Laura Bush Unveils White House Christmas Decor

[Cocoa]

Laura Bush Unveils White House Christmas Decor

http://people.aol.com/people/article/0,26334,1564661,00.html

What does it take to turn the White House into a winter wonderland? Try 4,638 red ornament balls, 17 Christmas trees, 269 wreaths and 1,089 feet of garland.

"This is a beautiful old house to decorate for Christmas," First Lady Laura Bush told the press corps on Thursday as she unveiled this year's "Deck the Halls and Welcome All"-themed dressing up of the executive mansion.

With pastry chef Roland Mesnier "back by popular" demand and responsible for an elaborate gingerbread White House, Mrs. Bush pointed out the finer points of his high-caloric creation – complete with miniature recreations of family pets Barney and Miss Beazley and 800 hand-piped icing snowflakes.

<snip>

Describing this year's buffet spreads, Mrs. Bush said they included a few less traditional items, such as Bush family favorites chicken fried steak and tamales. Other items on the menu include ham, lollipop lamb chops, stuffed turkey breast, sweet potato soufflé and asparagus.

In all, the President and Mrs. Bush will be greeting 10,000 guests during 24 parties spread over 20 days as they wrap up their sixth Christmas in the White House.

<snip>

Mrs. Bush also said that she wanted to send all the troops and their families "our love and our respect," and she praised the many community efforts to show support for those serving in the war.

[marmar]

Hillary tackled health care....Laura makes sure the Christmas lights work.

:think:

[noonwitch]

2. Laura is not Hillary

Laura is more the typical first lady than Hillary ever could be-this is not a bad thing on either woman's part, it's just who each of them are.

Most first ladies are concerned about decor and whatnot. First ladies like Hillary and Eleanor Roosevelt are rare, especially Hillary, who was a successful lawyer in her own right prior to becoming first lady.

[Cleita]

8. Hmmmm. I guess too many think this is a woman's place and

the First Lady should set an example to the country of how dumpy, decorating women should act oblivious to the killing happening abroad at the hands of her husband? Why not just hire Martha Stewart and get it right. Laura has been the worst First Lady of any stripe than I have seen in my lifetime. A gingerbread house cannot change the absolute callousness and unconcern over the victims of Hurricane "Corrina" that she displayed then and that she is displaying now toward the death and destruction on the other side of the world that her husband is responsible for.

[stanwyck]

9. Not sure if the first ladies

were really "concerned about decor and whatnot" but they really haven't had much choice, have they?This is a terrible job. You're criticized for what you wear, your hair, what you say, your children. The scrutiny is horrid.
And on top of that, you're given an endless list of projects most first ladies probably could care less about - but they have to smile and show up just the same.
I'm sure there have been plenty of first ladies who diligently took on decor for the holidays, while despising the job. Some probably wished they could be on a golf course somewhere. Or back in the private sector quietly raising their family, working outside the home, or doing volunteer work.
Maybe it's time we got rid of our outdated notions of the responsibilities of the First Lady. So these women could concentrate on what they really want to do and we could stop this charade of Nancy Reagan and her "foster grandparents' program" (remember that? No. Nobody does.) or her forced "just say no". I bet she wishes she could have.

[acmavm]

13. I don't know, Jackie Kennedy pulled it off nicely. Off course,

Laura bush** is no Jackie Kennedy.

[SoCalDem]

18. Amen.. I would love it if JUST ONCE, a new first lady would hold a press conference & just say

"Look, I just married the guy.. I'm not his employee, and I never went to work with him before he was president, and I don;t plan to start now..

.. So I plan on just hanging out with my friends, shopping online, watching some TV, and traveling...So leave me the hell alone".

[stanwyck]

19. I think you've probably described

Howard Dean's wife. I think she would have said, uh, no thanks, I have a job already. Feel free to hire Condi for the First Lady gig.

[knitter4democracy]

24. Sorry--wrong spot.

I agree on Dr. Dean, though. She'd be cool.

[knitter4democracy]

23. Hillary decorated the White House, too.

I'm just sayin' . . .

I should know, I had an ornament on the White House tree in '98 during the whole impeachment thing.

