President Barack Obama delivered cupcakes and a candle for veteran White House reporter Helen Thomas, 89 today, on the president's birthday -- his 48th -- in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House. (Photo by Nicholas Kamm / AFP / Getty Images)
by Mark Silva
President Barack Obama, born 48 years ago today in Honolulu, Hawaii, celebrated his first birthday in the White House with a family breakfast in the private residence, a birthday song at lunch sung by senators in the State Dining Room and a song of his own for the dean of the White House Press Corps: columnist and veteran wire service correspondent Helen Thomas, 89 today.
The president this afternoon walked into the press briefing room of the West Wing - the modern incarnation of a room which Thomas pioneered for women in the 1960s for United Press International - carrying a plate filled with cupcakes and one lighted candle atop it. Obama was singing "Happy Birthday'' as he walked.
"Happy birthday to you,'' some called to the cupcake-toting president.
But Obama, proving that a president can turn the celebratory table when he wants to, was focused on Thomas, seated front and center in the press room. He walked toward her and presented the plate for her birthday wish.
"You've got to blow it out to make it come true,'' Obama told Thomas.
The president sat down next to the reporter, and placed his right arm around her as reporters behind him asked what wish he was making today.
"Helen wished for world peace, no prejudice, but she and I also had a common birthday wish,'' Obama said. "She said she wishes for a healthcare reform bill.''
With that, a kiss for the correspondent who has covered every president since John F. Kennedy and served as the first female bureau chief for a wire service, and a wave for the much younger press corps filling the press room, Obama left without further words.
Much of the president's own birthday was a much more private affair.
(Above: President Barack Obama, 48 today, and White House reporter Helen Thomas, 89 today, in the press room. Photo by J. Scott Applewhite / AP)
The president may have been singing to the choir today, when he had the Democratic caucus of the Senate in for lunch in the State Dining Room of the White House.
But it was the senators who sang Happy Birthday, Mr. President, with Sen. Tom Carper, Democrat from Delaware, leading his colleagues in song.
Obama and his family had started the day with breakfast - before receiving the Presidential Daily Briefing, an economic briefing and meeting with senior advisers in the Oval Office.
And the president, the first lady and a few friends plan dinner at the White House tonight.
Obama also had shared Camp David, the presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains, with family and friends over the weekend. And White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs today was sticking by his story that Obama, who notoriously bowled a 37 in public one day on the campaign trail,, chalked up a 144-game over the weekend, ending with three strikes and a nine, in his private, pre-birthday bowling tournament.
"He had a lot of fun over the weekend despite some people not believing he bowled a 144,'' Gibbs said today. "I will show you,'' he said, checking his BlackBerry. "I made this note at 9:32 p.m. on Saturday ... 'POTUS bowled 144.'
"I had a beer in one hand and a bowling ball in the other. Didn't have a pen and pad,'' the press secretary added, reporting on the boss' birthday preliminaries.
"He had a good time this weekend. There were friends from Hawaii, friends from Chicago, obviously his family,'' he said. "They played basketball, they bowled, they played pool, had a long dinner together.''
Peter Nicholas of the Washington Bureau contributed to this report.
Comments
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PRESIDENT OBAMA!
Posted by: Be a good little Republican - Sacrifice your life for a Health Insurance CEO | August 4, 2009 2:45 PM
Happy Birthday Mr President!
Posted by: Depot Jim | August 4, 2009 2:46 PM
What? No crazy comments from "birthers?"
Oh well, happy birthday anyway, Mr. President.
Posted by: joe | August 4, 2009 2:56 PM
Happy birthday, President Obama. May you have many more and quite a few more, in our White House !! You are doing the best you can, given the quagmire, the Dynamic Duo, BushCheney, left you. Keep up the good work. America admires your honesty and your intelligence, two elements that were glaringly absent, in the last two administrations !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | August 4, 2009 2:59 PM
Glad we got his alleged birthplace (HONOLULU, HAWAII) in the first 11 words of the article to silence anyone who doubts it!
Posted by: JJB | August 4, 2009 3:00 PM
...no mention of Mama or Papa. They don't matter? To bad.....
Posted by: Tad | August 4, 2009 3:20 PM
I wonder if someone is going to give him a copy of the Joker Poster parody of him that is circulating around LA, as sort of a gag gift . All in good fun.
Posted by: ejhickey | August 4, 2009 3:30 PM
Happy Birthday Mr. President!
with many more to come!!
Posted by: Deborah F Thompson | August 4, 2009 3:31 PM
BREAKING!
Big Dog Clinton just got the two jailed American journalists in North Korea freed!
Congrats Bill Clinton and Happy Birthday President Obama - what a great team! And Hillary too!
Posted by: Kathy | August 4, 2009 3:57 PM
Why is this considered news? Big deal, it's his birthday, we all have them.
Posted by: Journalist | August 4, 2009 3:59 PM
Happy B-Day Mr. President.
Posted by: Jason | August 4, 2009 4:09 PM
now show your birth certificate...
Posted by: southern illinois | August 4, 2009 4:25 PM
Hey Journalist! Because he's the President! Ya think???
