President Obama Issues First-Ever Video Message For Passover

From slavery to matzoh ball soup in the White House: President reflects on the meaning of the Exodus, wishes all Chag Sameach...
UPDATE: CLICK HERE for the post about the 2012 Presidential Seder
President Obama will host his fourth annual Passover Seder on Friday night, a tradition that began on the 2008 campaign trail. This year, the Jewish holiday is getting extra attention from the White House, because once again, it is an election year (more than 75% of Jews voted for Mr. Obama in 2008, according to polls). Today, for the first time ever, President Obama--who has routinely issued holiday videos for other faiths--released a video message for Passover, wishing Chag Sameach from the First Family to Jews in America and around the globe.

The President hails the story of the Jewish struggle for freedom as an inspiration for all regardless of race or ethnicity, and says he's looking forward to his own Seder, and enjoying "a good bowl of matzo ball soup." Above, the President gets his matzoh ball soup during the 2011 Seder.



During his message, the President briefly mentions the recent shootings of Jewish citizens in Toulouse, France, and ponders the question of the responsibilities that all citizens have once, like the Israelites, they are freed from bondage. He is proud to share in the Seder tradition, the President says.

"The story of that first Exodus has also inspired those who are not Jewish with common hopes, and a common sense of obligation," President Obama says. "So this is a very special tradition – and it’s one I’m proud to be taking part of tomorrow night, at the fourth annual White House Seder. Led by Jewish members of my staff, we’ll retell the story of the Exodus, listen to our youngest guest ask the four questions, and of course, look forward to a good bowl of matzo ball soup."

The White House's election-year focus on Passover included a special Passover cooking lesson last week that was livestreamed, starring Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses and acclaimed Jewish cooking authority Joan Nathan. Watch the video here; the post includes recipes for Matzoh Chremsel and Pear Haroset. The White House also released another Passover recipe: for White House Passover Apricot Sponge Cake, the first *official* White House recipe that's been released for Passover.

The President and his guests have enjoyed a dinner each year that the White House chefs cooked from recipes provided by guests; last year's menu for a dozen guests included traditional Seder favorites: Chicken soup with matzoh balls, braised beef brisket, potato kugel, carrot soufflé, and matzoh chocolate cake. The President's Seder is "not strictly kosher but kosher style," according to a White House aide. The Maxwell House Haggadah is used for the readings, and this year's guest list will be larger than last year's, when a dozen guests were invited. (Above: The President reads from the Maxwell House Haggadah during the 2010 Seder)

The President's Seder tradition...
The President's Passover video message is today featured in a post on the White House blog, written by Jarrod Bernstein, the Director of Jewish Outreach at the Office of Public Engagement. Bernstein re-explains the now much-told story of the President's Seder tradition.

"By now, the story of how that tradition began has been told and retold, but in the spirit of Passover, I’ll tell it again," Bernstein writes.

"In April of 2008, the President and his staff were on the trail in Pennsylvania in the midst of a long primary campaign. Weary from a long day of work and away from their families, a small group of staffers came together to hold an impromptu Seder. When then-Senator Obama got wind of the Seder, he gathered some other staff and friends and decided to join. At the end of the Seder, the President followed the traditional “Next year in Jerusalem” declaration with a pledge of his own – “Next year in the White House.” Each year since, he has followed through on that promise."

The transcript of the President's Passover message:

I’d like to wish a happy holiday to all those celebrating Passover.

The story of the Exodus is thousands of years old, but it remains as relevant as ever. Throughout our history, there are those who have targeted the Jewish people for harm – a fact we were so painfully reminded of just a few weeks ago in Toulouse. Just as throughout history, there have been those who have sought to oppress others because of their faith, ethnicity or color of their skin.

But tomorrow night, Jews around the world will renew their faith that liberty will ultimately prevail over tyranny. They will give thanks for the blessings of freedom, while remembering those who are still not free. And they will ask one of our life’s most difficult questions: Once we have passed from bondage to liberty, how do we make the most of all that God has given us?

This question may never be resolved, but throughout the years, the search for answers has deepened the Jewish people’s commitment to repairing the world, and inspired American Jews to help make our union more perfect. And the story of that first Exodus has also inspired those who are not Jewish with common hopes, and a common sense of obligation.

So this is a very special tradition – and it’s one I’m proud to be taking part of tomorrow night, at the fourth annual White House Seder. Led by Jewish members of my staff, we’ll retell the story of the Exodus, listen to our youngest guest ask the four questions, and of course, look forward to a good bowl of matzo ball soup.

Michelle and I are proud to celebrate with friends here at home and around the world, including those in the State of Israel.

So on behalf of the entire Obama family, Chag Sameach.

###

*Photos by Pete Souza/White House. The Presidential Seders are held in the old Family Dining Room.

President & Mrs. Obama Team With Google Art Project For Virtual Tour Of The White House

The People's House in 360 degree StreetViews...
In a continuing effort to be on the cutting edge of digital technology and social media, President Obama and First Lady Obama have allowed Google to bring its StreetView technology inside the most historic home/museum in America. Unveiled at 12:01 AM on Tuesday morning: A 360 degree virtual tour of the public rooms of the White House at GoogleArtProject.com, which already has a major online collection of the world's art. Virtual visitors will see 139 artworks by 96 artists that are displayed in the White House, as well as china, floral arrangements and a couple of left-over backpacks sitting on antique chairs, but off-limits are things such as the kitchen and the Old Family Dining Room. (Above: StreetView cameramen film the Presidential china collection in the China Room)

The White House is hailing the partnership as an accessibility initiative, "the latest step in President and Mrs. Obama’s efforts to truly make 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue 'The People’s House.'" In a new video introducing the project, Mrs. Obama invites the citizens of the world to see the inside of her home without leaving theirs.

"Go ahead, look around, enjoy the history and the beauty of these rooms," Mrs. Obama says. "Because after all, this is your house, too.”



