The Menu: A Nation's Gratitude Dinner

President and First Lady pay tribute to troops with traditional American favorites...
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed more than 200 guests to the White House on Wednesday evening for the black-tie A Nation's Gratitude Dinner, honoring members of the Armed Forces who served in Iraq. The All-American menu for the veterans, who represented every branch and rank of military service and every state in the union and the territories, starred Dry-Aged Rib Eye as the entree, accompanied by Yukon Gold Potato Croquettes. Beef has an unbroken winning streak as the entree of choice for the President and Mrs. Obama's high-profile dinners. The menu opened with a Salad of Heirloom Tomatoes with Baby Mozzarella, and finished with a Chocolate Crème Brûlée. The American wines served were from California. Above: The President seated with his guests; he and the First Lady sat at different tables. Their guests are listed below. The President's remarks ARE HERE; and here's the full guest list.

Round tables for ten filled the East Room for the 8:20 PM event, which began with a cocktail reception. Tablecloths were a pale blue brocade, with tall vermeil candle sticks containing tall silver/gold tapers. The floral arrangements, low vases with purple and mauve roses, seem to have been recycled from the President and Mrs. Obama's formal 2012 Governors' Dinner last Sunday. The Roosevelt State China Service was used, according to the East Wing. (Above: A longshot of the East Room)

A Nation's Gratitude Dinner

First
Salad of Heirloom Tomatoes with Baby Mozzarella
Basil and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Wine: Chappellet Chardonnay “Napa” 2009
(Napa Valley, CA)

Entree
Dry-Aged Rib Eye
with Bearnaise sauce, atop a bed of spinach
Yukon Gold Potato Croquettes
Baby Mizuna
Asparagus, Green Beans

Wine: Pride Mountain Merlot “Vintner Select” 2008
(Napa Valley, CA)

Dessert
Chocolate Crème Brûlée
with Brownie and Mini-Chocolate Malted

Wine: Chandon Blanc de Noirs
(Northern California)

The President and Mrs. Obama were seated at separate tables. Joining the President: CW4 Nelson A. Visaya, from Hawaii; Gunnery Sergeant Deverson Lochard from Silver Spring, MD; Petty Officer Third Class (HM3), Max R. Rohn from Longmont, CO; Master Sergeant Jeremy D. Coombs, Master Sergeant Jessica R. Coombs and 1st LT Paul S. Gonzalez.

Mrs. Obama was joined by Gold Star family Kim Felts and her children, Rebekah, 19, and Thomas, Jr., 15. Their fathe and Mrs. Felts' husband, Army Colonel Thomas Felts, Sr. was killed in Iraq on November 14, 2006. An interview with Mrs. Felts IS HERE. She is visible in the photo above, at left.

CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the thank-you dinner for America's Iraq veterans and military families.

The President's remarks:

*Top photo by Pete Souza/White House; second AP/Pool

President Obama's Table, A Nation's Gratitude Dinner

President and First Lady joined by specially selected guests...
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were seated at different tables during Wednesday night's A Nation's Gratitude Dinner. The 8:20 PM event in the East Room was a tribute to the Armed Forces and marked the end of the war in Iraq. More than 200 guests attended, with 78 service members of all branches and ranks selected to represent the 1.5 million Americans who served during the war. The full guest list. The menu of traditional American favorites is here. (Above: The President at his table with Visaya, left and Lochard)

Joining the President: CW4 Nelson A. Visaya, from Hawaii; Gunnery Sergeant Deverson Lochard from Silver Spring, MD; Petty Officer Third Class (HM3), Max R. Rohn from Longmont, CO; Master Sergeant Jeremy D. Coombs, Master Sergeant Jessica R. Coombs and 1st LT Paul S. Gonzalez.

Mrs. Obama was joined by a Gold Star family: Kim Felts, whose husband Army Colonel Thomas Felts, Sr., was killed in Iraq on Nov. 14, 2006, and their two youngest children, Thomas, Jr., 16, and Rebekah, 19. CLICK HERE for an interview with Kim Felts, at left of the First Lady in the photo above.

In this DoD video, Visaya talks about attending the dinner:



CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the thank you dinner for America's Iraq veterans and military families.

*AP photos; DVIDS video

The Presdent And First Lady Arrive At The A Nation's Gratitude Dinner

Above, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama enter the East Room at the beginning of the formal A Nation's Gratitude Dinner on Wednesday evening. The First Lady's gown was designed by Jason Wu, according to the East Wing. Wu's most famous design for Mrs. Obama was the cream colored gown she wore to the President's Inaugural Balls. Mrs. Obama embellished with earrings by designer Suzanna Dai.

CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the tribute to America's Armed Forces who served in Iraq. *AP phot0

President Obama's Interview With Bob Woodruff

Ahead of the A Nation's Gratitude Dinner on Wednesday evening at the White House, President Obama spoke with Bob Woodruff in an ABC News exclusive. On January 29, 2006, Woodruff was seriously injured by an IED while in Iraq. When he was able to return to work, Woodruff spent much of his time reporting on the struggles wounded Iraq veterans faced when they return home.

CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the thank you dinner for America's Iraq veterans and military families.

*ABC video

Gold Star Family Will Sit With First Lady Tonight At "A Nation's Gratitude" Dinner

Kim Felts and her children will symbolize the families of the 4,475 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq war...
Kim Felts was asleep at her home in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, on the morning of Nov. 15, 2006, when there was a knock at the door at 6:00 AM. The news changed her life forever: Her husband, Army Colonel Thomas H. Felts, Sr., with a Military in Transition Team stationed in Baghdad, had been killed the night before, aged 45. He left behind his wife of 23 years and four children, 3 girls and 1 boy, all still in school. This evening, the Gold Star wife and her two youngest, Thomas, Jr., 16, and Rebekah, 19, will attend President Obama and First Lady Obama's A Nation's Gratitude Dinner. Felts and the kids will be seated with the First Lady at her table in the East Room. Thomas Jr. will be wearing his father's pocket watch with his new tuxedo as he mingles with the Obamas, top military brass and US service members from all 54 states and territories and the District of Columbia. (Above: Felts speaking at the Survivor Outreach Services annual training in Orlando, Fla)

Though sorrow is what led to the White House invitation, Kim Felts is very excited about the evening.

"I think it's a great way for the country to honor the sacrifice and accomplishment of the war in Iraq and to say thank you," Felts said.

"And it's beyond my wildest dreams to sit beside the First Lady."

The family now lives at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where Felts has worked for three years for the Special Forces Command as a Family Readiness Program Specialist, devoted to helping other military widows deal with their "new normal," the grief that follows losing a loved one. She'll be telling Mrs. Obama about her work during dinner. Felts was instrumental in developing the outreach program; Mrs. Obama has relied on military family members like Felts for grassroots advice for her Joining Forces campaign.

The First Lady may have some weepy moments. She and the President hail military families as "the force behind the force," and Felts is indeed a force. Her husband, who served for two decades without going into combat before his Iraq deployment, was killed two days before he was scheduled to return home for R & R after eleven months in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Felts tells the story with the kind of calm that puts the sorrow in high relief.

"I have no regrets," Felts says. "I would live this life all over again."

