Posted on 02/10/2009 4:56:20 PM PST by STARWISE
You can stiff the president on a policy issue and defy him on a political one, but who can turn down an invitation to the White House?
Using one of the world’s most famous private residences as bait, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are unleashing a bipartisan charm offensive and exploiting every square inch of their new home to make friends and influence rivals. The social calendar suggests a return to the days of Camelot.
Since moving into their new digs, the first couple has hosted a half-dozen gatherings — from bipartisan cocktail receptions to a public open house to the more intimate Super Bowl party two Sundays ago — ending many of their days past midnight. Most recently, on Wednesday, the Obamas opened the White House doors to House caucus leaders from the moderate Blue Dog Democrats and the Congressional Black Caucus. White House aides say the couple hopes to make the Wednesday cocktail parties a tradition.
Friends say the Obamas are looking to maintain the dizzying social calendar they had in their pre-White House days, while using their knack for socializing to find new friends and win hearts on Capitol Hill and in other Washington power centers.
“They want to replicate the same kind of environment they had in Chicago,” said a longtime friend of the Obamas, adding that White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers is “the perfect person” for the job because she knows the couple’s former life inside out and is “designing the calendar to reflect the kinds of things they like to do.”
“If there was a party or an event [in Chicago], they were there,” the friend said. “They’ve always liked to go to lots of restaurants and be a part of the community. Now they want to be a part of D.C.”
“Barack and Michelle have always been interested in the details of people’s lives,” the confidant said, calling them “people people.” “They know who’s engaged to whom, what people’s spouses do for a living, all about their parents, where they grew up, names of children.”
The president, the friend added, “likes to be in the know.”
Sen. Claire McCaskill, one of the president’s closest friends in the Senate and a guest at a recent White House party, said Obama likes a mixed crowd because he “knows if he’s around people like that, he won’t get everything sugarcoated. He wants to make sure he stays grounded and wants to hear the good, the bad and the ugly.”
Obama hopes to finesse the bad and the ugly by opening doors to Republicans and other ideological adversaries, but some are suspicious of the outreach. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said last week that, when it comes to economic recovery plans, he prefers being included in the decision-making meetings, not just the parties before and after.
But Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said that Obama’s aim “isn’t about one vote,” as some assert. “It’s about building relationships and getting rid of the partisan divide,” she said.
Despite the obvious political dimension, guests say there is little overt arm-twisting at the White House soirees.
At a cocktail reception Wednesday evening, Obama — joined by the first lady and top administration officials such as Valerie Jarrett, Michael Strautmanis and Phil Schiliro — worked the room, talking to members of the Congressional Black Caucus, including Reps. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) and Yvette D. Clarke (D-N.Y.), as they nibbled hors d’oeuvres.
Butterfield said he teased the president about his commute after the party. “It must be mighty nice to get home in two minutes,” Butterfield said.
“Thirty seconds,” the president deadpanned.
At the bipartisan Super Bowl blast, the Obamas kept it casual, serving up hot dogs, pizza, and vanilla and chocolate ice cream, with no mention of politics, guests said. Conversations centered on football, basketball and day-to-day life.
“You would have felt like a fool talking about politics at this party,” said Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), one of the guests. “I was surprised how much of a social event it was and how little of a political occasion it was.”
Obama asked Rep. Charles W. Dent’s daughter about field hockey games, and the Pennsylvania Republican and his wife chatted with the Obamas about their mutual obsession with Friday night at the movies.
“They’re very natural in that kind of social setting,” Dent said. “They’re both gregarious people and very gracious.”
At the start of the affair, the first couple worked their way around the East Wing, where guests initially gathered. Then, just before the start of the game, Obama shouted, “Kickoff!” and pointed revelers toward the White House theater. During the game, guests said he groaned at bad plays and threw his hands up in the air when the Steelers — the team he was rooting for — scored. (Meanwhile, kids who scored an invite with their parents played video games in the East Wing.)
At halftime, the president — who guests said never downed a beer and ate very little — walked around with a plate of oatmeal cookies, schmoozing with Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) and others. When someone asked for directions to the bathroom, the president quipped, “How would I know? I’ve only been here for 10 days.”