“The White House isn’t simply a home to First Families or meeting space for world leaders, it’s also known as ‘The People’s House,’ a place that should be open to everyone. And that’s why we’ve made it a priority to invite young people, military families, and Americans of all ages to join us here at the White House,” Mrs. Obama says.

“Thousands of people have walked these halls and gazed at the artwork. They’ve examined the portraits of Washington, Lincoln, and Kennedy. They’ve imagined the history that’s unfolded here. And now you can do all of that without leaving your home. So go ahead, look around, enjoy the history and the beauty of these rooms. Because after all, this is your house, too.”

In this video, Google team members explain how they filmed the art and interior:



The embargoed-until-12:01 AM press release from the East Wing:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the First Lady
_______________________________________
EMBARGOED UNTIL 12:01 AM APRIL 3, 2012

President and Mrs. Obama Team Up with Google Art Project to Continue Making the White House More Accessible

Users will be able to take an at-home 360-degree tour of the White House’s public rooms at www.GoogleArtProject.com

Washington – The White House today announced the latest step in President and Mrs. Obama’s efforts to truly make 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue “The People’s House”, by working with Google Art Project to create a virtual 360-degree tour of the White House’s public rooms. Since the President’s inauguration – when he and Mrs. Obama surprised guests attending public tours – the Obamas have worked to make the White House more open and accessible. Over three years later, approximately 2.5 million visitors have walked through the gates of The People’s House, including Residence tourists, guests at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll events, Fall and Spring Garden Tours, guests at State or Official Arrival Ceremonies and White House Kitchen Garden school group tours. Now through the Google Art Project, millions more will be able to virtually visit the White House.

“The White House isn’t simply a home to First Families or meeting space for world leaders, it’s also known as ‘The People’s House,’ a place that should be open to everyone. And that’s why we’ve made it a priority to invite young people, military families, and Americans of all ages to join us here at the White House,” Mrs. Obama says in a video welcoming digital users to explore the White House via the Google Art Project . “Thousands of people have walked these halls and gazed at the artwork. They’ve examined the portraits of Washington, Lincoln, and Kennedy. They’ve imagined the history that’s unfolded here. And now you can do all of that without leaving your home. So go ahead, look around, enjoy the history and the beauty of these rooms. Because after all, this is your house, too.”

The Google Art Project, which launched in February 2011, uses Google technology to allow users to view museum objects in high resolution and explore institutions through Google Street View. The new White House tour is part of a global expansion of the Google Art Project – today Google announced the project has new partnerships with 29 partners in 16 cities across the country.

The White House is the only building in the world that is simultaneously the home of a head of state, the executive office of a head of state, and is regularly open to the public for tours. For information and instructions on applying for a White House visit, please go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events/
##

First Lady Michelle Obama Emails About 'Dinner with Barack IV' Contest

"Me again"...
With the Saturday deadline looming for campaign donations for this financial quarter, First Lady Michelle Obama--on Spring Break vacation in the western US with her daughters--sent an e-mail to supporters today, asking for a $3 donation, which includes auto entry in the Dinner with Barack IV sweepstakes. The subject line was "Me again," because Mrs. Obama e-mailed donors earlier in the week, advising that her husband stays "up late" at night, working hard.

Today's text included no Dear ____, but gets straight to the point. Mrs. Obama wrote:

"There's one thing I forgot to mention:

If you chip in to support the campaign before the big deadline tomorrow, you'll also be automatically entered to have dinner with my husband.

I had the chance to go to one of these "Dinners with Barack" just a few weeks back -- and trust me, you don't want to miss out on it.

Make a donation of $3 or whatever you can here:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Saturday-Dinner-Deadline

Thank you,

Michelle"

##

Dine With President Obama: Last Call To Enter 'Dinner with Barack IV' Contest

And new videos from the "Dinner with Barack and Michelle" fundraiser...
Citizens hoping to dine with President Obama at the fourth culinary fundraiser offered by Obama for America, "Dinner with Barack IV," have until midnight Saturday to enter, when this financial quarter for donations closes. There's a countdown clock on the OFA website for the event, and for this contest things were done a little differently: The four winners have been selected on a rolling basis, to inspire those who didn't win the first time to be repeat entrants, and drop more cash in the President's war chest. There's now one seat left at the Presidential table. (Above: The OFA graphic features the President at the most recent fundraising dinner)



OFA has released two new videos filmed during the third dinner contest, "Dinner with Barack and Michelle," when President Obama and First Lady Obama dined with six supporters at DC's Boundary Road restaurant on March 8, 2012.

"I'm going to order steak," the President says as the video begins, and indeed he did.

Both the President and Mrs. Obama ordered the Grilled Hanger Steak as their entrees, made with chestnut puree, and served over spicy kale, with a "sauce charon," similar to a Bernaise ($22). The President started with Quark and Black Pepper Pierogi ($10), which is more like a savory ravioli than a Pierogi, while Mrs. Obama started with the Rapini Salad, chilled rappini with pickled shallots, avocado oil, and Firefly Farms Mountain Top Bleu ($6).

The President and Mrs. Obama's guests were three winners, each of whom were allowed to bring a guest. Winner ReGina Newkirk, a nonprofit executive from Nashville, TN, brought her father, Robert Newkirk Sr., a professor at Tennessee State University; Winner Cathleen Loringer, a former social worker from Wauwatosa, WI, brought her husband, John Loringer, a Wauwatosa attorney; and winner Judy Glassman, a retired school administrator from Cambridge, MA, brought her husband Mitch Glassman, a Cambridge artist.

In Video 2, the Loringers talk about themselves:



The other dinner contests...
The President ate dinner with the four winners of the first "Dinner with Barack" contest in October of 2011, at The Liberty Tavern in Arlington, VA. The second dinner contest was fulfilled with a luncheon; the President took his four winners to DC's Scion restaurant on January 6, 2012. For a behind-the-scenes account, read French Fries With The Leader Of The Free World.

