Celebrating with locals at the Festival Holy Eucharist, the Obamas make a second visit to the historic St. John's in less than a month... On a glorious and sunny Easter morning, the First Family walked from the White House and across Lafayette Square to attend the Festival Holy Eucharist at St. John's Episcopal Church, located at 16th and K Streets. Led by President Obama, they arrived at 11:03 AM for the 11:00 AM service, and there was a big crowd of fellow worshippers gathered at the front of the historic yellow and white church, waiting to get through Secret Service screening at a side entrance. (Above: The First Family walking to the church)
"Happy Easter, everybody," the President told his press pool as he strolled past. Holding hands with daughter Malia during the short walk from the White House, First Lady Michelle Obama's Easter dress was abright magenta shift with a black print of cherubs and flowers, designed by Thakoon (Thai-American designer ThakoonPanichgul), topped with a black bolero sweater. Mrs. Obama has worn the dress before, including during her first trip to France with the President in 2009. He was clad in a dark suit and a blue tie, and held daughter Sasha's hand as she walked.
The First Family entered on the opposite side of the church from the waiting congregants, on the H Street side that faces the White House. They have previously worshiped at St. John's, which is known as "The Church of the Presidents" because every Chief Executive has visited since 1816. The First Family attended a service at St. John's for their first Easter in the White House in 2009, and last attended a service on March 18th, 2012. The Obamas have infrequently attended services at Washington, DC's many churches, and have not joined one congregation, preferring to worship in private. St. John's Rector is Rev. Luis Leon.
The Festival Holy Eucharist the First Family attended featured a choral performance that included a Brass and Timpani section. After a sermon on the Resurrection--which included comments on the Yankees and Somalia from the Rector--they took communion with the rest of the congregation. As the First Couple returned to their seats, they smiled and greeted other worshipers around their pew. St. John's reserves Pew 54 as the President's Pew for the use of the Chief Executive when attending services; it has red velvet prayer stools embroidered with presidents' names in gold thread. (Above: The St. John's Easter program; click on the photo to enlarge)
On Good Friday, the President and Mrs. Obama hosted the fourth White House Passover Seder of his Administration. Earlier this week issued his first-evervideo message for Passover. On Saturday, the President issued a joint Easter and Passover Greeting for his Weekly Address. On Monday, the President and Mrs. Obama will welcome about 35,000 guests for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll.
The pool report from inside the service:
The Rector, Rev. Dr. Luis Leon, began his sermon by ribbing people about why they turned up for church today: to maintain good political relations with members of their family, to mollify a spouse, and so on.
"This is a very broad church," he said. "We even have people who cheer for the New York Yankees in here."
Rev. Leon noted that at a service last year, he was quoted by a reporter as saying he hated the Yankees. The report made it into New York newspapers, and got him into hot water.
So he tried to be (marginally) more diplomatic this year, noting that the Red Sox were off to a 2-0 start this season, while the Yankees are 0-2.***
"Today, I won't say I hate the Yankees," he said. "But I hope they never win another pennant."
The congregation, inexplicably, laughed.
Rev. Leon went on to dwell on the mystery of Easter and the resurrection, likening it to the global economy, which he also said he did not understand.
"You ruin it if you try to explain it," he said. "It can't be explained."
Other highlights:
Referring to the messy state of the world, he said, "Sometimes I wish I didn't read the newspapers or watch the television news."
But Rev. Leon cited an article in the NY Times, which talked about the renaissance of Mogadishu in Somalia. He said he viewed it as a metaphor for the rebirth of Easter.
"Now you may say, 'they're all Muslim," he said, his voice rising a bit. "But so what? That is evidence of the resurrection."
During the Prayers of the People, as is customary, the congregation offered a prayer for "Barack, our President, the leaders of Congress, and the Supreme Court, and all who are in positions of authority."
POTUS was glimpsed briefly, in a pew on the right side of the center aisle, about six rows back, turning around to shake the hands of other worshipers during the offering of peace.
The President lined up for communion, ahead of First Lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia. As the first couple returned to their seats, they smiled and greeted other worshipers.
According to a person waiting on the sidewalk outside St. John's, a crowd of about 80 people were stranded outside, unable to get in, despite lining up 45 minutes before the service and waiting another 40 minutes after it began.
As the choir sang the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's Messiah, the First Family left by a side door. At 12:33, they walked back to the WH -- POTUS holding hands with Malia, FLOTUS with Sasha. ##
Background from the White House:
This morning, the First Family was honored to celebrate Easter Sunday with the congregation of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. The pastor of St. John’s is Rev. Luis Leon.
The President and First Family have enjoyed worshipping with a number of D.C.-area congregations. They have attended services at 19th Street Baptist Church, the Washington National Cathedral, Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Shiloh Baptist Church, Zion Baptist Church, and multiple services at St. John's Episcopal Church and Evergreen Chapel at Camp David. They most recently attended St. John’s on March 18th, 2012. ##
***Pool was Mark Landler of the New York Times, who by 4:00 PM provided a correction to both the play record and the team the Rector was discussing: It was the Orioles, and the record was 0-2.
