Obamas Take In Alvin Ailey Show at Kennedy Center

I usually dont bring the kids on date night, but thats me.
And no date for Tapper? Or did he file Blackberry.

A normal family in the White House who actually care about culture and, at least, are in the same space as average Americans. Not a family who stated (as the previous one did) — “we are not here to make friends” and they didn’t. This is so refreshing.

Who cares? Read “The Slobbering Love Affair”. a book about how the media elected Obama president. It will make you sick at your stomach. So, they go on a date, they are suppose to be married, and married couples go out, not on a date. Things will change, just you wait and see. President Bush had it right all along and still does.
Get a life ABC and report the news, get off going on dates.

Some things are MORE important like a social function to attend at the Kennedy Center than joining the Senate in their late night talks and voting on the almost trillion dollar stimulus package. The priorities of this President are a BIT OFF.

“Some things are MORE important like a social function to attend at the Kennedy Center than joining the Senate in their late night talks…”
You do know that there’s a division between the Executive and Legislative offices, right? You’re not supposed to just barge in to the Senate if you’re the President. Only the Vice President does that, as he presides over — but doesn’t control — the Senate, and casts the deciding vote in the event of a tie.

Cool. I want to see those Gingrich movies when they make it to video. The Obama Effect sounds kinda scary. I betcha that Rev Wright is in in it and there are like these creepy scenes of socialism. You know like with that Obama poster all over the place, in gov offfices and schools and stuff.

Get over it!! He won!! No matter what he does (he could be feeding soup to the starving kids in Kentucky you mention and he will still be criticized). That’s how Americans are (some). Fortunately, only 48% of them, because the other 52% of us elected him. GoBama!!

Jake Tapper giving free advertising to Hype? And what’s Newt Gingrich doing still talking? Aren’t there enough currently irrelevant Republicans for you to quote, or did you absolutely have to dig up a past one? Really, really hoping for that gig on Faux News, aren’t we?

Jake–I thought you had a bigger heart than you’ve been displaying in your work lately (the jujube joke nothwithstanding).
I feel like I’m too often catching a whiff of bitterness, insinuation and sarcasm.
In the above posting, it was puzzling to see that you included the ticket price of the performance (are you suggesting something about attending this event was indulgent?). You also included a gratuitous criticism of the President by Newt Gingrich that didn’t connect to the rest of the story in any clear way…
I hope everything’s ok.

The Obamas said they would try hard to make themselves a part of the community in DC, and they are doing that. They also said they would try to honor their commitment to a “together” night on Friday nights. I think it is wonderful they are keeping those commitments.
For the rest of you who are so ungenerous and spiteful; do you have any idea how many days of vacation time George Bush took while in office, or Ronald Reagan for that matter? Seems to me that Brack Obama has hit the groung running pretty hard, and I have read that he typically works late into the night.
I would hate to have hearts as sour and bitter as yours appear to be.

Love them!!

Rushet PL wrote”If he parties until late into the night how can he have a clear head to run our country the next day”?
Don’t worry about it Ace. Unlike your Lord Bush, President Obama can walk and chew gun at the same time. President Obama does more work in a week then Bush did in 6 months.

You people are pathetic. How many times did Bushie boy go on vacation? I see nothing wrong with them keeping it real between the two of them. Obama has done more in 3 weeks that Bush did in 4 years. Heck we might as well go for the entire 8!

Gingrich is nothing but another slob like Rush Limbaugh who talks just to hear himself talk. Worthless, both of them.

Josh: I was very proud of President Bush during the 9/11 situation! No one, not even your walking and chewing gum President Obama, could have handled that situation any better! I’m going to repeat that I prefer to have my president sober and fully awake and with a clear head and with his mind on his job in an emergency situation! And as for him being able to walk and chew gum, well he might be able to do them at the same time but can he do them well? Most of the time it’s better to do one thing at a time and do the job right than to do two things at a time and not do either of them well!

Jwench: He stayed calm and kept a cool head and he tried to keep the country calm and he stood strong and didn’t give in or back down in the face of trouble. He also didn’t “negotiate”!That is all any president can do in that situation!

