Damian Lewis Dishes On First Fan President Obama And The UK State Dinner

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

Bison Wellington: American Farmers And Ranchers Thrilled With UK State Dinner

President and First Lady spotlight healthy meat raised by family-owned operations in all fifty states...
A week after the State Dinner honoring British Prime Minister David Cameron, America's bison producers are still thrilled that President Obama and First Lady Obama put an elegant spotlight on their small but vibrant industry. The Bison Wellington that anchored the Winter Harvest menu was hailed by Executive Chef Cris Comerford as a "marriage" of American and United Kingdom culinary traditions, thanks to the use of bison raised in North Dakota in a classic 19th century British dish. It also ended the First Couple's longstanding custom of serving glorious cuts of beef at every high-profile dinner, including four previous State Dinners. (Above: The President and Mr. Cameron at dinner)

Bison are raised in all 50 states, primarily on family owned ranches and farms, but the industry is small compared to the multi-billion dollar US beef sector. Bison sales were about $250 million last year. The beef industry processes about 125,000 head of beef every DAY, while the bison industry processed 45,000 head last year in total. (Above: The Bison Wellington at the State Dinner; the White House declined to release a photo, and this was tweeted by a guest)

"We're very excited," said Dieter Pate, President and CEO of the North American Bison Cooperative, based in New Rockford, N.D., which donated the meat for the dinner. Membership includes 100 ranches with operations of every size.

"It's a huge plus that our product was served by the President," Pate said.

Actors George Clooney and Carey Mulligan, billionaire Warren Buffett and Homeland star Damian Lewis were among the notables seated at the Head Table with the President, First Lady and Prime Minister in the dramatically lit pavilion on the South Lawn; Sir Richard Branson, Downton Abbey stars Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, the world's #1 golfer Rory McIlroy, Vogue's Anna Wintour, and movie mogul Harvey Weinstein were among the more than 320 guests who enjoyed bison as they celebrated the Special Relationship. (Above: Mrs. Obama with Clooney)

"Boy, America now knows that when you have important guests over, you can serve them bison!" said Dave Carter, Executive Director of the National Bison Association.

"We greatly appreciate the President and First Lady drawing attention to this uniquely American meat."

Bison have roamed the North American continent for more than 10,000 years, but were almost extinct a little more than a century ago, when there were just about 700 left alive, Carter said. A combination of public herds in National Parks such as Yellowstone and private herds, Tribal efforts and federal efforts have rebuilt the population to about half a million today.

Chef Comerford used tenderloin for the Bison Wellington, and described the entree as "a really good pairing of both countries, because politics divides men, but food really unites them." She wrapped the bison in puff pastry, and served it with a red wine reduction,  French Beans and Cipollini Onion. The wine paired with the course was also a nod to America's western heritage: Leonetti Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, from Walla Walla Valley, WA. (Above: Executive Sous Chef Tommy Kurpradit holds a tray of Bison Wellington during the prep for the dinner)

The tenderloin would sell for about $35-$40 a pound for home cooks, Carter said. Bison is an "incredibly healthy" meat, and right in line with Mrs. Obama's Let's Move! campaign, Pate said. A piece of bison sirloin has 30% less fat than a breast of chicken, more protein, less sodium, less cholesterol, and about 35-40% less calories for an equivalent portion. Bison are raised for market without hormones--these are illegal--and without antibiotics. Vegetables used for the dinner from Mrs. Obama's South Lawn Kitchen Garden included baby kale, Brussels sprouts, micro cabbage sprouts, and spring lettuces.

The British Beef Wellington was originally created for war hero Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, who is most famous for defeating Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815. His eponymous dish has a history at the White House, too: President Richard Nixon served it at a number of his State Dinners. And while Bison Wellington was a first for the Obamas, bison has taken center stage at a State Dinner before. President George W. Bush, Mr. Obama's predecessor, served pumpkin seed-crusted bison, "Bison con Empanizado de Pepitas," at his very first State Dinner, honoring Mexico's President Vicente Fox, on Sept. 5, 2001. Comerford was then Executive Sous Chef at the White House. (Above: Comerford on the day of the dinner, previewing the menu)

Pate and Carter both noted that the US bison sector is still rebuilding from a collapse a decade ago, when oversupply caused prices to drop, and farmers and ranchers stopped raising bison. The Presidential spotlight is very encouraging for hardworking American families who live all over the nation.

"There are bison ranches in every state, including the Big Island of Hawaii and in Long Island, New York," Carter said. "Around Washington, there's bison in North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland."

So why wouldn't the White House source its bison locally? Pate said that North Dakota, the second largest bison state in the US (South Dakota is #1), has the most production facilities. Bison can be shipped either fresh or frozen, but neither Pate nor Carter knew how the White House bison arrived. An East Wing spokesman declined to identify the specific ranch or discuss shipping, citing security concerns.

Cooking with bison at home...
Carter noted that Farmers Markets account for much of bison sales across the US. He suggested that those interested in eating like the President check with their local markets; bison is also available at grocers such as Whole Foods. Carter added that bison is very versatile, and can be used from "nose to tail." (Above: Inside the pavilion during the dinner)

"The President could enjoy a good bison hotdog when he's watching the NCAA playoffs," Carter said, chuckling. "We make burgers, short ribs, bratwurst...."

As for the difference between buffalo meat and bison meat? There isn't one, Pate said. But the proper word is "bison," to distinguish from water buffalo and cape buffalo. The species of bison raised in North America is bison bison.

"We can blame the French" for the term "buffalo," Pate said. When they were "visiting" the continent more than two centuries ago and saw the millions of bison roaming the Plains, the French played on their word for beef, boeuf, and came up with "buffalo."

Home cooks hoping to dine on the historic, cross-cultural dish served at the State Dinner will have to come up with their own recipe: The White House has declined to release the recipe for Bison Wellington. A recipe for the dessert served at Mr. Cameron's dinner, another nod to British culinary tradition, Steamed Lemon Pudding, IS HERE. It was made with Meyer lemons, and served with Idaho Huckleberry sauce and Newtown Pippin Apples, originally grown in New York, in more homage to America's regional bounty.

The UK State Dinner was the sixth and largest the President and Mrs. Obama have hosted. As is a longstanding "policy," the White House did not release a photo of the historic entree or any other plated dish from the dinner. The photo at the top of this post was tweeted by dinner guest Christine Teigen (@ChrissyTeigen). She is the fiancee of singer John Legend, who performed at the reception following the dinner. The full guest list.

For links to all posts about the Cameron Official Visit and State Dinner, CLICK HERE.

A video of the UK State Dinner preparations in the White House kitchen:



*Photos: President and Prime Minister by Getty; Bison Wellington by Christine Teigen; Comerford by Eddie gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama; pavilion by Pete Souza/White House; video by the White House.

