I did my White House excursion as Mr. Plus One on another ungodly night of heat and humidity. We spent about 45 minutes to an hour in a security line -- they actually checked our names on the list twice before letting us in. The White House lawn is a pretty idyllic setting, although three hours of standing in the heat was about all I could handle -- I made the uninteresting wardrobe choice of a navy blue Armani suit and a nice white shirt, although I initially left the house this morning with blue suit pants and a black suit jacket. I would have been a little embarrassed I think, although Obama was sans jacket himself, albeit sporting a tie and looking cool and calm.
I got this picture on my cell phone just as Obama was about to shake my wife's hand. I took what should have been an even better picture of Michelle (wearing a lovely peach-colored dress), but managed to get my thumb in the way of part of it. I'm trying to figure out if it can be salvaged.
There were at least a thousand political appointees and their guests, ranging from low level former campaign staffers to big time scientists -- I was standing next to Francis Collins and Anthony Fauci while waiting for the Obamas to come up the rope line. (I also thought I was standing next to Nate Silver, but was afraid to ask and look like a dork.)
Like the inauguration, it was fun, but not anything I need to do again soon -- or at least until it is back down in the Seventies.
So what's going on with you? Have we declared Thurgood Marshall a menace to society today?