Thanks for supporting the arts in your local community, Mr. President and family!

Rush Linda wrote:Guess the Obamas aren’t feeling the pinch of a poor economy!!!
Neither are the Bush’s hon. Laura ordered new china with a $500,000 price tag. Pricey and TACKY. Of course, that’s okay with you Rush heads.

Looks like Bossie, the film maker, specializes in trying to make myths, with Reagan getting the idolizing and Obama the demonizing. His movies are just a blip and not received by the film industry. They’re Mediocrity with a capital M, like the segway of Hype into Jake’s report.

Soooo Classy. Normal as normal. No fake and “phony”. Not pretentious, just
Real! Good for our President and First Lady and family.

I fail to see why taking one’s wife and children to the ballet on a Friday evening suggests that the President is somehow not attending to business. Moreover, attending events at the Kennedy Center is something that presidents do. The President has clearly been working hard; one night at a dance performance won’t send the country sliding towards hell and damnation any faster. It is not possible for any human being to work efficiently without the occasional break, a little down time.
We’ll probably see more of the Obamas at Washington cultural events, because they are an urban couple, accustomed to such events, and they have two young children for whom such exposure is of value. It’s refreshing.

why are you all giving Jake a hard time? Just because he isn’t in love with Obama like you are? Open your eyes obamalites. Your guy has and will continue to make mistakes and Jake has every right to report on them. Actually I feel it is his duty to do so. I would also like to know what excatly has obama done to make you people so proud in the last two weeks. He has installed fear to pass his pork filled stimulus package, he has elected 4 tax evaders to his cabnit, okay so he said he was sorry, big deal, will these people get in trouble? no! they just made a mistake. A mistake! get real. He has gone on tv and gets angry when he is questioned. He once said he would be the people’s president, dems and repubs alike, now yesterday he says he is the leader of left. His true colors are coming out and I think even “the left” will regret electing him sooner then later. I hope more reporters will take Jake’s lead and start questioning this president and his end agenda. He was never questioned or investigated before the election. Don’t know about you liberals but I certainly don’t want the media to remain on the Obama team as they have been from the start. I want real news, not a love affair with obama. If he does good things report it, if he doesn’t report that also. The faithful followers will never believe the bad but at least they won’t be able to say “why didn’t the media report this?”

Just a night out with the regular folks. Just another shot in the arm for the economy. And besides, he need a little idolizing from his public time, with all that work he’s done and stuff.

Michelle Obama is America’s prettiest first lady.

It seems so obvious as outsiders that the bank executives shouldn’t be going to all these expense retreats. Why don’t the Obama’s seem to get it?

Give Obama eight years just like Bush had before you begin to judge him. For one thing, anybody willing to take on the task of cleaning up the mess brought about by Bush and restoring the country to its rigtful place needs to be commended. On the other hand, it is sad that the GOP themselves are the sabotaging the efforts that Obama is making

He prob got the tickets for nothing,many time it cost nothing to attend for the first family.As for who is running the country while he is at a function HE IS….I have no idea how many on this site don’t have a clue as to what they are saying.He has worked for two weeks straight for pity sake a person no matter whom they are needs a little down time.As for Hawaii it was over Christmas and his money.Camp David is for all presidents,learn the facts before mouthing off.The ones who are bashing him didn’t vote for him don’t like him and never did.

sure you can criticize Jake. But you’re criticizing him for criticizing someone else. Doesn’t make much sense.

Which wife did Newt make this film with? He left one with cancer and one who was diagnosed with MS. There are still PUMAS? I thought they were extinct.

Laura Bush would be an example for her to follow.
*********************************************
Yeah but she goes overboard with those pantsuits like Hillary Clinton. A good example to follow is Sarah Palin. That is before she had to bag up all that Neiman Marcus and Armani stuff and had all those RNC style people. I really disagree. I think Michelle Obama has got good fashion sense. I just don’t like her taste in politics.

