White House state dinner: For Hu Jintao's state visit, a day of pomp and ceremony
UPDATED Wednesday 11:55 p.m.
By Nia-Malika Henderson and Roxanne Roberts
It's the mantra of Washington these days: Can't we treat each other with civility and respect?
Wednesday night's state dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao was international diplomacy's version of playing nice: gracious words, bipartisan patriotism and hardly any mentions of those uncomfortable issues that put a damper on a good party (although a hardy crowd of protesters outside the White House greeted arriving guests). The evening's theme was all-American, with elegant nods to Chinese culture; the guest list of 225 mixed politicians, business leaders, celebrities and a number of prominent Chinese Americans including Olympic skater Michelle Kwan, movie star Jackie Chan, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and designer Vera Wang, wearing -- you guessed it -- Vera Wang.
And Barbra Streisand, who oddly quipped that she was invited because, once upon a time, "I worked in a Chinese restaurant." ... (continued)
For Hu Jintao's state visit, a day of pomp and ceremony
See a gallery of China state dinner photos
Full coverage of China state visit and White House state dinner for China
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The Reliable Source
| January 19, 2011; 8:01 PM ET
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White House State Dinner
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