Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Saturday, February 7, 2009

The President and First Lady at the Kennedy Center


WASHINGTON - Life in the White House isn't keeping Barack and Michelle Obama from holding onto date night.

The president and first lady attended an Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performance on Friday night at The Kennedy Center.

The show was sold out, but that's not a problem. The White House says the Obamas plan to sit in the president's box.

The first couple attended the performance with friends.

In an interview before his inauguration, the president said he and his wife liked having Friday date nights.

Wow. Appreciating the arts is back in style. Nice.

What a fabulously handsome couple. Are we lucky, or what?

10 comments:

Joe "Truth 101" Kelly said...

I hope the example set by the First Couple takes hold. For far too long government support of the arts has been under attack by deluded right wing fools that think all art is bad because some wiseguy got a few government dollars to fund something that was distasteful. Thousands of community theaters rely on government support to keep bringing the arts to our kids. That there are a few closed minded nuts out there that would rather see these theaters and other groups that bring us entertainment and help educate our kids about the arts because some joker got his picture of a naked Jesus exhibited somelace is despicable.

rockync said...

I love the idea of date nights! It's nice to see two genuinely affectionate people that aren't afraid to show it.

dmarks said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Love. Them.

Gordon Scott said...

Shaw, should you ever doubt my love for you: Remember the time you served up a fat, luscious hanging curveball of a post. And remember how I settled back on my heels, rested the bat on my shoulder and smiled at you as I let it drift past me.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

libhom said...

Alvin Ailey is absolutely wonderful.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Gordon,

Ha! Love? Well this is what I remember about that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GluCM_ggMvw

(Peter Wolf used to hang out in Beantown.)

Anonymous said...

Thanks Truth-

It's embarrassing the low level of government support for the arts in this nation.

But not surprising.

You make a very good point about outreach from museums theatre groups, dance troupes, orchestras, etc. in educational settings.

Culture IS important. And it winds up the wingnuts beyond all measure in part because they fear their children growing up to ask a difficult question or six.

Arts teach us just what a big world it is. And that frightens conservatives.

Cheers.

Gordon Scott said...

Arthurstone,

Conservatives tend to support the arts financially much more than liberals.

We just prefer that such support be voluntary, not taken from the people by force.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure you're right Gordon. Figure in annual revenues from The Grand Old Opry, Branson, MO., and NASCAR and I'm certain conservative spending on the arts dwarfs that of liberals.

Sadly though the fact is that a few naughty photographs and dirty words sent consevatives to the fainting couch and subsequent federal support for the arts has shrivelled to it's present miniscule level.

But I don't entirely disagree with the volunteerism angle. Seems those folks in favor of military adventurism and pre-emptive war ought to stand up and pay for their preferences through increased taxes and the purchase of war bonds.