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hedgehog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-09-09 09:34 PM
Original message
Poll question: About that White House China........
Edited on Fri Jan-09-09 09:37 PM by hedgehog
It turns out that Laura picked out the new patterns for both the formal "state Dinner" china and the china for the residence.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/01/todays-photo-la.html

Do you think Laura did Michelle a favor by buying new china, thereby accepting any criticism for spending the money, or do you think that Laura should have graciously allowed Michelle the pleasure of deciding what plates she'd be looking at for the next four years?

The china is only indirectly paid for by tax payers since it is purchased with donated funds. i assume there is a tax exemption involved somewhere.
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lumberjack_jeff Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-09-09 09:41 PM
Response to Original message
1. Option #4: "plates"? Huh???
Edited on Fri Jan-09-09 09:42 PM by lumberjack_jeff
Slow news day.
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hedgehog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-09-09 09:52 PM
Response to Reply #1
4. It's kind of a trivial subject in the greater scheme of things, but it does
show a meanness of spirit (IMO) for the Bushes to make sure that the chine is referred to as the "Bush service" rather than the "Obama service". It reminds me of the way my dogs each have to leave their mark on certain shrubs.
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emilyg Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-09-09 09:43 PM
Response to Original message
2. I like tradition.
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Muttocracy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-09-09 09:43 PM
Response to Original message
3. I thought the story was that it takes a few years to arrive? same thing happened with Clintons?
though I still thing it's an absurd waste of money.
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WhiteTara Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-09-09 09:52 PM
Response to Original message
5. are you kidding?
Edited on Fri Jan-09-09 09:52 PM by BareNakedLiberal
I think that it should be buried in the depths of the basement of the wh. Okay, maybe the ss should use them for target practice.

Michelle should pick her own dishes.

oops for that typing thing.
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hedgehog Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-09-09 09:53 PM
Response to Reply #5
6. I was just thinking that this set of plates may see an awful lot of
"accidental" breakage!

:evilgrin:
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IndianaGreen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-09-09 09:55 PM
Response to Original message
7. I voted for paper plates
We can't afford good china anymore!
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napi21 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jan-09-09 10:24 PM
Response to Original message
8. It's been tradition for a long time that each Presidential family buy a set of china,
Edited on Fri Jan-09-09 10:28 PM by napi21
designed specifically for them. I believe there is a place setting of each on display in one of the rooms in the WH. Yes it was expensive, but it was purchsed with contributed funds, so why are you all so upset?

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/whtour/china/roosevelt.html

Check them all out. It's kinda neat to see the preferences of al the past Presidents.



The red-trimmed China Room features a collection of china or glassware of almost every president. The collection is arranged chronologically, beginning to the right of the fireplace.
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Beacool Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 12:23 AM
Response to Reply #8
9. Thank you for pointing out the obvious: it's tradition.
Two term presidents usually order a set of china near the end of their term. There are only two complete china sets at the WH: the Reagan set and the Clinton set. Hillary's set was the one used the most at the Bush WH because of its gold and yellow colors were easier to match with the flowers and decorations than the Reagan red dishes (also because Laura liked it). I'm sure that Michelle will appreciate having 3 choice of dishes to use for official dinners.

Folks, not everything is about partisanship.

;-)
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Jennicut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 12:25 AM
Response to Reply #9
10. Thanks. I just hope Laura did not pick out something ugly
I watched a lot of White House week on C-Span and a lot of prep is involved in giving state dinners!
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 12:28 AM
Response to Reply #10
11. I like Laura's choice in formal china
I think it'll be versatile as the Clinton china was.
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Jennicut Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 12:31 AM
Response to Reply #11
13. Yes, that seems like it will go with everything
I loved watching how the cooks prepared the food, especially the pastry cooks. But they have really small space to work in!
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 12:33 AM
Response to Reply #13
14. Yes they do!
I think the Bush china will go with a lot, similar to the Clinton china. The Reagan china in red is harder to coordinate with.

I think this give Michelle a lot more choices to work with for State dinners.
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Beacool Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 01:10 AM
Response to Reply #11
16. I just noticed the flatware.
Nice, but mother of pearl is so delicate. My mother had a dessert set with mother of pearl handles, pretty but fragile. Even more fragile was the silver and Baccarat dessert set that my sister-in-law got as an engagement present. She only wanted silver and Baccarat objects. Well, she didn't like them so much when she realized how easy silver tarnishes. LOL!!!

:7
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Beacool Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 12:58 AM
Response to Reply #10
15. Laura's dishes are quite tasteful.
I like them better than the Reagan china.

:-)
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tammywammy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 12:29 AM
Response to Reply #8
12. Thank you!
It had nothing to do with Laura Bush picking out china for Michelle. This was in the works long before Obama became president-elect.
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FrenchieCat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 01:11 AM
Response to Original message
17. Buying China that Michelle could have picked out herself was a nice gesture,
But letting the Obamas stay at the Blair House as of Jan 2, now that would have been priceless!
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Beacool Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 01:25 AM
Response to Reply #17
18. Didn't you read the previous posts????
It has nothing to do with Michelle. It's tradition and it was in the works for the last two years, way before the presidential election.

:eyes:
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FrenchieCat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jan-10-09 01:30 AM
Response to Reply #18
19. Still saying.
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