# Dinner at the White House: Would you go? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 11, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530 "2002-05-11T19:36:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/1 "2002-05-11T19:36:10Z")
So Jenn just got a note from Dick Cheney. Yes, _that_ Dick Cheney. It seems that he wants to boost her ego, at the bargain price of US$2500, and invite her to a black-tie event at the White House. Fund-raising, you know. Now, she’s not all that interested in paying a bundle for a little ego-stroking, but the question arises: If it were a no-cost event, would you go to dinner at the White House? Even if you don’t necessarily support the current occupant? Jenn would, and so would I. How about you? ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/2 "2002-05-11T19:42:33Z")
Of Course! I’d sit next to Ozzy! 🙂 I would like it if they had Tex-Mex food, I’ve never tried it. ---
**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/3 "2002-05-11T19:43:59Z")
Only if I were going to get some tangible benefit from the event, e.g., a good chance at a job with the CDC. Otherwise, I see no reason to spend any amount of time with people I loathe merely because said people are famous. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/4 "2002-05-11T19:47:51Z")
It would be the height of rudeness to decline to have dinner with one’s president. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/5 "2002-05-11T19:50:49Z")
Yes, even a Green like me rcognizes he is our president and I respect him (as a christian, not as a republican!) ---
**Author:** ![xcheopis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bc8723/32.png) [@xcheopis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xcheopis)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/6 "2002-05-11T19:59:35Z")
I would still decline. I will always try to avoid eating food with people I despise, no matter what (temporary) office they hold, and I’m not at all concerned with whether or not anyone else believes that to be rude. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/7 "2002-05-11T20:00:27Z")
Jenn’s motivation would be for the experience: The whole White House Dinner thing; Excellent food, The Navy Musicians, The Marine ushers, the chance to actually meet the Power Elite and see for herself what they’re like. I think I’m feeling the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/8 "2002-05-11T20:10:06Z")
The father of a friend of mine almost managed to score this. He lives in the DC area, has the same name as some ambassador, and got an invitation to a White House dinner meant for the other guy. He knew it was a mistake (he’d gotten the other man’s mail before), but was going to go anyway. Sadly, he blew it when he called the White House to ask if he could bring his wife – the ambassador in question is not married. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/9 "2002-05-11T20:17:05Z")
While I have no love for the current occupant of the White House, I would certainly go for the experience. Now, if it had been Nixon, I wouldn’t have. “If you sup with the devil, make sure you use a long spoon.” “Unfortunately, when I arrived for dinner I found only short spoons available.” ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/10 "2002-05-11T23:43:48Z")
I would go, but only if I didn’t have to fork over thousands of dollars for the experience. Dining at the White House would be, for an unimportant citizen like me, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I would be nuts to turn down the opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/11 "2002-05-12T01:12:14Z")
You could always go just to stick a wad of gum on the underside of the table … or your chair … ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/12 "2002-05-12T01:52:02Z")
I would go, hit the cocktails a bit too heavily, attempt to force an impromptu glee, and drag my tallywhacker through the butter. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/13 "2002-05-12T07:04:29Z")
Of course I’d go! It’s the White House… I mean, how many times do you get invited to that? Even if the President was someone I didn’t support at all (say if Gore won). ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/14 "2002-05-12T20:12:46Z")
**Duckster** , **Ukulele Ike** : 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dagny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9f8e36/32.png) [@Dagny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dagny)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/15 "2002-05-12T20:24:44Z")
After hearing Putin go on and on about the brisket, hell yes. There better be brisket. I’m gonna compalin like mad if there is no brisket. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/16 "2002-05-12T20:27:48Z")
I wouldn’t go to dinner because I wold be uncomfortable about getting food on a rented tux. Besides, I’m a picky eater and I’d feel bad declining some meal I didn’t even recognize. But I’d go if invited to something ELSE – a reception would be best, or a press conference, or some ceremony of state. I’d try to score some liquor off Bush’s daughters. If they didn’t have any, I’d offer to buy some for them. I’d mention to George that my ticket was originally for the Enron CFO, but the RNC wants him to “lay low” for a while. I’d ask SS agents if Bush is really as dumb as he seems on TV. I’d be arrested, but released as soon as they decided to pay me hush money rather than put me through a humiliating (for them) public trial. Yup, I’d go. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/17 "2002-05-12T20:39:25Z")
I’d have to go out of curiosity, though I’d hate having to get all dressed up and wearing panty hose and all that. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/18 "2002-05-12T20:53:30Z")
Can they have a political fund raising dinner at the White House? I thought you couldn’t do that. You can’t make fundraising calls from the White House, so I would assume a fundraising dinner would be illegal too? Perhaps Russ Feingold or John McCain is on the board to enlighten me. ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/19 "2002-05-12T22:48:06Z")
Well, I know that it is an imperative of good manners that you never turn down an invitation to dine at the White House unless you have some reason of dire importance. However, I don’t know if this rule applies to dinners that you are charged to attend. The OP didn’t specifically say that the President would be there, only that it would be held in the White House. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530/20 "2002-05-13T00:35:55Z")
Sorry, **FisherQueen**. Yes, the invitation specifically stated that the President and First Lady would be present (barring exigencies of state, of course). Re-reading the invite, however, I note that it does _not_ specifically state that the dinner would be at the White House, just that the ‘private’ dinner would be in Washington, D.C. So, I’m guilty of an assumption, **BobT**. It’s probably at a hotel or some such. I’d still go, just to see what a dinner with the ‘man’ is like. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dinner-at-the-white-house-would-you-go/108530.md?page=2)