*Top photo by AP/Pool; program photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama
Why is this night different from all other nights? President Obama hosts the largest Seder of his Administration... As Jews everywhere marked the first night of Passover, President Obama hosted the final Seder of his first term in office at 6:30 PM on Good Friday. Joined by First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha in the Old Family Dining Room, the President welcomed 16 guests, who were "friends and staff," according to the White House. The Seder was the President's fourth in the White House, and the largest since he began the tradition in 2009, a carryover from the 2008 campaign trail. The President and First Lady were each seated in the center on opposite sides of the table, as can be seen in the photo, above, released by the White House.
"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," President Obama said of his Seder plans in hisfirst-ever video message for Passover, released on Thursday.
"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." In keeping with Seder tradition, there was a pillow placed on each guest's chair, to symbolize the Israelites reclining in freedom after being released from the bondage of slavery in Egypt.
The President did not wear a yarmulke, nor did his nephew Avery Robinson who was seated between the Obama girls (he's the son of Mrs. Obama's brother Craig Robinson, who was not present). The six other male guests all wore kipot, including former White House videographer Arun Chaudhary, who was seated beside the President. He was one of the original aides who joined Mr. Obama's first Seder in 2008 during the Pennsylvania Primary, when the traditional Passover phrase "Next year in Jerusalem" was replaced with "Next year in the White House." (Above: Avery, center, between Malia and Sasha; Mrs. Obama is at left)
Sasha, age ten, would be the "youngest guest" charged with asking the four questions, the answers of which explain the evening's main question: Why is this night different from all other nights? The President and his guests used the Maxwell House Haggadah for the reading, as they have for each previous Seder. Millions of American Jews have used the beloved plain-text version from the coffee company since it was first released in 1932; it underwent a revision in 2011 to remove "outdated" language and gender-biased terms and (God used to be a "King"; now He is a "Monarch").
The Seder menu... Of course there was matzo ball soup: There were seven dishes served for at the Presidential Seder. These are typically prepared "kosher style" rather than kosher, aides have said. There were two kinds of matzo on the table: A plate of round, whole wheat matzoh was on one end, and a plate of square matzoh was on the other. Bowls of salt water were on the table, part of the Passover ritual. In the photo the White House released, as the guests dipped their fingers into red Passover wine during the reading, on the plate in front of each was a hard boiled egg, or Beitzah, symbolizing the festival sacrifice that was offered in the temple in Jerusalem, and two "shot glasses," one with Haroset (a sweet mixture of nuts and apples, symbolizing the mortar used by Jewish slaves to build the storehouses in Egypt) and one with horseradish, which many Jews use for the Maror (bitter herbs) that symbolizes the harshness of slavery in Ancient Egypt. (Above: The square matzoh, a bowl of salt water, and a guest's plate with hardboiled egg, haroset, and Maror)
The White House chefs cook with family recipes provided by some of the guests, as well as use dessert recipes created by Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses. Last year's menu included Chicken soup with matzoh balls, braised beef brisket, potato kugel, carrot soufflé, matzoh chocolate cake, and Apricot Sponge Cake. Because the Seder was closed to press, the White House did not release an official menu, though Press Office aides did make the effort to drag a large step-ladder into the Old Family Dining Room to take the aerial photo of the celebration. The President's guest list was not released, either. The White House for the first time this year released a Passover recipe; it's for the Apricot Sponge Cake, which Yosses said would be served this year.
Though many Jews really dress up the table for Passover, the Presidential Seder table was very simple. The place settings were atop white linen place mats, and the china was a simple Presidential "house pattern," cream with a gold rim, with the Presidential eagle in the center. Eight tall gold Vermeil candlesticks held lit white tapers, and there were two floral arrangements of ruffled tulips, in variegated orange and yellow, in low gold vases. Two smaller bouquets of the same were on the tall console table behind the Seder table. (Above: One blue china Seder plate, holding the food elements of the Passover ritual, was placed on the table, in front of Mrs. Obama; the round matzo is also visible)
Passover got extra attention from the White House this year: In addition to the President's Passover message and the release of the Seder cake recipe, the White House also hosted a special Passover cooking lesson that was livestreamed, starringYosses and acclaimed Jewish cooking authority Joan Nathan. Watch the video here; the post includes recipes for Matzoh Chremsel and Pear Haroset. One of Nathan's recipes was also included in the White House Passover Recipe Collection created in 2011, when acclaimed chefs were invited to offer their healthy Seder recipes as part of the Let's Move! campaign.
The President's Passover Message:
The White House on Friday night released the Seder photo at top with the caption "President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host a Passover Seder Dinner for family, staff and friends, in the Old Family Dining Room of the White House, April 6, 2012." Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses' spiced jelly roll is a perfect Seder sweet... UPDATE: CLICK HEREfor the post about the 2012 Presidential Seder President Obama and First Lady Obama will welcome family and friends for a Seder on the first night of Passover, this Friday, April 6. For the President's three previous Seders at 1600 Penn, the chefs cooked traditional meals, with dishes that included Chicken soup with matzoh balls, braised beef brisket, potato kugel, carrot soufflé and matzoh chocolate cake. They primarily used old family recipes provided by the invited guests, so the White House has never released a special Passover Recipe...until now. In addition to other desserts, Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses made Apricot Sponge Cake for last year's Presidential Seder, and he says that he will be making it again this year. Below, Yosses' recipe. (Above: Holding a Maxwell House Haggadah, the President and guests dip fingers in Passover wine)
The foods served at the Presidential Seders are "not strictly kosher but kosher style," according to the White House. Yosses' recipe creates a jelly roll cake, and, of course, uses no hametz--leavenedingredients. Instead, it is made with matzo cake meal and potato starch, egg whites, and a dash of aromatic spices, including cardamom. The filling is a nod to the Middle East: It's a puree made from dried apricots and fruit juice, and includes ground roasted hazelnuts. (Above: Yosses and his top pastry assistant, chef Susie Morrison)
If you have never made a jelly roll cake--which requires actually rolling up the cake with filling--there are many tutorials available online (Google it); this recipe has no tips for novice rollers. A 17” x 12” jelly roll pan is required, and the apricots must be soaked overnight. If, like Yosses, you are ambidextrous when using a whisk and can actually hand whip egg whites into a meringue, go for it. Otherwise, use an electric mixer for that step. Yosses says that a teeny bit of cream of tartar added to the egg whites helps get good, stiff peaks, but the recipe does not call for it.
