 9:37 pmSean, I have to assume there are much better ways to strengthen our ties with India (which I admit are important) than this 8th century bull.
Bush did not completely screw over our allies like Obama has to Honduras and Poland. That probably didn’t hurt! India is obviously very concerned about Pakistan, Iran, and China. Is Obama’s actions relating to those countries really going to be trumped or even slightly affected by a royal court with jesters and knights and a feast?
Dustin (cf255c) — 11/24/2009 @ 9:38 pmDustin: In answer to your question, I honestly don’t know. I think this could definately flatter the PM, and it sends a signal to China and Pakistan where our priorities are (though I conceed Obama and his team may be so dense they don’t realize how this looks in China or Pakistan and wouldn’t have done it if they did).
Look, I’d say of all Obama’s foreign and policy ventures, about 60% easily fall into the forehead slapping “what the hell is he thinking!” category. Maybe I’m just getting numb from all the stupid but I’m not inclined to add this to the pile just yet. Maybe I will later when I see if Obama is successful in strenghening our ties with India (or at least succeeds in not screwing them up like he has with Hondoras and most of Eastern Europe).
Sean P (4fde41) — 11/24/2009 @ 10:51 pmFor all their talk of Republican elitism, right-wing indifference to the working class, and a crush-the-little-guy-in-pursuit-of-wealth which seems, apparently, to be solely the purview of conservatives….
…I find it interesting in a time of double-digit unemployment that the Prez. figures such a ostentatious disply of ruling-class wealth is appropriate.
City on a hill, and all that, I guess. Proletariat be damned, eh?
Steve B (5eacf6) — 11/24/2009 @ 10:54 pmSean, I hope this helped. After all, we paid a lot for it.
but in context, Obama just bowed and humilated himself for Japan. He let China put him in one of those ‘questioned forbidden’ speeches with the Chinese leader. Relative to that, Obama had a red carpet event for a bunch of democrats that just happened to have the Indian come over. It was pure DC high society instead of a serious discussion of how India will handle the industrialization, energy needs, and need to not be nuked by Taliban-friendlies taking over Pakistan after Obama takes the exit ramp.
I probably should have your open mind. This just reminds me of Michael Scott giving huge gift baskets to law firms to sell them paper, when all they wanted was cheap prices. India is in the middle of our war on terror. It is really screwing with them that we are treating Afghanistan like it’s an academic debate.
Dustin (cf255c) — 11/24/2009 @ 11:11 pmHe’s our head of state. At a dinner like this, however egotistical the man is, this is the United States of America hosting a dinner for the nation of India. Are we to serve on paper plates? Are you suggesting that America should not host any state dinners until the recession is over?
Or are you merely trying to goad the President into acting even MORE like President Carter, who was happy to load up on cheap symbolism rather than actually address the real problems.
PatHMV (a00c3c) — 11/25/2009 @ 12:11 amI think he could have held this dinner in the White House, and kept the attendance level below 180.
I also think Obama has lectured us, so we can lecture him. I don’t think this was necessary at all.
It’s just ridiculous to say that we either had to have this freaking ridiculous and horribly expensive, and unprecedentedly expensive, and predictably partisan affair, or Obama is a victim and forced to serve on paper plates. Sorry, I don’t feel sorry for this guy. He’s spent more time golfing than any other president in history. ALREADY. He’s had many, many excesses of decorum. it’s a legit pattern.
This had absolutely nothing to do with India. That was a pretense to reward democrats at the public trough again. Everything is a fashion show. We’ve shown the proper respect for India and other nations before, without resorting to this degree of affair, and in today’s economy, yes, the president should restrain his spending. Cheap symbolism? I’m not talking cheap.
Dustin (cf255c) — 11/25/2009 @ 12:38 amPatHMV,
I’m not sure if your comment is directed at me but I think it is, so I’ll respond. I’m suggesting it’s more appropriate for a war-time President leading a nation in a recession and with record deficits to exercise moderation in his public entertaining — just as the UK Times’ article reported the Administration planned. An official dinner that honors our democratic ally, India, is certainly commendable but why not have a reception for 400 and a dinner for 150? I think the reason is obvious. Many of these guests are Democratic supporters of Obama and a reception just isn’t good enough for them.
DRJ (dee47d) — 11/25/2009 @ 12:45 amTryng pretty hard to get India to join the AGW fraud, are we?
bill-tb (365bd9) — 11/25/2009 @ 3:59 amOn the golf thing, I’ve said it before. He knows he’s just a figurehead and that Emanuel and Axelrod are really making the decisions, so there’s nothing else for him to do besides read what they write for him off a teleprompter.
And I wonder whether he’ll complain about the price of arugula again. đ
nk (df76d4) — 11/25/2009 @ 4:02 amnk, you’re undoubtedly right. I have no problem with golf, but that much golf is just plain boring. He’s golfing ridiculously often. It’s really no exaggeration… he’s exponentially beyond Bush, who famously golfed a lot himself.
He should be pretty damn busy, if he’s president. He just isn’t, though. He’s like the queen of england. Bow here, read this teleprompter, eat this fancy meal in our golden tent, and here’s your new golf clubs, sir.
Dustin (cf255c) — 11/25/2009 @ 4:10 amNo Chicken Tandoori or Lamb Kebabs?
