Posted on 06/15/2015 12:47:27 PM PDT by ghost of stonewall jackson
In subsequent questioning, Earnest said that "the president and first lady paid for the event," although he did not detail the exact cost.
The concert audience included prominent business leaders, celebrities, senior administration officials and fashion heavyweights close to the Obamas, according to The New York Post's Page Six. Among them were American Express chairman Ken Chenault, D.C. philanthropist David Rubenstein, fashion designer Naeem Khan and ABC stars Connie Britton and Tracee Ellis Ross.
The Wall Street Journal's Carol Lee, who will assume the presidency of the White House Correspondents Association next month, questioned why the administration decided to treat the concert differently from other private social events, such as movie viewings, and not post it on the president's schedule.
"So how do you justify that, and how is that in line with the president's commitment to transparency?" Lee asked.
"Carol, I think the fact that we're talking about a private event and the fact that details of this are known is an indication that the president is committed to being transparent," the press secretary responded. "At the same time, the president and first lady are going to reserve the right to host private parties at the White House, and they did it on their own dime. I think that's consistent with the kinds of values that they have talked about."
While Earnest joked at one point that reporters were clearly upset they weren't invited -- "There appears to be some angst about that," he said -- he emphasized that the event amounted to the Obamas “opening up their home to guests.”
"They're not close friends with 500 people, are they?" inquired Bloomberg's Margaret Talev.
Earnest clarified that the hundreds of concert attendees were "friends," not "close friends," of the president and first lady.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Sounds like a frat party for aging Blacks. Ernst assured everyone that the Obamas paid for everything. Sure.
The obamas paid for the event themselves. Well bless their hearts. Including security?
And the electricity, too, of course.
So much for the open transparency of the white house visitor logs.
Have the OTHER Bill Ayers and OTHER Jeremiah WRIGHT visited again? We were told that those names weren’t the controversial people that Barack knew and was mentored by. So since these people are pure as driven snow, did they ever return to the White House? Who were they after all?
ahhh....so the rumors that Prince had converted to Islam are apparently true...
“They’re not close friends with 500 people, are they?” inquired Bloomberg’s Margaret Talev”
No way they have 500 friends, and the reason for the secrecy is that in order to fill out the crowd they had to bring in a lot of folks from Cuba, Venezuela and the Middle East.
Sorry to hear that Connie Britton felt the need to show up. Loved her in Friday Night Lights, not so much Nashville.
The Entertainer formerly known as The Entertainer formerly known as Prince....
Great. Just great.
The world needs more comedy material from D.C.
Oh, “The 0bamas” hosted a concert? I’d say the US taxpayer hosted the event, certainly financed it, but that would just be skeptical me talking.
Nigerian or Kenyan prince?
“The obamas paid for the event themselves. Well bless their hearts. Including security?”
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They rented the nicest “hall” in the D.C. for the evening or was the entire party in their private quarters?
.
.
in 1993 he change his name to O(+>
Seriously.
Prince? You mean “The Artist formerly known as The Artist formerly known as Prince.”
There doesn't seem to be much evidence that Obama has interest in traditional US culture.
Wonder if White House security checks for drugs at these events?
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