Jennifer Hudson to Sing at State Dinner

Calderon the guest of honor at White House shindig

(NEWSER) - White House staffers kept a very close eye on the guest list as the Obamas hosted Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife at the second state dinner of the Obama presidency last night. No gatecrashers slipped through this time, and one assistant secretary of state was actually sent home to get proper ID, the AP reports. The 200 guests who made it through after their invitations were triple-checked included Whoopi Goldberg, George Lopez, and Olympic speed skater Shani Davis. More»

A look back at Michelle Obama's daring sartorial debut

(NEWSER) - After a year of big guns, big designers, and bold choices, New York takes a look back at the many styles of first lady Michelle Obama. Who can forget the inaugural outfits, the Grand Canyon shorts, and all those cardigans? For many more photos, and info on designers, click here . More»

First lady stays above the fray, elevating her image

(NEWSER) - Her days as a lightning rod on the campaign trail firmly behind her, Michelle Obama has polished her image in a paradoxical way for a political wife: by steering clear of politics. She's a familiar presence on the national scene, and her poll numbers are robust, even among Republicans. "She has done this by framing herself as a wife, mother, daughter and sister, not trying to redefine the role of first lady, limiting interviews and staying militantly noncontroversial," Lynn Sweet writes for Politics Daily . More»

Secret Service confirms failure of procedures

(NEWSER) - Michaele and Tareq Salahi not only penetrated White House security before Tuesday's state dinner but actually went through the receiving line, where they were greeted by President Obama and Michelle Obama. The red-faced director of the Secret Service released a statement today saying, "Preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint," the Washington Post reports. More»

Michelle Obama wore Naeem Khan, and other tidbits

(NEWSER) - Didn't have a ticket to the country's hottest social event? No worries. Here's the who and what of last night's state dinner honoring Indian PM Manmohan Singh:

• The outdoor tent was decorated with local, sustainably harvested magnolia branches and ivy; centerpieces of hydrangeas, roses, and sweet peas evoked India's state bird, the peacock.
• Obama greeted his guests in Hindi.
• Michelle wore a strapless, silver-sequined, cream-colored gown custom-made by Naeem Khan; it reportedly took three weeks to complete the dress—with 40 people working on it.