OFA raised $68 million in the fourth quarter of fundraising in 2011, when the Dinner with Barack and Michelle contest was being run. OFA claims that 98% of supporters in 2011 donated $250 or less, but did not release figures on how many people donated multiple times, theoretically exceeding what is identified as a "small donor" figure.

Today: President Obama Attends Four Fundraisers In Vermont And Maine

New England swing: Lunch, dinner and two rallies with big crowds expected...
President Obama today travels to Vermont and Maine for four different fundraisers, two each in the tiny states at the top of the East Coast. The two lower-priced events, one in each state, are expected to draw thousands of donors. The other two events, a luncheon in Vermont and a dinner in Portland, are at a higher price point, and have smaller numbers of guests expected.

The events are the last fundraisers before Saturday's monthly and quarterly campaign fundraising deadline, and Obama for America has been busily pushing for donations via e-mail pleas.

President Obama is the first sitting Commander in Chief to visit Vermont since 1995. He begins his fundraising day at 1:15 PM, when he'll attend a $7,500/plate luncheon in Burlington, VT, at the Sheraton Burlington Hotel. About 100 donors are expected, according to campaign officials.

At 2:25 PM there's a college concert for the youth vote: Local rockers Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will play at a fundraiser at the University of Vermont in Burlington, which is expected to draw 4,500 supporters. General admission tickets begin at $100 and go up.

In Maine at 5:15 PM, the President will headline another big fundraiser, a rally at Portland's Southern Maine Community College. About 1,800 supporters are expected, with tickets ranging $100 for general admission to $10,000 for donors who will get to have their photo taken with the President.

At 7:20 PM the President will attend a fundraising reception and then a dinner at the Portland Museum of Art. About 120 people are expected to attend the dinner, with tickets going for $35,800. Reception tickets begin at $7,500.

*Photo by Chuck Kennedy/White House

President Obama Joins Pinterest; A Food And Recipe Board Is Included

The Obama Family Chili Recipe in the spotlight...
President Obama's campaign HQ on Wednesday unveiled its own series of boards on the fast-growing social network site Pinterest, which has seen an explosion of interest in the last few months. The Obama project has 7 different boards, including one devoted to "Obama-inspired recipes." (Above: A screenshot of the food board)

The board includes the Obama Family Chili Recipe, unveiled during the 2008 campaign and put to good use during this year's Super Bowl as part of a pigskin-themed fundraiser. There are also photos of foods carrying the Obama campaign logo. There are currently no recipes pinned that were created by the White House chefs--which could possibly be a violation of federal election rules.

Obama for America tweeted the new project to followers: "Organizers, infographics, murals, and cake - now pinning all of the above for #Obama2012 on Pinterest."

Fundraising through Pinterest...
The 8 different boards include one devoted to campaign merchandise, and one devoted to the First Family--which includes a photo of President Obama and his favorite toy, the marshmallow cannon, and First Lady Obama dancing on TV with Ellen DeGeneres. (Above: The Chili Recipe; click to enlarge for readability)

There's also a photo of the President and Mrs. Obama dining with supporters during one of the "Dinner with Barack" fundraisers. There's currently one of these contests open, and the caption reads "The Obamas sit down for a meal with supporters during Dinner with Barack. Have you put in your name for a seat at the next one?"

There's a merchandise board, and a page devoted to ObamArt--which has a photo of one supporter's manicure. Joining Pinterest requires an "invite" from the publisher.

Ann Romney's Pinterest...
GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's wife, Ann Romney, has been avidly pinning since February. Romney has a board devoted to recipes, with 11 delights the Romney family loves, including Mitt's Meatball Cakes, his favorite birthday treat.

Obama for America has experimented with social media, and has also joined Instagram and Tumblr, those these aren't updated very frequently. The most success has come with Twitter, where the President and First Lady Obama both have accounts. The President now has 13,515,114 followers, while Mrs. Obama, who joined earlier this year, has 701,568 followers. Tweets are posted by staff unless the accoutns are signed "-bo" and "-mo" respectively.

Let's Plant: Potatoes And Politics As First Lady Michelle Obama Preps Kitchen Garden For Spring

On the heels of school lunch battle, the National Potato Council is thrilled that spuds are now growing at the White House; regional TV outlets invited to interview First Lady and her swing-state helpers...
Washington was gloriously sunny on Monday as First Lady Michelle Obama refurbished the White House Kitchen Garden for the fourth time since breaking ground in 2009 for the project she has hailed as "the most important achievement of my life."
For the last Spring planting of President Obama's first term, Mrs. Obama was joined by the largest number of groups--six--that have ever participated at one time in a garden event: 31 kids selected from New York, Iowa, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and the District joined Mrs. Obama as she hit her crop rows in mid-afternoon. (Above: Planting Mustard Greens with helpers)

White House chefs including Executive Chef Cris Comerford, Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses and Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass were on hand, as was the First Lady's chief of staff, Tina Tchen.

Mrs. Obama arrived gardenside just after 2:15 PM, striding down from the residence as heavily armed security agents ducked into the surrounding trees and bushes to keep watch. The First Lady, greeted with cheers and applause, was clad in black slacks, a black cardigan, a "vintage" orange J. Crew t-shirt, and blue Superga low-tops, her hair rolled back. Minutes before, the guests had been put through a dress rehearsal for their planting duties by Kass. Clad in a chefs jacket and jeans, he stood to the side, beaming, as Mrs. Obama welcomed all.

"Yay! It's so exciting!" Mrs. Obama said. The garden, she explained, is part of her Let's Move! campaign, and "an important way to have a good conversation about your health."

Although building supermarkets in areas identified as food deserts is a pillar of the Let's Move! campaign, Mrs. Obama expressed little faith in store-bought crops.

"A lot of times when you grow your own vegetables and fruits, they taste really good," Mrs. Obama said. "They taste better than a lot of stuff you’ll get in a grocery store -- trust me."