[Ravy]

1. All of the balls in the WH are "ornamental" nt.

[dweller]

6. i suppose they are blood red also

"4,638 red ornament balls"

/2 = 2319.


i'll stop there.
dp

[Anthony Soprano]

3. Link to Salon's listing of the full "Holiday Reception Menu"...

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2006/11/30/menu/index.html



Mrs. Laura Bush and White House Chef Cris Comerford, center, explain the holiday reception menu to the press in the State Dining Room Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006. White House photo by Shealah Craighead

...and here's Salon scribe Tim Grieve's comment, which appears at the end of the menu:

Would it be wrong to mention just now that 52 bodies -- apparent victims of death squad violence -- were found in and around Baghdad Wednesday? That security forces have discovered 28 bodies in what appears to be a mass grave near Baquba? That a roadside bomb has killed three more Iraqi police officers near Jurf al-Sakhar? That at least one Shiite warlord enjoys running electric drills through the heads of the people he's torturing?

OK, we'll admit that we're being unfair here. The pumpkin trifle may actually be the same thing as the spiced pumpkin mousse with whipped cream and shaved dark chocolate, meaning that White House holiday guests may have only 22 -- not 23 -- desserts from which to choose this year. It's like the president says: "The time of war is a time of sacrifice."

[NOLADEM]

4. Wow, it's hideous....TRULY fucking hideous

I guess being a pill head affects your sense of style.

It looks like 1950 and 1970 shit on each other.

[July]

5. Okay, I'm going to steal that line.

Unless you tell me I can't. "It looks like 1950 and 1970 shit on each other." That is hilarious, original, and apt! Love it!

[NOLADEM]

21. Oh yeah, knock yourself out

[Bluebear]

7. OMG!!! I LOVE THAT LINE! nt

[TahitiNut]

11. Where's the shag carpeting?

I wonder if she covers the sofa in plastic.

[Crankie Avalon]

10. What's going to happen when we have a woman president and a "first gentleman"?

Will the presidential spouse still be leading parades of frivolousness like this?

Bill Clinton discoursing on Christmas lights and gingerbread doggies? I don't think so.

[TahitiNut]

12. I'd love to be the "first gentleman" in charge of White House decor.

The East Wing would be done in soft leather upholstery and a "Tool Time" motif. No drapes - all miniblinds. All toilet seats would be spring-loaded to rise to a vertical position when not being sat upon. :evilgrin:

[undeterred]

14. He would be an absolute blast as first gentleman

The thought almost makes me want Hillary to run, but then I come to my senses.

[johnnie]

15. Complete with george dressed up as Santa

[DaveJ]

16. Gotta mention the troops

Mrs. Bush also said that she wanted to send all the troops and their families "our love and our respect," and she praised the many community efforts to show support for those serving in the war. (so she doesn't have to)

[AspenRose]

17. "Deck the Halls and Welcome All*"

*Except black people, brown people, foreign speaking people, gays and lesbians, feminists, liberals, war protesters, peace advocates, Northeasterners, poor people and folks who aren't fundies.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL! :sarcasm:

[partylessinOhio]

20. These WH decorations and Pickles all look depressed.

[Missy M]

27. The suit Laura is wearing in the photo reminds me of a....

maternity outfit. The tree would be nice minus the fake snow.

[Arugula Latte]

29. Yep, that snow is as phony as the Bush "ranch" backdrop. n/t

[eppur_se_muova]

22. Happy Stepford Baby Jesus's Birthday! nt

[knitter4democracy]

25. Dagnabit!!!

She didn't use any of the crafting guilds again!!! That's an old tradition, using one or more of the guilds, like the Handweavers Guild or the decorative arts guild or the knitting guild, and she is just totally ignoring it. She did all flowers last year, and this year is all decorative glass (not by American artists, I see). Wtf?

[Avalux]

26. 24 Parties when we're at war? They should be ashamed.

x(

[onethatcares]

30. but it's 24 parties in 20 days,

that's hard werk I tell ya, hard werk. Or look at it this way, * and pickles will be soused for an entire month.

[Solly Mack]

28. "our love and respect" Is that right?

I'm sending them mine as well...FUCK YOU BOTH!