A normal family in the White House who actually care about culture and, at least, are in the same space as average Americans. Not a family who stated (as the previous one did) — “we are not here to make friends” and they didn’t. This is so refreshing.
Posted by: ohio folk | Feb 6, 2009 9:53:44 PM
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“A normal family in the White House”.
A date…not grown up yet
Children along….another photo op
Culture…had none while in Chicago
Not here to make friends….would like him to concentrate on our safety
Was this a free performance? Not many “average Americans” go to the Kennedy Center for a “date”. And, do Ohio ‘folk’ do this kind of thing on a date? This is more crap to take the ‘heat’ off the things that really matter to the citizens of the United States of America.

Mildred: I agree with you! The most the average American can afford is dinner at McDonalds and, maybe, a movie occasionally. Most of us have never been to a ballet performance in our lives. We can’t afford it. We certainly have never been to a place like the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. No, the Obamas are NOTHING like the average Americans!

Josh: I think in the next year or two you will see who is the fool and who is not. I don’t think it will be us republicans especially after this so-called “stimulus” bill passes that is going to cost us many trillions of dollars and our ggggggggrandchildren will still be paying for it hundreds of years from now!

What burns me up is the country is in such a dire financial condition and people are being laid off by the thousands every day and the president is living like a king and attending things like this! Doesn’t he have a conscience?

A president who supports the arts and brings it to the next generation is WONDERFUL!
By attending, he is supporting a dance company and culture- not taking money out of your pocket.

Another thing that makes me mad is the cost of all of those inaugural balls. Like I said in one of my other messages people are being laid off by the thousands every day but who do you think is paying out the millions for those inaugural balls? THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER THAT’S WHO! If Obama had a conscience and really cared about the people he wouldn’t have attended any of them and would have asked that they be cancelled and the money refunded to the taxpayers!

First PL, calm down. I myself am probably living worse off than you are but I don’t believe its right to force others to live like paupers because I am not better off. That’s a very selfish attitude to have.
The Inaugural Balls are a United States tradition, its there for historical as well entertainment purposes to the public, you can’t just demand that there not be Inaugural ball because impeding financial doom. We had Inaugural Ball in the 1980s, 70s, 30s, and 1860s etc. We will continue to have Inaugural Balls.
What you are not seeing is that by the President attending these entertainment events he is showing the public that even given these stress financial times that it is still okay to go spend some money and have a good evening, see a theater, a movie, or dine, be with your family.

I think its great the President is supporting the arts, which has been horribly affected by the economy. Nobody is talking about the thousands of artists no longer able to make a living from their art work. Theater and dance companies shutting their doors. Non profits failing left and right due to lack of funding.

FDR had a fabulous inaugeral ball when he came into office a nd we were in far more dire straights and folks WANTED him to in order to show that we are still a civilized cultivated country. Eleanor hired an american designer to make her a ridiculously expensive silk gown and throw and her friend, Hick, wrote her a letter asking her if it was appropriate andshe said “ABOSOLUTELY! I have the money to pay for the gown, and someone will die that silk, design it, cut it, sew it and hand sew beads. And they will get paid for all for all of it….” That ball, that was done with all DONATED money, paid for tents, musicians, groceries (farmers), cooks, servers, clean up persons, etc…Everyone who went probably bought a dress or rented a tux. It was absolutely appropriate AND good for the local economy that such a big party was held. Get a brain. how ridiculous that you’d ever consider a president would not get a ball. What, we’re going to stop having ball nows???? After 200+ years of havingthem, we are SOOOOO hard up NOW???? More than we were during the Great Depression, or wars, vietnam war? WWII? Civil War? WE’re actually SOOOO bad off now that we cannot continue protocol???? Please. What type of whimpy generation is this/??? compared to other points in our history, this fat times!

It’s good to show them going out. I just listend to the economic news and some economists on NPR and individual spending even for folks who have zero fear they will be laid off, they are not spending any money. 70% of our economy is consumer spending and going out once and while is a good thing to do. Certainly folks are spending less, but total spending freeze for folks with good jobs right now is not a good thing. It’s a good example to see folks who have money, spend it on a show, or a dinner out, or something where Americans are receiving pay for THEIR works (cooks, performers, etc.) and you enver want to let the arts die. It’s what separates us from neanderthals. Good for them.

