First published at WashingtonTimes.com
The White House just released a list of all the members of Congress invited to Steelers fan President Obama's Super Bowl party on Sunday.
The list includes four Republicans and the rest are Democrats. An aide tells me they can each bring a guest.
Here's the list, cleverly alphabetical instead of ranked:
Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD)
Congressman Artur Davis (D-AL)
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA)
Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA)
Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)
Congressman Paul Hodes (D-NH)
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes-Norton (D-DC)
Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA)
Congressman Fred Upton (R-MI)
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs earlier today was a bit coy on the details, but quipped that deputy press secretary Bill Burton will bring the seven-layer dip.
"It's a fairly straightforward deal," Gibbs said during his briefing this afternoon.
The invite list was crafted by the Social Office, with input from others such as the intergovernmental and legislative affairs offices.
"You'll see Democrats and Republicans. You'll undoubtedly see Steelers fans and Cardinals fans, once again bringing people together."
He said the group will watch the game in the "residence," presumably on the White House theater.
Gibbs said no bets will be allowed.
Also, an eagle-eyed crew member who works in the White House just spotted New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin arriving for a meeting.
Nagin told reporters after the meeting he talked to the White House about the dollars allocated to his city from FEMA, and said New Orleans' biggest challenge remains housing.
He said Obama called him as a candidate after Hurricane Gustav "to reiterate his commitment to New Orleans."
Nagin also said the city is in "construction mode" and that many projects have already moved through and they just need more funding. He said construction there will fuel econoic recovery.
The mayor said New Orleans recently was voted as one of best cities to be able to ride out the recession, so "the stimulus is going to help us."
But Nagin also said he was worried state bureaucracy would hurt the flow of stimulus money to the nation's cities, especially New Orleans.
— Christina Bellantoni, White House correspondent,
The Washington Times
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