President Obama Hosts 2012 White House Easter Prayer Breakfast

Faith, doubt, and the Resurrection...
President Obama on Wednesday morning hosted his third annual Easter Prayer Breakfast at the White House, speaking about the Resurrection and the roll of faith in overcoming doubt to about 150 guests in the East Room. Most were members of the clergy, from all denominations and congregations large and small across the US. One unidentified pastor wore a hoodie in honor of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen killed by a neighborhood watchman in February. Though he joked that he was not going to attempt a sermon in front of professionals, the President spoke about the power of faith in overcoming doubt, and the fact that Jesus was a man, too. (Above: The President during his remarks)

Vice President Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, also addressed the gathering. The President held his first Easter Prayer Breakfast in 2010 as polls showed that about 1 in 4 Americans did not believe he is a Christian.



Easter is "a chance to remember the tremendous sacrifice that led up to that day, and all that Christ endured -- not just as a Son of God, but as a human being," the President said. "For like us, Jesus knew doubt. Like us, Jesus knew fear."

But in the end, President Obama said, Jesus confronted his fear and followed God’s plan.

“It helps us provide an eternal perspective for whatever temporal challenges we face. It puts in perspective our small problems. It gives us courage. It gives us hope.”

“There are times where we have questions for God’s plan relative to us,” he added. “But that’s why we should remember Christ’s own doubts.”

The President also said that wherever he goes, he is told that people are praying for him, even if they don't agree with his politics.

The guests...
The guests, seated at round tables for ten, included the Rev. Al Sharpton, Suzan Johnson Cook, US Ambassador for International Religious Freedom; Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals; Archbishop Demetrios, Greek Orthodox Church; Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archdiocese of Washington DC; Pastor Louie Giglio of Passion City Church in Atlanta; Rev. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Rev. Julius Scruggs, President, National Baptist Convention; noted Christian artist Sara Groves; Sister Carol Keehan, President of the Catholic Health Association; Pastor Joel Hunter, of Northland, a Church Distributed in Florida, where First Lady Obama gave her keynote address for the second anniversary of the Let's Move! campaign. (Above: Biden greet guests)

Dr. Cynthia Hale, an appointee to the President's Commission on White House Fellowships, said the prayer after the President's remarks.

Additional guests, according to a White House aide, were "heads of major denominations, non-profit leaders and prominent mainline, Evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic leaders from across the spectrum."

The transcript of the President's remarks.

*Top photo by Pete Souza/White House; second by Getty/pool

Transcript & Video: President Obama's Remarks, 2012 Easter Prayer Breakfast

President Obama on Wednesday morning hosted his third annual Easter Prayer Breakfast at the White House, speaking about the Resurrection and the roll of faith in overcoming doubt to about 150 guests in the East Room.

Vice President Joe Biden, a practicing Catholic, also addressed the gathering.



The guests, per the White House, included the Rev. Al Sharpton, US Ambassador for International Religious Freedom Suzan Johnson Cook; Leith Anderson, President of the National Association of Evangelicals; Archbishop Demetrios, Greek Orthodox Church; Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archdiocese of Washington DC; Pastor Louie Giglio of Passion City Church in Atlanta; Rev. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Rev. Julius Scruggs, President, National Baptist Convention; noted Christian artist Sara Groves; Sister Carol Keehan, President of the Catholic Health Association; Pastor Joel Hunter, of Northland, a Church Distributed in Florida, where First Lady Obama gave her keynote address for the second anniversary of the Let's Move! campaign.

Dr. Cynthia Hale, an appointee to the President's Commission on White House Fellowships, said the prayer after the President's remarks.

The transcript:

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________

For Immediate Release
April 4, 2012

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT EASTER PRAYER BREAKFAST

East Room

9:43 A.M. EDT


THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. (Applause.) Please, have a seat. Have a seat. Well, welcome to the White House. It is a pleasure to be with all of you this morning.

In less than a week, this house will be overrun by thousands of kids at the Easter Egg Roll. (Laughter.) So I wanted to get together with you for a little prayer and reflection -- some calm before the storm. (Laughter.)

It is wonderful to see so many good friends here today. To all the faith leaders from all across the country -- from churches and congregations large and small; from different denominations and different backgrounds -- thank you for coming to our third annual Easter prayer breakfast. And I’m grateful that you’re here.

