Ladies who lunch
First lady Laura Bush hosted roughly 70 senators’ wives on Monday for her annual Senate Spouses Luncheon in the White House’s East Room. Even a couple of husbands showed, although none were named Bill Clinton or Bob Dole (been there, done that, we suppose.)
The group dined on silver queen corn soup with leek fondue, sweet Chesapeake crab with avocado terrine and
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heirloom tomatoes, peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream, and even a little white wine.
Honey Alexander, wife of Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., sat on one side of Mrs. Bush, while Hadassah Lieberman, wife of Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., had her other wing (opponents of the war and Lieberman’s support of it can certainly read into that what they will). Labor Secretary Elaine Chao (who happens to be married to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.) sat directly across from the first lady, while Lynne Cheneyheaded up a table of her own.
The lunch’s entertainment was none other than Marvin Hamlisch, songwriter extraordinaire for stage and screen. Hamlisch opened with a few choice melodies from “A Chorus Line” before bringing out surprise guest J. Mark McVey, known for his 2,000 performances as Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables” on Broadway. McVey sang “Music of the Night” from “Phantom of the Opera,” complete with Phantom-esque scowl.
Hamlisch then asked anyone in the room to make up a song title and shout it out, and when one attendee shouted out “Waltzing at the White House,” he made up that very song on the spot, music and lyrics alike.
On their way out, the spouses each received a copy of a book called “America’s National Parks” — and a photo op with Mrs. Bush in the Blue Room.