Posted by: Diva G | August 4, 2009 4:45 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. PRESIDENT!!! May you always look as young as your are today. You, Michelle and your two daughters enjoy!!!
Posted by: Southwest Gulf Coast | August 4, 2009 4:46 PM
Happy birthday Mr.President. May all your dreams and aspirations come to fruition.
Posted by: Neil G | August 4, 2009 4:48 PM
Happy birthday, Helen Thomas !!!
In DC since FDR, you've seen 'em all and heard it all. And yes, W was indeed the "worst."
Take a cupcake, but take no prisoners, young lady!
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | August 4, 2009 5:03 PM
Why is this considered news? Big deal, it's his birthday, we all have them.
Posted by: Journalist | August 4, 2009 3:59 PM
*******************************
.
I knew it wouldn't take long for the right-wing thugs (see Teresa aka "Journalist" above) to appear on this thread.
Happy Birthday Pres Obama, it's not your fault that the radical right-wing is stuck in the 20th century.
Posted by: former Republican | August 4, 2009 5:56 PM
Happy Birthday President Obama...You are the world "Connector." You understand where the dots are, when, how and who will assist with making connections for the benefits of this nation. God has given you gifts of a situational leader...many more gifts we will experience. Thank you for demonstrating the greatest gift of all, Love; by sharing this special time with Helen Thomas...You go Girl!
Posted by: Linda Brown, PhD | August 4, 2009 6:05 PM
Happy Birthday Helen Thomas.. you have served well and long..the women with the name Helen live a long and honest life and your taking on many Presidents and calling them to the rug KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK..
Mr. Obama may you have a day of reflection.. and learn from Helen on honest and wise ways to live your life.. remember those that live by the sword well you know the rest..
Posted by: Independent Voter Joliet | August 4, 2009 6:15 PM
Why is this considered news? Big deal, it's his birthday, we all have them.
Posted by: Journalist | August 4, 2009 3:59 PM
Hey stupid- he's the first President to get news about his birthday in the paper? We are still reading about George Bush, SR. taking parachute jumps on his birthday and he has not been President in how many years? To Southern Illinois moron- are you the only one that has not yet seen his birth certificate?
Posted by: Disgusted | August 4, 2009 6:19 PM
Happy birthday Mr. President.
Posted by: Chrystal K. | August 4, 2009 6:24 PM
WHO CARES
Posted by: Karen | August 4, 2009 6:31 PM
To Southern Illinois ~ Why should Mr. Obama show his birth certificate? I never remember any other POTUS showing his birth certificate - do you? By the way, do you also belong to the Flat Earth Society?
Posted by: Diane L. | August 4, 2009 6:33 PM
Enough with this guy already!
Posted by: Nico Toscani | August 4, 2009 7:29 PM
Happy 48th Mr. President!! Many blessings to you and yours on your birthday. Hello to Michelle from a fellow Whitney Young Alumni.
Posted by: PawPaw | August 4, 2009 8:05 PM
to diane l. the last time i was stopped by police, i had to prove i had a license. he flew all over the world to apologize for being a american, but when he screwed up about the police who arrested gates...just cant find the same..sorry you elected a fraud, that we are all struck with. bet you even defended blago...
Posted by: southern illinois | August 4, 2009 8:23 PM
Happy Birthday, Mr. President. May all your wishes come true. I'm so proud of you. And you seem like a guy who knows how to have fun. Congrats on the 144 bowling score. Woooo Hoooo.
Happy Birthday, Ms. Thomas. May all your wishes also come true.
Congratulations on your successes.
Margaret.
Posted by: Margaret Costello | August 4, 2009 8:33 PM
Centi anni, our Hyde Park homie.
Posted by: ornery | August 4, 2009 9:53 PM
[[Glad we got his alleged birthplace (HONOLULU, HAWAII) in the first 11 words of the article to silence anyone who doubts it!
Posted by: JJB | August 4, 2009 3:00 PM]]
It is truly obnoxious that Mark Silva seems to feel the need to remind us daily of Obama's birthplace. You know -- I believe he WAS born in Hawaii. But give it a rest already, Mark. We know you LOVE Obama. We know you can't stand the right wing. Find a new line of work. (And I'm a liberal...)
Posted by: beth | August 4, 2009 11:19 PM
Happy birthday!
The age of 48 was good to American presidents:
http://www.whatwasdone.com/Age.php?&Age=48
Posted by: What was done | August 5, 2009 4:47 AM
So Helen Thomas wishes for a health care bill. Hey, way to reveal your personal bias, you impartial journalist you ...
Posted by: JD | August 5, 2009 11:35 AM
to diane l. the last time i was stopped by police, i had to prove i had a license. he flew all over the world to apologize for being a american, but when he screwed up about the police who arrested gates...just cant find the same..sorry you elected a fraud, that we are all struck with. bet you even defended blago...
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I bet you don't even care that it has been proved by the 911 call tapes that the police officer lied and submitted a false police report to back up his actions of that day. I do not beleive it was racial but I do believe that the officer this being only hs 3rd reported arrest in his career did over react and act stupidly. No apology necessary.
Posted by: Woody | August 5, 2009 12:46 PM