Childhood sweethearts...
The couple met in high school and dated for seven years before they married when she was 23 and he was 24, and stationed at the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While attending University of Richmond, Tom, Sr. drilled with the Army Reserves and then was a member of the National Guard before rising through the Army ranks. Her husband had been trying to go to the Middle East since 9/11, Felts said, and when he finally got his first opportunity to go to Iraq in December of 2005, she encouraged him to go, never fearing for his safety.

Then a senior service fellow in the Advance Operational Art Studies Fellowship of the School of Advanced Military Studies at Fort Leavenworth, the Colonel volunteered for his tour and deployed in January of 2006. On the night he was killed, he was returning from a meeting at 11:30 at night, and went to clear an abandoned truck, a routine stop on the way back to his base. His vehicle was the first in a line of vehicles, and when they stopped at a concrete security barrier that turned out to be booby trapped with a bomb, that was it. The IED was triggered by a laser.

"He died within 30 minutes of being hit, his gunner was killed instantly, the interpreter was severely wounded," Felts said. The driver had cuts and bruises.

About 1.5 million Americans served in Iraq, beginning in March of 2003. 4,475 Americans were killed, and more than 32,000 were wounded.

Felts stressed that her husband "made the call, he chose the route" that was driven on the night he died, and that no one else was responsible for the kind of war casualty that was a daily fact of life for US troops during the combat operations in the Middle East.

"He lived his life doing what he loved, and died that way," Felts said.

He is buried in the small town where he was born and grew up, at Seven Pines Federal Cemetery, in Seven Pines, outside of Richmond.

There is one memory that bolsters Felts. The couple had regular Skype sessions each week, around 4:00 PM US time, but they'd had a brief phone call the morning Colonel Felts died; she was worried because the US news was filled with reports of a kidnapping in Afghanistan. The Colonel assured her he was fine, they joked a little, and he told her he loved her, and said he'd speak to her later during their regular Skype session. The call never came, but even then, Felts wasn't worried, she said.

"Isn't that a great last conversation?" Felts said. "He told me he loved me."

The kids are now doing "really well," Felts said, and she is duly proud of the fact that they remember their father for his deeds, rather than focusing on his death and their own loss. The children, she said, knew their father loved them and was very proud of them. Eldest daughter Sara Beth Bedgood, now 24, went to college and graduate school, and is now a social worker. She got married last June, "oddly enough," Felts said, to a reserve MP. Second daughter LeAnna is 22, and finishing her college degree in wetlands science. Rebekah, who will join her mother beside Mrs. Obama this evening, currently works full time at a Texas Roadhouse restaurant, and is heading to college in the Fall. The Colonel's death has been hardest on Thomas, Jr., Felts said.

"From the time he was born he was a daddy's boy," Felts said. "They were really close. It's hard to grow up in a house full of girls without that male role model."

Nerves and excitement about the White House visit...
The three Felts who will be at the White House this evening have never visited before, and though the President and Mrs. Obama have made stops at Fort Bragg, somehow they missed each opportunity to see the First Couple.

"I barely slept last night," Felts said. "I'm nervous!"

This evening, she'll be wearing the same bright pink gown she wore for her daughter's wedding.

"I have that great wedding memory in the dress already," Felts said.

The dinner, she said, "will be beautiful."

"I love the pageantry of formal military affairs."

Though there have been calls by some veterans' groups for a national ticker tape parade to mark the end of the war, Fells said she feels it's too early, since there are still troops deployed in Afghanistan.

She and the kids have rehearsed what they might say to the President and Mrs. Obama this evening. Thomas Jr. is a sports fanatic, and Felts, laughing, said she suggested he challenge the President to a game of hoops after dessert. Well aware of the First Lady's Kitchen Garden, Felts said she couldn't really have that conversation with Mrs. Obama: "I have a brown thumb."

Colonel Felts will one day hear the story of the dinner: The family is deeply religious, and has a deep faith in God, Felts said.

"I know we'll see him again one day," Felts said. "I know where he is."

*CLICK HERE for more on the dinner details and the guest list

*Photo by Evan Dyson, IMCOM Public Affairs

Tonight: President Obama Honors Iraq Veterans With "A Nation's Gratitude" Dinner; Guest List...UPDATED

UPDATE: CLICK HERE for links to the President's remarks, the menu, and other posts...
To pay a formal tribute to members of the US Armed Forces who served during the war in Iraq, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will welcome more than 200 guests to the White House this evening for the "A Nation's Gratitude" Dinner. The black-tie affair begins in the East Room at 8:20 PM. 78 US service members of all ranks, services, and backgrounds from the 54 states and territories and the District of Columbia will join the President and Mrs. Obama, selected to be "representative of the many thousands of Americans who served in Iraq" during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn, according to the White House. Army Reserves and Coast Guard are included. There will be a livestream of part of the event at Whitehouse.gov/live, at the beginning of the dinner.

"The President looks forward to this," Press Secretary Jay Carney said on Tuesday.

"He is enormously appreciative of the sacrifice and service that the men and women in uniform who served in Iraq provided to their country. And obviously, some of them provided the ultimate sacrifice."

The guest list includes Gold Star family members, those who lost a loved one in the almost-nine-year war that officially ended in December of 2011. The President and Mrs. Obama will be seated at different tables, and Mrs. Obama will sit next to Kim Felts, a Gold Star wife from Fayetteville, NC. Her husband, Colonel Thomas H. Felts, Sr. passed away on November 14th, 2006 in Baghdad, when an explosive detonated near his vehicle. They had four children, and the two youngest, Rebekah and Thomas, now in high school, will also be seated with the First Lady.

Vice President Joe Biden, who visited Iraq eight times following the 2008 election, and Dr. Jill Biden will attend the dinner, as will Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the chiefs of the five branches of service. US Army Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the final commander of US Forces Iraq, is also on the guest list, as are the other commanders from the combat operations. President Obama made his first visit to Iraq as Commander in Chief in April of 2009.

Celebrating the end of a war with a formal White House dinner is a first for any presidential Administration. The Pentagon characterized the dinner as the equivalent of a State Dinner when first announcing the event, but it is less elaborate, while more solemn. In contrast to a State Dinner, there will be no formal arrival ceremony at the White House this evening, and no special musical entertainment, according to an East Wing spokesman. There will be a cocktail party before dinner, and a receiving line with the President and Mrs. Obama.

More than 100 guests received official invitations from the White House, and each was invited to bring a companion. Many of the 78 service members were wounded in combat, and/or were honored for valor. The Army has the most service members invited, followed by the Marine Corps. There are 14 women service members on the guest list, which was hand-picked by a senior panel of representatives from all five branches of service.

Openly gay service members are included, according to Pentagon spokesman Doug Wilson, to highlight the Obama Administration's achievement in ending the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

"Mrs. Obama wanted to make sure that the room that night represented the America that served in Iraq," Wilson said.

The First Lady and Dr. Biden lead the Joining Forces campaign to support and honor military families. The initiative will mark its first anniversary in April.

President Obama "will certainly be engaging with those in attendance at the dinner," Carney said.

"He looks forward to his encounters with the men and women who have served our Armed Forces very much."

About 1.5 million Americans served in Iraq, beginning in March of 2003. 4,475 Americans were killed, and more than 32,000 were wounded.

Below, an updated guest list from the Department of Defense, which includes the names of invited guests' companions. Below is the guest list of the 78 service men and women who were invited.

Full Guest List...

