A White House Dinner Fit For A Queen

Elizabeth II And Guests Dine On Caviar And Lamb At White House

(CBS/AP)  Washington turned out adoring schoolchildren and ladies in hats for Queen Elizabeth II's visit. The White House, too, laid on special touches at President George W. Bush's first-ever white-tie state dinner to honor America's closest ally and make the queen feel welcome.

The centuries-old vermeil flatware and candelabras came from a London silversmith. A made-of-sugar replica of the queen's 1953 coronation rose graced the cake. English farmhouse cheeses accompanied the salad course.

And the traditional "special guest" invited only at the last minute was sure to be of interest to an avid horse enthusiast such as the queen: Calvin Borel, the jockey who rode Street Sense to victory in the Kentucky Derby this weekend with the royals in attendance.

"It's just like winning the Kentucky Derby — it might even be better," Borel said as he arrived for the dinner.

On the other hand, there was the president suggesting Queen Elizabeth was over 230 years old.

The president's slip of the tongue during morning welcoming speeches was inadvertent, of course, and quickly smoothed over with humor. But it was not exactly the flawless effort Bush had hoped would erase memories of the "talking hat" episode during the queen's last U.S. visit. (In 1991, during Bush's father's administration, a too-tall lectern left the audience able to see only the queen's hat behind microphones.)

The queen, a sprightly 81, gave an embarrassed Bush a gracious nod after he suggested she had celebrated the United States' founding in 1776. He meant to say she had attended 1976 bicentennial festivities.

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Photos: White House State Dinner

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"She gave me a look that only a mother could give a child," the president quipped, earning a reserved chuckle from his guest.

Laura Bush made her own minor calendar mistake. She flubbed the year that she and her husband attended the state dinner hosted by President George H.W. Bush in honor of the queen, saying it was in 1993.

The president and the queen took markedly different approaches to their formal remarks during a South Lawn arrival ceremony attended by thousands.

Bush focused on the partnership between the United States and Britain in Iraq and against terrorism. In just four minutes, he mentioned "freedom" and "liberty" seven times. "Your majesty, I appreciate your leadership during these times of danger and decision," he said.

By contrast, the queen said her fifth journey to the United States over 50 years was an occasion to "step back from our current preoccupations."

The queen's grandson Prince Harry, now an officer in the British Army, is about to be deployed to Iraq. But queens don't do politics; they do diplomatic niceties, reports CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips.

"I know a lot of people on both sides of the Atlantic would love it if she said, 'look my grandson is in danger – like a whole bunch of other young men – of losing his life, but that's not the kind of thing she ever says," says British political columnist Simon Hoggart

In the leaders' toasts at dinner, they took opposite tacks. Bush praised her for a reign that has "deepened our friendship and strengthened our alliance," while the British monarch talked of the threat of terror, problems like climate change and the likelihood of occasional disagreement between allies.

[gunnerv1]

swaneea Hummmm.... President of a "Union" ...Sounds like a DemocRat!

[gunnerv1]

veteran71 you must be talking about the Kennedy's right, Bush's IQ is higher than Kerry's

[gunnerv1]

Veteran71 You must be talking about the Kennedy's, Right!

[realpatriot1]

shingles1,

It's the flight suit boy, just ask Jeff Gannon.

Did you hear that the Drunk-In-Chief said that the Queen had been here before for the Bicentennial...in 1776?

[vastr-wcon]

There were 18 major Repug Party contributors invited to the dinner as pay-back. The only surprise is that Dubya and Rove didn't pull some strings and get their most- favored contributor Abramoff to the dinner.

Poor Queen, she probably had to hold her nose throughout dinner from the stench of these Repugs.

But at least Dubya didn't disappoint. Once again - true to form - he embarrassed and shamed this country.

[lars008-2009]

this is the new millennium... hasn't the world outgrown the need for monarchies by now??? living off the people... same with dictators... same with theocracies...

[cpaide]

What a lame dinner menu! Give her some real American food for hell's sake or let her stay at home and eat that boring English chow with her butler.

[shingles1]

Which one's the queen?

Prancer flight suit boy or the bejeweled one on the left?

[inventagod2]

The Queen is charming and proper, and we of this country left the monarchy in history for very good reasons.
While our troops were dying in Iraq - tricked into a 'war' of dubious merit, our Commander in Chief was daintily eating scones with Her Majesty.
Maybe it's time for a 'Second Tea Party'...

[jwhitmann]

THERE IS NO GOD, ONLY THE CLINTONS

I've never believed in God ever since my Catholic priest abused me when I was a boy

[jwhitmann]

THERE IS NO GOD, ONLY THE CLINTONS

I've never believed in God ever since my Catholic priest abused me when I was a boy

[sparks224]

processor2,
Speaking of personal responsibility, how about holding some of these neo-cons accountable?

[processor2]

Definition of liberalism:
"The haunting fear that someone, somewhere is responsible for himself and his actions."

That one goes on the wall of my study.

...

[luvny-2009]

Posted by tiredofhate at 10:14 AM : May 08, 2007

If the shoe fits wear it, our Country is in the worse mess it's every been in. People are angry and sadly have a lot of hate in their hearts. You can thank the DIVIDER for all of it!

[tiredofhate]

Why is it people are filled with such hatred and venom..Its a freaking dinner at the White House. It happens no matter who is President. Get over it. Have we looked so closely at who has been on the guest lists of other Presidents, i am sure none of the guests invited are squeaky clean. Why shouldn't the Queen of England visit? These comments filled with sarcasm are the reason there are wars. Its called Hate...People need to look in the mirror before pointing fingers at others. Maybe you are the problem with America.

[sparks224]

This is exactly what a Republican presidency is all about (other than tax cuts for the rich and Treasury looting).

[panhandlpete]

So, what really was the true reason for the Queen of England to visit this Country at this time? Yes, I do agree that she appeared to be enjoying herself at the Kentucky Derby.

So much hoop-la, so much waste of time and money, while many people's lives are shattered by loss of loved ones, their homes, their towns via natural disasters and this Iraq mess.

Unless you came to talk some sense into GWB to end this occupation in Iraq, then sad for me to say, the QUEEN should have stayed home and watched the Kentucky Derby via sattelite like the rest of us.

[jjp735i]

Once again Bush puts his foot in his mouth. Why does anyone even let him speak? He's like a clone of his fathers VP.

[swingalong]

Isn't it nice that Bush is having such fun being Mr. Personality and winking at the queen? He doesn't care in the slightest about the absolute bloodbath he has created. None of us would be able to sleep -- much less have such fun and still have time to stick our feet in our mouths.
W Worthless was never easier to spell.

[angloceltic]

It is wonderful that 'The Queen' is visiting America. Remember she does represent 70 nations and states on this planet at 'Head of the Commonwealth of Nations' (A group of freely associated states who recougnised her as their head). She is also queen of our closest neighbor - CANADA! And she is Queen of our closest friend - The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. She is also head of the Anglican church, a church which millions of Americans belong to.

Rather than allowing your anti-monarchy feelings get the better of you - you should recougnise that she is doing a constitutional job that has kept all of her realms democratic.

As for the guy who says she means nothing to him because he is Irish French American. Remember she is British Serbo Croat German etc etc etc. And you will find that France loves her as if she were there own, and that even in the Irish Republic she is heald in high esteem.