White House Recipe From The UK State Dinner: Steamed Lemon Pudding

White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses has unveiled a home-cooking version of the Steamed Meyer Lemon Pudding that President Obama and First Lady Obama served as the dessert for Wednesday's State Dinner honoring British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Mrs. Samatha Cameron. A sweet ending to the formal affair, the dessert, said the White House, is "a nod to the traditional British treat." (Above: The Head Table at the dinner, with the President and Prime Minister in the center, and George Clooney beside Mrs. Obama at right)

The showstopping Winter Harvest menu was designed by Executive Chef Cris Comerford to blend US and UK culinary traditions. As served at the State Dinner, the pudding was topped with a cage of spun sugar and a candied lemon wedge with Idaho Huckleberry Sauce "to unite the British and American flavors."

Newtown Pippin Apples were also used, but these elements have been left out of the home version of the recipe, which serves six. (Above: The dessert as it appeared during the afternoon menu preview event)

The UK State Dinner, the largest the President and Mrs. Obama have hosted, was held in a huge pavilion on the South Lawn. Iron Horse Russian Cuvee 2007 (Green Valley, Sonoma County, CA), was served with the dessert course. The guest list.

Chef Yosses used Meyer Lemons for the State Diner, but any kind of lemon is fine for home use. The recipe requires an electric mixer (or very strong arms for whisking), six individual custard dishes, and a deep roasting pan. The pudding is cooked in a water bath, explained in the directions below.

White House Steamed Lemon Pudding

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

3 large eggs, separated

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 cup milk

6 tablespoons lemon juice (70g)

1/8 teaspoon salt

Method
1. Heat oven to 320F

2. Butter six individual custard dishes and coat with sugar

3. Place a folded towel on bottom of a roasting pan and boil water for water bath.

4. Whisk the sugar and flour together; set aside.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks and butter until smooth; whisk in the milk, lemon juice, salt and lemon zest until blended; whisk the flour mixture into this. (Note: the batter will be very liquid)

6. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the above mixture.

7. Immediately ladle into the custard cups and place in the prepared baking pan filled halfway with hot water. Bake until the puddings are puffy and golden on top, about 50 minutes.

8. Serve warm

*Makes 6 individual servings.

CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the Camerons' Official Visit and the State Dinner. Check the sidebar for more White House recipes.

*Top photo by Pete Souza/White House; second by eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama; third via White House

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

State Dinner: President Obama Celebrates The "Rock Solid Alliance" With David Cameron

The lavish affair in a pavilion on the South Lawn featured A-list guests, a Winter Harvest menu, and intimate stories from the Special Relationship...
President Obama celebrated his close friendship with British Prime Minister David Cameron and "the deep and abiding bonds between our people" on Wednesday evening with a lavish State Dinner for more than 320 guests, including a big celebrity contingent, as the two-day Official Visit came to a close. The dinner, held in a dramatically lit and flower-filled pavilion on the South Lawn, was profoundly different from the "Boys Night" the two shared on Tuesday when they flew to Ohio to snack on hot dogs and watch an NCAA basketball game. (Above: The President and Prime Minister embrace)

"In good times and in bad, he’s just the kind of partner that you want at your side," President Obama said as he toasted the Prime Minister, hailing his dignity and strength. "I trust him."

Cameron responded with a ringing endorsement for his host, ticking off the President's achievements in his response toast.

President Obama, he said, “has pressed the reset button on the moral authority of the entire free world." Their relationship, Cameron said, is something "I feel in my bones."

“Barack, it is an honor to call you an ally, a partner and a friend."

First Lady Michelle Obama and Mrs. Samantha Cameron both wore blue gowns for the 8:30 PM event, the largest dinner the Obamas have ever hosted. "They look better than us," the President joked to his wife as the Camerons arrived shortly after 7:00 PM during a brief ceremony under the North Portico. Mrs. Obama's off-shoulder silk ruched confection was designed by Marchesa, and co-founder Georgina Chapman, a Brit, was a guest at the dinner with her movie-mogul husband, Harvey Weinstein, who has helped raise millions for the President.

The dinner came at the end of a day of bilateral meetings and many earlier references to the Special Relationship, beginning with the morning Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn, all paying tribute to what the White House hails as "a rock-solid alliance" between the US and the United Kingdom. Hundreds of guests filled the South Lawn for the ceremony, including US and American school children.

"America's Backyard" was the decor theme inside the pavilion, and when America's Backyard is the South Lawn of the White House, the guests are equivalently impressive.

There was a heavy Hollywood presence--a scruffily bearded George Clooney sat beside Mrs. Obama at the long, rectangular Head Table, which seated twenty and located at the top of the pavilion (above).

Mrs. Obama sat beside the President, who was seated beside the Prime Minister; Mrs. Cameron was on his other side. British-born actor Damian Lewis, star of Homeland, one of the President's favorite TV shows, also got one of the coveted spots at the table, as did billionaire Warren Buffet. A special guest at the table, noted by the White House: Elaine Brye, a Winona, Ohio, mother of four children serving in the military. She was invited by Mrs. Obama after she wrote a letter to the First Lady about the Joining Forces campaign.

As he arrived for the dinner, Lewis wondered aloud to reporters how President Obama ever managed to find time to actually watch TV. British actor Hugh Bonneville, star of Downton Abbey, happily declared himself "chuffed to bits" to be at the dinner. His co-star and onscreen wife, Elizabeth McGovern, was also delighted, she said. Idris Elba and Wendell Pierce of The Wire rubbed elbows with the likes of Vogue legend Anna Wintour (wearing Chanel, and another major fundraiser); golf prodigy Rory McIlroy, the #1 ranked player in the world; and Sir Richard Branson. Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden attended, as did their son, Hunter Biden. More than two dozen major donors for the 2012 campaign were on THE GUEST LIST.

Stories from the Special Relationship...
The President, clad in a black tuxedo, and back-dropped by mauve lighting and the shadows of roses cast on the walls of the pavilion, stood at a podium and regaled his guests with foodie anecdotes in his eight-minute toast. As the candles on the tables flickered, he described the treatment he and Mr. Cameron have gotten at the hands of the media when they bonded over a World Cup beer bet and a barbecue for members of the military at 10 Downing Street. (Above: The President toasts)

"You can never tell how things will get reported as a consequence of our interactions," President Obama said. "When we met two years ago, we exchanged beers from our hometowns. One news story said: “David Cameron and Barack Obama cemented their special relationship -- by hitting the bottle.”

As for the barbecue:

"David and I rolled up our sleeves, threw away the aprons, decided to flip the burgers ourselves," President Obama said. "One reporter called it a “brave and foolish move.” Another expressed amazement at our “surprising competence.”

"Michelle and Samantha often remark the same way," he added, to laughter.

