President Obama set to host second state dinner on May 19, honoring President Calderon of Mexico
Do-over! The Obamas are taking another shot at formal entertaining with a state dinner for Mexican President Felipe Calderón, the White House announced Thursday.
The May 19 black-tie party will be the first for new social secretary Julianna Smoot, who’s taking over for Desirée Rogers next week. The first lady’s office declined to release the size of the guest list or any other details of the event — although the White House announced changes in security procedures months ago to prevent any repeat of the party crashers who marred November’s dinner for India’s prime minister. (If you get an actual invitation to the actual state dinner, expect really long lines.)
There’s a lot riding on this one going off without a hitch: Michelle Obama met with Mexican first lady Margarita Zavala de Calderón at the White House last month, and is making her first official solo trip to Mexico City April 13-15.
The last state dinner for Mexico was held for President Vicente Fox and his new bride, Marta, on Sept. 5, 2001. It was the first for George W. Bush, who served up gourmet Tex-Mex for his neighbor and freaked out D.C. residents with an unannounced, late-night fireworks display on the Ellipse. Sounds of the 769 shells caused a panic from people who thought the fireworks were gunfire or some kind of an assault on the nation’s capital — and this was a week before the 9/11 attacks.
The Obamas are hosting another world leader later this month with a very exclusive guest list: French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. Sarkozy already got a full state dinner in 2007 (most foreign leaders only get one party), so the two couples will dine in the Obama’s private quarters on March 30.
(The Reliable Source, Washington Post)
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