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State Dinner just hours away: Politico will give livestream

by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | November 24, 2009 at 08:05 am

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With Obama's first State Dinner just hours away, the blogosphere is abuzz with talk of the attendee list.

David Horowitz claims, "Obama stiffs the Republicans", and POLITICO will be giving exclusive coverage of the event.

For footage of the State Dinner Welcome Ceremony link to video.

Hat tip to The Washington Times for appreciating the significance of this particular party list.
The Times reports today about who did and didn’t make the cut for President Barack Obama’s first state dinner. Noticeably absent are top Republican lawmakers. Who did make the list? Well,Oprah Winfrey, for one.

Although many in mainstream media will attempt to discount the significance of the invite list – who made Obama’s A-List and who didn’t – the fact is this list is a solid representation of Obama’s vanity and skewed priorities in Washington.

So far, according to the Times, we know one Republican did get an invitation –

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell received an invitation but decided to skip the dinner.

“Sen. McConnell is with his constituents this week and will be at Kentucky events tomorrow and tomorrow night,” Don Stewart, the senator’s communications director, said Monday.

But the list of top congressional Republicans stiffed by the Administration is longer and says far more about Obama’s notion of bipartisan leadership in Washington.

House Minority Leader John A. Boehner won’t be there; he’s on Thanksgiving break and home in Ohio. His deputy, Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, also didn’t get an invitation to the dinner.

The president didn’t invite his 2008 rival, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, even though Mr. Obama the candidate pledged a post-partisan presidency.

Hollywood, however – according to some reports and rumors – will be well represented.

According to rumors, talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, who endorsed Mr. Obama during the campaign, will be attending. Reports emerged Monday that Hollywood will be in the house: DreamWorks partners David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg, along with Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman Michael Lynton and WME Entertainment Agency co-CEO Ari Emanuel, will attend, according to deadline.com.