THE PRESIDENT and MRS. OBAMA

THE VICE PRESIDENT and DR. BIDEN

SGT Sarah M. Adams, Killeen, TX, and Captain William Messick, Belton, TX

Mr. Eric Alva, San Antonio, TX and Dustin L. Jones, Arlington, VA

Chaplain (Colonel) Daniel Ames, Joint Staff Chaplain, Alexandria, VA

T.H. Brooke Anderson, DAP & NSS Chief of Staff & Counselor, NSS, Washington, DC, and COL Steven Miska, Washington, DC

Major General Vaughn Ary, Alexandria, VA, and Mrs. Jennifer Lynn Ary, Alexandria, VA

General Lloyd J. Austin III, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, DC, and Mrs. Charlene D Austin, Washington, DC

SgtMaj Michael Barrett, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Andrews AFB, MD, and Mrs. Susan Marie Barrett, Andrews AFB, MD

SgtMaj Bryan Battaglia, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,Fort Myer, VA, and Mrs. Lisa Lynn Battaglia, Fort Myer, VA

LTC Beth Anne Behn, Cornwall on Hudson, NY, and Ms. Julianna Shappy, Cornwall on Hudson, NY

TSgt Christian A Bennett, Evansville, WI, and Mrs. Rachael M. Bennett, Evansville, WI

PO2 Lawrence Benson, Jr., Buffalo, NY, and Mrs. Stacey Benson, Bennettsville, SC

The Honorable (Major) Joseph Beau Biden III, Wilmington, DE, and Mrs. Hallie Biden, Wilmington, DE

The Honorable Antony Blinken, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor, Office of the Vice President, Office of the Vice President, Washington, DC, and Ms. Bobbi Doorenbos, Washington, DC

MSgt Brian Blonder, Woodbury, TN, and Mrs. Maureen Porter, Missoula, MT

SMSgt Donnie Bolton, Colorado Springs, CO, and Mrs. Tracy Lynn Bolton, Colorado Springs, CO

PO1 Anthony Bozarth, Hampton, VA, and Mrs. Michelle Bozarth, Hampton, VA

MSgt Kevin Bullivant, Clinton, UT, and Ms. Kathleen Blanchard, Clinton, UT

General George W Casey, Jr., Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, DC, and Mrs. Sheila L Casey, Alexandria, VA

CPO Joseph Castro, Williamsburg, VA, and Ms. Isiris Reyes Maldanado, Williamsburg, VA

SMA Raymond Chandler III, Sergeant Major of the Army, Fort Myer, VA, and Mrs. Jean Marie Chandler, Fort Myer, VA

PO1 Jay Choi, Virginia Beach, VA, and Mr. James Gregory, Statesville, NC

CAPT Charles B. Cooper, East Wing, Falls Church, VA, and Mrs. Susan Star Cooper, Falls Church, VA

CW5 David F. Cooper, Fayetteville, NC, and Mrs. Mary Catherine Cooper, Fayetteville, NC

SFC Miguel A. Cruz, Manitowoc, WI, and Mrs. Sheila Cruz, Manitowoc, WI

LT James Cullen, Portsmouth, VA, and Mrs. Kathleen Cullen, Lake Hopatcong, NJ

General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Fort Myer, VA, and Mrs. Deanie Dempsey, Washington, DC

Mr. Richard DeNoyer, National Commander, VFW, Middleton, MA, and Ms. Theresa D DeNoyer, Middleton, MA

Colonel Todd Desgrosseilliers, Stafford, VA, and Mrs. Christiana Desgrosseilliers, Stafford, VA

The Honorable Thomas Donilon, Assistant to the President, National Security Advisor, NSC, Washington, DC, and Ms. Cathy Russell, Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden, Washington, DC

SFC Sebastian K Ellis, Wilmington, DE, and Mrs. Christie Ellis, Wilmington, DE

Kim Felts, Family Readiness Program Specialist, U.S. Army Special Forces Command, Fayetteville, NC, and Mr. T.J. Felts, Fayetteville, NC (Son), and Ms. Rebekah Felts, Fayetteville, NC (Daughter)

Sgt Richard Fiske, Tappahannock, VA, and Mrs. Jennifer Lee Fiske, Tappahannock, VA

Mr. Matthew Flavin, Denver, CO, and Mr. Jonathan Fairbank Kuniholm, Durham, NC

SPC Janice Flores, Chalan Pago, GU, and Ms. Emily Blas, Washington, DC

SFC James Gaston, St. Croix, VI, and Mrs. Messelena Gaston, St. Croix, VI

Sgt John Gladstone, Woodbridge, VA SSG Jed Glover, El Paso, TX, and Mrs. Patricia Glover, El Paso, TX

1LT Paul S. Gonzalez, Derby, KS, and Mrs. Johanna Gonzalez, Derby, KS

Admiral Jonathan W. Greenert, Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, DC, and Mrs. Darleen Greenert, Washington, DC

GySgt Tawanda Hanible, Fredericksburg, VA, and Mr. Donald Hanible, Fredericksburg, VA

Captain Brian D Hartman, DeRidder, LA, and Mrs. Kelly Hartman, DeRidder, LA

SCPO Christopher Henderson, Chesapeake, VA, and Mrs. Marie Henderson, Chesapeake, VA

1stSgt Christina Huntshorsemay, Stafford, VA, and SSgt Joseph Robert May, Stafford, VA

Major Erik Jacobson, North Las Vegas, NV, and Mrs. Kristi Jacobson, North Las Vegas, NV

Sgt Nytayia Jamison, Stafford, VA, and Sgt David Lomeli Lopez, Stafford, VA

CMSgt Denise M Jelinski-Hall, Senior Enlisted Leader, National Guard Bureau, Andrews AFB, MD, and Mr. Gary Hall, Andrews AFB, MD

Lieutenant Benjamin J. Kostka, Virginia Beach, VA, and Mrs. Alicia Kostka, Virginia Beach, VA

SGT Joshua R Labbe, Sherman Oaks, CA, and Captain Kyle Brown, Carthage, NY

MSgt Shane Lacaillade, Warrensburg, MO, and Mrs. Christine Annette Lacaillade, Warrensburg, MO

MCPO Richard Lamoureux, Virginia Beach, VA, and Mrs. Carri Lamoureux, Virginia Beach, VA

MCPOCG Mike Leavitt, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard, Arlington, VA, and Mrs. Debora Leavitt, Arlington, VA

Captain Yolanda Lee, Washington, DC, and Ms. Joyce Williams, Fort Washington, MD

The Honorable Jacob Lew, Chief of Staff, The White House, Washington, DC, and Ms. Shoshana Lew, Washington, DC (Daughter)

GySgt Deverson Lochard, Silver Spring, MD, and Dr. Cassondra Brown, Washington, DC

SFC Kyle Lyon, Clarksville, TN, and Mrs. Callie Lyon, Clarksville, TN

Cpl Aaron Mankin, San Antonio, TX, and Mrs. Diana Phelps, San Antonio, TX

MSG Peter Martinez, Alexandria, VA, and Mrs. Henrietta Martinez, Alexandria, VA

The Honorable Denis McDonough, Deputy Assistant to the President & Chief of Staff, NSC, Washington, DC, and Mrs. Karin McDonough, Takoma Park, MD

General Craig R McKinley, Chief, National Guard Bureau, Washington, DC, and Mrs. Cheryl McKinley, Washington, DC