Dent said he left the White House with a “good impression” of the new president.
“He seems like a great guy, and my family had a lot of fun,” he said. “I respect what he’s trying to do by having these gatherings and trying to build relationships, even though we disagree on issues.”
The couple’s social calendar is markedly different from that of other recent inhabitants at 1600. The Bushes 43 often were in bed by 9 p.m. and kept a tame social life, gravitating toward old pals from Texas and a tight circle of Washington friends. Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton also kept lighter social schedules.
Dee Dee Myers, former White House press secretary to Clinton, said he and Hillary “were not as social as the Obamas appear to be.”
“We haven’t seen this kind of entertaining in a really long time,” she said.
Myers said the Clintons — who did not have a wide circle of friends in Washington — liked movie screenings and small dinners, but they did not host many bipartisan gatherings.
“I don’t remember it happening while I was there,” she said.
Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, said Obama is “smart to use the off hours to move forward with his ideas and agenda in a town that is so harsh.”
“He wants to convey this idea of someone who is young, alive and active. Young people host parties, they go out to eat, especially when there are young kids around,” Zelizer said. But he cautioned that the gatherings could “detract from the image he is trying to cultivate.”
“At some point, he looks more like ‘them’ than ‘us,’ because many people don’t realize that parties are work in Washington,” he said. “There’s an agenda behind every event.”
Whaaa??? But...but....I thought Big “O” said the party was over? Oh wait...I guess he meant the party was over for us little people....the US taxpayers.
By which they mean - no compromise, do it our way.
Any RINO who buys into this social crap needs to be completely ostracized by the party, and face serious primary competition at their next election, to include pulling out all the stops, bringing in all the heavy hitters for their opponent, massive fundraising, and utter political destruction as a Republican.
Using one of the world's most famous private residences as bait, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are unleashing a bipartisan charm offensive and exploiting every square inch of their new home to make friends and influence rivals."Let them eat cake" ping. Or more apropos, "Let them guzzle Five O'Clock out of a brown bag."
He has all these people around all the time so he won’t have to be alone with Michelle.
Yep...Nero fiddles while.....
“But...but....I thought Big “O” said the party was over? Oh wait...I guess he meant the party was over for us little people....the US taxpayers.”
LOL..great comment!
We get to pay for it all too.
They are allowed to break the rules while pretending to not be muzzl'ems. This is to take in the infidels until it is time to spring the trap when they have achieved sufficient numbers and strength.
Ford? Not sure I understand the reference.
I don’t think Obama has anything ‘down’...lol. He is less than a month in and already he is failing miserably.
Will movie makers be so quick to portray Mr. Obama as a drunkard (sneaking smokes) as they do portray Nixon and Bush?
You might want to rethink the wording on that posting, 'cause if you show up in a limo with some blow, he might accept!
Party!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_A5RuysLLA&feature=PlayList&p=395FA94B858DCBFB&playnext=1&index=8
"Who put out their 'coals' on my floor!!"
We need a running tally of the Republican fools that fall for this garbage.
Graham, for once, seems to have his head screwed on right.
Unlike Specter, Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Charles W. Dent ( R- PA).
They’re obviously cheap dates.
If George Bush was entertaining every night of the week , during Catastrophe and Armageddon-
the left and the media would be howling.
People are out of work and struggling- while Nero the Zero frolics and sticks the taxpayer for his top shelf liquor and Wagyu beef.
And probably lobster , caviar and champagne.
I never can quite get used to the double standard, even though I know it’s coming. Here is a guy who is telling everyone how horrible it’s going to get, etc. etc. and he plans on partying it up till midnight every night! According to the press, Republicans like GW Bush are”boring” because they don’t do the party scene but at the same time, they are uncaring about the plight of normal people. Bush was”out of touch”....yet Obama lives like a king, but that’s okay.
geeze
Obama’s going to need some big beer goggles WTSHTF.
Even their propoganda is pitched on the third grade level.
Happy Hour=Sad years
LOL
I’m all for happy hours. I think we have to few of our fellow citizens having a good belt now and again. The world was a much better place when the happy hour was the norm..
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.