Uninvited

Samantha Appleton/The White House - In a photo released by the White House, President Obama greeted Michaele and Tareq Salahi, right, at his first state dinner on Tuesday.


O, boy, does the media love this story!

President Obama and his wife, Michelle, had a face-to-face encounter with the couple who sneaked into a state dinner at the White House this week, White House officials acknowledged on Friday. The revelation underscored the seriousness of the security breach and prompted an abject apology from the Secret Service.

A White House spokesman said that the couple, Michaele and Tareq Salahi of Virginia, met and shook hands with the president and the first lady in the receiving line in the Blue Room, as the Obamas greeted each of their 400 invited guests Tuesday night before moving to a tent on the South Lawn for dinner.

Of course, this is serious: uninvited guests got into a White House fête with, perhaps, a combination of guile and charm on their part (aspiring reality teevee people that they are, all the better for them), and security breakdown on the Secret Service's part (disastrous public relations, and serious implications for the security of the President and the WHite House: if the WH itself can be penetrated, what is safe?).

That disclosure coincided with a statement from the director of the Secret Service, Mark Sullivan, saying that his agency was “deeply concerned and embarrassed” by the events. Secret Service officials said the agency wanted to interview everyone connected with the episode, including the Salahis, and had not ruled out criminal charges.

Filing criminal charges seems a way to get even, but would amount to more free publicity for the couple, and could well backfire in the face of the Secret Service.

Related
The TV Watch: For Some, a Search for Celebrity Is Worth Any Risk (November 28, 2009)
Obamas’ Uninvited Guests Prompt an Inquiry (November 27, 2009)

For their part, White House officials took pains to publicly refrain from criticizing the Secret Service. “The men and women of the Secret Service put their lives on the line every day to protect us; they are heroes, and they have the full confidence of the president of United States,” said Nick Shapiro, a White House spokesman.

Heroes? They do perform hazardous duty, but heroes? Heroes are those who perform extraordinarily, and are "distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength." These days the word hero is bandied about too often and dropped far too easily.

Michelle's got skills

The New York Daily News has a pictorial essay about First Lady Michelle Obama in its website today (the captions when the files are saved is, gee whiz really, gal_obama_service_6 -- say what? gal?)

Anyway, is Barack simply unable to take off his suit pants? Or is image0managing a never-ending effort?

Testing: 1, 2, 3

President Obama during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House


Fergie, Yoga and Green Eggs: The White House Easter Egg Roll



The Obamas worked to make this year more accessible to the public by distributing tickets online and carrying live video on the White House Web site. Some complained, however, that the online ticket distribution system was plagued with technical difficulties. (Additional technical difficulties emerged on Monday when the White House microphone system lost power just as Mr. Obama was about to speak. He pretended to use the man-sized bunny’s ear as a microphone until technicians got everything working again.)

White House Vegetable Garden

From left, Cristeta Comerford, Sam Kass and Bill Yosses in the White House kitchen.
Sam Kass, an assistant White House chef, left, and Dale Haney, the White House gardener, at the site of the new vegetable garden on the South Lawn.

Healthful Eating

A VEGGIE IN EVERY POT Michelle Obama serving at Miriam’s Kitchen in Washington








The television cameras were rolling, the journalists were scribbling and the first lady, Michelle Obama, was standing in a soup kitchen rhapsodizing about steamed broccoli. And homemade mushroom risotto. And freshly baked apple-carrot muffins.

Bush 41 didn't like broccoli.

Mrs. Obama was praising the menu last week at Miriam’s Kitchen, a nonprofit drop-in center serving this city’s homeless. And she seized the moment to urge Americans to provide fresh, unprocessed and locally grown foods to their families and to the neediest in their communities.

CARROTS, TOO Michelle Obama and the White House chef, Cristeta Comerford.








The secret to that creamless creamed spinach? Sautéed spinach, olive oil and shallots are whipped into a purée that is light and delicious, according to Cristeta Comerford, the White House executive chef.

In addition to speeches, Mrs. Obama is also spreading the word through interviews with celebrity and parents’ magazines.

In the March 9 issue of People magazine, for instance, the first lady described her early morning workouts with the president and bared her famously toned arms on the cover. And in the November issue of Parents magazine, she and her husband described their decision to ditch juice boxes and processed foods.

Advocates for healthy food and living want the Obamas to do even more. Ms. Reichl would like the White House kitchen to issue regular news releases that describe what the first couple and their daughters are eating. (Then parents across the country could tell their children, “You know, Malia and Sasha were eating salad yesterday. ...”)

The fresh food lobby at work.

Stevie Wonder in Performance at the White House

A fun program to watch. Stevie Wonder in Performance at the White House: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are on hand for a celebration of Stevie Wonder's life and music, featuring Wonder, India.Arie, Tony Bennett, Wayne Brady, Anita Johnson, Diana Krall, Mary Mary, Martina McBride, Rickey Minor, Paul Simon, Esperanza Spalding, will.i.am and Mary Mary. Also: Obama bestows Wonder with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. From the White House.

Anita Johnson is a coloratura soprano; she sang one of Wonder's songs, just managing to make her voice behave.




Martina McBride is a country singer; she did a nice job with one of Wonder's songs, "You and I".

Esperanza Spalding, though, was the surprise of the evening. SHe has a huge 'fro, plays the bass, and has a magnificent voice.