Captain Stephen McNeil, Stafford, VA, and Ms. Maribel Lebaron, Stafford, VA

RDML Frank Morneau, Millersville, MD, and Mrs. Susan Morneau, Millersville, MD

Colonel Peter Newell, Woodbridge, VA, and Mrs. Vianne Newell, Woodbridge, VA

CW4 John T Nikolao, Fort Campbell, KY, and Mrs. Gina Nikolao, Fort Campbell, KY

General Raymond T Odierno, Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, DC, and Mrs. Linda Odierno, Fort Myer, VA

The Honorable Leon E Panetta, Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense, Washington, DC, and Lt. General John Kelly, Washington, DC

Admiral Robert Papp, Jr., Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, Bolling AFB, DC, and Mrs. Linda Papp, Bolling AFB, DC

Major Jennifer Parker, Woodbridge, VA, and Major Brian McLean, Woodbridge, VA

Ms. Angela M. Peacock, Saint Charles, MO, and Mr. Jason D. Hansman, Tacoma, WA

MSG Jorge H. Perez, Fountain, CO, and Mrs. Stacey Perez, Fountain, CO

SSgt Andrew Piirainen, Roy, UT

SSgt Harry Prassenos II, King George, VA, and Mrs. Kelly Prassenos, King George, VA

Major Carter Price, Fort Knox, KY, and Mrs. Tricia Mae Price, Fort Knox, KY CW5 Kevin Purtee, Austin, TX, and

Ms. Michele Rene Tumino, Austin, TX SSG Anthony Ranfos, Frankfort, OH, and

Ms. Billy Jean Specht, Richmond Dale, OH

CSM Ronald T Riling, Huntsville, AL, and Mrs. Melinda Jean Riling, Huntsville, AL

PO3 Max Rohn, Longmont, CO

CMSgt James Roy, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, Andrews AFB, MD, and

Mrs. Paula Roy, Joint Base Andrews, MD

Mr. Donald Samuels, National Commander, DAV, Gallatin, TN, and Mr. Arthur Henry Wilson, Venice, FL

Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, San Antonio, TX, and Mrs. MarieElena Garza Sanchez, San Antonio, TX

LCpl Steven Schulz, Friendswood, TX, and Debbie Schulz, Friendswood, TX

General Norton A. Schwartz, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Fort Myer, VA, and Mrs. Suzie Schwartz, Fort Myer, VA

The Honorable Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, and Mrs. Patty Shinseki, Washington, DC

Major Eldridge R. Singleton, Chula Vista, CA, and Mrs. Kimberley L. Singleton, Chula Vista, CA

SSgt. J. Smith, Crestview, FL, and Mrs. Kerry Ann Smith, Crestview, FL

Colonel Stephanie C. Smith, Vienna, VA, and Lieutenant Colonel Tony Bumgarner, Vienna, VA

SSgt Rebekka Spanglerloch, Stafford, VA, and GySgt Nicholas Spanglerloch, Stafford, VA

SFC Robbi A. Stanton, Fountain, CO, and Mrs. Brittany P. Stanton, Fountain, CO

SSG Benjamin N Straubel, Hermon, ME, and Mrs. Robyn Lynn Straubel, Hermon, ME

Sgt Clara Surita, Plantation, FL, and SGT Lauren Mahealani Manuel, Savannah, GA

Colonel David Sutherland, Alexandria, VA, and Mrs. Bonnie Sue Sutherland, Salem, OH

Major John Tate, Fort Leavenworth, KS

Cpl Kyle Taylor, Woodbridge, VA, and Ms. Nicole Marie Taylor, McDonough, GA

Major Shannon Thompson, Madison, AL, and Mrs. Jamie Thompson, Madison, AL

PO2 TerryLee Thompson, Waldorf, MD, and Mr. William S. Thompson, Waldorf, MD

MSG William C Tomlin, Glen Burnie, MD, and Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Tomlin, Glen Burnie, MD

Major Matthew Tracy, Newport, RI, and Mrs. Mary Tracy, Newport, RI

SSG Shawon Tucker, San Antonio, TX, and Mr. Jermaine Jones, New York, NY

CPO Bradley VanHorn, Bowie, MD, and Mrs. Valerie VanHorn, Bowie, MD

CW4 Nelson Visaya, Hawaii, and Mrs. Brenda Visaya, Hawaii

SSG Jesse Wandling, Hopkinsville, KY, and Mrs. Silke Wandling, Hopkinsville, KY

Lieutenant Colonel Steve Warren, Alexandria, VA

MCPON Rickey West, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, Arlington, VA, and Mrs. Bobbi West, Arlington, VA

Sgt Leslieanne Wilkinson, Dumfries, VA, and Mr. Robert Hanus, Detroit, MI

Mr. Douglas Wilson, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, Rehoboth Beach, DE, and Ms. Tamara Haddad, President, Haddad Media, Washington, DC

Major Brian Wobensmith, Stafford, VA, and Mrs. Kim Alyssa Wobensmith, Stafford, VA

Commander Fang Wong, National Commander, American Legion, Washington, DC, and Mrs. Barbara Lam Wong, East Brunswick, NJ

Ms. Christine Wormuth, NSS, Washington, DC, and Ms. Deanna Wormuth, Falls Church, VA

SGT Heather N. Wunderlich, Lincoln, NE, and Mr. Jeremie Ellis Wunderlich, Lincoln, NE
##

The Guest List of Service Men and Women...
The Pentagon paid the travel expenses for service members flying in to Washington from distant posts, as well as for a one-night hotel stay. The names, ranks, and branch of service for the 78 service members invited are listed below, by home state. Texas has four service members; Tennessee, Maine, Michigan, and Massachusetts have three; Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Georgia, Colorado, New York, Minnesota, and New Hampshire each have two.

Alabama: Staff Sgt. Shawon Tucker; Army

Alaska: Maj. Shannon Thompson; Army

American Samoa: Chief Warrant Officer 4 John Nikolao; Army

Arizona: Capt. Brian D. Hartman; Army

Arkansas:
Cpl. Aaron Mankin; Marine Corps
Staff Sgt. Joseph May; Marine Corps

California: Maj. Eldridge R. Singleton; Army

Colorado:
Sgt. John-Mark Gladstone; Marine Corps
Petty Officer 3rd Class Max R. Rohn; Navy

Connecticut: Master Sgt. William Tomlin; Army

Delaware: Sgt. 1st Class Sebastian K. Ellis; Army

District of Columbia: Capt. Yolanda Lee; ARNG

Florida: Master Chief Petty Officer Richard D. Lamoureux; Navy

Georgia:
Staff Sgt. J.H. Smith; Air Force
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick West; Navy

Guam: Spc. Janice Hernandez Flores; ARNG

Hawaii:
Chief Master Sgt. Denise Jelinski-Hall; ANG
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Nelson A. Visaya; Army

Idaho: Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Mike Leavitt; Coast Guard

Illinois: Gunnery Sgt Tawanda M. Hanible; Marine Corps

Indiana: Master Sgt. Jorge H. Perez; Army

Iowa:
Lt. Col. Beth Behn; Army
Staff Sgt. Jesse Lee Wandling; Army

Kansas:
Chief Petty Officer Joseph Castro; Coast Guard
1st Lt. Paul S. Gonzalez; Army

Kentucky: Senior Chief Petty Officer Christopher J. Henderson; Navy

Louisiana: Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia; Marine Corps

Maine:
Master Sgt. Jeremy G. Coombs; Air Force
Master Sgt. Shane Lacaillade; Air Force
Col. Todd Scott Desgrosseilliers; Marine Corps

