Thaindian News

May 21, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): An assortment of famous personalities was present at the American President, Barack Obama’s second state dinner on Wednesday night. There were a Desperate Housewife, an Olympic speed skater and two New York Jets. However, seemingly, there were no gatecrashers on Wednesday night, much to the relief of the security personnel guarding the Obamas. Nonetheless, a limo bearing Tareq and Michaele Salahi, was ticketed for running a red light not far from the White House. Tareq and Michaele Salahi are the notorious trespassers from the previous year’s state dinner.

That was as close as the evening came to unforeseen drama. The state dinner was organized to commemorate the visit of the Mexican President, Felipe Calderon, and his wife, Margarita Zavala. During the event, the White House meticulously concentrated on safety measures. It scrutinized the names of the visitors and invitations not just once or twice, but no less than three times on their way into the party. The bureaucrats of the Obama administration did not desire a recurrence of the drama from previous November’s state dinner. That was the time when three individuals, counting the Salahis, seemingly crept into the White House minus an invite.

The only moment that was not strictly supervised and put together by the event managers this time came about just prior to the dinner proper. That was when the White House protocol head, Capricia Penavic Marshall, fumbled on the steps outside as the President and the first lady were being photographed on the red carpet.