Posted on 11/23/2009 5:05:28 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Barack Obama to host first state dinner in huge tent A huge tent has been pitched on the White House lawn to accommodate 400 guests at Barack Obama's first state dinner.
By Toby Harnden in Washington Published: 10:43PM GMT 23 Nov 2009
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
how.....sophisticated....another black-eye on the prestige of the presidency.
Heres hoping for lightning and high winds.
I love how they worded the title. Sounds like a circus. Literally. A trashy circus.
It’s almost insulting to an Indian Prime Minister if you ask me. I’d be insulted anyway.
The heaters are going to make a pretty big carbon footprint. Urkle....
I cannot understand why Hollywood “elite” would be invited to a state dinner. They are neither statesmen nor geniuses.
It’s good to be the king...
But it sucks to be picking up the tab.
Mr. niteowl77
How nice. Just like the F*ing Bedouins out in the Saudi desert. No doubt he'll have lots of rugs covering the ground.
I MOchelle’s designer, ‘Obama the Tent Maker’, invited?
There was a post on DU about this, and most were upset over it. LOL
I was in DC for the first time since the 1970's this October.
Obama had a big a$$ tent up behind the WH then too for dance festival or something.
You couldn't see the back of the White House. I was disappointed.
And Zero will probably present him with a DVD collection of "Bollywood's Biggest Hits"...
must be a “cash bar”!
Traditionally AMERICAN food is served at state dinners. Why would the Prime Minister of India travel half way around the world to eat curry?
Real icing on the cake would be a snow storm.
Barry will make it up with a nice gift... maybe some showtunes on 8 track tapes.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo not to PM Singh!!!!!! PM Singh is one who wanted to be part of a sort of “Countries of Liberty” group... Of COURSE, bHo would want to ruin that, too!!!
It's payback for campaign support and insurance for future funding. Hollywood elites "pay" for this attention.
Ruling Class Whoredom
I got an invite but had to turn it down, had a
Palin book signing to go to.
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