Lynn Sweet -- Politics Daily

Published: 03/10/11

White House Gifts From Foreign Governments: Hermes, Rolex, Dior

Attention, personal shoppers with upscale clients who have a taste for luxury goods. Looking for ideas? Check out the incredible list of gifts from foreign governments given to President Obama, First Lady Michelle, daughters Sasha and Malia, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and others. The law forbids federal employees -- Mrs. Obama and the kids, too -- from keeping any gift from a foreign government worth more than $350, so most items end up in a vault, perhaps to be sold someday. Some presents -- such as vases and rugs -- can be kept by an agency for display in government ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment

Published: 02/25/11

White House Taps Gay Man, Jeremy Bernard, for New Social Secretary

The new White House social secretary is Jeremy Bernard -- the first man and first openly gay person -- tapped for the job. He will replace Julianna Smoot, who is leaving to become the deputy manager of President Obama's 2012 reelection campaign. Smoot's departure has been known for weeks; she stayed around for the big National Governors Association dinner on Sunday. Bernard, 49, is the Obama administration's third social secretary. Smoot -- who was finance director of the Obama 2008 presidential campaign -- was the second. The first social secretary was Desiree Rogers, who was also the first ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment

Published: 02/25/11

Obamas Honor Motown Music at the White House

The Obamas celebrated Black History Month and the historic role Motown Records played in American music with a concert and workshop Thursday at the White House. The events were capped by the president and wife Michelle showing some moves during the finale, "Dancing in the Streets." The Motown tribute was the latest in the Obama White House's music series, with the East Room hosting Motown artists and performers honoring the company Berry Gordy founded in Detroit in 1960. Gordy was at the show, along with the Obamas' youngest daughter, Sasha, Mrs. Obama's mother, Marion Robinson, and Vice ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment

Published: 02/22/11

Rahm Emanuel Wins Chicago Mayoral Race, Thanks Voters for a 'Humbling Victory'

CHICAGO -- Rahm Emanuel decisively won Tuesday's mayoral election, becoming the city's 55th mayor. With 98 percent of the city precincts reporting, Emanuel had 55 percent of the vote -- enough to avoid a runoff election. His main rivals were Gery Chico, with 24 percent, City Clerk Miguel del Valle, with 9 percent, and former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (D-Ill.) with 9 percent. Two other candidates also ran. "Thank you, Chicago, for this humbling victory," Emanuel said. "All I can say is, you sure know how to make a guy feel at home," a wry reference to the residency challenge that at one time ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment

Published: 02/20/11

Rahm Emanuel May Clinch Chicago Mayor's Race on Tuesday

CHICAGO -- The election to replace Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago is Tuesday and Rahm Emanuel, the former White House chief of staff, is so far ahead that the only question is, will he win outright with more than 50 percent of the vote or be forced into a run-off on April 5 against whoever places what may be a distant second. "Can I count on ya?...Hey buddy," Emanuel, 51, said in his clipped tone as he approached shoppers at a Target store on Cottage Grove near 85th, on the city's South Side on Saturday, as he focused over the weekend on turning out the African-American vote. At the ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment

Published: 02/16/11

Jay Carney's Debut as White House Press Secretary: No News, No Hits, No Errors

New White House Press Secretary Jay Carney held his first briefing on Wednesday, drawing a standing-room-only crowd who sized up the man replacing Robert Gibbs, President Obama's longtime confidant, adviser and sidekick. Carney, brought into the Obama fold two years ago from Time Magazine, was seasoned as Vice President Joe Biden's spokesman. He did fine on the first day, mainly because he made no mistakes (watch video below). He was measured, affable, serious, and committed little news. He seemed a bit nervous. Carney was adroit in turning aside a hypothetical question about debt, but got ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment

Published: 02/16/11

White House to Honor Motown Sound; Smokey Robinson, Sheryl Crow, Nick Jonas to Perform

The Obama White House music series will honor Motown Records at a Feb. 24 concert. The star-packed performance will mark Black History Month. "The program will include tributes to Motown's distinctive soul-infused pop music sound that solidified its popularity in American culture, and showcase Motown's impact on all music," the White House said in a statement. Performers booked for the show: Smokey Robinson, Natasha Bedingfield, Sheryl Crow, Jamie Foxx, Gloriana, Nick Jonas, Ledisi, John Legend, Amber Riley, Mark Salling, Seal and Jordin Sparks. PBS will air the concert Tuesday March 1 at 8 ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment

Published: 02/15/11

Medal of Freedom Recipients: George H.W. Bush, Bill Russell, Yo-Yo Ma and Others

Former President George H.W. Bush returned to the White House on Tuesday to pick up a Medal of Freedom from President Obama, who honored 14 other notables in business, labor, sports, the arts, government and literature. "This year's Medal of Freedom recipients reveal the best of who we are, and who we aspire to be," Obama said. Former First Lady Barbara Bush looked on as her husband -- the 41st president and father of the 43rd president -- was hailed by the 44th for his sky diving and his service to the nation over a 70-year span. "I would add that, like the remarkable Barbara Bush, his ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment

Published: 02/15/11

Obama Adds News Conference to Tuesday Schedule

President Obama will hold a news conference Tuesday morning at 11 at the White House. A White House source told Politics Daily that the main purpose of the press conference is for Obama to discuss his fiscal 2012 budget, under attack from Republicans who assert his cuts did not go deep enough. Other questions will likely focus on the future of Egypt and uprisings in other Mideast nations. The press conference, which was a late addition to the president's schedule, means that the debut of new White House Press Secretary Jay Carney is probably delayed another day, since no briefing is on the ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment

Published: 02/14/11

Michelle Obama to Promote Breastfeeding as IRS Gives Tax Breaks for Nursing

First lady Michelle Obama will be speaking out to remove barriers to breastfeeding, Politics Daily has learned, throwing the spotlight on nursing as a way to reduce childhood obesity. This comes as the Obama administration in the past year has made several moves to encourage breastfeeding -- including a push for more flexible workplace rules and an Internal Revenue Service ruling on Thursday that breast pumps and other nursing supplies qualify for tax breaks. Mrs. Obama -- who has spoken in public about nursing her youngest daughter, Sasha -- is going to tread carefully in what might be a ...

Keep Reading »

Add Comment