I’m even more grateful for the work that you do every day of the year -- the compassion and the kindness that so many of you express through your various ministries. I know that some of you have joined with our Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. I’ve seen firsthand some of the outstanding work that you are doing in your respective communities, and it’s an incredible expression of your faith. And I know that all of us who have an opportunity to work with you draw inspiration from the work that you do.

Finally, I want to just express appreciation for your prayers. Every time I travel around the country, somebody is going around saying, we’re praying for you. (Laughter.) We got a prayer circle going. Don’t worry, keep the faith. We’re praying. (Laughter.) Michelle gets the same stuff. And that means a lot to us. It especially means a lot to us when we hear from folks who we know probably didn’t vote for me -- (laughter) -- and yet, expressing extraordinary sincerity about their prayers. And it’s a reminder not only of what binds us together as a nation, but also what binds us together as children of God.

Now, I have to be careful, I am not going to stand up here and give a sermon. It’s always a bad idea to give a sermon in front of professionals. (Laughter.) But in a few short days, all of us will experience the wonder of Easter morning. And we will know, in the words of the Apostle Paul, “Christ Jesus...and Him crucified.”

It’s an opportunity for us to reflect on the triumph of the resurrection, and to give thanks for the all-important gift of grace. And for me, and I’m sure for some of you, it’s also a chance to remember the tremendous sacrifice that led up to that day, and all that Christ endured -- not just as a Son of God, but as a human being.

For like us, Jesus knew doubt. Like us, Jesus knew fear. In the garden of Gethsemane, with attackers closing in around him, Jesus told His disciples, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” He fell to his knees, pleading with His Father, saying, “If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.” And yet, in the end, He confronted His fear with words of humble surrender, saying, “If it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

So it is only because Jesus conquered His own anguish, conquered His fear, that we’re able to celebrate the resurrection. It’s only because He endured unimaginable pain that wracked His body and bore the sins of the world that He burdened -- that burdened His soul that we are able to proclaim, “He is Risen!”

So the struggle to fathom that unfathomable sacrifice makes Easter all the more meaningful to all of us. It helps us to provide an eternal perspective to whatever temporal challenges we face. It puts in perspective our small problems relative to the big problems He was dealing with. And it gives us courage and it gives us hope.

We all have experiences that shake our faith. There are times where we have questions for God’s plan relative to us -- (laughter) -- but that’s precisely when we should remember Christ’s own doubts and eventually his own triumph. Jesus told us as much in the book of John, when He said, “In this world you will have trouble.” I heard an amen. (Laughter.) Let me repeat. “In this world, you will have trouble.”

AUDIENCE: Amen!

THE PRESIDENT: “But take heart!” (Laughter.) “I have overcome the world.” (Applause.) We are here today to celebrate that glorious overcoming, the sacrifice of a risen savior who died so that we might live. And I hope that our time together this morning will strengthen us individually, as believers, and as a nation.

And with that, I’d like to invite my good friend, Dr. Cynthia Hale, to deliver our opening prayer. Dr. Hale. (Applause.)

END 9:50 A.M. EDT
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Celeb Chefs Invited To Give Cooking Demos At The 2012 White House Easter Egg Roll

#EasterEggRoll chefs: Marcus Samuelsson, The Neelys, Richard Blais, Andrew Zimmern...
Just announced: For next Monday's White House Easter Egg Roll, the President and Mrs. Obama have invited eight chefs to give cooking demonstrations in the Kids Kitchen. Five are vets of Bravo TV's Top Chef; both Mrs. Obama and Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass have appeared on the show. The TC gang includes Marcus Samuelsson, owner of Harlem's Red Rooster restaurant, who was the guest chef for the Obamas' very first State Dinner, in honor of India's Prime Minster Manmohan Singh. Last year, he hosted a hi-dollar fundraiser for the President at his popular eatery. (Above: Samuelsson in the White House kitchen)

During the day-long event, the culinary masters will be wowing kids with healthy creations, from a fully equipped kitchen located in an outdoor pavilion at the bottom of the South Lawn, close to Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden. The other Top Chef vets include Frederick, MD's Bryan Voltaggio, chef/owner of Volt restaurant; Carla Hall, now of ABC's The Chew; Paul Qui, Executive Chef of Uchiko in Austin, TX; and Richard Blais, who has his own TV show, Reinventing the Meal, on the Cooking Channel. Qui and Blais joined Mrs. Obama and Kass in Dallas in February for a special Top Chef filming that celebrated the second anniversary of the Let's Move! campaign.