The President's White House Seders continue a tradition he started on the 2008 campaign trail, when he joined aides for an impromptu and private Seder in a hotel basement during the crucial Pennsylvania Primary. At the White House, the President and his guests use the Maxwell House Haggadah as their text, a plain-language edition that has been in use for more than 70 years in America. About a dozen guests attended the Seder last year, and the guest list will be slightly larger on Friday.
Passover is getting extra attention from the White House this year: Last week, Yosses and acclaimed Jewish cooking authority Joan Nathan spoke at a special Passover Cooking Lesson and discussion at the White House, demonstrating one of Nathan's recipes and a recipe for a pear and apple haroset. One of Nathan's recipes was also included in the White House Passover Recipe Collection created in 2011, when acclaimed chefs were invited to offer their healthy Seder recipes as part of the Let's Move! campaign.
White House Passover Apricot Sponge Cake
Ingredients
12 oz dried apricots
2 Cups hot water
Juice of one orange
6 egg whites
1 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup apricot juice
1/4 Tsp ground ginger
1/4 Tsp cardamom
1/2 Cup Matzo cake meal
1/4 cup potato starch
1/8 Tsp salt
3/4 Cup ground hazelnuts, roasted lightly
Powdered sugar, for sprinkling
Method
1. Combine apricots, fruit juices, and water, boil, then soak overnight. Puree this mixture into an apricot puree.
2. Grease 17” x 12” jelly roll pan; preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites, salt, and sugar. When fully developed into a meringue, add ground ginger and cardamom, and beat until it forms frothy ribbons.
4. Gently fold in matzo meal and potato starch.
5. Pour into jelly roll pan, cover with parchment paper, and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
6. Remove cake from oven, transfer onto a cooling rack and cool, covered.
7. Remove cake from pan. Spread the apricot puree over the top of the cake, sprinkle ground hazelnuts, and roll the cake up.
To serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
##
The video of Yosses and Nathan discussing demonstrating Passover recipes and discussing Jewish food and traditions:
*Both Seder photos taken the Old Family Dining Room of the White House, March 29, 2010, by Pete Souza/White House; chef photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama
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 spotlights Presidential Collard Greens... First Lady Michelle Obama spoke about the challenges of obesity in the African American community, her Let's Move! campaign and the importance of her Kitchen Garden in an "exclusive" interview with Russ Parr, host of the Russ Parr Morning Show on Black Planet Radio.The 8-minute call-in was taped the day after the First Lady replanted her Kitchen Garden for Spring, and Mrs. Obama said the vegetable plot is the educational "platform" on which her child health efforts are built. She touted the positive response to her campaign, which marked its second anniversary in February.
"The conversation has really...changed since...we've come into office," Mrs. Obama said. The First Lady emphasized that the black community must be aware of the risk of obesity, and noted that she got her own heads-up on her daughters' potential for becoming obese from her pediatrician. The Chicago-area doctor was not only African American himself, but also served clients who were 90% working-class African Americans, Mrs. Obama said, and thus he was aware of the issue.
Presidential Collard Greens... On his website, Parr enticed listeners with this blurb: "Michelle Obama also talks about a soul food dish that President Barack Obama enjoys." During his interview, Parr asked the First Lady if the President actually eats things grown in her Kitchen Garden, and then said he'd heard that Collard Greens are being grown on the South Lawn.
"We eat from our garden almost daily. We have a very healthy diet and generally we've got something green on the plate that comes from the garden," Mrs. Obama said. "So yes he eats from the garden whether he knows it or not...he's got collards out there."
"We've got a whole mess of greens out there."
Collard Greens have been growing in the Kitchen Garden since Mrs. Obama first planted it in 2009. Potatoes are the newest vegetable to be grown; Mrs. Obama recently planted five varieties. The First Lady also discussed how black churches are participating in Let's Move! through the subcomponent, Let's Move Faith and Communities. Mrs. Obama gave the keynote address for the second anniversary of her campaign at Northland, a Church Distributed, in Longwood, Florida. She spoke to more than 3,000 people after a gospel concert.
*Photo by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama. Audio from the Russ Parr show.
Coloring pages and a Let's Move! word search... President Obama and First Lady Obama will host the largest event of the year, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, on Monday, April 9th. With the theme “Let's Go! Let's Play! Let's Move!," the South Lawn eggstrvaganza spotlights Mrs. Obama's childhood obesity campaign. The White House has created a fun, downloadable activity booklet for kids that includes coloring pages and a word search puzzle with the words "Lets Move," "White House," "Roll," "Egg," etc. (Above: One of the pages kids can color)
CLICK HERE to download the printable PDF of the activity booklet.
