The latest RW conspiracy theory - Obama's state dinners

[proud2BlibKansan]

I noticed my local wingnutjobs have moved from the birther nonsense (completely discredited by now) to the vacation nonsense (also thoroughly discredited, since Dubya is the presidential vacation king) and now they are up in arms over Obama's state dinners.

A little research uncovers this latest conspiracy theory was started by Darrell Issa.

http://www.newsmax.com/US/Issa-dinners-lavish-celebrities/2012/11/03/id/462652

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/265585-issas-next-target-obamas-expensive-state-dinners


More research uncovered the fact that President Obama is NOT the first president to host elaborate state dinners!

(I know, that's shocking, isn't it?)


President Grant hosted the first state dinner for the King of Hawaii.

It was the first state dinner and it set the precedent for dinners, both simple and elaborate, that followed. While only 36 guests were in attendance, they were well fed, says Barry H. Landau in his book The President's Table. Nearly 30 courses, all French, were served.

JFK hosted a dinner for the president of Pakistan at Mt. Vernon.

First lady Jackie Kennedy entertained with style. Under a 30-by-30-foot tent, blue on top, a lemony-yellow underneath, and decorated by Tiffany, at George Washington's former home, she hosted an elaborate affair honoring General Muhammad Ayub Khan, the president of Pakistan. Guests arrived by boat and were greeted with bourbon mint juleps and frosted orange drinks before sitting down to a multi-course French meal, transported from the White House (as there was no modern kitchen at Mount Vernon), that was served at long banquet tables decorated with grand arrangements of baby's breath and blue delphiniums.

Nixon hosted what was at that time the most expensive state dinner in history for the Apollo 11 astronauts.

Nixon himself saw to the details of the party, held at the Century Plaza Hotel, with gold table linens, a Clair de Lune dessert - ice cream topped with an American flag - and a song written and performed just for the occasion.

Carter was criticized for hosting a state dinner celebrating the signing of the Panama Canal Treaty. (My hunch is that criticism had more to do with the treaty than the dinner.)

President Carter hosted 28 heads of state at the White House, tempting guests with a decadent four-course meal, complete with wine pairings. After dining on Maine lobster en Belle-Vue paired with a chenin blanc, a roast veal saddle with a rosé of cabernet sauvignon blanc, and a chocolate "surprise" with a bubbly blanc de blancs, guests were entertained by famed opera singer Martina Arroyo and a duet by Isaac Stern and André Previn.

Reagan hosted a dinner for Princess Diana where she danced with John Travolta.

While many remember Princess Diana's 1981 wedding as being a lavish, fairy-tale affair, it didn't compare with the star-studded guest list of this state dinner President Reagan and his wife hosted for the newlyweds in 1985. Accompanied by well-known names like Neil Diamond, Clint Eastwood, Tom Selleck, and Mikhail Baryshnikov, Charles and Diana dined on lobster mousse at dinner.

Dubya hosted Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip.

The day began with a 21-gun salute and a parade attended by nearly 7,000, and concluded with a decadent soirée where white-tie dress was required, attended by individuals like Colt's quarterback Peyton Manning, Elisabeth Hasselbeck of The View, then Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson, and violinist Itzhak Perlman. And if that wasn't enough, guests dined on spring pea soup and roast spring lamb, served on gold-rimmed, ivory china set on damask-clothed tables decorated with gilded silver candelabras.

And President and Mrs. Obama hosted the Chinese president. Shockingly, they served apple pie! And not just any old apple pie, but it was A LA MODE!!

Dressed in a flaming red Alexander McQueen dress, first lady Michelle Obama pulled out all the stops for this 2011 Obama State Dinner in honor of Chinese President Hu Jintao. An all-American menu featuring dishes like D'Anjou pear salad with fresh goat cheese, poached Maine lobster, and dry-aged rib-eye with buttermilk-crisped onions was served on gold-rimmed plates. One of the first lady's favorite sweets was served for dessert - pastry chef Bill Yosses' classic, old-fashioned apple pie à la mode.

The criticism from the right is focusing on the expense of these state dinners. But I believe a little more research would uncover the amazing fact that food is more expensive now that it was when any of these other presidents were in office. Just a hunch, though


http://www.justluxe.com/inpictures/gallery.php?cid=1671752

[Nye Bevan]

1. I am 100% certain that President Obama would infinitely prefer to have a burger with his family,

than sit through a stuffy, elaborate state dinner.

[Takket]

2. That is lunacy.........

But what else should we expect from the right? State dinners are a time honored tradition with a necessary function. They are a part of the diplomatic process hat our leaders must participate in with foreign lands. I wouldn't expect a righty to actually understand how things work though.

[Aristus]

22. The righties idea of diplomacy is bombing the hell out of any country

that looks at us the wrong way, or fails to look at us the right way.

State dinners just mean fewer profits for the mass murder industries...

[Enrique]

3. a million dollars for a party

i have no problem with asking them to justify that.

This was in November by the way, has the State Dept. answered?

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Why should they?

This criticism is ridiculous. Did Issa demand an investigation when Dubya hosted the Queen of England? How much did he spend on security for that parade?

[Dirty Socialist]

4. I love it when Obama gets hoity toity

It ruffles the racists' feathers. More arugula?

[Kablooie]

5. Note the dinner Issa is complaining about was for the president of Mexico.

Methinks there could be a whiff of immigrant racism in the air as well.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. I guess I could have looked for pictures of that dinner.

And yes, I do think this borders on racism.

[Angry Dragon]

8. off to Olive Garden from now on

[riderinthestorm]

9. I don't begrudge the Obamas throwing fancy parties but I think its fair to evaluate costs

My "business" parties typically have a purpose that I need to justify to myself and the bottom line. I believe State Department dinners should have some justification, especially for the purported costs of these things. It is pretty high. Why are they being held? What is gained by doing them? Why do some heads of state get a big lavish party (and others do not)?

That said, exposing the costs of each party is asking for diplomatic trouble imho. Even in my own family, my mom and kids are pretty weird about how much is spent on each of them. Its childish but I'd bet big money that different countries and their leaders would feel snubbed if they thought the Obama's were throwing a "bigger party" for someone else than them.

[datasuspect]

10. wait, what happened to "shared sacrifice?"

zoiks!

[11 Bravo]

11. Fuck Issa! Shouldn't he be out stealing cars or something?

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. He belongs in prison.

[Denninmi]

12. Really shallow, I know, to comment only on this, but ...

Mrs. Obama is a stunningly beautiful woman, as was Diana.

Don't tell her husband I said that, though, the dude is tough.

[malaise]

14. Nice post

Now who looked more frumpy - the queen or Laura Bush?

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Laura Bush who used the drapes in the WH to make her dresses?

THAT Laura Bush? The one who used Carol Burnett to advise her on wardrobe?

[malaise]

21. LOL

[politicaljunkie41910]

19. With all those ladies-in-waiting the Queen employs, she doesn't turn loose her purse?

It's like she's carrying the nuclear codes or something.

[mokawanis]

15. The right will grab at anything and start shrieking about it

Obama hosts state dinners, and takes vacations, and plays golf! Why isn't he doing his job? He hates America!

[Whisp]

17. thanks for putting this together - excellent job!

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. You are most welcome.

[JHB]

20. They do pick the darnedest times to completely forget about Ron & Nancy...

...don't they?