Maryland: Maj. Brian E. Wobensmith; Marine Corps

Massachusetts:
Staff Sgt. Andrew Piirainen; Air Force
Gunnery Sgt. Deverson Lochard; Marine Corps
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler; Army

Michigan:
Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy; Air Force
Master Sgt. Jessica R. Coombs; Air Force
Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald J. Riling; Army

Minnesota:
Staff Sgt. Benjamin N. Straubel; ARNG
Maj. John Michael Tate; Army

Mississippi: Staff Sgt. Harry Prassenos; Marine Corps

Missouri: Maj. Jennifer S. Parker; Marine Corps

Montana: Sgt. 1st Class; Kyle B. Lyon; Army

Nebraska: Sgt. Heather N. Wunderlich; ARNG

Nevada: Maj. Erik J. Jacobson; Air Force

New Hampshire:
Staff Sgt. Anthony J. Ranfos; Army
Capt. Stephen M. McNeil; Marine Corps

New Jersey: Rear Adm. Frank Morneau; Navy

New Mexico: Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry; Army

New York:
Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Micheal Barrett; Marine Corps
Col. Stephanie C. Smith; Marine Corps

North Carolina: Petty Officer 1st Class Jay Ho Choi; Navy

North Dakota: Sgt. Richard Fiske; Marine Corps

N. Marianas Islands: Staff Sgt. Leslieanne Wilkinson; Marine Corps

Ohio: Chief Warrant Officer 5 David Cooper; Army

Oklahoma: Maj. Gen. Vaughn A. Ary; Marine Corps

Oregon: Sgt. Sarah Adams; Army

Pennsylvania: Petty Officer 2nd Class; Lawrence Benson; Coast Guard

Puerto Rico: Staff Sgt. Miguel Cruz; Army

Rhode Island: Sgt. Joshua R. Labbe; Army; PA

South Carolina: Sgt. Nytayia D. Jamison; Marine Corps

South Dakota: 1st Sgt. Christina Hunts Horse-May; Marine Corps

Tennessee:
Petty Officer 1st Class Anthony H. Bozarth; Navy
Master Sgt. Brian M. Blonder; Marine Corps
Senior Master Sgt. Donnie Bolton; Air Force

Texas:
Staff Sgt. Eric Alva; Marine Corps
Chief Warrant Officer 5 Kevin Purtee; ARNG
Lance Cpl. Steven Schulz; Marine Corps
Petty Officer 2nd Class TerryLee Thompson; Navy

Utah:
Master Sgt. Kevin T. Bullivant; ANG
Sgt. 1st Class Robbi A. Stanton; Army

Vermont: Col. Peter Newell; Army

Virgin Islands: Sgt. 1st Class James Gaston Sr.; ARNG

Virginia:
Cpl. Kyle L. Taylor; Marine Corps
Chief Petty Officer William Castro; Coast Guard

Washington: Chief Petty Officer Bradley A. VanHorn; Navy

West Virginia: Maj. Carter L. Price; Army

Wisconsin: Tech. Sgt. Christian Bennett; ANG

Wyoming: Staff Sgt. Rebekka Spanglerloch; Marine Corps

*Updated

*Photo at top by Pete Souza/White House; the President and Mrs. Obama pose for a portrait in the State Dining Room, ahead of the first Governors Dinner in February 2009.

Today: President Obama Hosts Bipartisan Luncheon For Congressional Leadership

On the menu: Jobs, jobs, jobs, and legislative priorities... 
President Obama will host a luncheon on Wednesday at the White House for the Democratic and Republican leaders from both houses of Congress. Vice President Joe Biden will also attend the 12:00 PM event in the Private Dining Room. It is closed to press, and designed to allow the bipartisan group to "discuss ongoing efforts to find common ground on legislative priorities that will create jobs and strengthen America’s economy," according to the White House. (Above: The Private Dining Room, with the President visible in the Oval Office beyond)

The President introduced the American Jobs Act last Fall. On Tuesday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) unveiled the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act during a press conference on the steps of the Capitol. It's described as "bipartisan legislation that removes barriers to small business growth," to help "entrepreneurs access the resources they need to put more Americans back to work."

“During the State of the Union Address, the President called for ideas just like this in order to increase business startups in our country," Boehner said. "And I hope that the Democrats and the White House will join us in moving this very important bill.”

Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters on Tuesday that the White House believes there is "great opportunity" and "great overlap" between President Obama's jobs proposals and the GOP version, especially regarding small businesses. He noted this Politico op-ed by Cantor outlining the Republican plan, titled "JOBS Act just what Obama ordered."

On Wednesday evening, President Obama and First Lady Obama will host the black-tie "A Nation's Gratitude" Dinner, honoring veterans of the war in Iraq.

*Photo by Pete Souza/White House

First Lady Travels To North Carolina For Fundraising, Let's Move! & Joining Forces

James Taylor joins Mrs. Obama for two fundraisers; the schedule...
First Lady Michelle Obama will travel to Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina on Friday, March 2, doing multiple duty with events for her two signature campaigns, and attending three fundraising events for President Obama's re-election effort. Mrs. Obama will have an airport meet and greet for Joining Forces in Raleigh, followed by a Democratic National Committee reception fundraiser at the City Center Marriot. In Charlotte, Mrs. Obama will join school kids attending the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament and 100th Anniversary celebration for a Let's Move! event. After, she'll share the spotlight with North Carolina-raised singer/songwriter James Taylor for two fundraisers for the Democratic National Convention.

The Convention will be held in Charlotte next Fall, and both fundraisers with Taylor will be at the Ballantyne Hotel and benefit the Convention's host committee, the Committee for Charlotte 2012. There are two price points: The first event, a reception, has tickets starting at $250, while the second, featuring dinner and a performance by Taylor, has tickets starting at $12,500 per couple. Taylor has been invited by the Obamas to perform at the White House three times, including for last year's State Dinner in honor of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and for the Country Music edition of "In Performance at the White House."

The First Lady's schedule:

Raleigh, NC * 11:30 AM – Mrs. Obama will arrive at Raleigh-Durham International Airport where she will be greeted by active duty and veteran service members along with their families from all branches of the military. Included in this group will be Naval Officer Lieutenant Jeff Ross, who recently returned from the longest naval ship deployment in 40 years and has served two combat deployments. He will be joined by his wife, Tricia, a Girl Scout leader and Program Manager for Blue Star Families’ Books on Bases program, and the couple’s four children.

Bianca Strzalkowski, a Marine Corps wife who was named the 2011 Military Spouse of the Year by Military Spouse magazine, will also greet Mrs. Obama. A military wife and mother of three, Bianca is also an active volunteer for her community. Since being named Military Spouse of the Year, she has created a Military Spouse Education Initiative to expand educational opportunities for her peers. She is the Director of Membership and Volunteer Outreach for Blue Star Families and is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station New River, in Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Raleigh, NC * 1:00 PM – Mrs. Obama will deliver remarks at a Democratic National Committee reception at the City Center Marriot, where there will also be a luncheon. Tickets for the event start at $500 and will benefit the Obama Victory Fund.

Charlotte, NC * 3:30 PM – Mrs. Obama will join North Carolina school children for a Let’s Move! pre-game event during the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Tournament and 100th Anniversary celebration. The CIAA is the oldest African-American athletic conference in the nation and consists of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) spanning the east coast from Pennsylvania to North Carolina.