The other three chefs are The Neelys--Gina and Pat--who host Food Network's Down Home with the Neelys; and culinary personality Andrew Zimmern, the fellow best known for roaming the globe eating icky things on his show Bizarre Foods.

Also announced today as a Roll "entertainer" is Bob Harper, one of the hosts of NBC's The Biggest Loser. Mrs. Obama is appearing on the NBC show for two episodes, beginning this evening.

The chefs's names were unveiled on the Let's Move! Twitter account, with their Twitter handles.

"Announcing #EasterEggRoll chefs! @andrewzimmern @RichardBlais @marcuscooks @pqui @MyTrainerBob @carlahall @ginaandpatneely & @BryanVoltaggio" was posted on @LetsMove.

Also making cameos at the Roll will be A-list actors Julianne Moore and Forrest Whittaker, reading in the Storytime Garden; the Harlem Globetrotters, Jeff Kinney ("Wimpy Kid"), Sesame Street's Gordon, Elmo, and Abbey; Little Beat Music's DJ Willy WOW!, and the Washington Sport's Club's Zumba Team, among many others.

Entertainers and other celebs visiting the Egg Roll will be announced on the @LetMove Twitter account all this week; this year's event, with the theme “Let’s Go, Let’s Play, Let’s Move!” spotlights Mrs. Obama's child obesity campaign, and features the second-ever Let's Move! Tweetup. Follow the action on Twitter with the hashtag #EasterEggRoll.

CLICK HERE for all posts about the 2012 Easter Egg Roll.

*Photo by Gate Haile, courtesy of Marcus Samuelsson. The chef is holding greens newly plucked from the Kitchen Garden.

A White House Passover Recipe, Served At President Obama's Seder: Apricot Sponge Cake

Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses' spiced jelly roll is a perfect Seder sweet...
UPDATE: CLICK HERE for 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.

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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

Food Stamp Use Declines Slightly

The US Department of Agriculture reported on Monday that the number of Americans using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also called Food Stamps, fell slightly between December of 2011 and January of 2012, the most recent month for which data is available. 64,307 fewer citizens received SNAP benefits in January than in December, for a total of 46,449,850 Americans, at a cost of more than $6.15 billion for the month. The number of people receiving Food Stamps in January of 2011was 44,187,874; in January 0f 2010 it was 39,431,128; and at the beginning of President Obama's administration, January of 2009, it was 31,983,716.

In March, USDA reported December's SNAP usage at the historic, all-time high of 46,514,238 beneficiaries.

But the Agency on Monday revised this figure to 46,514,157, a difference of 80 beneficiaries. December's numbers are still an increase of more than a quarter million citizens from November's revised total of 46,286,314. The government spent $6.21 billion on Food Stamps in December (revised), with participation in the program up more than 5% from a year earlier.

The December number, even revised, with about 1 in 7 Americans using the nutrition safety net, was the highest level of use since President Obama took office. From October 2011 forward, the calculation is for FY 2012. In FY 2011, More than 46.3 million people received a total of $75.3 billion in SNAP benefits, according to USDA.

According to USDA, in 2010 SNAP application data showed that 47% of beneficiaries were children under age 18, 20% of households "contained a person with disabilities, and 8% were age 60. "Nearly" 30% of SNAP households had earnings, and 41 percent of all SNAP participants lived in a household that had earnings. Jobs were the primary source of income for most of these households. 34% of beneficiaries were white; 22% were African-American; 16% were Hispanic; 4% were Native American; 3% were Asian; and race/ethnicity was not reported for 20%. A USDA PDF: The Face of SNAP Participation.

In August of 2011, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack characterized the nutrition safety net as a "direct stimulus" for the economy that was creating and saving jobs. The Secretary was responding to May 2011 data, when close to 46 million people--or 1 in 7 citizens--were using the program.

"Every dollar of SNAP benefits generates $1.84 in the economy in terms of economic activity," Vilsack said. "If people are able to buy a little more in the grocery store, someone has to stock it, package it, shelve it, process it, ship it. All of those are jobs. It's the most direct stimulus you can get in the economy during these tough times."

*White House photo by Pete Souza.

Video Preview: First Lady Michelle Obama On 'The Biggest Loser'

First Lady Michelle Obama appears for the first time tonight on a two-part episode of NBC's competition weight-loss show The Biggest Loser. Above, the video promo from the network. Click here to read all about the two episodes.

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

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

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

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



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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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