“who is the fool and who is not. I don’t think it will be us republicans especially after this so-called “stimulus” bill passes that is going to cost us many trillions of dollars and our ggggggggrandchildren “…exaclty who caused this multiple trillino dollar debt we have????? republicans. for no reason. There is a big difference between trying to purposely infuse the economy with much needed cash, especially after bush gave away TRILLIONS in the form of rich man’s welfare for them to spend in China! While our economy tanked and our defict went through the roof. At least this money stays in THIS economy. What republicans have done, ALL they’ve done for the past 8 years is use the credit card like a teenager, a nd that was when WEDIDN”T NEED THEM TO, in fact, tax “cuts” to the rich, to the tune of 300 BILLION a YEAR was just money p!ssed out of our economy. The rich invested that money in China and India who were growing at 8%!!! It didnt’ grow any jobs, did it???? The proof is in the pudding, no, it didn’t. year after year after year it did NOT WORK yet you all kept doing it. 300 BILLION last year, year before, year before and NOW you complain about spending!?!??!?!?! LOL!! ! Quick, Look honey!! the pot is callign the Kettle black! LOL! AHHHHH< BULL!!! you dont' care about spending money. You never did. you proved that. What you care about is being proven WRONG!!!! Obama is spending money DIFFERENTLY and that welfare for th rich is being phased out. THEN you will see job growth and the discussion will be DEAD OVER – republican economic policy DOES NOT WORK!!! We already know THAT! What you're afraid of now, is Obama succeedingand bringing us back. Cold fish. So many could benefit, but you'd rather hte country fall so your party can gain. UNAMERICAN. PARTY FIRST, country last. that's the republican way.

Those of you who’ve never seen a ballet performance have never tried. Countless ballet, theater, and opera companies travel around the U.S. (as they did, by the way, in the 19th and early 20th-centuries), and cheap tickets are always available. It used to be exciting in small towns and cities for ordinary people to attend such performances. These events had everyone in town thrilled and delighted.
But today, people like the uninformed PL claim that it’s all a matter of elitism, that “real people” can barely afford to eat at McDonald’s.
Sorry, but professional cultural historians like me just can’t sympathize with whiners who’ve never tried. While they were swigging down beer, I was in grad school, on financial aid, holding down a part-time job, lining up for the cheap tickets at the ballet and the theater. And guess what? After years of that, I ended up earning a PhD! Indeed, I earned that PhD at the second of the two Ivy League schools that my parents, intelligent, well-read, and well-cultured people with little money, thought I MIGHT be able to attend, if I just worked hard enough in school. And lo and behold, they were right!
In other words, it’s a funny thing: you don’t have to have parents who attended Harvard or Yale, or who have any family money or influence, in order to go to Harvard or Yale. You just have to be smart and work your butt off. That’s sort of why I admire Barack and Michelle Obama, even though I’m a blonde, blue-eyed (but originally poor) white woman. They achieved exactly what I did, and it was even harder for them.
As for hanging out at the ballet: we all have differing interests. What we cannot do is claim that our differing interests are somehow a function of government. What cultural choices you make are yours alone, whether you like beer and skittles or cheap wine and a well-made (but not too expensive) guacamole. And whether you’re willing to work like hell in high school and then college and grad school or just slide. It’s your choice, your brain.
So, grow up, boys and girls. Stop whining about the fact that Barack Obama, a — gasp! — half-black guy has done better in life than you have. He worked; you didn’t. And don’t pretend for a second that he didn’t work. If you want the details, talk to me, the University of Chicago, the Illinois State Senate. None of you silly children has ever been elected to anything; has ever spent 12 years teaching Constitutional Law at one of the country’s premier universities; has ever earned a graduate degree at an Ivy League university; has ever published two books.
When you’ve done all those things, talk to me again. In the meantime, sit back, behave like adults, and give the new president a chance. If you refuse to do so, you’ll be depriving yourselves of a chance. Anyone who wishes Barack Obama ill is wishing himself — or herself — ill.
I repeat: grow up.

so the obamas went to see a show .whats the big deal ? i voted for obama because the republicans running were pure trash .and look where they have the economy after 8 years in office.i dont know if obama can do better . but he could not possibly be worse than george bush .bye the way . i used to be a republican .

Grand Old Party: You are exactly right! If John McCain had been elected and if he and his wife Cindy had been seen out on the town people and the media would have crucified him! People would have been ready to hang him from the nearest tree!

Get over it he won the election. He is now Mr. President. I for one am thanking our lucky stars that we have him. This crisis would have been beyond Sen.McCain and Gov. Palin. That is just my opinion. We need to now move forward and fix this nation as best we can. He cannot do this alone. He needs ‘We the People’ to be successful so that we ALL make progress. Stop hatin’. Peace!!

moderate: Thank you for saying what you did! You reflect my sentimates exactly! You explained life in our small towns much better than I did! I have a fighting Irish temper that gets away from me sometimes and I tend to be far too blunt and abrasive at times. It makes me mad when city people with college educations act like they are better or above those of us who live in small towns and I just can’t keep my mouth shut or my fingers from telling them off on my computer! However, that said, I agree with you. I don’t wish President Obama harm or ill either. I also hope he succeeds and I agree that he has done some good things. So far he is doing a good job. However, I don’t like his stimulus package either. It is far too expensive and contains too much pork and it won’t generate enough jobs and it does nothing to help the elderly and the disabled on social security. I also don’t see how Obama can with a clear conscience go out on the town to places like the Lincoln center and jet to retreats like the one in Williamsburg and live such a luxurious lifestyle while the rest of the country is in such a horrible financial condition and people are being laid off by the thousands everyday. I just don’t understand how he can claim to have our financial problems at heart and still live in such a way! The taxpayers are the ones who pay for those trips! We are also the ones who paid for those million dollar inaugural balls and that’s not right considering the financial condition that we’re in!

Some of you guys are soooo one sided. Tell me this, if it was the Former President would you still think that he was spending 2 much money, NO, when he offered the 1st Stimulus package everyone was waiting in anticipation for your check. Now that President Obama is in office some ppl are upset (and I am putting that nicely) because the state of America is terrible. So all you geniuse’s what would you suggest. Since you have your fingers on the pulse of America, what programs would you cut, would it be health care, education, the War, Jobs, Foreclosurer, what. President Obama has only been in office not even a month, and the haters are out in full force. Some of you even voted for him and you are turning your backs, because you don’t think he is doing a GOOD JOB. If you could or would or can do better, then you should have ran for the highest office in America.. ..

Comment to Pl****** You make an issue of the Obama’s going and taking there family on a night out because the rest of america is having financial problems. Don’t forget alot of these people over extended themselves with cars and boats and houses they couldn’t afford. Obama is trying to pass the stimulas package but the republicans once again are holding it up. Lets not forget the watseful spending Mrs. Bush did before she left office 450,000 dollars on new dishes are you telling me that that is not an issue come on. Wake up America and give the president a chance and he has to pay for his own entertainment so don’t worry its not coming out of your pocket.

Just to let you know- I am a middle class American from Ohio and I go plays, musicals, concerts, and yes- even the ballet. I took my daughter to see Alvin Ailey when she was 8 years old. How wonderful to see a first family who actually supports the arts and fosters cultural growth with their children. Or would you rather have him be out cutting brush?

moderate: The little town that I live in doesn’t even have a college and only has a population of about 5000!

Jane: Thanks for the book recommendation. Here’s mine: economist Robert Shiller’s book, “Subprime Solution: How Today’s Global Financial Crisis Happened, and What to Do about it.” Did you know that during the past 8 years the US had a net gain of about 5 million jobs? And that today 11.6 Million people are out of work – that’s over twice the number of jobs our economy created since 2001? Sorry Jane, President Bush did not “have it right all along”.