Poster and program artists are from Mississippi and the District of Columbia... President Obama and First Lady Obama are gearing up to host the largest event on their social calendar, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, on Monday, April 9th. This year's South Lawn event, with the theme “Let's Go! Let's Play! Let's Move!" highlights Mrs. Obama's childhood obesity campaign. The First Lady chose the above student art work as the Official Poster for the Roll; it was selected from contest entries submitted by students from more than 20 states, the White House said. 9-year-old Reed Preston Lindsey from Anderson Elementary School in Boonesville, Mississippi is the artist. The posters will be handed out as a prize to children who win the Easter Egg Roll or the Egg Hunt.
Mrs. Obama selected the art at left to appear on the cover of the program for the Roll. Breonna Bailey, a 7th grader from Macfarland Middle School in Washington, DC created the winning entry. About 35,000 people from all 50 states are expected to attend the First Family's fourth Easter Egg Roll, continuing a White House tradition that started in 1874.
UPDATE: CLICK HEREfor the post about the 2012 Presidential Seder President Obama will join Jewish Americans across the nation in marking the start of Passover next Friday, April 6th, the White House announced today. Joined by First Lady Michelle Obama, the President will host the fourth Seder of his Administration. (Above: The President is served matzoh ball soup at the 2011 Seder) On Wednesday April 4, President Obama will host an Easter Prayer Breakfast at the White House, his third such event. Also on Wednesday, Mrs. Obama will visit the Fisher House at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for a pre-Easter celebration with military families and children. Mrs. Obama "will join them for craft activities and bring them Easter treats from the White House Pastry Shop," the East Wing said. On Monday, April 9th the First Family will host the largest event on the Presidential social calendar: The annual White House Easter Egg Roll. This year's theme is “Let's Go! Let's Play! Let's Move!"
The 2011 Seder... Last year, the First Family held their Seder in the Old Family Dining Room. They were joined by twelve guests, including Eric Lesser andArun Chaudhary, two of the three aides who started the tradition in the basement of a hotel on the 2008 campaign trail, during the Pennsylvania Primary. (Above: The President and guests dip fingers in wine during the reading of the Haggadah)
The White House chefs cooked most of the dishes from recipes provided by attending guests, including traditional Passover favorites: Chicken soup with matzoh balls, braised beef brisket, potato kugel, carrot soufflé, and matzoh chocolate cake. The recipes were "not strictly kosher but kosher style," according to a White House aide.
The reading was from the Maxwell House Haggadah, a plain-language edition in use in America for more than 70 years. Guests included the President's body man, Reggie Love, who has now departed the White House, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, and friends from Chicago.
"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.
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.
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.
For all of 2011 and through this month, White House aides have not announced the names of any guest chefs who have been invited to cook for President Obama at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But one lucky cook has now spilled the beans: New York's Maria Loi(l), who owns the eponymous restaurant Loi on the Upper West Side. The native of Greece has revealed that she cooked Mediterranean delights for President Obama's early and completely-closed-to-press reception for Greek Independence Day, held last Thursday in the East Room. The White House didn't release a guest list, but the party was for several hundred people. Loi shared the news of her presidential honor with the New York Post, and said that she cooked alongside Executive Chef Cris Comerford and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses. She opened her NY restaurant last October, after becoming famous in her own country as a TV personality and chef.
"The White House chefs welcomed me as if I were in my own kitchen," Loi said. "I could stay here and cook with them forever.”
Comerford and Yosses gave Loi a tour of First Lady Obama's Kitchen Garden--due to be replanted for Spring today--as well as the beehive that sits nearby. She used White House honey to make her signature baklava for the President's party.
“It was the most wonderful honey I ever tasted--and we have great honey in Greece!” Loi said.
Other guests chefs have also cooked for the President's Greek Independence Day parties. In 2010, Iron Chef America star and cookbook author Cat Cora, a Greek American, cooked for the party. New York chef and cookbook author Michael Psilakis was the President's guest chef for his very first Greek Independence Day reception in 2009. Psilakis was also the first guest chef who had his name announced by aides. The White House did not announce the name of any guest chef for the 2011 Greek Independence Day Reception, and no chef spilled the beans about an invite.
Last Thursday's event was the 26th time the White House has marked Greece's national holiday, which falls on March 25th. President Obama's previous parties were not entirely closed to press; these were covered by his pool reporters and transcripts and videos of his remarks were released. Not so this year.
TheNew York Post story noted that Big Apple chefs are now "enjoying star status" in the District.
Applications accepted through March 27... There will be a special Let's Move! Tweetup on Monday, April 9th during President Obama and First Lady Obama's annual Easter Egg Roll, the White House announced today. This year's theme, “Let's Go, Let's Play, Let's Move," is pegged to Mrs. Obama's childhood obesity campaign, and @LetsMove Twitter and Facebook followers--and their kids--who missed out on getting tickets during the original lottery now have a chance to apply for the huge, fun eggstravaganza on the South Lawn. It's the second Let's Move! Tweetup. (Above: The President encourages two young egg rollers at last year's party)
Those interested in applying to attend must follow @LetsMove on Twitter or Facebook, and have children between the ages of five to thirteen. Registration is now open, and closes on Tuesday, March 27th at 11:59 PM EST. Registration is for children ages five to thirteen and one to two parents or legal guardians. Tickets are non-transferable. To apply:http://www.wh.gov/tweetup. Applicants will be notified by e-mail no later than Wednesday, March 28th, and must pay all costs associated with travel and attendance.