HeavenSent (01a566) — 11/25/2009 @ 5:30 amYou guys dogging the president for golfing obviously forgot that good ole George W. Bush took more vacation time than ANY OTHER PRESIDENT…. EVER! That is a fact not an oblivious bantering. Many of you should examine your partisan statements. I am liberal in my views and still see that our current president was left with many insurmountable issues that the previous administration either caused or did nothing about. At least this president is attempting to do something about it. I may not always agree with the direction of his efforts, but they are efforts. Leaders cannot accomplish anything by sitting on the sidelines. I do agree with the statement that WE SHOULD
BK (b05813) — 11/25/2009 @ 5:48 amYou guys dogging the president for golfing obviously forgot that good ole George W. Bush took more vacation time than ANY OTHER PRESIDENT…. EVER! That is a fact not an oblivious bantering. Many of you should examine your partisan statements. I am liberal in my views and still see that our current president was left with many insurmountable issues that the previous administration either caused or did nothing about. At least this president is attempting to do something about it. I may not always agree with the direction of his efforts, but they are efforts. Leaders cannot accomplish anything by sitting on the sidelines. I do agree with the statement that WE SHOULD NOT BE HOSTING ANY STATE DINNERS DURING A RECESSION! Especially with 10% or more of our country has no work! If they government really wants to do whats right they would have invited all of the unemployed to eat with them and not the worlds leaders who are among the top 10% income… Even in the smaller countries such as India. Hopefully the recession will be sorted out but until our country puts some restraints on how much money the wall street bankers can siphon from our pockets there is no hope for the poor or middle class! They have set up a system that can openly steal from the public and with minimal regulations can you blame them?
BK (b05813) — 11/25/2009 @ 5:50 amOne of Obama’s major flaws is his failure to lead by example. You want the country to tighten its belts and make sacrifices? Lead by example and start with some of this ostentatious crap. The Obamas act like kids in a candy store–when they move out we’re going to have to check the silverware.
Rochf (ae9c58) — 11/25/2009 @ 6:53 amAh–BK? Bush took more vacation than any President ever? You got stats on that? And anyway, Bush could make a decision in less than 4 months time. Obama has taken more “vacations” from making decisions than one would have thought possible.
And on the grand state dinner–so big they had to put it in a circus tent–well why not? Where else would Nancy Pelosi go to wear her Armani?
Mike Myers (3c9845) — 11/25/2009 @ 7:14 amlet’s face it: ghetto fabulous is ghetto fabulous, no matter where you stage it. Ear Leader & the First Klingon will never have class or taste, and no one should ever expect such from them.
but we can try: will someone *PLEASE* install a 3 sided mirror in Worf’s dressing area, with lighting, so she can see what we do? a couple more years of her going out in public dressed the way she does, and we’ll be a nation of blind people….
redc1c4 (fb8750) — 11/25/2009 @ 7:21 amFrom Ed Morrissey at HotAir…
President Obama welcomed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the White House with words that have inspired snickers in New Delhi:
âYours is the first official state visit of my presidency, its fitting that you and India be so recognised,â 48-year-old Obama told the 77-year-old Indian leader.
It’s a pity to spend so much money on a dinner in order to flatter someone, and then with your first words manage to stick your foot in your mouth and ruin the whole effect. Don’t you figure that beginning the evening by telling the Prime Minister that he is really lucky to be getting such an honor would make every extravagance of the eveninng just another cause for irritation?
What a loser.
Gesundheit (cfa313) — 11/25/2009 @ 7:53 amPresident Obama welcomed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the White House with words that have inspired snickers in New Delhi:
âYours is the first official state visit of my presidency, its fitting that you and India be so recognised,â 48-year-old Obama told the 77-year-old Indian leader.
I wonder if he tried to convince the Premier that India needs to stop buying gold so the dollar isn’t rendered any more worthless than it already is.
Another Chris (2d8013) — 11/25/2009 @ 8:21 amsomebody forgot to spell check the menu….
good thing we have such smart, well educated people in the White House, eh?
redc1c4 (fb8750) — 11/25/2009 @ 8:40 amI was hoping that they had learned something in a year–after all, Michelle did not wear The Belt and actually wore an Indian American designed gown. Good!
Then I read they typos…and the insulting intro. Here’s the rest: “Who in India could have dreamed that one day a black American president would honor you with such a privilege?”
Patricia (b05e7f) — 11/25/2009 @ 9:15 am“If the Obama Administration lectures Americans about deficit reduction, cost-cutting, and the need to live within our means in the coming months, Iâll remember tonight.”
Yes, because no other President has ever held a state dinner in bad ecomoinc times.
JEA (b29a48) — 11/25/2009 @ 10:20 amThe cost of a state dinner is pocket change compared to the bailout that President Obama had voted for.
Michael Ejercito (6a1582) — 11/25/2009 @ 10:38 amTrue, Ejercito.
This dinner also is insignificant in comparison to the actual diplomatic issues surrounding India’s future. They don’t really care much about this dinner, which was repeatedly described as honoring Obama.
Obama’s defenders are saying this dinner was helpful because it is symbolic. And they have a point. Obama smooches up to other leaders with every ounce of eloquence he can muster.
It is just as valid to note that its fiscal irresponsibility is also symbolic. The dinner would have been completely up to the task if held inside the whitehouse, but fewer democrat donors and bigshosts would have been honored. They were the point of the dinner, so we had to have the golden tent. All in all, the perfect symbol for what Obama is.
Dustin (cf255c) — 11/25/2009 @ 11:20 amYours is the first official state visit of my presidency
Jeebus H. on a farking Criss, I’m sick to death of every speech of his begining and ending with an “I, me, myself and I” narcissistic craptacular prose. Good God, man, step away from th mirror once in awhile!
Dmac (a964d5) — 11/25/2009 @ 12:54 pmI posted the following on HuffPo Wednesday and was roundly criticized by Obama can-do-no-wrong kool-aid drinkers as a complainer and a leftie wingnut. Were my comments that off base, or did I just waste my time posting on the wrong website?
John (1b4d60) — 11/26/2009 @ 2:52 am