She kicked off the action simply: "Let's plant!"

Potatoes and controversy...
Cold-season crops were the order for the day, in case of late frost: Before an hour had passed, Mrs. Obama and her crew had installed spinach, lettuces, radish, bok choy, broccoli, chard, rappini, carrots, and onions in the boxed beds in the 1,500 square-foot garden. Mrs. Obama personally planted Mustard Greens--"Southern Giant Curled"--and Dill seed, and five varieties of potatoes, which was something of an historic and controversial moment. (Above: Mrs. Obama slices seed potatoes with helpers)

"These are the first potatoes we've had," Mrs. Obama told her three Girl Scout helpers, who came from Troop 60325 in Fairport, NY. "I can't wait to see what happens."

Mrs. Obama knelt and sliced seed potatoes in half, handing these to the Scouts, who dug them into a boxed bed at the front of the garden, situated directly in front of the huge crowd of media covering the event. The varieties included red Sangre, purple fingerlings from Peru called Purple Sion; Mountain Rose, Red Thumb and Canola Russet. Controversy: Last year, Congress passed a law mandating that servings of white potatoes and other starchy vegetables could not be restricted under the US Department of Agriculture's upgraded nutritional guidelines for the National School Lunch Program, legislation Mrs. Obama vocally championed.

The measure followed an aggressive PR campaign from potato state lawmakers and the National Potato Council (NPC), which included a special website and a petition urging Congress to keep spuds on lunchtrays; USDA wanted to restrict servings to make more room on menus for other vegetables. An East Wing spokesman said the First Lady's potato planting had nothing to do with the controversy, though previously only Sweet Potatoes were grown in the Kitchen Garden. (Above: Bed markers for two kinds of potato varieties)

Still, Mrs. Obama had hardly finished planting when the National Potato Council issued a press release, alerted through social media that their product was front and center in the White House garden: "America's potato growers are excited the first lady is helping educate children that healthy eating includes nutrient-rich potatoes," said NPC Executive Vice President and CEO John Keeling.

For their school lunch campaign, the NPC had made much of Mrs. Obama's declaration that French fries are her favorite food. She'll have heady gourmet fries when the new potatoes come in.

Mrs. Obama and her helpers were of course unaware of any controversy as they continued on with young Mustard Greens, and scattered Dill seed. The First Lady poured the seeds into the kids' hands, and watched as they worked these into the dirt. (Above: With Kass and helpers by a Dill bed)

"If we don't get a ton of dill from that, I'll be surprised," Mrs. Obama said.

She chatted easily with the girls as they worked; ages 10 and 11, they quizzed Mrs. Obama about daughters Malia, 13, and Sasha, 10. Mrs. Obama admitted that getting both to enjoy their vegetables has sometimes been a challenge.

Swing state helpers...and special TV interviews with Mrs. Obama...
Politics were in the air for reasons other than potatoes, too: Some of the invited kids just happen to be from battleground states critical for President Obama's 2012 re-election: Iowa (students from Mitchell Elementary School in Ames); North Carolina (Sumner Elementary in Greensboro); and Pennsylvania (Stetser Elementary in Chester). They were accompanied on their White House visit by local-market TV crews from their home states. (Above: The First Lady pours Dill seed into the hands of a helper)

The Let's Move! campaign, which now has a huge national audience, has been a terrific way to spread President Obama's message about "winning the future," and revitalizing communities. The White House has previously invited local TV stations to visit for "media days" for the President, and the crews on hand for Monday's planting were given the rare opportunity to interview the First Lady. --Rare for local outlets; Mrs. Obama has become an almost weekly staple on the talk show circuit as the 2012 Campaign has ramped up. There's more to come shortly, when she appears in NBC's The Biggest Loser, in scenes filmed at the White House.

Mrs. Obama's second anniversary tour for the campaign in February also included stops in battleground states: She kicked off the tour in Des Moines, Iowa, and had four different events in Florida. The East Wing said the children were invited to the White House because they'd written to the First Lady about their own healthy eating projects, including school gardens.

"You guys wrote some really nice letters telling us about stories of the work that you're doing in your schools, in your communities," Mrs. Obama said as she welcomed the kids.

Junior gardeners from DC's Bancroft and Harriet Tubman Elementary Schools also helped. The two schools have previously supplied students to work in the Kitchen Garden, and Tubman has been adopted by the White House chefs as part of the Chefs Move to Schools program.

An international garden...
The Kitchen garden contains two beds that pay homage to President Thomas Jefferson's kitchen garden at his plantation home of Monticello, located in Albemarle County, VA. Peter J. Hatch (l) the master gardener who oversees it, and who ran the decades-long historic re-build, brought a wide variety of starter plants for the Kitchen Garden, as he has each year since 2009. Hatch and his wife Lou brought Brown Dutch and Tennis Ball lettuce, Sea Kale, Brussels Sprouts, and Caracalla and tree onions. These are also called "walking onions," Hatch said, because bulbs grow at the top and the bottom, and the top bulbs fall over and re-plant themselves in the earth.

"Brown Dutch and Tennis Ball were Jefferson's favorite lettuces," Hatch said. The Sea Kale, he said, is an heirloom British variety, grown in seaside areas, and relatively rare.

"Jefferson harvested it early, and prepared it like asparagus shoots," Hatch said.

With this Spring planting, Mrs. Obama's garden is very international, Hatch added: The five varieties of potatoes are the only crop that originate in the New World, the only vegetables that weren't originally imported from Europe and other continents. Yale University Press has just published Hatch's beautiful new book about Jefferson's garden, A Rich Spot of Earth, and it includes descriptions of his work with Mrs. Obama.

The Kitchen Garden, while not certified organic, does not use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. The soil is "seething with life," Hatch said, rich with earthworms and beneficial insects. A special composter, called a biocycler, sits at the back of the garden, and food scraps from the kitchen are used. (Above: A long view of the planting action)

After forty minutes of planting, Mrs. Obama and her helpers were done. As she gathered the kids for farewells, she autographed the shoulders of their t-shirts before handing out hugs.