"The day's activities--which will include sports and cooking demonstrations--will help educate families on smart ways to incorporate healthy eating and exercise choices into their daily routines, key pillars of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let's Move! initiative," the White House said.
The President and Mrs. Obama will host more than 35,000 guests from all fifty states at this year's event, which marks the 134th anniversary of the Easter Egg Roll tradition.
First Do Bo stars in this White House video announcing the 2012 theme:
CLICK HERE for information on purchasing the collectible souvenir wooden Easter eggs for the 2012 Easter Egg Roll, which also star Bo. Visit Letsmove.gov for more information on the First Lady's initiative.
A sensational night: The Homeland star was surprised to be seated at the Head Table, and reveals that the President sneaks his TV time... Homeland star Damian Lewis says that being seated across from his #1 fan, President Obama, and Prime Minister David Cameron at last week's State Dinner made for "a sensational, unforgettable evening." (Above: Lewis arriving for the dinner)
The President, Lewis told TV Guide Magazine, had "a great sense of humor," and promised to give insider details about foreign policy so Season 2 of the critically acclaimed Showtime series will be accurate.
While aware that the President loves his show, the British actor said he had no idea he'd be dining on Bison Wellington while seated across from the President and beside billionaire Warren Buffet. He attended with his wife, Helen McRory.
"I went down onto the South Lawn into the marquee with my wife and we were looking for Table 20, and we thought we'd be by the toilets or something," Lewis said. "And it turned out we were sitting directly opposite the President at his table." (Above: Lewis is third from left, across from the President and Cameron, and beside Buffet)
The toilets, as it happens, were very fancy port-o-lets, complete with running water, located behind the huge dinner pavilion, which featured a 150-foot window looking out onto the dramatically lit South Lawn. The theme of the decor was "America's Backyard."
The President wanted to discuss Homeland, Lewis said.
"Not in any great detail, but I did sort of joke with him that the creators of the show had asked him to give us a heads up on any foreign policy moves so that we could just stay current with Season 2," Lewis said.
"And he looked me straight in the eye and said, 'I'll be sure to do that.' Didn't bat an eyelid. I found he had a great sense of humor."
The President sneaks time for his Homeland viewing... As he arrived for the dinner, Lewis told the press corps that he was going to ask President Obama when he actually has time to watch Homeland. The star got his answer.
"He said 'Michelle goes out with the kids and they play tennis on a Saturday afternoon. I tell her I'm going to work and then I go in my room and watch Homeland,'" Lewis said.
TV Guide reported the plot points the President can look forward to in Season 2 of Homeland: The action picks up about six months after the finale, said executive producer Howard Gordon, and Carrie (Claire Danes) is pulled back into the CIA. Saul (Mandy Patinkin) is working in Beirut. The relationship between Carrie and Brody will continue to be explored, said executive producer Alex Gansa. (Above, as he chatted with reporters during his arrival, Lewis pointed to his wife's gown and announced that it was designed by British couturier Jacques Azagury)
The full guest list. For links to all posts about the Cameron Official Visit and State Dinner, CLICK HERE. *Lewis photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama; tent photo by Pete Souza/White House
Taoiseach Kenny presents a special gift... St. Patrick's Day at the White House was a "weeklong" celebration, Vice President Joe Biden told a cheering crowd on Tuesday night during the annual reception as he welcomed hundreds of guests in the East Room. The 7:00 PM event was complete with flowing drinks and long-winded but heartfelt toasts as President Obama and Taoiseach Enda Kenny of Ireland capped a day of celebrating the "strong bonds" between the US and the Emerald Isle. They had shamrock stuffed into the breast pockets of their dark suit jackets, and Kenny bore gifts: A Waterford crystal bowl laden with more shamrock, and an "official certificate" of Mr. Obama's Irish ancestry, displayed in a frame (above).
"These are rare, as rare as the man himself," Kenny said, pulling a drape off the certificate to unveil it.
"This will have a special place of honor, beside my birth certificate," President Obama quipped without skipping a beat. The President's maternal Irish roots date back to the 1790s; his great-great-great-grandfather, a shoemaker named Falmouth Kearny, emigrated from the tiny village of Moneygall in County Offaly during the Great Famine. More than 30 million Americans--a hefty voting bloc--claim Irish ancestry. (Above: The Taoiseach presents the President with Shamrock)
The crowd, their phonecams raised to catch the action, cheered. First Lady Obama, clad in a pale green shirtwaist dress with a gold belt, her hair down, stood beside the Taoiseach's wife, Mrs. Fionnuala Kenny, on the side of the stage and clapped.
President Obama, for the third time of the day, noted that Tuesday was not St. Patrick's Day.
"We just wanted to prove that America considers Ireland a dear and steadfast friend every day of the year," he said, to cheers.
On Saturday, to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, the President quaffed a pint of Guinness at DC's favorite Irish pub, The Dubliner. He was joined by his Irish cousin Henry Healy, who got a shoutout during his toast. The President raised a pint glass of water rather than Guinness as he hailed Kenny. (Above: Mrs. Kenny, Mrs. Obama, and Biden)
"I give my word to you, Mr. Prime Minister, and to the people of Ireland: As long as I am President you will have a strong friend, a steadfast ally and a faithful partner in the United States of America," he said.
As he left the stage, the President jokingly admonished the rowdy crowd: "Don't break anything."
During his long response toast, Kenny spoke of Ireland's past calamities, which brought so many to America in the 19th century, and the recent economic struggles since the great economic crash in 2008--now in the past, he said.
"May the blessings of St. Patrick be with you, your families, and the American people," Kenny said.
He lauded President Obama as an inspiration, and quoted Henry David Thoreau: "Things do not change, we change."
"We have swapped the confines of our fears for your audacity of hope," Kenny said.
"When you came last May to that small intimate homecoming...you, the young president, stood in front of the old Irish House of Lords and promised you would ‘stand by us’. Sir, America has kept its word," Kenny said.
They toasted again with pints of water, to cheers from the crowd.
Guests (sham)rocked to the tunes of Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's Celtic rock band O'Malley's March during the reception. Biden, who also has Irish roots, had hailed Ireland's longstanding impact on America, noting that eight of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence were Irish, and half of our Presidents claim "Irish blood."
"There's no doubt of them staying oiled and lubricated," Biden said of the President and Taoiseach as he introduced them.
On Tuesday morning, Biden hosted a breakfast for Kenny and his wife at the Naval Observatory. Mid-day, all attended the annual Friends of Ireland Luncheon on Capitol Hill, this year hosted by House Speaker John Boehner.
President Obama and First Lady Obama welcomed about 200 guests to the White House on Tuesday for a belated St. Patrick's Day reception honoring Taoiseach Enda Kenny of Ireland and his wife Mrs. Fionnuala Kenny. A FULL POST IS HERE. The 7:00 PM event in the East Room capped a day of celebrating the "strong bonds" between the US and the Emerald Isle.
The transcript:
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 20, 2012
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA, VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN, AND PRIME MINISTER KENNY OF IRELAND AT ST. PATRICK'S DAY RECEPTION
State Floor
7:04 P.M. EDT
VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, welcome to the White House. It’s great to see you all, and happy St. Patrick’s Day, or should I say, happy St. Patrick’s Week, the way it’s going. (Applause.)
I’m lucky to be here with you all tonight. I feel fortunate to have the honor to be able to welcome back Fionnuala Kenny and the Taoiseach. They’ve been here before. Some of you had a chance to meet them, and you’re going to get to see them again.
You know there’s and old Irish saying. There’s all kinds of old Irish sayings. (Laughter.) At least my Grandfather Finnegan, I think he made them up, but it says, may the hinges of our friendship never go rusty. Well, with these two folks that you’re about to meet, if you haven’t already, there’s no doubt about them staying oiled and lubricated here. Ladies and gentlemen -- (laughter) -- now, for you who are not full Irish in this room, lubricating has a different meaning for us all. (Laughter.)
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re here tonight to celebrate the friendship between two great nations, Ireland and the United States. William Butler Yeats referred to Ireland as “a worldwide nation.” Our Irish heritage has touched many, many people, many more people than could possibly fit on the beautiful Emerald Isle.
America and Ireland are the two nations that define me the most, and I expect most of you in this room. Our countries share a bond that goes all the way back to the beginning of our country. Eight Irishmen signed the Declaration of Independence, fully one-seventh of the signator. Since then, half our Presidents have claimed Irish blood, including the one I’m about to introduce. (Applause.)
And today our countries are tied together by 40 million Americans who descended from that beautiful island just across the sea, and -- but we share a lot more than blood. And I think everyone here will understand this. I think we share a set of values, a set of values that is sort of stamped into our DNA.
My mom, Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden, used to say -- (laughter) -- honey, to be Irish is about family. It’s about faith. But most of all, it’s about courage. She said that -- one of her sayings was, without courage -- without courage, you can't love with abandon.
And, ladies and gentlemen, for me that's the essence of being Irish: passion and being able to love with abandon. That's why my mom liked Barack, the President. That's why she liked him so much. I think the President got used to my mom during the campaign, Mr. Ambassador, referring to him all the time as, honey. (Laughter.) She’d grab his hand and say, now, Honey.
Well, she thought that the President embodied all the things that she thought made Ireland and the Irish special, particularly his courage. Ladies and gentlemen, this President abounds in courage. So, ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you my four friends and your friends, the President of the United States and Michelle Obama, as well as the Taoiseach and Fionnuala Kenny.
Ladies and gentlemen. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Hello, everybody!
AUDIENCE: Hello!
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, welcome to the White House. This does not sound like a shy crowd. (Laughter.)
As you may have noticed, today is not, in fact, St. Patrick's Day. (Laughter.) We just wanted to prove that America considers Ireland a dear and steadfast friend every day of the year. (Applause.) Some of you may have noticed we even brought the cherry blossoms out early for our Irish and Northern Irish visitors. And we will be sure to plant these beautiful shamrocks right away.
I want to welcome back my good friend, Taoiseach Kenny, his extraordinary wife, Fionnuala. This has been our third working visit in just over a year, and each one has been better than the last.
I've had the pleasure to welcome back First Minister Peter Robinson, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Northern Ireland, as well.
And, everyone, please welcome my new friends from Moneygall, my long-lost cousin, Henry. (Applause.) His mother, Mary, is here as well. And my favorite pub keeper, Ollie Hayes, is here with his beautiful wife. (Applause.) He was interested in hiring Michelle -- (laughter) -- when she was pouring a pint. I said, she's too busy -- maybe at the end of our second term. (Applause.)
In return, I did take them out for a pint at the Dubliner here in Washington, D.C. on Saturday. That’s right, I saw some of you there. (Laughter.) I didn’t take pictures. And I've asked them to please say hello to everybody back home for me.
Now, while there are too many Irish Americans to acknowledge by name here tonight, I do want to thank Martin O'Malley and his band for rocking the White House for the evening. It's said that the curse of the Irish, as the Governor must know, is not that they don’t know the words to a song -- it's that they know them all. (Laughter.)
As you may know, I finally got to spend a day in Ireland with Michelle last May. I visited my ancestral village of Moneygall, saw my great, great, great grandfather's house. I had the distinct honor of addressing the Irish people from College Green in Dublin. And when it comes to their famous reputation for hospitality and good cheer, the Irish outdid themselves. Michelle and I received absolutely the warmest of welcomes, and I've been trying to return the favor as best I can.
There really was something magical about the whole day -- and I know that I'm not the only person who feels that way when they visit Ireland. Even my most famously Irish American predecessor was surprised about how deeply Ireland affected him when he visited in his third year as President. "It is strange," President Kennedy said on his last day in Ireland, "that so many years and so many generations pass, and still some of us who come on this trip could feel ourselves among neighbors, even though we are separated by generations, by time and by thousands of miles.”
I know most of you can relate to that. I think anyone who’s had a chance to visit can relate. And that’s why Jackie Kennedy later visited Ireland with her children and gave one of President Kennedy’s dog tags to his cousins in Dunganstown. And that’s why I felt so at home when I visited Moneygall.
When my great, great, great, great, grandfather arrived in New York City after a voyage that began there, the St. Patrick’s Society in Brooklyn had just held its first annual banquet. And a toast was made to family back home enduring what were impossibly difficult years: “Though gloomy shadows, hang o’er thee now, as darkness is densest, even just before day, so thy gloom, truest Erin, may soon pass away.”
Because for all the remarkable things the Irish have done in the course of human history, keeping alive the flame of knowledge in dark ages, outlasting a great hunger, forging a peace that once seemed impossible, the green strands they have woven into America’s heart -- from their tiniest villages through our greatest cities -- is something truly unique on the world stage. And these strands of affection will never fray, nor will they come undone. While those times and the troubles of later generations were far graver than anything we could fathom today, many of our people are still fighting to get back on solid ground after several challenging years.
But we choose to rise to these times for the same reason we rose to those tougher times: Because we are all proud peoples who share more than sprawling family trees. We are peoples who share an unshakeable faith, an unbending commitment to our fellow man, and a resilient and audacious hope. And that’s why I say of Ireland tonight what I said in Dublin last May, this little country that inspires the biggest things -- its best days are still ahead.
So I propose a toast to the Taoiseach and the people of Ireland. Do I have any -- where’s my drink? (Laughter.) Here it is, here it is. All right, here we go. It’s only water but -- (laughter) -- obviously, somebody didn’t prepare. (Laughter.)
To quote your first President, Douglas Hyde: “A word is more lasting than the riches of the world.” Tonight, grateful for our shared past and hopeful for our common future, I give my word to you, Mr. Prime Minister, and to the people of Ireland: As long as I am President, you will have a strong friend, a steadfast ally, and a faithful partner in the United States of America.
Ladies and gentlemen, Taoiseach Kenny. (Applause.)
PRIME MINISTER KENNY: Mr. President, Vice President Biden, Michelle, ladies and gentlemen, these have been an extraordinary few days in the relationships between Ireland and America. Thank you for your warm invitation and for this warm welcome.
(Speaks Irish) May the blessings of St. Patrick be with you, your families and the American people.
Ireland actually picked the best time of year for its national celebration. (Laughter.) It’s the time of year when the Earth turns at the Spring Equinox, and as they say, the sea spreads it far sun crop to the north.
This, indeed, is a blessed time, a time when we are thankful for our blessings, blessings of being a proud and noble Irish people; the blessings of a dazzling generosity of heart and mind, and of a glittering imagination; the blessing of our children, our families, our friends -- friends like America.
As Taoiseach, a year into this new government, I’m proud, indeed, to bring good news from home. Thanks to the courage and the resilience and the sacrifice of the Irish people, the Irish ship of state now faces in the right direction. Our economy is stabilizing. Our exports are thriving. Our international reputation is being restored. Ireland is building itself a better future.
Today, Mr. President, Ireland thanks America. We thank you for the centuries where you gave us shelter and refuge and opportunity, and above all, where you gave us hope. (Applause.)
In the Irish language, we have many phrases, one of them is -- (Speaks Irish) -- That means: Hope cures every misery. It was that miracle -- hope that brought millions of Irish people to your shores yearning for a better life. Not everybody survived that journey. It is said that 80,000 Irish souls were lost in the Atlantic, victims of long hunger, of fever and of destitution. Indeed, an ocean, a tide of lost ancestors, a bitter benediction of the waters dividing the old life and the new.