Charlotte, NC * 5:30 PM - Joined by Taylor, Mrs. Obama will deliver remarks at two Democratic National Convention Committee events in Charlotte, NC.
##

*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

USDA Unveils New Digital Project On Wednesday: "Know Your Farmer Know Your Food Compass"

Agriculture Secretaries will host live webinar to discuss huge interactive digital document...
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan will take to the internet on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the debut of USDA's new Know Your Farmer Know Your Food Compass. They'll be chatting with the public during a live webinar about USDA's huge digital project, an interactive web-based tool/document that includes maps, studies, data sets, and stories from farmers, ranchers, food producers and communities that highlight USDA's support for local and regional food projects. (Above: Vilsack rings a cowbell to open USDA's farmers market)

The Compass is the "10,000-foot view" of USDA's many programs, components, and business opportunities across the 17 agencies and additional offices that make up the Department, according to Merrigan (l), who described the still-embargoed project as "dense, rich, visually appealing, with lots of embedded videos."  It's also doing double duty as a report to Congress about the Know Your Farmer Know Your Food initiative, launched in September, 2009.

"I don't think anyone has seen the full extent of USDA investments, the 10,000-foot view of local and regional foods and what USDA has been doing to help that trend out," Merrigan said.

Users will be able to access stories and data that illustrate local and regional food efforts in communities across the US.  All of the information in the new Compass has previously been available from USDA, Merrigan said, but never in one digital location that allows for cross-referencing of things such as grant programs and services. 

Led by Merrigan, the Know Your Farmer Know Your Food initiative was designed as a way to better focus already-existing USDA resources on local and regional food systems, and to boost public awareness about the importance of supporting local farmers and producers. A recent study found that 85% of consumers want their grocery stores to carry local foods, Merrigan said, and she hopes the Compass will help inspire more efforts to make this a reality.

"This will generate a lot of excitement, a lot of interest around local food and community," she said.

Jobs and Congress...
The Compass also serves as a mandatory report to Congress, required under a conference agreement from the negotiations during the FY2012 appropriations bill, which charges USDA with delineating the parameters of the Know Your Farmer Know Your Food initiative. The message for Congress about USDA's local/regional efforts through KYF is one word, Merrigan said: "Jobs."

"A study that we put out last year found that for every $1 million in revenue from local food systems, 13 jobs are created, compared to 3 in a non-focused operation," Merrigan said.

"This Compass will show all Members of Congress in every state that they have a piece of the rock, that they have local farmers, contributing to the economy."

She added that the local operations featured in the Compass are "very diversified, growing a lot of crops, livestock, and doing other value-added activities."

Printed hard copies of the Compass will be sent to Capitol Hill, but otherwise USDA has no plans to release the project other than online. Users will be able to print out whatever they'd like from the documents, however.

The public is invited to join Merrigan and Vilsack for the free, live webinar on Wednesday at 2:00 PM ET, which will be streamed at www.usda.gov/live. Questions can be submitted via Twitter, to @USDA using the hashtag #KYF2. In 2009, to launch KYF,  Merrigan visited Tree and Leaf Farm in Virginia, run by husband and wife team Georgia O'Neal and Zachariah Lester.  They will join the Secretaries during the webinar.  The couple was previously farming on leased land, and now own their own farm, thanks to USDA help.

The Compass will be updated with new stories and information later in the Spring, such as slaughter capacity, Merrigan said, but the next few months will be spent helping users understand and use the tool. USDA will host another event next week spotlighting the Compass, with a "National Virtual Conversation" from the White House on Monday, March 5th.

Access to the Compass and interactive map as well as additional information will be available on February 29 at www.usda.gov.

*Top photo courtesy of USDA, second by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

A New Healthy White House Recipe: Executive Chef Cris Comerford's Garden Vegetable Pizza

Cook with your kids, the White House advises...
Known for his love of cheeseburgers earlier in his Administration, President Obama has now switched his comfort food affection to pizza. Last December, the Eater in Chief visited Del Ray Pizzeria and left with three large sausage and pepperoni pies from the locally beloved Virginia joint. In January, during a Las Vegas fundraising junket, the President ordered a dozen cheese, sausage and pepperoni pizzas from the world-famous Dom DeMarco's Pizzeria & Bar. A few weeks ago during another West Coast fundraising jaunt, Seattle's Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria delivered forty pies to Air Force One as it sat on the tarmac at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. Yes, those are the pizza chefs chillin' on the steps of the President's ride. (At top: The President with his Del Ray pizzas)

With all the Presidential focus on pizza, is it any wonder that the White House now has two vegetable pizza recipes for First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign? Executive Chef Cris Comerford created both, and they're inspired, of course, by Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden. The first, Grilled Garden Pizza, was unveiled during the 2011 Fall Harvest. Today's recipe, Garden Vegetable Pizza, is what Mrs. Obama served to Jay Leno during her debut as First Lady on the Tonight Show in January, according to the East Wing. The family-size recipe includes instructions for home-made whole wheat dough. The pies are savory, low fat, and healthy, with about 310 calories per slice.

Before her visit to the Tonight Show, Mrs. Obama challenged Leno on Twitter to break his decades-old personal embargo on eating fresh produce. Operating under the idea that vegetable pizza is the gateway drug to healthy eating, Mrs. Obama plied the veggie-hating comic with slices topped with eggplant, green peppers and zucchini. (Above: Mrs. Obama watches Leno with his pizza)

"This a good way for people of your ilk, who don't like vegetables, to incorporate them," Mrs. Obama told Leno.

Leno's tastes are more Presidential: "It would be better with sausage and pepperoni," he quipped, after taking a bite.

The First Lady is encouraging parents to cook with their kids, in order to boost their nutrition education, and Chef Comerford said the pizzas are a good project. The recipe is a large one, enough for three pies.

"Making dough is fun for kids, and creates great quality time with your family," Comerford said when she demo'd the new recipe on ABC chat show The Chew. “This could be a fun weekend project--make three pizzas and freeze the other two for the rest of the week."

A blender or food processor is called for to puree the sauce. The vegetables listed in the recipe below are mostly advisory, and can be swapped.

"You can use whatever is seasonal or your kids’ favorites," Comerford said. "Try taking your kids grocery shopping and letting them pick out any three veggies they want—they’ll be even more invested in the experience and may be open to trying new things.”

For those interested in making just one pizza for immediate eating, cut the vegetable portion to 1/3rd. There's a time-lag mid-cooking: The dough must rise for an hour. More tips are below.
Kids can now eat like the President! Or...like the President would eat if he didn't love his meat toppings so much.

White House Garden Vegetable Pizza

Dough Ingredients
1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 cup whole wheat flour

½ cup semolina flour

1 2/3–2 cups whole wheat white flour

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sauce Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil

8 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 sprig thyme

1 can (28 oz) peeled whole tomatoes in puree

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 bay leaf

Vegetable Toppings
3/4 cup thinly sliced zucchini (about 1 small or 5 oz)

3/4 cup thinly sliced yellow squash (1 small or 5 oz)

1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper (1 small or 6 oz)

1 cup thinly sliced fennel (1/2 small bulb)

1 cup thinly sliced eggplant (about 6 oz)

½ cup thinly sliced small mushrooms (about 6)

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 tsp freshly grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 packages, 8 oz each, shredded part-skim mozzarella (4 cups)

1 cup sliced mixed cherry or grape tomatoes (about 12)

6 Tbsp shredded Parmesan

Method
1. Prepare dough: Mix yeast and sugar into 1 cup lukewarm water in small bowl. Let bloom for a few minutes.

