White House Pays Tribute to France at State Dinner
Last week, President Obama hosted a state dinner, a formal affair thrown as part of a formal visit between the United States and another country. This event’s guest of honor was President Francois Hollande of France. Other guests included more than 300 politicians, influential businesspersons, celebrities and other notables. The décor for the evening was French-inspired while the menu reflected “the best of American cuisine.”
Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson; First Lady Michelle Obama thanks the White House Staff during the recent State Dinner with France.
The long-standing relationship between France and the United States has grown strained in recent years, with opposing positions over the Iraq war and the NSA’s role in questionable surveillance practices. Both leaders were praised for their toasts, offering generous appreciations of each nation’s culture. Each head of state also vowed to work together to stimulate economic growth and combat climate change. After dinner, guests enjoyed a performance by R&B singer, Mary J. Blige.
Grand Affair
State dinners involve a great deal of protocol (strict rules of ceremony and etiquette). The tone of the evening is set by the president and the First Lady. Preparation and execution involves a team of hundreds. The key individuals involved in such affairs often include the White House Chief of Protocol, the Social Secretary, the Chief Usher, and even the Chief Calligrapher.
A corps of “social aides” made up of young military officers in dress uniforms were also on hand to ensure that all guest feel welcome. Each guest arrival is announced. These social aides may even dance with attendees of the party. And, on occasion, they may help to smooth over delicate matters such as minor injuries or food stains on fancy dress clothes.
Watch the video below to learn more about the kitchen wizardry that was featured during the dinner.
The White House began holding state dinners each winter beginning in the early 1800s. It was President Ulysses Grant who began the tradition of hosting state dinners with a visiting head of state. King David Kalakaua of the Kingdom of Hawaii (long before it became the 50th state in 1959). The number of state dinners varies depending on the president and the economic status of the country. President Clinton held 23 such dinners. President Reagan hosted 35 state dinners. The dinner with France was only President Obama’s seventh during his years in the White House.
Who’s Invited?
Invitations to a White House state dinner are much coveted and hard to come by. In general, the list includes lawmakers, influential leaders, journalists, celebrities and those who have donated to the president’s campaign. Invitations are required to enter the White House. (Although there was a very public security breech involving a reality show star couple in 2009.)
Early state dinners were held in the state dining room of the White House. This room had once been used, among other things, as a billiards room. Then guests usually ate at long tables. In the 1960s, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy replaced the once-customary long tables with round tables to accommodate more guests. Today, the dinner is often held in a pavilion tent on the South Lawn of the White House to accommodate even larger numbers of guests.
The guest list for the most recent state dinner included actor Bradley Cooper, political satirist Stephen Colbert and Julia Louise-Drefus–who plays the fictional Vice President on the HBO series Veep.