The Prime Minister earlier in the day presented the President with a gift of a special ping pong table, an insider joke, because the two got trumped when playing high schoolers last May during The President's State Visit to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Mr. Obama chafed at the media's handling of that, too:

"One newspaper asked the head coach of the British Olympic women’s team to critique our performance. Obama, the coach said, “talked a lot.” David “overhits the ball.” Both of them -- I’m quoting here --“looked a little confused.”

There were serious moments, too. The President spoke about Cameron’s “commitment to human dignity” and “resolve” over Libya, and the 2009 death of the Camerons' six-year old son, Ivan, who had suffered from cerebral palsy and life-threatening epileptic fits since birth.

"All of us have seen how you, as a parent, along with Samantha, have shown a measure of strength that few of us will ever know," President Obama said. "Tonight, I thank you for bringing that same strength and solidarity to our partnership--even if you do overhit the ball."

Though he said he wanted to be the first President to not mention Winston Churchill when welcoming a British leader to the White House, the President quoted him, and worked in both The Blitz and 9/11.

"In those two moments I think you see all you need to know about who we are and what brings us together tonight," he said. "In war and in peace, in times of plenty and times of hardship, we stand tall and proud and strong, together. And as free peoples committed to the dignity of all human beings, we will never apologize for our way of life, nor waver in its defense."

Cameron's Official Visit was a return of The Queen's hospitality last Spring, and the President toasted her Diamond Jubilee as he finished speaking.

"To Her Majesty the Queen, on her Diamond Jubilee; to our dear friends, David and Samantha; and to the great purpose and design of our alliance. May we remain, now and always, its faithful servants. Cheers, everyone," President Obama said, as he raised a wine glass filled with water.

More tales from the Special Relationship...
Cameron, in his nine-minute response toast, also spoke about the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and Churchill, and the crucial nature of the US-UK alliance. He hailed the U.S.-led coalition effort in Libya, the Afghanistan surge and the end of the war in Iraq. (Above: The President and Prime Minister at the Head Table)

"Now, both Barack and I have said a lot today about the importance of the relationship between our two countries and our peoples," he said. "Like my predecessors, I'm proud of our essential relationship and of Britain's strong national bond with the United States of America. I feel it in my bones."

The Prime Minister also discussed his big day out with the President in Ohio, where he got personal Presidential tutoring on "bracketology."

"The truth is we have to have a guys' night out because so often we find we are completely overshadowed by our beautiful wives," Cameron said, which got applause from the guests.

"As I rolled into bed last night, I said, "Samantha, do you want to hear about what I got up to on this great guys' night out?" And she -- she's not too impressed by these things. She said, "Well, everything you did was on television. You were surrounded by the presidential bodyguard, so presumably you didn’t get up to anything."

The Winter Harvest menu...
The dinner was served after the toasts were finished: Guests dined on a four-course "Winter Harvest" feast, created by Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford using crops from Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden for the vegetable accompaniments. The garden was visible outside the glass windows of the pavilion, across the South Lawn, which had colored lights strung in the newly blooming trees, as well as animating the fountain. The menu was designed to symbolize the Special Relationship, with embroideries on American favorites and nods to British tradition and culinary culture. (Above: Dr. Biden greets a guest)

The White House described the entree, Bison Wellington, as "a classic English dish given an American twist with the use of buffalo tenderloin," and hailed it as "a perfect pairing of US and UK cultures." The Bison herd was raised in North Dakota. Alaska provided the fish for the First Course, Crisped Halibut with Potato Crust. Dessert was a Steamed Meyer Lemon Pudding, which used Idaho Huckleberries, in another melding of US-UK tastes. The full menu with all the details.

The White House once gain declined to name the American wines that were poured. The dinner marks the first time Bison has been served at an Obama State Dinner; the Cameron event is the sixth of the Administration, and the third overseen by Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard. No presidential china was used, because there were too many guests; the sets are not that large, according to an East Wing spokesman.



Entertainment and decor...
Guests were entertained after dinner by the band Mumford and Sons-- a favorite of the Camerons--and singer John Legend, a longtime Obama supporter. More guests were invited to join the party for the reception. The grounds of the White House are 18 acres large, and guests were ferried from the mansion down to the bottom of the South Lawn in a replica of an old-fashioned trolley, bright red with wood accents. The party lasted until after 11:00 PM.

The tables in the tent varied in size, and the decor scheme, tent, the table settings, and all decor were rentals, and overseen by the design firm Rafanelli Events, best known for creating Chelsea Clinton's "wedding of the century." Acid-green candles were set in tall glass pillars, and low candles sat on tables, which were covered in white and magenta cloths, or bare. Napkins were green, as was the menu at each place setting. The floral centerpieces were hydrangea, roses and lilac with greens; some were huge, and some smaller, including individual rose buds in vases. Planter boxes of flowers and trees filled the pavilion, which had a floor carpeted in magenta and a full sound system.

The guest list also included Sen. John Kerry and Rep. John Dingell; Cabinet Secretaries including Hillary Clinton, Hilda Solis, and Jay Carney, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and the British delegation, political powerbrokers from both sides of the Atlantic, LGBT activists, and members of the military. THE GUEST LIST. (Above: George Clooney talks with the President's Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett)

The transcript of the toast remarks.

CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the Camerons' Official Visit.

*Photos by AP/Getty pool

Transcript & Video: President Obama, Prime Minister Cameron's State Dinner Toast Remarks

Rock solid friends: Beer, barbecue, ping pong, and the extra-special Special Relationship...
From a podium in the dramatically lit pavilion at the bottom of the White House's South Lawn, President Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron exchanged heartfelt toasts at the start of Wednesday's State Dinner. The President spoke first and raised a wineglass with water, a longtime habit. (Above: The two embrace after the President's toast)

"I’m so grateful for all the time that David and I have had together," President Obama said, and regaled his guests with tales of a beer bet, barbecuing at 10 Downing Street, and playing ping pong in London, as well as more important international issues. He hailed the Special Relationship in glowing terms.



More than 320 guests were invited to the State Dinner, including George Clooney, who sat beside Mrs. Obama at the Head Table; also invited were Damian Lewis, Sir Richard Branson, Warren Buffett, Anna Wintour, Harvey Weinstein, Georgina Chapman, Rory McIlroy, Elizabeth McGovern and Hugh Bonneville, and Justice Antonin Scalia. THE GUEST LIST.

THE MENU: The "Winter Harvest" menu starred Bison Wellington and bounty from Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden. CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the Official Visit.

The transcript:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_________________________________________________

For Immediate Release
March 14, 2012

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA
AND PRIME MINISTER CAMERON OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
IN AN EXCHANGE OF TOASTS AT STATE DINNER

South Grounds Tent

9:01 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good evening, everyone. Please have a seat. Welcome to the White House. I was just telling the Prime Minister that, so far, the evening has been successful because I have not stepped on Michelle's train. (Laughter.) My main goal this evening. Michelle and I could not be more honored that you could join us as we host our great friends -- the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, and his remarkable wife, Samantha. You can give them a round of applause -- why not? (Applause.)