Mrs. Obama's forthcoming book about her garden, American Grown, will be published at the end of May. A combination Kitchen Garden memoir and how-to guide, the $30 hardcover will include instructions for all kinds of gardens, from windowsill herb gardens to back-yard plots. Though Mrs. Obama has been encouraging gardening for three years, the White House has never put out its own set of instructions on how citizens can participate. The book will include recipes, too. (The book jacket, above)

CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the event. The transcript of Mrs. Obama's remarks.



*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama; book jacket photo courtesy of Crown Publishing Group

White House Kitchen Garden, Before & After 2012 Spring Planting

First Lady Michelle Obama replanted the Kitchen Garden for Spring on Monday afternoon, joined by the White House chefs and 31 kids invited from four states and DC. Above: The garden before the planting. Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass is center left. Click on the photo to view it in larger form.

The young plants and seeds that were dug into the planting boxes in the 1,500 square-foot garden included spinach, lettuces, radish, bok choy, broccoli, chard, rappini, carrots, and onions in the boxed beds in the 1,500 square-foot garden.

Mrs. Obama personally planted Mustard Greens, Dill seed, and five varieties of potatoes, including red Sangre, purple fingerlings from Peru called Purple Sion; Mountain Rose, Red Thumb and Canola Russet. Above: The garden after the planting.

*Photos by Obama Foodorama

Transcript & Video: First Lady Michelle Obama's Remarks, 2012 Kitchen Garden Spring Planting

Let's Plant: First Lady joined by 31 kids from Iowa, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and DC...
First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed 31 kids from four states and DC to the South Lawn of the White House on Monday as she re-planted her Kitchen Garden for Spring. The kids came from Mitchell Elementary School in Ames, Iowa; Stetser Elementary School in Chester, Pennsylvania; and Sumner Elementary School in Greensboro, North Carolina. Girl Scouts from Troop 60325 in Fairport, New York, and kids from DC's Harriet Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools also joined Mrs. Obama for the planting. (Above: Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass chats with Mrs. Obama and her three Scout helpers)



It was a bright and sunny day, and a little windy. Mrs. Obama wore black pants, a black cardigan, an orange patterned t-shirt from J. Crew, and blue suede Superga tennis shoes as she worked.

Potatoes were the big news: Mrs. Obama, joined by three Girl Scouts, planted five different kinds, the first to be planted in the Kitchen Garden other than Sweet Potatoes. The First Family will soon be enjoying Sangre, Purple Peruvian Fingerlings, Mountain Rose, Red Thumb and and Canola Russet potatoes.  (Above: Mrs. Obama cutting potatoes to be planted)

Mrs. Obama also planted Dill seed and Mustard Greens with her helpers. The visiting children were all followed by TV news crews from their hometown markets. (Above: Mrs. Obama poses with her helpers after the planting, which took about 40 minutes for the 1,500 square-foot plot)

Mrs. Obama's remarks before the digging began:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the First Lady
_________________________

For Immediate Release
March 26, 2012

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY
AT WHITE HOUSE KITCHEN GARDEN PLANTING

South Lawn

2:20 P.M. EDT


MRS. OBAMA: How are you guys doing?

AUDIENCE: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: Welcome to the White House. What are these? Are they good?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Looks good. And you've got some apples. Yes. What's going on?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Do you like living here?

MRS. OBAMA: Do I like living here? Yes, it's fun to live here. It's fun, especially on a day like this because you guys are going to help us plant the garden, right?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Yay! It's so exciting! All right.

Well, we have a lot of special guests here. Because every year we do this -- and what year is this? This is our fourth planting. This is the fourth time we've planted the White House garden.

So we're here again. And we've got students from Tubman and Bancroft. Yes, where are our Tubman and Bancroft students who are here? But we also have special guests from all over the country. We've got some Girl Scouts who are here. (Applause.) Woo for the Girl Scouts! We've got students from Iowa. (Applause.) Woo! We've got students from New York.

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: That’s us.

MRS. OBAMA: You guys, the Girl Scouts from New York. We've got students from Pennsylvania. (Applause.) Woo! And North Carolina. (Applause.) Woo hoo! Very good.

Well, you guys, the students from around the country, you guys wrote some really nice letters telling us about stories of the work that you're doing in your schools, in your communities. And your letters were so wonderful, I thought, why not come and see me at the White House and help me plant my garden? And you made it! Welcome. It's good to have you. (Applause.)

Well, I don’t know if you know, one of the reasons why we plant the garden is that it's an important way to have a good conversation about your health. Because one of the things that I've been trying to do as First Lady is work on an initiative that I call Let’s Move. Have you guys heard about Let’s Move?

AUDIENCE: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: And what’s it all about, Let’s Move? All right just yell it out -- exercise, good eating, getting healthy. That’s right, because we guys want you to grow up healthy. And the garden is a good way to start the conversation, because vegetables and fruits are a big part of a healthy diet.

And a lot of times when you grow your own vegetables and fruits, they taste really good. They taste better than a lot of stuff you’ll get in a grocery store -- trust me. My kids have done it. They’re not big fans of all vegetables, but if they help to work on it they’re much more excited about trying it out. And we found that with the students here.

Yes?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Do you have Just Dance?

MRS. OBAMA: Do I have Just Dance? What is that?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: A video game.

MRS. OBAMA: I don’t have Just Dance. We might have it, but I don’t play it. Is it a good exercise game?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: Does it make you dance? Is it like Dance, Dance Revolution? We have Dance, Dance Revolution. Do you guys know what that is?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: I don’t know about Just Dance, though. I can’t say I can vouch for that. But I’m sure the Just Dance people are happy that you brought it up. (Laughter.) Should give her some commission or something. (Laughter.)

But we get a chance to talk about your health. And you guys, I know you’re doing it at your schools and in the Girl Scouts. You’re talking about planting tomatoes and planting vegetables, incorporating that kind of food into your diet, and talking to your families about doing good, healthy food? Are you guys doing some of that at home?

AUDIENCE: Yes.

MRS. OBAMA: That’s excellent. So I’m very proud of you all and I’m happy to have you here. We get this done so fast because you all are here. It would take us forever to plant this garden if we didn’t have your help, so it’s really special to have you all here. So are you ready to do some work?

AUDIENCE: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: All right, so I’m going to turn it over -- back over to Sam. Sam? All right, let’s plant!

END 2:23 P.M. EDT
##

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

March 26th: First Lady Michelle Obama Will Replant White House Kitchen Garden For Spring

Children from four states invited to the White House... 
UPDATE: CLICK HERE for the post about the event
Inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama's Kitchen Garden, so many children have written to the Gardener in Chief about their own projects that last year the White House created a special memento to send out, a portrait of the First Lady seated in the lush crops rows with First Dog Bo (above). This Monday, March 26th, some of those junior gardeners will visit the White House. The East Wing has announced that children from Iowa, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York, as well as students from the District of Columbia have been invited to join the First Lady as she replants the garden for Spring.

"All wrote to her about their own gardening experiences," the East Wing said about Mrs. Obama's out-of-state guests, noting that the kids included descriptions about their healthy eating and food access projects.

Mrs. Obama has been assisted by young helpers for each of her harvest and planting events, but never by so many different groups at one time. About 34 kids will join the First Lady for the digging party, which comes ahead of the publication in late May of American Grown, Mrs. Obama's book about her signature project.

Mrs. Obama has invited second graders from Mitchell Elementary School in Ames, Iowa; the school offers each grade "their own raised bed plot" in a vegetable garden, which is also open to community members, according to the East Wing. The students invited from Stetser Elementary School in Chester, Pennsylvania include two former students who wrote to the First Lady about their experiences with their school garden and three current fourth graders. Students invited from Sumner Elementary School in Greensboro, North Carolina are hoping to start a garden. Third graders wrote to Mrs. Obama for advice, the East Wing said. (Above: Mrs. Obama and a helper at last summer's Three Sisters planting, which spotlighted Native Americans)

All three of these states happen to be battlegrounds for President Obama's re-election effort, and have gotten plenty of the First Lady's attention recently. Last week she was in New York to fundraise, and she visited North Carolina, home to the upcoming 2012 Democratic National Convention, earlier this month. She traveled to Iowa in February for a stadium-sized event to kickoff her national tour for the second anniversary of the Let's Move! campaign. With its focus on community revitalization and job creation through food access projects, Mrs. Obama's childhood obesity initiative is a swell calling card for the President's re-election effort.

Members of Girl Scouts of Western New York Troop 60325 from Fairport, New York have also been invited to Monday's planting; they told Mrs. Obama about the 100 tomato plants they'd grown to give to members of their community. Mrs. Obama is National Honorary President of the Girl Scouts. Kids from DC's Harriet Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools, longtime partners in the project, will also be on hand.

Bancroft students--who have their own school garden that Mrs. Obama has visited--have worked in the Kitchen Garden since it was first planted in 2009. The Tubman kids have also been at a number of garden events; White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford, Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses have adopted the school through the Chefs Move to Schools program, which marries professional chefs to public schools.

The planting...and Thomas Jefferson...and no, the garden is not organic
On Monday, Mrs. Obama and her junior helpers will plant a wide variety of crops, including seeds and seedlings sourced from President Thomas Jefferson's historic restored kitchen garden at his plantation home Monticello, in Albemarle County, VA. It is overseen by master horticulturalist Peter Hatch, who has served as an advisor for the White House project, and donated seeds and starts each year. The Kitchen Garden is now 1,500 square feet, expanded in 2010 from its original size of 1,100 square feet at the First Lady's behest. With boxed beds, it grows through all four seasons with the use of protective hoop houses. The plastic covering were removed last weekend thanks to very warm weather. (Above: The Kitchen Garden earlier this week, with the uncovered hoops still in place)

Though not certified organic, no chemical pesticides or fertilizers are used in the Kitchen Garden. Fresh vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, micro cabbage sprouts, kale and winter lettuces were used last week when the President and Mrs. Obama hosted the State Dinner honoring British Prime Minister David Cameron, for more than 320 guests. (Above: Chefs harvesting greens for the State Dinner, with the hoop houses visible in the background)

The Kitchen Garden is visible daily to the thousands of tourists who gather outside the South Lawn fence line to view the White House, and is meticulously cared for by the White House chefs, employees of the National Park Service who maintain the historic grounds, and volunteers. During the annual Garden and Grounds tours at the White House, visitors wait in long lines to get a first-hand look at the project.

As exclusively reported here today, on May 29, Crown Publishing Group will release Mrs. Obama's book about the Kitchen Garden, American Grown. The date is the second delay for the book, Mrs. Obama's first effort as an author. Subtitled "The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America," the book is a combination memoir and how-to guide, richly photographed. It includes details for how to plant all kinds of gardens, as well as recipes. The 256-page hardcover edition will sell for $30 in the US market. (Above, the book jacket)

*Check the sidebar of the blog for a complete listing of White House recipes inspired by the Kitchen Garden.

Related: The White House Beehive is ready for Spring, too.

*Top photo by Lawrence Jackson/White House; hoop house photo by Chuck Kennedy/White House; book cover photo by Crown Publishing Group; other photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

Preview: Michelle Obama On Letterman Show

In New York City on Monday to fundraise for President Obama's re-election effort, First Lady Michelle Obama filmed Late Show with David Letterman. It was Mrs. Oama's first appearance on the CBS show. The segment will air on Tuesday night.

"Has you husband ever come home and said to you, oh, that John Boehner, what an idiot?" Letterman asked.

Today: First Lady Michelle Obama Visits New York For Fundraising, Letterman Appearance

$25K reception with Robert De Niro, Whoopi Goldberg & bowling with NFL stars...
First Lady Michelle Obama travels to New York City on Monday for two high-dollar 2012 fundraising events with celebrities, and to film her first appearance on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman. In addition to discussing President Obama's re-election effort, Mrs. Obama will tell Letterman about her Joining Forces initiative to support military families, and her plans for the project's one-year anniversary in April.

At 6:00 PM, the First Lady will headline a reception at Robert De Niro's Tribeca restaurant Locanda Verde, co-hosted by Whoopi Goldberg.  The event is also co-hosted by Star Jones, actors Angela Bassett, Lynn Whitfield, and Alfre Woodard; Tina Knowles, mom of Beyonce; and Tonya Lewis Lee, wife of film director Spike Lee. Tickets for the 6:00 PM event start at $5,000 and go up to $25,000. More details here.

In the afternoon, Mrs. Obama will bowl for dollars at a "Family Game Night" event at 3:30 PM at 300 New York - Chelsea Piers, hosted by Victor Cruz, wide receiver for the New York Giants, and NFL's Wale Ogunleye, who formerly played for the President's beloved Bears. $5,000 gets VIP status, which "includes photo reception and bowling shoes for up to five." More details here. The President was in Chicago and Atlanta last Friday, raising money at five different events, while Mrs. Obama was in Minneapolis, Minnesota at two fundraisers.

Mrs. Obama's debut on Letterman follows a sweep of the talk show circuit earlier this year to discuss the two-year anniversary of the Let's Move! campaign, making appearances on Tonight Show with Jay Leno, on Rachael Ray Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, as well as on Top Chef. (Above: The invitation to the De Niro event)

*Photo at top by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

President Obama Celebrates St. Patrick's Day At DC Pub The Dubliner, Joined By An Irish Cousin

Henry Healy and Irish publican Ollie Hayes reunite with President to party with hundreds of DC's revelers...
President O'bama celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a very early pint on Saturday, when he quaffed Guinness at DC's The Dubliner, a storied Irish pub located steps away from Capitol Hill. Mr. Obama was joined for his 1:00 PM beerfest by Henry Healy, an eighth cousin from his ancestral village of Moneygall in Ireland, and Ollie Hayes, owner of the pub where the President met the Irish members of his family for the first time last May during his visit to the tiny hamlet in County Offaly. The President's Irish roots, discovered during the 2008 campaign, are on his maternal side, and date back to 1761. (Above: Healy is center, and Hayes is at right)

The trio toasted their DC reunion today, along with a large and rowdy crowd of hundreds, many of whom had been enjoying themselves since 10:00 AM, wearing festive beads, green wigs, shamrock head bobblers and face paint.

Danny Coleman, owner of The Dubliner, said the bar received a scant five-minute warning that the President would be arriving. As for the President's pint of Guinness?

"He finished it!" Coleman said.

"Ok how surreal was that just went for a guinness with president Obama in the Dubliner in DC," (stet) Healy, 27, tweeted. He's known in Moneygall as "King Henry VIII " thanks to his Presidential relation.

The President's press pool noted the presence of a Guinness foam mustache as he drank. The Obama campaign loves the President's Emerald Isle heritage: Some 30% of Americans claim Irish ancestry. The Campaign store briefly sold an O'bama Pint Glass Set ($25 for two), complete with a 2012 Shamrock logo, but it vanished from the swag store in February. T-shirts with the logo were still being offered on Saturday ("last chance").

Hayes gave the President and First Lady Obama lessons in Guinness pint-pulling last year when they visited his eponymous pub. The two Irishmen have been in DC since Thursday, according to Healy. They partied with the President for close to half an hour at The Dubliner.

The President, clad casually in slacks, a button down shirt and a pale moss-green jacket that read "National Parks, America's Best Idea," arrived at The Dubliner shortly before 1:00 PM by motorcade for a celebration that wasn't listed on his daily schedule. The day was beautiful and sunny, and as he stepped out of his ride, the President was greeted by revelers outside The Dubliner and nearby Irish Times, partying beneath sidewalk tents. (Above: WH photog Pete Souza took this arty shot of the President and Healy in a mirror above the bar)

One woman loudly urged the President to "sign my face," according to pool, but he declined and instead shook hands and posed for photos before walking into The Dubliner, a DC institution beloved by Irish ex-pats for the last 37 years. The crowd inside chanted "Four more years!" at least twice twice, and chanted "U.S.A! U.S.A.!"at one point.



The President posed for pictures, including one with Danny Cooper Coleman, age 21 months, the grandchild of owner Coleman. The President's VIP pass featured a photo of the baby, who also stars on the website. The lucky bartender who pulled the president's pint is Brian Keane.

The President's Irish roots...
The President's Irish roots were uncovered when he was a Senator running for President, and he first met his distant relations during his visit to Moneygall last May, ahead of his State Visit to the UK. In Moneygall, he met Healy and many other distant relations; the President is related to three families in the village, the Healys, the Donovans, and the Kearneys. (Above: Toasting with Healy)

The President's roots date back to 1761, when there was a marriage between Sarah Healy and Joseph Kearney, the great-great-grandfather of Falmouth Kearney, the President’s great-great-great grandfather on his mother’s side, who immigrated from Moneygall to Ohio in 1850 in the midst of Ireland's Great Famine.

The President will "officially" celebrate St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday at the White House, when he welcomes Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny for a day of events, including a big reception in the evening. Not one to play favorites with his Emerald Isle allies, the President will also welcome First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Northern Ireland. (Above: The President with owner Coleman, center, as he leaves)

Today, the fountain on the South Lawn of the White House is dyed green.

More on The Dubliner visit from the pool report:

The pool was ushered out into the sidewalk space while the president continued to sip his beer, grin, shake hands, and chat with bar patrons under a TV that was showing basketball highlights. White House trip director Marvin Nicholson came out briefly to chat with the pool. Marvin was rocking a bright green fleece. Your pooler chatted with Adam Joseph, a self-described Chicago native now living in DC, who described his brief exchange with the president. "I told him 'Mister President, it's my birthday!' And he said 'Happy birthday.'" Joseph, who said he was now 29, smiled when your pooler asked whether he had cadged a photo with the president. "Kinda. Well, I got a picture *of* him."

At about 1:14, still photographers were allowed inside. At 1:30, the president emerged from The Dubliner, shook a few more hands, gave a thumbs up to one man who shouted "Go Bulls!" and told Joseph "you're getting old." The president smiled and waved to the patrons in the packed Irish Times sidewalk area, then to another hundred or so gawkers on the sidewalk at North Capitol and F Street, boarded his ride, and by 1:45 we were back at the White House.

Above: The South Lawn fountain at the White House today.

Information: The Dubliner is located at 520 N Capitol St NW Washington, DC 20001. Phone: (202) 737-3773.

*Photos by Pete Souza/White House; except for 4th, by Reuters/pool. CNN video. White House photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama. Today's pool was Olivier Knox of Yahoo.

Donors At The State Dinner: The Special Relationship With Obama Campaign Bundlers

Mega fundraisers have their own "Dinner with Barack"...
Thanks to Obama for America's ongoing "Dinner with Barack" contests, regular folks can now enjoy a meal with President Obama for just a $3 donation and bucketloads of luck. But as noted here, there were about two dozen high-dollar Campaign donors at President Obama's lavish State Dinner for British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday. CNN today reported a handy breakdown of the dollar amounts given by the 47 "bundlers" invited to join the President, Prime Minister, and First Lady Michelle Obama at the largest State Dinner of the Administration, held in a dramatically lit pavilion at the bottom of the South Lawn. The bundlers included Vogue editor Anna Wintour and movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who have each raised more than half a million for the President. (Above: Weinstein arriving with his wife Georgina Chapman, who designed Mrs. Obama's gown for the evening, under the Marchesa label)

Also in that heady category: Media mogul Fred Eychaner, Pfizer executive Sally Susman, Stoneyfield Farms president and CEO Gary Hirshberg, and Microsoft executives Suzi Levine and John Frank.  Actor George Clooney--not a major fundraiser--was the biggest star on the guest list of more than 320 people.

Bundlers are those who raise mega bucks for the Campaign, through their own donations and encouraging others to do so; Weinsten and Wintour have hosted multiple fundraisers for the President. CNN estimated that the 47 donors who attended the State Dinner have raised at least $10 million, "and likely much, much more."

CNN notes that "the Obama campaign provides a list of these “volunteer fundraisers” on its website, but rather than reveal exactly how much they have raised, they simply place the donors into tiers. Thirteen of the dinner attendees raised more than a half a million dollars for the president, 24 raised between $200,000 and $500,000, eight raised between $100,000 and $200,000 and three between $50,000 and $100,000." (Above: Wintour at the dinner)

The full list of the bundlers who attended and how much they raised:

Amount Raised: $500,000k+

The Honorable Matthew Barzun, Louisville, KY

Mr. Tom Bernstein and Mrs. Andrea Bernstein, New York, NY

Mr. John Crumpler, Durham, NC

Mr. Fred Eychaner, Chicago, IL

Mr. John Frank, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Microsoft, Bellevue, WA

Mr. Barry Karas, Los Angeles, CA

Mr. Orin Kramer, New York, NY

Mr. Michael Monroe Parham, Seattle, WA

Mr. Dana Matthew Perlman, Los Angeles, CA

Ms. Sally Susman, New York, NY

Mr. Harvey Weinstein, New York, NY

Ms. Anna Wintour, Editor-in-Chief, Vogue Magazine, New York, NY

Amount Raised: $200,000-$500,000

Gerald Acker, Huntington Woods, MI

Mr. Mark Alderman, Bryn Mawr, PA

Dr. Jean-Phillipe Austin, Miami, FL

Mr. Neil G. Bluhm, Chicago, IL

Mr. Wally Brewster, Jr. and Mr. Robert Satawake, Chicago, IL

Mr. Jim Crown, Chicago, IL

Mr. Joseph Falk, Miami, FL

Mr. Rajiv Kumar Fernando, Chicago, IL

Mr. Lou Frillman and Mrs. Carol Frillman, Seattle, WA

Mr. Anthony Gardner, Washington, DC (London, England)

Mr. Samuel Heins and Ms. Stacey Mills, Wayzata, MN

Mrs. Janet Keller, Laguna Beach, CA

Mr. Charlie Kireker and Mrs. Marie Kireker, Weybridge, VT

Mrs. Mai Lassiter, Los Angeles, CA

Mrs. Suzi Levine, Seattle, WA

Ms. Susan Ness, Bethesda, MD

Mrs. Carol Pensky, Washington, DC

Mr. Jay Snyder, New York, NY

Mrs. Sandi Thompson, Woodside, CA

Mr. George Tsunis, Cold Spring Harbor, NY

Amount Raised: $100,000-$200,000

Mr. Chad Griffin, Los Angeles, CA (Above: Griffin is at right with his dinner date; he is the new President of the Human Rights Campaign, and was business partners with Mrs. Obama's current Communications Director, Kristina Schake, before Schake joined the East Wing)

Mr. William Freeman, Nashville, TN

Mr. Don Hinkle, Tallahassee, FL

Mr. Gary Hirshberg, Concord, NH

Mrs. Andra Liemandt, Austin, TX

Mr. James Murray and Mrs. Bruce Randolph Murray, Keene, VA

Ms. Diana Shaw Clark, Washington, DC (London, England)

Amount Raised: $50,000-$100,000

Mrs. Ellen Richman and Mr. Richard Richman, Greenwich, CT

Mr. John Scully, San Francisco, CA

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama