Big Party Week for the Obamas

From The Hill
By Christina Wilkie

President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have a packed social schedule this week, with two major galas and a reception for college athletes.

On Monday evening, the president will welcome collegiate star athletes to the White House for a reception at 5:45 p.m. The annual event, first held by former President George W. Bush, recognizes outstanding student athletes in more than a dozen sports, including field-hockey, lacrosse, and volleyball. Neither of Obama's alma maters, Columbia University and Harvard University, made the grade.

On Wednesday the First Couple will don black tie for the annual Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute gala, one of the more entertaining political galas of the Washington fall season. A number of entertainers are being honored with awards, including Eva Longoria Parker, five-time Grammy winner Arturo Sandoval, and musician Sheila E. Also participating in the festivities will be Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Hopefully the Obamas get some rest Thursday or Friday, because they will be back in formalwear on Saturday night for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's (CBCF) annual Phoenix Awards dinner. The dinner will mark the culmiantion of the foundation's 40th Annual Legislative Conference.

Honorees at the dinner will include New Jersey State Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver, actor and humanitarian Harry Belafonte, journalist Simeon Booker, and renowned choreographer Judith Jamison.

Washingtonians will recall that White House party-crashers Tareq and Michaele Salahi allegedly snuck into the CBCF dinner in 2009. Expect security to be extra tight this time around.

The Washington social season unofficially began Saturday night with the Washington National Opera's season opening gala, and ends in early December with the Kennedy Center Honors.