As I said this morning, this visit also gives us an opportunity to return the gracious hospitality that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, as well as David and Samantha and all the British people showed us during our visit to London last year. And I know Michelle looks forward to returning. Because, as she announced yesterday, she will be leading the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in London. (Applause.) I am jealous. (Laughter.)

Now, I’m so grateful for all the time that David and I have had together. But as we’ve learned, you can never tell how things will get reported as a consequence of our interactions. When we met two years ago, we exchanged beers from our hometowns. One news story said: “David Cameron and Barack Obama cemented their special relationship -- by hitting the bottle.” (Laughter.)

When we had a barbeque at Downing Street for some of our servicemembers, David and I rolled up our sleeves, threw away the aprons, decided to flip the burgers ourselves. One reporter called it a “brave and foolish move.” (Laughter.) Another expressed amazement at our “surprising competence.” (Laughter.) Michelle and Samantha often remark the same way. (Laughter.)

And finally, when David and I got beat pretty badly in table tennis by some local London kids, one newspaper asked the head coach of the British Olympic women’s team to critique our performance. Obama, the coach said, “talked a lot.” (Laughter.) David “overhits the ball.” (Laughter.) Both of them -- I’m quoting here --“looked a little confused.” (Laughter.)

But in moments like that, and in all of our interactions -- including today -- I’ve learned something about David. In good times and in bad, he’s just the kind of partner that you want at your side. I trust him. He says what he does, and he does what he says. And I’ve seen his character. And I’ve seen his commitment to human dignity, during Libya. I’ve seen his resolve, his determination to get the job done, whether it’s righting our economies or succeeding in Afghanistan.

And I will say something else, David. All of us have seen how you, as a parent, along with Samantha, have shown a measure of strength that few of us will ever know. Tonight, I thank you for bringing that same strength and solidarity to our partnership -- even if you do overhit the ball. (Laughter.)

We are by no means the first President and Prime Minister to celebrate the deep and abiding bonds between our people. There has been no shortage of words uttered about our special relationship. And I was humbled to offer my own last year when I had the opportunity to address Parliament in Westminster Hall.

So, rather than words, I’d like to leave you tonight with two simple images. They’re from different times and places, decades apart. But they’re moments, I think, that reveal the spirit of our alliance and the character of our countries.

The first is from the Blitz, when, month after month, the British people braved the onslaught from the sky. And one of those most enduring images from those days is of the London skyline, covered in smoke, with one thing shining through -- the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, tall and proud and strong. The other image we know from our own lives -- from that awful September day, that unforgettable picture of the Manhattan skyline, covered in smoke and dust, with one thing shining through -- our Statue of Liberty, tall and proud and strong.

In those two moments I think you see all you need to know about who we are and what brings us together tonight. In war and in peace, in times of plenty and times of hardship, we stand tall and proud and strong, together. And as free peoples committed to the dignity of all human beings, we will never apologize for our way of life, nor waver in its defense.

It’s why David’s grandfather fought alongside us Yanks after D-Day; why my grandfather marched across Europe in Patton’s army. It’s why tonight, at dusty bases in Afghanistan, both American and British soldiers are getting ready to go on patrol, like generations before them, shoulder to shoulder. It’s why our diplomats and development workers are side by side, standing with the activists who dare to demand their rights, save a child from drought or famine.

It’s why leaders of our two countries can embrace the same shared heritage and the promise of our alliance -- even if we come from different political traditions; even if the Prime Minister is younger than nearly 200 years of his predecessors; even if the President looks a little different than his predecessors. And David, it’s why, tonight, our young children -- and children across our countries -- can sleep well, knowing that we’re doing everything in our power to build a future that is worthy of their dreams.

So, in closing, let me just say that I intended to make history tonight. I thought that I could be the first American President to make it through an entire visit of our British friends without quoting Winston Churchill. (Laughter.) But then I saw this great quote and I thought, “Come on, this is Churchill!” (Laughter.) So I couldn’t resist.

It was December 1941, and the attack on Pearl Harbor had finally thrust America into war, alongside our British friends. And these were the words Sir Winston spoke to his new American partners: “I will say that he must indeed have a blind soul who cannot see that some great purpose and design is being worked out here below, of which we have the honor to be the faithful servants.”

And so I'd like to propose a toast: To Her Majesty the Queen, on her Diamond Jubilee; to our dear friends, David and Samantha; and to the great purpose and design of our alliance. May we remain, now and always, its faithful servants. Cheers, everyone.

(A toast is offered.)

David. (Applause.)

PRIME MINISTER CAMERON: President Obama, First Lady, ladies and gentlemen: It is a tremendous honor to be here this evening. And I want to thank you for putting on such a great dinner, and for making our visit so special over the last two days. And thank you also for those strong and beautiful words that you've just spoken.

Now, Michelle, I'm sure that, like Sam, you often wonder what happens when your husband goes for a night out with the guys. (Laughter.) So maybe I should come clean about last night. (Laughter.) We went to basketball and we had a real man-to-man chat. Barack tried to confuse me by talking about bracketology -- (laughter) -- but I got my own back by running him gently through the rules of cricket. (Laughter.)

The truth is we have to have a guys' night out because so often we find we are completely overshadowed by our beautiful wives. (Applause.)

As I rolled into bed last night, I said, "Samantha, do you want to hear about what I got up to on this great guys' night out?" And she -- she's not too impressed by these things. She said, "Well, everything you did was on television. You were surrounded by the presidential bodyguard, so presumably you didn’t get up to anything." (Laughter.)

Now, both Barack and I have said a lot today about the importance of the relationship between our two countries and our peoples. Like my predecessors, I'm proud of our essential relationship and of Britain's strong national bond with the United States of America. I feel it in my bones.

Now, there is, of course a great history of close relationships between U.S. Presidents and British Prime Ministers. Importantly, these have been regardless of the political parties they happen to represent. Her Majesty the Queen is a great authority on the matter. She has seen -- and she likes to tell me this -- no fewer than 12 British Prime Ministers and 11 American Presidents during her time on the throne. But I'm sure everyone here would want to pay tribute to her incredible service and selfless duty in this, her special Diamond Jubilee year. (Applause.)

Now, Her Majesty's first Prime Minister was, of course, Winston Churchill, a regular guest here at the White House. I'm not going to quote from Churchill, I'm going to quote about Churchill -- because it seems his visits were not always the easiest experience for his American hosts.

As Roosevelt's secretary wrote after one visit: "Churchill is a trying guest. He drinks like a fish. He smokes like a chimney. He has irregular routines, works nights, sleeps days, and turns the clocks upside down." And for those of you who wonder why the British Prime Minister now stays at Blair House rather than the White House -- (laughter) -- I simply observe this. We all know the story of Winston Churchill famously found naked in his bath by President Roosevelt. This happened while he stayed at the White House in December 1941, and the federal government bought Blair House in 1942. (Laughter.)

Now, for every genuine presidential-prime ministerial friendship, there have been some -- I think we could call them --total disconnects. Edward Heath and Richard Nixon took personal awkwardness with each other to new and excruciating levels. (Laughter.) And yet, despite this, Richard Nixon arranged for someone to pay for the swimming pool at the Prime Minister's country residence of Chequers. Incidentally, this swimming pool now has a serious and possibly terminal leak. (Laughter.)

So I hope you won't find it amiss as I say here in the White House, for the first time in 40 years, these words: It is time to call in the plumbers. (Laughter.)

Now, turning to Obama-Cameron. As fellow parents, Barack and Michelle have both been personally very kind to Sam and me. And as fellow leaders, we've struck up, I believe, a really good partnership. It is frank and honest. We talk through issues very rationally. We don't need to remind each other of the basic threats that we face; we know them. But there are three things about Barack that really stand out for me: strength, moral authority, and wisdom.

Strength, because Barack has been strong when required to defend his national interests. Under President Obama's leadership, America got bin Laden. (Applause.) And together with British and coalition forces, America has fundamentally weakened al Qaeda. The President says what he will do and he sticks to it.

I'll never forget that phone call on Libya, when he told me exactly what role America would play in Libya, and he delivered his side of the bargain to the letter. We delivered our side of the bargain, too. And let us all agree that the world is better off without bin Laden, but the world is better off without Qaddafi, too. (Applause.)

Moral authority, because Barack understands that the means matter every bit as much as the ends. Yes, America must do the right thing, but to provide moral leadership, America must do it in the right way, too. The first President I studied at school was Theodore Roosevelt. He talked of speaking softly and carrying a big stick. That is Barack's approach. And in following it, he has pressed the reset button on the moral authority of the entire free world.

Wisdom, because Barack has not rushed into picking fights, but is steward of America's resources of hard and soft power. He's taken time to make considered decisions, drawing down troops from Iraq and surging in Afghanistan. He's found a new voice for America with the Arab people. And at home, he's recognized that in America, as in Britain, the future depends on making the best of every citizen. Both our nations have historically been held back by inequality. But now there's a determined effort in both our countries -- most notably through education reform -- to ensure that opportunity is truly available for all.

Half a century ago, the amazing courage of Rosa Parks, the visionary leadership of Martin Luther King, and the inspirational actions of the civil rights movement led politicians to write equality into the law and make real the promise of America for all her citizens. But in the fight for justice and the struggle for freedom, there is no end, because there is so much more to do to ensure that every human being can fulfill their potential.

That is why our generation faces a new civil rights struggle, to seek the prize of the future that is open to every child as never before.

Barack has made this one of the goals of his presidency, the goal he's pursuing with enormous courage. And it is fitting that a man whose own personal journey defines the promise and potential of this unique nation should be working to fulfill the hopes of his country in this way.

Barack, it is an honor to call you an ally, a partner, and a friend. You don't get to choose the circumstances you have to deal with as a President or a Prime Minister. And you don't get to choose the leaders that you have to work with. But all I can say is that it is a pleasure to work with someone with moral strength, with clear reason, and with fundamental decency in this task of renewing our great national alliance for today and for the generations to follow.

And with that, I propose a toast: To the President, to the First Lady, and to the people of the United States of America. Cheers.

(A toast is offered.) (Applause.)

END 9:19 P.M. EDT
##

*Getty Photo

State Dinner Arrival, Inside The White House

President Obama and First Lady Obama posed for this formal photo with Prime Minister David Cameron and Mrs. Samantha Cameron inside the White House, before the Grand Staircase, before heading to the pavilion on the South Lawn for the State Dinner. CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the Official Visit. Photo via 10 Downing Street.

First Lady Michelle Obama Dazzles In Marchesa Gown At State Dinner Arrival Ceremony

The Special Relationship, black tie edition...
It was a balmy evening in Washington when President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama emerged onto the North Portico at 7:05 PM dressed for the State Dinner, awaiting the arrival of Prime Minister David Cameron and Mrs. Samantha Cameron. Mrs. Obama wore a blue-gray floor-length gown designed by Marchesa, with a long train in the back and ruching at the waist. Her hair was pulled back off her shoulders and she wore a bold, sparkly, multi-strand necklace that was a beaded mix of blues, teals, and turquoise, designed by Tom Binns. Georgina Chapman, co-founder of Marchesa, a Brit, was a guest at the dinner, with her movie-mogul husband Harvey Weinstein, a longtime fundraiser for the President. THE GUEST LIST.

Prime Minister Cameron and Mrs. Cameron arrived under the North Portico in a town car, though they were staying at Blair House, located right outside the White House gates. Mrs. Cameron wore a sparkling dark blue gown with elbow-length lace sleeves, created by British designer Alessandra Rich.

"Very pretty," President Obama said as he greeted Mrs. Cameron with a kiss.

Turning to the First lady, he said, "They look better than us."

After more kisses and handshakes, the two couples posed for a couple pictures before turning to walk inside, where a jazz band played in the Grand Foyer.

Marchesa's Chapman said she had designed her own grey beaded gown especially for the evening. The East Wing did not know if Mrs. Obama's gown was a special creation.

The President trod on the train of his wife's dress when they first stepped onto the North Portico, a moment he would later mention in his toast at the dinner. (Above)

"I was just telling the Prime Minister that so far this evening has been successful because I have not stepped on Michelle's train, my main goal of the evening," the President joked.

The two couples posed for a formal arrival photo inside the White House before heading for the huge white pavilion located at the bottom of the South Lawn, where they were joined by more than 320 guests. The "Winter Harvest" dinner starred Bison Wellington and bounty from Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden: THE MENU.

CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the Official Visit.

A video of the arrival:



*Photos by Poll; AP video

Guest List, President Obama's State Dinner For Prime Minister David Cameron

A-listers: George Clooney, Damian Lewis, Hugh Bonneville, Anna Wintour, Harvey Weinstein, Rory McIlroy, Warren Buffett, Sir Richard Branson, Idris Elba, Elizabeth McGovern...
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted quite a star-studded State Dinner in honor of British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Mrs. Samantha Cameron on Wednesday evening, with more bold-faced names than at any other dinner event since 2010. From George Clooney to a spate of other Hollywood stars (Damian Lewis, Hugh Bonneville), billionaires (Warren Buffett, Sir Richard Branson), an Olympian and a Paralympian, lawmakers, members of the military, and luminaries in the arts, the list was eclectic. THE MENU and CLICK HERE for links to all posts about the Camerons' Official Visit. (Clooney enters, above)

With 326 guests, the dinner was also the largest State Dinner the Obamas have hosted, and held in a huge dramatically lit pavilion on the bottom of the South Lawn. There were more than two-dozen fundraisers for the President's re-election effort (including Hollywood powerbroker Harvey Weinstein and Vogue's Anna Wintour), as well as "ordinary" people on the guest list: The White House pointed to Elaine Brye, a mother of four Winona, Ohio, who wrote a letter to the President about her four children in the military. Singer John Legend and the members of the band Mumford and Sons dined before providing the evening's entertainment.

Guests arrived through the Booksellers Entrance in the East Wing, and were greeted by a scrum of foreign and American media. The Obamas welcomed the Camerons in a brief arrival ceremony under the North Portico at 7:00 PM. (Above: Damian Lewis and his wife Helen McRory)

Clooney, fresh from testifying on The Hill, was seated beside Mrs. Obama at the Head Table, and there were many TV stars. Damian Lewis of Homeland, brought his wife, actor Helen McCrory; Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern both star in PBS's Downton Abbey (Lord and Lady Grantham); Idris Elba and Wendell Pierce, both best known for The Wire, and Charlie Rose were also on hand. (Above: Lewis and McRory)

"I'm chuffed to bits to be here," Bonneville told reporters, smiling.

Weinstein, flush from multiple Academy Award wins, brought his wife Georgina Chapman, partner in the design firm Marchesa. Chapman, a Brit, designed Mrs. Obama's dramatic blue gown for the evening, and she also wore one of her own designs, which she said she had created especially for the evening. Wintour, legendary editor of Vogue, wore a dramatic black and white gown by Chanel. She and Weinstein have hosted multiple fundraisers for the President. (Above: Weinstein and Chapman)

Buffett's and his daughter Susan Buffett, and Branson represented transglobal wealth. Buffett strode through the arrival line without speaking, but Branson stopped and chatted, doing a little ta-da flourish as he was announced.

23-year-old golf prodigy Rory McIlroy, who hails from Ireland and is the #1 player in the world, was on hand. Denise Lewis, an Olympic gold medalist from England; Jony Ive, the British designer and senior vice president of Apple, and Chad Griffin, an LGBT rights advocate based in Los Angeles, recently appointed president of the Human Rights Campaign, arrived holding hands with his partner.  Reporters counted at least four sets of male couples holding hands as they strode through the media scrum. 

There was a heavy contingent of members of the media in addition to Wintour: Paul Tash, Chairman and CEO, Times Publishing Company; John Robinson Block, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; Charlie Rose, Jr., Host, Executive Editor and Executive Producer, PBS; Andrew Sullivan, The Newsweek/Daily Beast Company; Gillian Tett, U.S. Managing Editor, Financial Times; and Jonathan Capehart, The Washington Post.

Among the political powerbrokers were Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts; Rep. John Dingell of Michigan; Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland; Kamala Harris, the California attorney general, wh is one of the President's National Campaign Co-Chairs; and Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia. Press Secretary Jay Carney got cat calls from the media as he arrived.

Some of the Obamas’ old Chicago friends were on the guest list, including Martin Nesbitt and Dr. Eric Whitaker.

The Guest List

THE PRESIDENT and MRS. OBAMA

THE RIGHT HONORABLE DAVID CAMERON, M.P. PRIME MINISTER OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

MRS. SAMANTHA CAMERON
Mr. Gerald Acker, Huntington Woods, MI
Mrs. Caryn Acker

Mr. David Adjaye, New York, NY
Ms. Ashley Jasmine Shaw-Scott

Mr. Mark Alderman, Bryn Mawr, PA
Mrs. Sue Ellen Alderman

General John Allen, Fort Belvoir, VA
Mrs. Katherine Allen

The Honorable Brooke Anderson, Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, National Security Council
Mr. James Salter

Dr. Jean-Phillipe Austin, Miami, FL
Mrs. Maggie Austin

Mr. Alejandro Baez, Director for NATO and Western European Affairs, National Security Council
Mrs. Linda Ann Baez

Mr. Lionel Barber, Editor, Financial Times, Washington, DC
Ms. Victoria Greenwood

Mr. Philip Barton, London, England
Ms. Amanda Barton

The Honorable Matthew Barzun, Louisville, KY
Mrs. Brooke Barzun

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

The Honorable John Berry, Director, Office of Personnel Management
Mr. Curtis Yee

Ms. Gabby Bertin, Press Secretary to Prime Minister Cameron

Mr. Hunter Biden, Washington, DC
Mrs. Kathleen Biden

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice President of the United States
Dr. Jill Biden

The Honorable Rebecca Blank, Acting Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
Mr. Hanns Kuttner

The Honorable Antony Blinken, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor, Office of the Vice President
Ms. Evan Ryan, Assistant to the Vice President and Special Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement

Mr. John Robinson Block, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh, PA
Ms. Susan Jones-Block

Mr. Neil G. Bluhm, Chicago, IL
Ms. Leslie Bluhm

Mr. David Bohnett, Beverly Hills, CA
Ms. Deborah Borda

Mr. Hugh Bonneville, London, England
Mrs. LuLu Williams

Sir Richard Branson, London, England

The Honorable John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, National Security Council
Mrs. Katherine Brennan

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

Mrs. Leilani Brown, Westbury, NY
Mr. Stanton Brown

Mrs. Elaine Brye, Winona, OH, Mrs. Brye wrote a letter to Mrs. Obama about being a mother of four children who serve in the military. Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden’s initiative, Joining Forces, focuses on supporting members of the military and their families.
Mr. Courtney William Brye

The Honorable John Bryson, Secretary of Commerce
The Honorable April Susanna Boyd, Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, U.S. Department of Commerce

Ms. Susan Buffett, Omaha, NE
Mr. David Lane

Mr. Warren Buffett, Omaha, NE
Mrs. Astrid M. Buffett

The Honorable William J Burns, Deputy Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State
Ms. Lisa Carty

Mr. Jonathan Capehart, The Washington Post, Washington, DC
Mr. Nicholas Schmit IV

The Honorable Jay Carney, Press Secretary
Ms. Claire Shipman, Senior National Correspondent, ABC

Mr. John Casson, Foreign Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister

Ms. Cindy Chang, Senior Policy Advisor to the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, National Security Council
Mr. Marvin D Nicholson, Special Advisor to the President and Trip Director
The Honorable Mark Bradley Childress, Assistant to the President, Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning
Mrs. Katherine Childress

The Honorable Steven Chu, Secretary of the Department of Energy
Dr. Arun Majumdar, Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State

Mr. George Clooney, Los Angeles, CA

Mr. Bradford Collins, Langhorne, PA
Ms. Barbara Walsh

Mr. Garrett Copeland, Wilmington, DE
Mrs. Tatiana Copeland

Mr. Jim Crown, Chicago, IL
Mrs. Paula Hannaway Crown

Mr. John Crumpler, Durham, NC
Mrs. Lou Crumpler

Sir Kim Darroch, National Security Advisor, United Kingdom Government

Mr. Benjamin Deardorf, Teacher, Lancaster, PA
Mrs. Amy Deardorf, Teacher

Ms. Sarah Degrandpre, DC Program Director, Youth Service Opportunities Project, Washington, DC
Mr. Paul Shinkman

The Honorable Nancy Ann Min DeParle, Deputy Chief of Staff
Mr. Jason P. DeParle

Mrs. Meredith DeWitt, Harvard, MA
Mr. Terry DeWitt

The Honorable John Dingell, United States Representative
Mrs. Deborah Dingell

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

Mr. Oliver Dowden, Political Adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Mr. Ted Dwane, Mumford and Sons
Ms. Isabel Soden

Mr. Joe Echevarria, New York, NY
Mrs. AnnaMaria Echevarria, Miami, FL

Mr. Idris Elba, Beverly Hills, CA

Mr. Fred Eychaner, Chicago, IL

Mr. Joseph Falk, Miami, FL
Mr. Mark Scott

Ms. Catherine Fall, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister

The Honorable Jon Favreau, Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting
Ms. Nikki Buffa, Deputy Director of Cabinet Affairs

Mr. Rajiv Kumar Fernando, Chicago, IL
Ms. Jennifer Lynn Pelaez, New York, New York

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

Mr. William Freeman, Nashville, TN
Mrs. Babs Freeman

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

The Honorable Michael B.G. Froman, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs
Ms. Nancy Goodman

Mr. Anthony Gardner, Washington, DC
Mrs. Alejandra Gardner

The Honorable Timothy F. Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury

Mr. William Gelling, Private Secretary to the Foreign Secretary, United Kingdom Government

Mr. Stephen Gilbert, Political Secretary to Prime Minister Cameron

Mr. Timothy E. Gill, Denver, CO
Mr. Scott C. Miller

The Honorable Philip H. Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Mrs. Rachel Gordon

Mr. Chad Griffin, Los Angeles, CA
Mr. Jerome Fallon

The Honorable Marc Grossman, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Ms. Mildred Patterson

Dr. Amy Gutmann, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Dr. Michael Gutmann

The Right Honorable William Hague, M.P., Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, United Kingdom Government

The Honorable Kamala Harris, Attorney General, State of California
Ms. Maya Harris

Mr. Rupert Harrison, Special Advisor to the Chancellor, United Kingdom Government

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

The Honorable Heather A. Higginbottom, Deputy Director, Office of Management and Budget
Mr. Daniel Alejandro Sepulveda, Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs, U.S. Trade Representative

Mr. Steve Hilton, Policy Director to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Mr. Don Hinkle, Tallahassee, FL
Ms. Mimi Graham

Mr. Gary Hirshberg, Concord, NH
Mrs. Margaret Hirshberg, Manchester, NH

The Honorable Nancy D. Hogan, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Personnel
Mr. Peter T. Gage

The Honorable Eric Holder, United States Attorney General, Department of Justice
Dr. Sharon Malone

Dr. John P. Holdren, Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy

Ms. April Holmes, Paralympian, Kissimmee, FL
Ms. Estee Portnoy, Bethesda, MA

Ms. Gwen Ifill, PBS, Arlington, VA
Mr. Wendell Pierce, Pasadena, CA

Sir Jony Ive, Senior Vice President, Apple, Inc.

Mr. Tony James, New York, NY
Mrs. Amabel Boyce James

The Honorable Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor

The Honorable Martha Johnson, Administrator of the U.S. General Services, Annapolis, MD
Mr. Steve Johnson

Mr. Barry Karas, Los Angeles, CA
Mr. Bruce Green

The Honorable Ted Kaufman, former United States Senator
Mrs. Lynne Kaufman

Ms. Katty Kay, BBC World News America, Washington, DC
Mr. Thomas Richard Carver

Mrs. Janet Keller, Laguna Beach, CA
Mr. Bernard Earl Schneider

The Honorable Patrick F. Kennedy, Under Secretary for Management, U.S. Department of State
Ms. Elizabeth Swope

The Honorable John Kerry, United States Senator
Ms. Teresa Heinz Kerry

The Honorable Bradley Kiley, Office of Management and Administration
Mr. James M Coley, Jr.

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

The Honorable Edward Koch, New York, NY
Ms. Diane Mulcahy

Mr. Orin Kramer, New York, NY
Ms. Kerry Kennedy, Mt. Kisco, NY

The Honorable Alan Krueger, Chair, Council of Economic Advisors, Washington, DC
Mrs. Lisa Krueger, Princeton, NJ

Mr. Eric Lander, President and Director, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA
Mrs. Lori Lander

Mr. James Lassiter, Los Angeles, CA
Mrs. Mai Lassiter

Ms. Debra Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, BET Networks, Washington, DC
Mr. Londell McMillan, New York, NY

Mr. John Legend, Los Angeles, CA
Ms. Christine Teigen

Mrs. Suzi Levine, Seattle, WA
Mr. Eric Levine

The Honorable Jacob Lew, Chief of Staff
Dr. Ruth Schwartz

Mr. Chuck Lewis, Evanston, IL
Ms. Penny Sebring

Ms. Denise Rosemarie Lewis, Olympian, Buckinghamshire, England

Mr. Damian Lewis, London, England
Ms. Helen McCrory

Mr. Joe Liemandt, Austin, TX
Mrs. Andra Liemandt

Mr. Ed David Llewellyn, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister

Mr. Ben Lovett, Mumford and Sons
Ms. Jemima Janey

The Honorable Chris Lu, Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary
Ms. Katie Thomson

Mr. Jonathan Luff, Senior Advisor to Prime Minister Cameron, London, England

The Honorable Richard Lugar, United States Senator
Mrs. Charlene Lugar

General Douglas Lute, Special Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Afghanistan and Pakistan, National Security Council
The Honorable Jane Lute, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Mr. James MacGilvray, West Islip, NY
Mrs. Janet MacGilvray

Mr. Laurence Mann, Political Private Secretary to Prime Minister Cameron

The Honorable Capricia Penavic Marshall, United States Chief of Protocol
Dr. Robert Marshall

Mr. Winston Marshall, Mumford and Sons
Ms. Susan Cooney

The Honorable Alyssa Mastromonaco, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations
The Honorable Danielle Crutchfield, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Scheduling and Advance

Mr. Terry McAuliffe, McLean, VA
Mrs. Dorothy McAuliffe

The Honorable Claire McCaskill, United States Senator
Mr. Joseph Shepard

The Honorable Denis McDonough, Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor
Mrs. Karin McDonough

Ms. Elizabeth Lee McGovern, London, England
Mr. Simon Adam Curtis

Mr. Rory McIlroy, Professional Golfer, Dublin, Ireland
Mr. Conor Ridge

The Honorable Tony Miller, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
Mrs. Carole Miller

Mr. Marcus Mumford, Mumford and Sons
Ms. Carey Mulligan

The Honorable Cecilia Munoz, Assistant to the President and Director, Domestic Policy Council
Mr. Amit A. Pandya

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

The Honorable Janet Napolitano, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security
Dr. Leonard Napolitano

Mr. Martin Hughes Nesbitt, Chicago, IL
Ms. Anita Kay Blanchard

Ms. Susan Ness, Bethesda, MD
Mr. Lawrence Schneider

The Honorable Thomas R. Nides, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, Department of State
Ms. Virginia Moseley, Senior Producer, ABC

Mr. Craig Stewart Oliver, Director of Communications, United Kingdom Government

The Honorable Martin O’Malley, Governor, State of Maryland
The Honorable Katie O’Malley

Mr. George Gideon Osborne, M.P., Chancellor of the Exchequer, United Kingdom Government

The Honorable Maria Otero, Undersecretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, U.S. Department of State
Mr. Joe Eldridge

Mr. Michael Monroe Parham, Seattle, WA
Ms. Hyeok Kim

Mrs. Carol Pensky, Washington, DC
Mr. David Pensky

Mr. Dana Matthew Perlman, Los Angeles, CA
Mr. Hugh Kinsellagh

The Honorable Thomas John Perrelli, Associate Attorney General, Department of Justice
Ms. Kristine Joy Lucius

Sergeant First Class Leroy Petry, Medal of Honor Recipient
Mrs. Ashley Petry

The Honorable Dan Pfeiffer, Assistant to the President and Director of Communications

The Honorable David Plouffe, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor
Ms. Olivia Morgan

Mr. John Prendergast, Washington, DC

Mr. Mike Ramos, Chapel Hill, NC
Mrs. Joelle Ramos

The Honorable Ben Rhodes, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy NSA for Strategic Com and Speechwriting, National Security Council
Ms. Ann Norris

The Honorable Susan Rice, United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Mr. Ian Cameron

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

Mr. Ivan Rogers, Adviser on Europe and Global Issues to Prime Minister Cameron

Lady Ruth Rogers, London, England
Mr. Roo Rogers

Mrs. Ginni Rometty, Armonk, NY
Mr. Mark Rometty, Bonita Spring, FL

Mr. Charlie Rose, Jr., Host, Executive Editor and Executive Producer, PBS, New York, NY
Ms. Amanda Burden

Ms. Hilary Rosen, Washington, DC
Mr. John Kelly, Kirkland, WA

Mr. Simon Rosenberg, President and Founder, New Democratic Network, Washington, DC
Ms. Caitlin Durkovich

Dr. Robert Rosenwasser, Chairman of Neurosurgery, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Villanova, PA
Dr. Deborah August

The Honorable Pete Rouse, Senior Advisor
Ms. Courtney M. Chapin, White House Liaison, National Endowment for the Humanities

Mrs. Virginia Rustique-Petteni, Washington, DC
Mr. Nick Booth, CEO, The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge, London, England

The Honorable Kenneth Salazar, Secretary of the Interior
The Honorable David Hayes, Deputy Secretary of the Interior

The Honorable Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Mrs. Maureen M. Scalia

The Honorable Charles Schumer, United States Senator
Ms. Iris Weinshall

Mr. John Scully, San Francisco, CA
Mrs. Regina Scully

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Mr. Ned Sebelius

The Honorable Rajiv J. Shah, Administrator, US Agency for International Development
Mrs. Shivam Mallick Shah

Ms. Diana Shaw Clark, Washington, DC
Mr. Simon Clark

Mr. Jeff Shell, Chairman, NBCUniversal International, London, England
Mrs. Laura Shell

The Honorable Wendy Sherman, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Department of State
Mr. Bruce Stokes

Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European Affairs, National Security Council
Dr. Jeffrey Randall

The Honorable Mark Leonard Shurtleff, Attorney General, State of Utah
Mrs. M'Liss Shurtleff

Ms. Marva Smalls, Executive Vice President of Public Affairs, Chief of Staff for Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group, New York, NY
Mr. Francisco Lopes Borges, Farmington, CT

Mr. Jay Snyder, New York, NY
Mrs. Tracy Snyder

The Honorable Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor
Ms. Rebecca Zapanta

Ms. Isabel Spearman, Chief of Staff to Mrs. Samantha Cameron

The Honorable Gene Sperling, Director, National Economic Council Director
Ms. Allison Abner

Mr. Andrew Sullivan, The Newsweek/Daily Beast Company, Washington, DC
Mr. Aaron Tone

Ambassador Louis Susman, United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
Mrs. Marjorie Susman

Ms. Sally Susman
Ms. Robin Canter

Mr. Paul Tash, Chairman and CEO, Times Publishing Company, St. Petersburg, FL
Mrs. Karyn Tash

Mr. Stuart Taylor II, Chicago, IL
Mrs. Evonne Taylor

The Honorable Tina Tchen, Chief of Staff, Office of the First Lady

Ms. Gillian Tett, U.S. Managing Editor, Financial Times, New York, NY
Richard Philip McGregor, Washington, DC

Mr. John W. Thompson, Woodside, CA
Mrs. Sandi Thompson

Mr. George Tsunis, Cold Spring Harbor, NY
Mrs. Olga Tsunis

Mr. Adam Tudhope, Washington, DC

Mr. James Turley, Scarsdale, NY
Mrs. Lynne Turley

Mrs. Deborah Wais, Chicago, IL
Mr. Marshall Wais

Ms. Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers, East Hampton, NY
Ms. Louise Anne Rogers, Washington, DC

Mr. Harvey Weinstein, New York, NY
Ms. Georgina Chapman, Washington, DC

Sir Peter Westmacott, British Ambassador to the United States
Lady Susan Nemazee Westmacott

Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, Chicago, IL
Dr. Cheryl Whitaker

Mr. Simon Wilson, Chevy Chase, MD
Mrs. Irmgard Wilson, Washington, DC

Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Commander, USNORTHCOM
Mrs. Mary A. Winnefeld

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

Mr. Richard Wolffe, Washington, DC
Dr. Paula Cuello

The Honorable Neal Wolin, Deputy Secretary, Department of Treasury
Ms. Nicole Elkon

Mr. Jeffrey D. Zients, Acting Director, Office of Management and Budget
Mrs. Mary M. Zients
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*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan