Hu's in the House

This past week was a busy week with Chinese President Hu Jintao's State Visit to the White House. While I've never been to his country, I'm sure I've seen him several times along the way at a G20 or some other world function. But it was a big deal for him to come here for such an ordeal.

I had prepared myself and got ready for his visit in one main way. I wanted to appear smart. I studied up on the usual stuff of US/China relations. But more than that, I wanted to make sure that I didn't get caught when someone said "Hu's coming to the WH", thinking that was a question. It just never got old. "Hu's on first?" "No, What's on second" or whatever the Abbott and Costello joke was. It just made me laugh every time. Except when I didn't get it a few times when other people were taking my joke and caught me!

I wish I had all kinds of lavish pictures of the official arrival ceremony or the fancy state dinner. I don't want to disappoint you but I never actually saw Mr. Hu. Due to various factors such as my schedule, the timing of events, not being pool for anything, I watched it all from the White House basement. And frankly, I was busy enough so I can't imagine how I would have gotten every thing done if I had actually taken time (and had permission) to attend any of the events. I was so slammed as it was! But it was an interesting thing to know something of such a grand scale was happening feet away from me and I couldn't see any of it! Hollywood stars such as Barbra Streisand and James Brolin and music legend Yo-Yo Ma and designer Vera Wang were upstairs having a good old time and no one came downstairs to the basement to say hello! I was really hoping Vera would take time to say hello so I could tell her how much I love my bridesmaids dress from my friend Catherine's wedding back in 2000! Oh well! Next time!

The only evidence of the happenings were that the Chinese press corps took over the briefing room (another reason I just stayed downstairs!) and that I could smell some of the food being cooked as I went into work. And after two solid days of talking about nothing other than Chinese relations, I was really expecting to be craving some General Tso's Chicken or something like that. And all I wanted was a cheeseburger for some reason! And Brian is such a wonderful guy that I had a cheeseburger (and chocolate milk) waiting for me when I eventually got home! What a guy!!