Obama 'Christmas' Party Season: 28 Events, 50,000 Guests

Politics Daily:

The Obama White House kicks off a giant holiday social season this week, I've learned: 28 parties and open houses planned for December, with more than 50,000 people expected.

The mega-entertaining sprint, overseen by First Lady Michelle Obama's East Wing Social Office, comes in the wake of a security breach at the Obamas' Nov. 24 State Dinner where Tareq and Michaele Salahi, TV reality-show aspirants, whizzed through security checkpoints even though they were not on the 320-person guest list. The Salahis told NBC Tuesday they were not party crashers, but they did not explain why they had the impression they were welcome at the dinner.

I asked Camille Y. Johnston, communications chief for Michelle Obama, for details about the upcoming party season. "This holiday season, more than 50,000 people will visit the White House's 17 holiday parties and 11 open houses," she said.

Read the whole story: Politics Daily

Comments

[TabysGrandma]

09:20 PM on 12/03/2009

Some of you people have nothing better to do but complain. If President Obama would not be upholding the Christmas traditions of the White House you would be complaining that he hates Christmas. Maybe you people would do a little research on Christmas at the White House. You people just need to get over yourselves.

Also all these Open Houses for the Holidays are part of the annual budget for the White House. These traditions have been in place for a long time including in the time of war.

Also President Obama campaigned on sending more troops to Afghanistan so he is keeping his promise on that one.

[jessicajuliette]

06:43 PM on 12/03/2009

The Salahis are invited.

this time, they will lock them in the dish room and not let them out til they have washed all the dishes

[Mildred Dejean]

09:32 PM on 12/02/2009

THATS GOOD THAT THEY ARE HAVING A CRISTMAS PARTY THIS TIME AROUND NO CRASHERS WILL BE THERE A AND IF THEY SHOW UP THEY WILL BE KICK OUT VERY FAST.

[Bafun]

06:26 PM on 12/02/2009

Will be the Salahis invitated?

[SoccerNana]

11:45 AM on 12/02/2009

Question: Did the White House cancel Christmas events during any of the previous wars and recessions and mass unemployment cycles?

[TabysGrandma]

08:55 PM on 12/03/2009

Yes these events have been happening at the White House every year as long as I can remember. They are tradition.

[SpankedMeGood]

11:17 AM on 12/02/2009

The White House has held Christmas parties and Open Houses during the Civil War, WWI, WWII, the Great Depression, The Vietnam War, The 80s Recession, The Iraq War . . .

But the Obamas should abandon this tradition why?

[Bafun]

06:25 PM on 12/02/2009

Why? Because they are African-Americans. A lot of people don't swallow, that these great people are living in the White House.

[NYCartist]

11:14 AM on 12/02/2009

Could invite the troops he's sent to Afghanistan since he's President plus the ones he said he's deploying in 2010 - that's about the right number of guests. Are they on the list? (R&R and "goodbye" party?)

[SoccerNana]

11:47 AM on 12/02/2009

You do not know the plans for the Christmas events at the White House, nor are your suggestions needed.

[GoDems2012]

10:41 AM on 12/02/2009

Secret Service, do your effing jobs!

[Gretel1or2]

09:43 AM on 12/02/2009

This article is written in an attempt to get people to criticize the Obamas. These holiday traditions have gone on for decades and centuries, and they are the White House's public traditions, not the Obama's personal affairs as the article is trying to imply. If you don't want a president holding White House traditions, then maybe you should not have a president or a White House in the first place. Don't be so hypocritical. I come from a family of modest means, and like many other families, we are struggling, but I am not going to not go out, or not enjoy the holidays the best as I can, nor am I going to be resentful of others who can perhaps afford to do more than I can.

[rcwblessed]

11:25 AM on 12/02/2009

Bravo! My feelings, exactly. I don't know how to be envious of others, nor do I understand people who are.

[MaximMaximus]

01:21 PM on 12/02/2009

The article should have mentioned that such parties, gatherings and open houses have been a tradition for such and such years, putting the "news" in its historical context. HP has not done that which misleads people and gives the zealots an opportunity to spew their bigotry.

[jestanle]

09:36 AM on 12/02/2009

Let them eat cake.....

[MaximMaximus]

01:22 PM on 12/02/2009

They are letting the people eat cake during open house...so if you're too incapable to buy some cake for you and your loved ones at least once a year, they I suggest you get inline.

[jestanle]

06:58 PM on 12/02/2009

Judging by your tenuous grasp of the English language you probably didn't get the historical reference.

[1088]

09:36 AM on 12/02/2009

Hello! Please read the article, it says OPEN HOUSE too, which means the public will be invited.

[writeaway]

09:53 AM on 12/02/2009

I was hoping to get an engraved invitation. Should I call the Pentagon?

[MaximMaximus]

01:23 PM on 12/02/2009

No.

[oscartucker]

09:27 AM on 12/02/2009

I knew that there would be plenty of comments about "fiddling", "nation burning", and the Obamas having a "good time". The article is short; the communications chief just gave an answer with no specifics. Every year the White House hosts "open houses". Your congressmen/women can help you get to see the White House at this season. Our nation has been in deep *&%$# for a long time, and unfortunately troops have been deployed during the holidays before, yet "traditions" have gone on. Perhaps communities and towns and families will stop doing all holiday things, too. In fact, no one needs to go out, entertain, have any festivities what so ever again. Should we all start immediately or should we wait for the first of the year? Restaurants, movies, department stores, everything will close. We will do what we just have to do, and then all go home. Turn off the tv, radio, and the computers, too. No talking and definitely no smiling and laughing.

***Yes, some will say that the President should set the example, but how many posters are "cutting out" things? Have you decorated for Christmas? Are you having people over? Are you going out? Are you buying gifts? Are you helping someone in your community? ***

[lastep]

08:56 AM on 12/02/2009

Don't you think maybe tightening the belt at home this year might show you are more in touch with the reality of the country Mr President? Maybe laying off a few of momma's social staff?

[SoccerNana]

11:39 AM on 12/02/2009

Your momma has staff at the White House?

[maiali]

08:35 PM on 12/02/2009

Fanned for that comeback!

[aonemandog]

08:13 AM on 12/02/2009

Gee, that's great! Why, you would hardly know that the Prez just runied Christmas for thousands of soldier families....and, oh, yeah, how about the thousands of people who are being booted out of their homes this holiday season? 50,000 people, dozens of parties....I hope the Obamas realize there is a war on and maybe tone down the festivities. I imagine that if they scrapped just one of those parties, a thousand homeless/hungry people could get a hot meal. But hey, I guess he wants to celebrate his new war, now he's a real president....

[MaximMaximus]

01:24 PM on 12/02/2009

Populist rubbish. Get a life.

[KIVPossum]

04:44 AM on 12/02/2009

Glad to see Obama is cutting back with the rest of the nation. Even Wall Street is laying low on parties this year.