Posted on 05/19/2010 3:23:14 PM PDT by mdittmar
President Barack Obama's state dinner Wednesday evening for Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife, Margarita Zavala, will be attended by a who's who of powerful and politically connected Hispanic-Americans.
Topping the list are Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Democratic Reps. Xavier Becerra (Calif.), Silvestre Reyes (Texas), and Nydia Velázquez (N.Y.), and Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Actors Eva Longoria-Parker and George Lopez will attend, as will New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez. Goya Foods president Robert Unanue will also attend, according to the White House.
Other notable guests will include Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, actress Whoopi Goldberg, Newark Mayor Cory Booker and American Express CEO Ken Chenault. They'll be joined by an A-list Washington roster typical of a state dinner: Vice President Joe Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
In an unexpected turn of events, the White House announced Wednesday that the evening will be split into two sections, with two separate guest lists for each one. Following dinner in the East Room, approximately 100 more guests will join the 200 dinner attendees for a performance by Grammy Award-winning pop star Beyonce.
Billed as a "reception following dinner," this portion of the evening will be attended by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), and Democratic Reps. Linda Sanchez (Calif.), Loretta Sanchez (Calif.), Grace Napolitano (Calif.), Ben Lujan (N.M.), Ruben Hinojosa (Texas), Raul Grijalva (Ariz.), Nita Lowey (N.Y.) and Eliot Engel (N.Y.), none of whom will be attending the dinner.
Beyonce will perform in a tent on the South Lawn of the White House. The Latin group Rodrigo y Gabriela will also perform, as will the United States Marine Band.
This won't be Beyonce's first performance for Obama and first lady Michelle: The couple famously slow-danced to her rendition of the soul classic "At Last" during one of the many inaugural balls held in January of 2009.
In addition to the entertainment, the White House on Wednesday released the menu for the dinner, which was designed by visiting chef Rick Bayless, in consultation with the first lady. Bayless traveled from Chicago to Washington Monday to begin preparing the meal.
Dinner guests will dine in the East Room of the White House, and begin with a salad of jicama, oranges, grapefruit and pineapple, topped with a citrus vinaigrette. Next up is an herb ceviche made with opah, a fish native to Obama's home state of Hawaii.
The main course will consist of Oregon Wagyu beef and mole, a traditional Mexican stew flavored with cacao. Alongside the beef will be green beans and a Mexican black bean tamalon.
The dessert is an ultra-gourmet take on the American classic S'mores, pairing a chocolate tart with toasted marshmallows, graham cracker crumble, and in a surprise twist, goat cheese ice cream.
The three wines to be served will include two American and one Mexican: a Ulises Valdez Chardonnay 2007 Russian River, Herrera Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 Selección Rebecca, and with dessert, a Mumm Napa Carlos Santana Brut N/V.
The tables will offer a creative departure from the traditional rounds: rectangular 10-seater tables will be interspersed with rounds, also for ten. The two heads of state and their spouses will sit at a head table set for twenty.
According to the White House, the decor will honor Calderon's birthplace of Michoacán, Mexico. Mayan blue striped tablecloths will be complemented by gilded baskets of fuschia, roses, orchids and prickly pear cactus.
The White House also said that guests, upon entering the dining room, would experience the feel of "Monarch butterflies in flight," although they declined to explain how.
The Hyphen, Webster's Dictionary defines,
Is a symbol used to divide a compound word or a single word.
So it seems to me that when a man calls himself
An "Afro-American," a "Mexican-American," "Italian-American,"
An "Irish-American," "Jewish-American,"
What he's sayin' is, "I'm a divided American."
Well, we all came from other places,
Different creeds and different races,
To form a nation...to become as one.
Yet look at the harm a line has done--
A simple little line, and yet
As divisive as a line can get.
A crooked cross the Nazis flew,
And the Russian hammer and sickle too--
Time bombs in the lives of Man;
But none of these could ever fan
The flames of hatred faster than
The Hyphen.
The Russian hammer built a wall
That locks men's hearts from freedom's call.
A crooked cross flew overhead
Above twenty million tragic dead--
Among them men from this great nation,
Who died for freedom's preservation.
A hyphen is a line that's small;
It can be a bridge or be a wall.
A bridge can save you lots of time;
A wall you always have to climb.
The road to liberty lies true.
The Hyphen's use is up to you.
Used as a bridge, it can span
All the differences of Man.
Being free in mind and soul
Should be our most important goal.
If you use The Hyphen as a wall,
You'll make your life mean...and small.
An American is a special breed,
Whose people came to her in need.
They came to her that they might find
A world where they'd have peace of mind,
Where men are equal...and something more--
Stand taller than they stood before.
So you be wise in your decision,
And that little line won't cause division.
Let's join hands with one another...
For in this land, each man's your brother.
United we stand...divided we fall.
We're Americans...and that says it all.
Don’t seem prominent to me. Maybe they are prominent among their liberal friends.
pitting americans against each other for politics and money...
It’s good to be king.
Profiling? /sarc
Profiling? /sarc
They’ll just call it the Traitor’s Ball.
Any R’s ???? Is it just nice to invite other side?
“Other notable guests will include Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy”
Looks like zero will try to lean on Kennedy to get his vote supporting the 0bamacare mandates. If that doesn’t work, zero could slip the old guy something that sends him to the hospital.
I’m hoping that there will be a lot fewer congressmen with D behind their names after November.
Does anyone see any Americans on the list?
This is disgusting on so many levels.
First, the additional 100 people NOT invited to dinner, are they not “good enough”...Babs Boxer among the others isn’t good enough to have dinner, but gets invited to the reception ONLY? I’d shove THAT invite right up their corn hole.
Next, why are we doing OUR renditions of Mexican food? Doesn’t he get enough in Mexico?
Then, WTHeck is this MexiPrez doing here anyway? He insults the USA because “HIS PEEPS” are here illegally?? His Country totally stinks economically and then berates the USA for trying to control HIS PEEPS?
Then Obozo de Klown bends over and takes it all...filthy stinkin’....
I vomit on them all...disgusting pigs.
You can thank the commie front org, MALDEF, for the hyphens. Their primary goal has been to balkanize the US.
Off to get some Wagyu Beef for the barbecue;)Sale Price: $69.99. 1 (8 oz.) Filet Mignon Steak. I deserve it.
will Nacho Libre be there?
Did they invite these guys?
I believe those dudes are working with the catering service....
George Lopez: culo de caballo
Imagine the scene: A lot of borracho “We shall overcome, I’m on your side 100% el presidente! Salud! etc. and so on.”
The putative president of the United States aiding and abetting criminal lawbreakers and their enablers in the nation’s house and all on our dime.
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