Singers Gloria Estefan and Jose Feliciano performed at the White House Music Series' Fiesta Latina. Photo by Alexis C. Glenn / EPA for pool / UPI
"The most beautiful things in this country have the flavor of other places.''
-- President Barack Obama, quoting Gloria Estefan.
by Mark Silva
The singer was among the president's guests at another musical evening at the White House last night - actually outside, in a large white tent erected on the South Lawn for the Fiesta Latina.
With a clear plastic wall of the tent offering a view of the South Portico of the White House as backdrop for the stage, tables covered in orange and red and accented with orange and red flowers, several hundred guests arrived for an evening of entertainment that included Los Lobos, Jose Feliciano, Thalia, Marc Anthony and Shelia E, an evening of events announced in both English and Spanish.
(See a Tribune photo gallery of the White House Fiesta.)
Among the guests, Obama's first appointee to the Supreme Court and its first Hispanic member, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and Jimmy Smits, Eva Longoria Parker and George Lopez. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis was on hand, as was Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), chair of the Hispanic Caucus in Congress, and other Hispanic members of Congress.
"El Presidente suddenly turned into a virtual Don Juan DeMarco for a one-on-one salsa with Latin pop star, Thalia, TMZ notes of the White House Fiesta.
"But when Obama returned to his seat and tried to talk to Michelle, the First Lady wasn't havin' it -- totally blowing the guy off!!!!'' TMZ suggests the morning after. "And you thought Hillary Clinton was cold...''
"Good evening, beunas noches,'' said the president, opening the third in a series of musical events that have featured Stevie Wonder and country singers.
"Like our own Latino community, Latin music is not easy to define,'' Obama said. "Styles like Cuban salsa, Mexican norteño, Puerto Rican reggaeton and Dominican bachata are as vibrant and unique as the places they come from.''
(First Lady Michelle Obama is pictured above at the Fiesta Latina on the South Lawn of the White House. Photo by Alexis C. Glenn-Pool/Getty Images)
"But although Latin music takes many forms, this spirit of diversity also unifies us,'' the president said. "At its heart are the West African rhythms brought by slaves in the Caribbean, the guitars first carried to the New World by Spanish conquistadors. It incorporates the accordions played by German immigrants, the flutes and drums used by indigenous peoples, and the beats born in cities like New York and Miami.
"And even though it's constantly evolving and changing, Latin music speaks to us in a language we can all understand -- about hope and joy, sorrow and pain, friendship and love. It moves us, and it tends to make us move a little bit ourselves.
"In the end, what makes Latin music great is the same thing that's always made America great: the unique ability to celebrate our differences while creating something new; to realize that although we may come from different backgrounds and different cultures, what unites us will always be stronger than what divides us.
"In the words of Gloria Estefan who's here tonight, 'The most beautiful things in this country have the flavor of other places.'''
Comments
Well, well, well. Here I thought Mr Cardboard couldn't be any more stiff, but put him to some warm rhythms... impressive if only short lived. Michelle didn't blow him off, she was enjoying herself.
Posted by: El Torro | October 14, 2009 11:06 AM
Ahhhh, another Obama puff piece from Mark Silva, who still ignored Democratic scandals such as Charles Rangel, NAMBLA supporter Kevin Jennings who is White House safe school czar, Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold holding hearings on all the czars and his call to have something done about it and being ignored by the White House in his hearings on the czar controversy, and a myriad of other Democratic scandals and problems.
Posted by: John D | October 14, 2009 11:43 AM
And how much did this cost?!
Posted by: Beth | October 14, 2009 12:39 PM
"The Czar controversy" why? was there a controversy under the previous POS? why not?
Why is there one now? Fact this guy has less "czars" then BUSH, matter of fact still have some of the same ones working for him! Appears to be more smoke and mirrors from the "NO" people...
Posted by: ebooola22 | October 14, 2009 12:55 PM
You just can't let it go, can you John D? The election is over. Obama is president. He is trying hard to be the president of ALL Americans, so give the partisan nonsense a break.
In the meantime, I am glad that the prez and 1st Lady had a nice time enjoying the Latin music and ambiance. I know that I love it!
Posted by: Gus | October 14, 2009 1:12 PM
Thanks for yet another photo op publicity story. Just as important as his ramadan dinner photo op. Sure beats doing anything.
Posted by: BDD | October 14, 2009 1:23 PM
It's more fun and games for the president...while people are out of work.
Posted by: Terry | October 14, 2009 1:32 PM
A party and concert every week, how nice. You think he would have other things to do.
Posted by: Cyrus | October 14, 2009 1:47 PM
Just another reason to raise our taxes. Yeppers, we need to party and party at the tax payers expense.
Posted by: kinda | October 14, 2009 2:01 PM
Seriously, what is the point of these events?? So the prez can invite all sorts of celebs (in this case, high profile Hispanics) to keep the liberal vote strong amongst empty-headed celebs?? And who funds these little galas? Any sort of in-depth reporting would have told us that little tidbit. Glad he and the first missus can keep livin it up in style.
Posted by: BigDoggie | October 14, 2009 2:12 PM
We need to go back to the days of the Bush administrtion when the President worked 24/7 and lived on bread and water. No parties, no vactations, no fancy meals, just endless work. That was the way a real President would act.
Posted by: No parties, except Republicans | October 14, 2009 2:53 PM
Yes. Party hardy Obama it's what got Bush re-elected. Had there been no term limits he'd still be raising the roof and tap dancing in the White House.
Posted by: Party Hardy Obama | October 14, 2009 7:24 PM
I would suggest that celebrating the arts from a cultures that makes up a significant portion of the American populace (yes, you can be latino AND American - GASP!) is a very American thing to do. *That* is the point of this series of cultural celebrations that's being held at the White House. Why else would he have it televised if it weren't to raise awareness for the richness of culture in this country? If he just wanted to have an expensive party, why would he invite PBS?
This sudden fixation with how much things cost is very, very amusing. And sad. That fiscal righteousness might've been useful circa 2001 when we invaded Iraq, and all through the Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, and Bush II years when we kept deregulating the banks.
Posted by: LatinaYAmerican | October 15, 2009 9:35 PM