2. Whisk together whole wheat flour, semolina flour, 1 2/3 cup of the whole wheat white flour, and 1 tsp sea salt. Put onto clean work surface and make a well in the center. Pour yeast mixture and oil into well. Using a fork or your fingers, gradually bring in the flour around the sides to the center well. Once it starts to combine, work the dough with your hands (using some of remaining 1/3 cup whole wheat white flour if dough becomes too sticky) and knead until it becomes smooth and springy, about 5 minutes.

3. Put dough in oiled bowl and cover with damp cloth or plastic wrap. Leave in a warmer area of your kitchen and let rise until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.

4. Punch dough in bowl to push some air out. Transfer dough to flour-dusted work surface. Divide into 3 balls. Roll out each ball into a crust about 1/8 to ¼”-thick (13″ diameter) and place between flour-dusted sheets of parchment on a tray until ready to use.

5. Make sauce: Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, onion, and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant and onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes (with puree), tomato paste, and bay leaf. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up tomatoes with a spoon, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

6. Discard thyme sprig and bay leaf. Transfer sauce to blender and carefully puree until smooth. Set aside. Makes about 2 ½ cups.

7. Pre-heat oven to 450ºF.

8. Prepare toppings: Toss together vegetables (except cherry tomatoes), oil, lemon zest, garlic, and thyme in bowl. Season with sea salt and pepper.

9. Turn a heavy-duty half-sheet pan or a large baking sheet upside down and coat lightly coat with olive oil spray. Transfer pizza crust carefully to pan and roll up edges slightly.

10. Spread about 3/4 cup of the sauce onto one crust and sprinkle with 1 cup of the mozzarella. Arrange one-third (about 2 cups) of the vegetables evenly on top of the cheese. Top with 1/3 cup each of the cherry tomatoes and the remaining mozzarella. Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp of the Parmesan.

11. Bake on bottom rack until crust is golden brown and crisp and vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. If making all 3 pizzas, repeat process with remaining dough, sauce, cheese, and vegetables.

Nutrition information per serving: 310 cal, 16 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 12 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 529 mg sodium

Recipe tips...
*If baking a single pizza, prep only 1/3 of the toppings and wrap remaining 2 crusts separately in plastic wrap. Keep chilled in the refrigerator for one day. Or wrap tightly in foil (over plastic wrap) and freeze up to one month.

*Use a mandoline or sharp knife to slice the vegetables as thinly as possible.

*Be careful when blending the hot tomato sauce. Puree in batches, filling the blender no more than half full.

*If you have a pizza stone, use it for a crispier crust. Follow the manufacturer’s directions.

*Reheat any leftover slices on a baking sheet in a 350ºF oven until hot, about 10 minutes

Check the sidebar of the blog for more White House recipes.

*Top photo by AP; Air Force One photo courtesy Nation's Restaurant News; Leno photo courtesy NBC; pizza photo courtesy Evette Rios/The Chew. /Updated.

President Obama, First Lady Host 2012 Governors' Dinner: The Details, The Guests, The Menu...

President praises Governors for hard work, and advises that a White House whiskey barrel is ready to calm down "rowdy" behavior...
President Obama on Sunday night announced that he was looking for "some fun" at the annual black-tie Governors' Dinner, telling a story about wild times at the White House and barrels of whiskey as he toasted his guests. The dinner was the fourth and final affair for America's state leaders that the President and First Lady Obama will host in this term, and their first formal affair of 2012. They were seated at tables on opposite sides of the fireplace in the flower and candle-filled State Dining Room. As was the case for previous Governors' Dinners, the menu starred traditional American favorites, regionally sourced, including Rib Eye Steak and Maryland Crab Macaroni and Cheese. (Above: The toast)

Promising the Governors that they have "a strong partner" in the White House, President Obama also promised a good time.

"Tonight it’s about having some fun," the President said. "I want everybody to have a great time tonight."

The Governors are visiting Washington for the winter meeting of the National Governors Association. Mrs. Obama wore a one-shouldered tulle and silk bisque-colored gown covered in beadwork, her hair in an up-do, with large bejewelled earrings. Dinner started with a salad made from greens plucked from her Kitchen Garden, and the centerpiece Rib Eye Steak is an Obama tradition: Beef has been the entree of choice for all high-profile dinners. Vocalist Dianne Reeves performed after the Pear Tart with Ice Cream dessert was served.

After lauding the Governors for their "hard work"--and their looks ("you all look fabulous...you clean up very well")--the President told a story about President Andrew Jackson's inauguration, when crowds flooded into the historic rooms, threatening to "crush" the new Commander in Chief.

"As things started getting out of hand, the staff decided to pass barrels of ice cream and whiskey out the window to get people out on the lawn, so they wouldn’t cause damage and break the chandeliers and the furniture," President Obama said, to laughter.

"So I just want you to know, in case things get rowdy, we also have a barrel standing by."

Previous Governors' Dinners have included the President leading Conga lines through the East Room. The President's possibly rowdy guests included Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, NGA chairman Dave Heineman, Republican of Nebraska; co-chair Jack Markell of Delaware; Deval Patrick of Massachusetts, a National Co-chair for the President's re-election campaign; California's Jerry Brown; New Jersey's Chris Christie (seated at Biden's table); Hawaii's Neil Abercrombie; South Carolina's Nikki Haley; Louisiana's Bobby Jindal; Maryland's Martin O'Malley, and Virginia's Bob McDonnell, chair of the Republican Governors Association.

One notable absentee: Arizona's Jan Brewer, now famous for a tarmac tete-a-tete with the President. Brewer announced Sunday morning on NBC's Meet the Press that she would not attend the dinner due to "other commitments."

The President sat beside Maryland's First Lady Catherine Curran O'Malley at his table, while Mrs. Obama was seated beside McDonnell at her table. He announced on Sunday morning that the Governor's Mansion in Virginia now has a Kitchen Garden, inspired by his host's. The Governors will be at the White House on Monday, to talk policy in separate meetings with the President and the First Lady.

Tablecloths for the round tables for ten were gold brocade, and the floral centerpieces varied from table to table. Some were low, with green blooms with white roses, ranunculus, and ivy; others were purple, pink and mauve roses. Magenta votive candles dotted each table, beneath larger white candles in tall blue glass holders. Larger floral arrangements, in purple, pink and and mauve hues, lined the mantle of the fireplace and windowsills. The George W. Bush State China Service was used. (Above: The Vice President, left, toasts with Christie)

"I've always said that governors have one of the best but also one of the toughest jobs around," the President said. "On the one hand you guys are in charge, which means that folks know where you live and they know how to find you if something doesn't work." (Above: Mrs. Obama toasts with McDonnell)

"But you're also in a position to make real and lasting change every single day. You're where the rubber hits the road."

The President has used that particular descriptive phrase in each of his previous toasts at the Governors Dinners.

"Cheers, everybody...I hope you guys have a wonderful time. Let’s serve it up," the President said as he ended his toast.

Heineman in his response toast thanked the President and Mrs. Obama for their service to the nation and for their hospitality, and he defended the Governors' honor. (Above: The President, at right, watches Heineman toasting)

"I want you to know this is not a rowdy group. They’re on their best behavior tonight," Heineman said.