Well, tonight I remember them. We honor them here in this White House -- designed by an Irish architect -- and in our national hearts. (Applause.) Because they were the price of a new life. In the new country, in this new country of miraculous plenty, the survivors -- among them, one Falmouth Kearney -- walked straight off those ships. But ironically, they never stopped looking back. Because our research shows that while their fellow arrivals saw emigration as an opportunity, for the Irish it was always a tragedy.
There were the dispossessed -- their hearts, their minds in Ireland; their hopes and their futures in America -- the least likely of any nation ever to return home. Which is why what makes the Irish and what they did for America all the more heroic, all the more remarkable, all the more noble.
Despite their longing for home, they gave their hands to work, their faith in God, their future to this United States of America. They became heroes of their own stories, and, as a consequence, of America's story.
Mr. President, today, the Irish people are heroes of our own story. Today, persistent and determined and proud, we answer your question of belief in ourselves, because we believe that our country and our nation will succeed.
When you came last May to that small, intimate homecoming in College Green -- (laughter) -- just the two Obamas, half of the U.S. Secret Service -- (laughter) -- 100,000 enthralled Irish people -- you, sir, the young President, stood in front of the old Irish House of Lords and you promised that you would stand by us. Well, sir, you and America have kept your word. For Ireland, your door has been and is always open. And for that we thank you. (Applause.)
That memorable day was also made very special by your trip, as you said, to the home of your ancestors in the village of Moneygall -- Henry VIII is almost as famous as yourself. (Laughter.) That’s because for all people of Irish heritage, the most important part of their visit to our country is always the trip to the homeplace.
And as a prominent reminder, and on your behalf of your historic homecoming, Mr. President, it is my honor to present to you, on behalf of the Irish people and of the government, this formal certificate of Irish heritage. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Look at that! I love it. That’s great.
PRIME MINISTER KENNY: These are very rare. (Laughter.) As rare as the man himself. (Laughter.)
Next year, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the homecoming of another one of our sons, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Next year, Ireland will gather her global family to herself in a year-long celebration of the ties of heart and hope and history that bind us and allow us to imagine together a better, brighter richer future. We call it simply "The Gathering."
These are our new departures of hope and confidence and success. And these are the new departures from which there will be no going back.
This evening, Mr. President, I bring our current emigrants to the heart of these celebrations here in the (speaks Irish) of the White House.
As you see, a light burns brightly within every one of these emigrants, and that’s the light of opportunity, of ambition, and of confidence. But it is also the light of home. Especially in this week of St. Patrick, my message to their parents and their families is this: My work and that of my government, with your work and your government, is aimed at ensuring that these children -- Ireland's children -- can live and work at home if that is their intention and their desire.
Mr. President, the great American philosopher Henry David Thoreau said, "Things do not change. We change." And since your visit to us last year, Ireland has changed dramatically. We have swapped the confines of the old fears for your audacity of hope. (Applause.) And every day we work to create a better, more confident, more determined future. We know our challenges are tough, but we meet those head on.
And because we know that every nation becomes what it envisions, we are forging success -- this time, a more authentic success. We take the old advice and the old adage that in the calm ahead we use the strength of purpose that we found in the storm.
Mr. President, like you, we believe that Ireland's best days are still up ahead. And like you, we believe that our greatest triumphs are still to come. When you came to Ireland, like your predecessor, President Kennedy, and President Clinton, you made us dream again. On these days of St. Patrick, we hope that you will be able to fulfill your promise to come home again in the springtime.
May God bless you, Mr. President, in the work you do for global peace and security. May he guide you in your efforts to keep our world a safer place.
Mr. President, Michelle, and your two lovely daughters, Sasha and Malia, happy St. Patrick's Week. (Laughter.) And remember, as we always do: (Speaks Irish) -- "The sun always shines after the rain."
And now it's my privilege, on behalf of Ireland, to present President Obama with the traditional Bowl of Shamrock. May it bring him good luck in the time ahead. (Applause.)
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, thank you. First of all, this will have a special place of honor alongside my birth certificate. (Laughter and applause.) Absolutely. Absolutely. The shamrocks have brought good luck to our garden over the past few years. And I am extraordinarily grateful to you, Taoiseach, and Fionnuala, for just being such wonderful hosts to us when we were there. But I think that you get a sense from this crowd that you have a second home on the other side of the Atlantic, and that good cheer and warmth is probably reciprocated. (Applause.)
So happy St. Patrick's Week, everybody. God bless you. May God bless both our countries. Have a wonderful time while you're here. Don't break anything. (Laughter and applause.)
Celebrating with locals at the Festival Holy Eucharist, the Obamas make a second visit to the historic St. John's in less than a month...
The Festival Holy Eucharist the First Family attended featured a choral performance that included a Brass and Timpani section. After a sermon on the Resurrection--which included comments on the Yankees and Somalia from the Rector--they took communion with the rest of the congregation. As the First Couple returned to their seats, they smiled and greeted other worshipers around their pew. St. John's reserves Pew 54 as the President's Pew for the use of the Chief Executive when attending services; it has red velvet prayer stools embroidered with presidents' names in gold thread. (Above: The St. John's Easter program; click on the photo to enlarge)