The Nebraska native hailed the dinner, too.

"I can say personally, as a young man growing up in Wahoo, Nebraska, I never dreamed that I'd be here in the White House tonight," Heineman said.

The White House did not release the names of the wines that accompanied the dinner, but in keeping with tradition, these were American. Keeping secret the names of wines poured at important dinners has gone on for months, and has included not naming the wines poured at the A Nation's Gratitude Dinner, the last two State Dinners, and the Return State Dinner in London, England.  The White House has given no reason for excluding the names of wines.  White wine was on the tables during the President's toast, though he raised a glass of water.  

Executive Chef Cris Comerford prepared the dinner; her recipe for No-Cream Creamed Spinach, served with the entree, is here.

The 2012 Governors' Dinner Menu

First
South Lawn Kitchen Garden Salad

Entree
Rib Eye Steak
Creamed Spinach
Maryland Crab Macaroni & Cheese

Dessert
Pear tart
with Ice Cream

The toasts:



*The transcript of the President's toast remarks

Related: These posts about the three previous Governors Dinners include menus: The 2011 Governors' Dinner; the 2010 Governors' Dinner; and the 2009 Governors' Dinner.

*Pool photos by AP/Getty

Transcript & Video: President Obama's Toast, 2012 Governors' Dinner

President Obama hosted the fourth and final Governors Dinner of his first term on Sunday evening, welcoming the state leaders to the White House for a black-tie event in the State Dining Room. Vocalist Dianne Reeves performed after dessert. A FULL POST IS HERE.

Below, the transcript of the President's toast, and the response toast by National Governors Association chairman Dave Heineman, Republican of Nebraska.



The transcript:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________

For Immediate Release
February 26, 2012

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AND GOVERNOR DAVE HEINEMAN
IN AN EXCHANGE OF TOASTS
AT 2012 GOVERNORS' DINNER

State Dining Room

7:18 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening, everybody. Welcome to the White House. (Laughter.) Did I hear an “aloha” back there? Yes. (Laughter.) All right, Neil. (Laughter.)

Let me begin by acknowledging your outstanding chair, Dave Heineman, who’s doing an outstanding job in the great state of Nebraska, as well as your vice chair, Jack Markell, of the great state of Delaware, for their hard work.

I have heard that you’ve had some very productive meetings this weekend. I’m looking forward to having you back tomorrow. We’ll be able to discuss a wide range of policy.

But tonight it’s about having some fun. We’ve got the help of the great Dianne Reeves, who is going to be here, and we’ll be hearing from later on. (Applause.) So I’m going to be brief, because although some may disagree, she has a better voice than I do. (Laughter.)

I’ve always said that governors have one of the best but also one of the toughest jobs around. On the one hand, you guys are in charge, which means that folks know where you live and they know how to find you if something doesn’t work. (Laughter.) They expect you to deliver when times are tough. But you’re also in a position to make real and lasting change every single day. You’re where rubber hits the road. And as a consequence, you can see your streets safer, your schools doing better by our children, our businesses growing faster, and our communities growing stronger because of the work that you do each and every day.

In recent months, I’ve had the privilege of seeing first-hand some of the outstanding work that you’re doing in your respective states. I’ve seen the kinds of businesses that are growing in states like Iowa and Washington. I’ve seen states like Florida who are really doing great work increasing tourism and developing renewable energies. I often get a chance to go to Virginia and Maryland and states in the vicinity, where community colleges are doing a wonderful job retraining our people for the jobs of the future.

So every time I get a sense of what’s happening in your states, I’m reminded that progress is possible. And I want you to know that you’ve got a partner here in the White House. We’re not going to agree on every single issue, every single day. But the thing about governors is that by nature, and if not by nature then by virtue of the position, you end up having to be pragmatic, because you have to figure out what works. And that’s why I’m confident that we’re going to be able to find more and more common ground going forward. (Applause.)

So I want everybody to have a great time tonight. By the way, you all look fabulous. (Laughter.) You clean up very well. This house has actually seen its share of good times. The story goes that after the inauguration, Andrew Jackson opened the White House to the public and was nearly crushed by the crowd. As things started getting out of hand, the staff decided to pass barrels of ice cream and whiskey out the window -- (laughter) -- to get people out on the lawn, so they wouldn’t cause damage and break the chandeliers and the furniture.

So I just want you to know, in case things get rowdy, we also have a barrel standing by. (Laughter.)

But now I’d like to propose a toast –- to all the governors for your outstanding work, but especially to all the spouses who put up with us. Cheers. Thank you so much.

Cheers, everybody. All right. I hope you guys have a wonderful time. Let’s serve it up. (Laughter and applause.)

MR. HEINEMAN: Mr. President, thank you very much. Now, I want you to know this is not a rowdy group. They’re on their best behavior tonight. (Laughter.)

On behalf of the nation’s governors and our guests here tonight, we are delighted to be with you. We appreciate the opportunity to join you and the First Lady.

We look forward to seeing you again tomorrow to discuss the important issues we face as a nation. However, as you said, tonight is an opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and to celebrate how fortunate we are to live in the United States of America. (Applause.)

America is the land of opportunity, and each of us are grateful for the opportunity to lead our states. And I can say personally, as a young man growing up in Wahoo, Nebraska, I never dreamed that I’d be here in the White House tonight.

We believe in public service, and Mr. President, we want to thank you and the First Lady for your service to our country. (Applause.) For you and for us, it is an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of this great country.

And now I’d like to propose a toast. Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the nation’s governors, I propose a toast to the President of the United States and the First Lady.

END 7:23 P.M. EST
##

Related: These posts about the three previous Governors Dinners include menus: The 2011 Governors' Dinner; the 2010 Governors' Dinner; and the 2009 Governors' Dinner.

President Obama, First Lady Will Host Annual White House Easter Egg Roll On April 9th

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama announced today that--just like every year--the 2012 White House Easter Egg Roll will be held on the Monday after Easter. The thousands of guests from across the US who will fill the South Lawn on April 9th will be treated to live musical performances, sports courts, cooking stations, storytelling and, of course, the traditional Easter egg rolling. The event, as it was in 2010 and 2011, will be pegged to the First Lady’s Let’s Move! campaign, and the activities will encourage children "to lead healthy and active lives," the White House said. The annual eggstravaganza has been a tradition since 1878. Last year's Roll was the largest in White House history, with about 30,000 guests. (Above: The President kicks off an egg rolling race as Mrs. Obama looks on)

White House Easter Egg Roll tickets will be distributed through an online lottery system, which will open for entries on March 1st at 10:00 AM and close on March 5th at 10:00 AM. Full ticketing details will be available on March 1st at whitehouse.gov/eastereggroll. Children 13 and under and their families and/or caretakers may attend.

Last year's Roll featured legendary French chef Jaques Pépin cooking with Mrs. Obama in the Kids Kitchen. The First Lady's Kitchen Garden anchored the area on the bottom of the South Lawn devoted to healthy eating, dubbed the "Play With Your Food" activity center. Performers included Willow Smith, and sports stars mingled with the kids. (Above: Mrs. Obama flips a crepe as Pépin watches)

A fun dessert recipe from the 2011 Easter Egg Roll: Frozen Orange Soufflé with Candied Walnuts, created by Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses.

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama