Laura Bush orders a $485,000 White House China Set

[TWiley]

Laura Bush ordered and recieved a $485,000 china set for the White House just two weeks before getting kicked out.

http://www.yahoo.com/s/1012443

[opihimoimoi]

1. It should be returned...get paper plates

[emilyg]

108. Why? We didn't pay for it.

[RB TexLa]

157. It's still wasteful

[Aristus]

114. Yeah. Wouldn't paper plates and Dixie cups have fit in better with the redneck barbecue aesthetic

they were trying so hard to project?

[sarcasmo]

2. SICK, these silver spoon FUCKS! make me SICK.

[Donnachaidh]

3. Wonder how many dishes drunky Chimpy and his skanky daughters broke?

I'd love it if the could have an inspection of the old set, and figure out if any pieces were missing or broken.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. I hope Mrs. Obama puts it in the attic and orders her own choice.

[Donnachaidh]

10. uhh no. Send it back for a refund and THEN order what she wants

"Put it in the attic" :eyes:

Yeah, we've got ALL sorts of extra cash to be blowing on freaking DISHES. :eyes: :grr: :eyes:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

46. It's paid for by private donors

There are White House restoration and support groups that cough up the funds for all these things.

Read the article. Enlightenment is a good thing.

[Generator]

53. Dick Cheney's pocket change?

He cahsed out that Halliburton stock just in time, no doubt.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

74. That slime........

That vile, filthy slime. No doubt the White House china would shatter if he entered the room, just because of the evil vibes emanating from his filthy, decrepit body.

He should be in pain every day all day for the rest of his life. And there should be no way to ease it.

[Zywiec]

73. Why read the article and actually understand what's going on?

It's so much easier to have a knee-jerk reaction to every thread posted.

:hi:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

75. Silly me.

I forgot where I was.

Thank you.

:toast:

[aquart]

5. I don't suppose we can return it for cash?

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. I read about that today in the Post

And it seems that the tradition is for the china to be delivered at the end of the President's terms. Very odd. I never knew that.

Oh, wait. IT GETS BETTER!!!! I just looked up that article, and it seems that it's been revised. Now it says that Laura has started a new tradition:

TWO SETS!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/07/AR2009010702829_pf.html

[NMDemDist2]

8. I knew they'd be butt ugly

and they are

that woman has NO taste

:banghead:

[MADem]

15. I don't think they're horrible.

Get a load of the Nancy Reagan red china--now that's ugly.


I don't especially like the luncheon stuff, but the dinner set isn't bad at all. It's what one would expect.

[fed_up_mother]

30. I think they're gorgeous

[thunder rising]

19. The bottom pattern seems Sadam inspired. Lot's of gold leif military BS

[fed_up_mother]

68. Check out the Clintons. It's much heavier gold lief.

[onenote]

129. standard style for WH china

[barbtries]

24. thanks for sharing that

i was unaware of the end-of-term tradition. don't really get what the rationale would be but whatever.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

26. I checked it out, and it goes 'way back........

Apparently it's supposed to be part of the outgoing President's legacy, but it was originally because it took so long for a set of that size to be fabricated.

I think it would be seen as hubris to dine off a set of china named after your own self. That's might be part of it, too.

[Retrograde]

40. Gold flatware?

Just too much gold - tacky IMHO. I like the Roosevelt service better.

[janx]

111. I agree--gold flatware is so opulent that it's vulgar.

I don't like gold on plates, either, but I'm one of those snobs who is interested in simplicity. Hillary Clinton's choice of silverware is VERY nice.

Edited to add pic already posted below:

[nolabels]

119. Good gawd man, we could melt that crap down and pay off the national debt

Fucking broke dick republicanism is dead, someone please bury it before the stench raises any higher :argh:

[greguganus]

135. Not as gold as Clinton's china choice, and tax dollars didn't pay for it anyway. n/t

[dysfunctional press]

133. i absolutely DETEST gold flatware. ditto for bathroom fixtures.

nt

[madrchsod]

41. the flower overpowers the plate and the food

the other is as bland as pickles is....nice try pickles but the designs did`t make the grade

[KansDem]

145. Yeah, I'd be tempted to "keep eating" once I reached the flower...

I'd be stabbing at it and wondering why I wasn't getting any on my fork.

[LeftyMom]

43. Those are hideous. I'm terrible at that stuff and still find her taste laughable. nt

[Baby Snooks]

62. Nancy Reagan was the exception...

Nancy Reagan broke tradition and ordered hers early on and used it - it was bordered in what she called "Reagan Red" and she reportedly drove Lenox up the wall trying to get the shade of red she wanted. I think Barbara Bush went back to the tradition and Hillary Clinton followed tradition as well.

I read somewhere that the Queen of England is a little amazed by it since at Buckingham Palace they "mix and match" not only the china but the crystal and the flatware. But then I guess she doesn't have to impress anyone with the table settings.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

69. That Reagan stuff is awful,

but that's a cool piece of information. Thank you. Doesn't it just figure that she'd want to break tradition so as to have her china in use. Her signature red. Jesus, how have we survived so far?

I'm with the Queen. Even though it's paid for by private funds, it smacks of the old Imperial Presidency. It brings to mind when Big Dick Nixon tried to outfit the White House guards in those ridiculous outfits.

Here's a wonderful reference to them by the estimable Helen Thomas:

http://books.google.com/books?id=GYjNgQI1qG8C&pg=PA90&lpg=PA90&dq=nixon+white+house+guard+outfits+ridiculous&source=web&ots=XEOKabetO9&sig=f6h4bMN638OGA5VC38z6C1R8DBU&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result

[renate]

77. at Buckingham Palace they use china and crystal from her predecessors' reigns

Wouldn't it be awesome to drink from a glass dating from Victoria's reign and eat from a plate from Edward VII's, using silverware from George V's?

At state banquets, anyway, it's not that people have an entirely different china pattern from their neighbor's, just that the china doesn't match from course to course. (I'm embarrassed that I have either information about, or an interest in, this kind of thing.)

[Tangerine LaBamba]

109. I love it

There's a time and place for serious stuff, and then there is a shelf in my home devoted to books about Diana, Princess of Wales. And her jewelry. And her death. And everything about her.

Does that make me a shallow person?

I think it's lovely, using different china patterns for different courses. How'd you like to be the dishwasher at Buckingham Palace? Talk about a nervewracking job!

Thank you for that little lovely bit of information.

[tammywammy]

112. Did you ever see the PBS series "Winsdor Castle"

In one episode they're prepping the castle for a dinner with France's President Chirac and it's very interesting.

Actually the whole series was really interesting, really went into what goes on there.
http://www.pbs.org/opb/windsorcastle/

[Tangerine LaBamba]

113. Of course

It boggled me. There's that "monarchy mentality" that we breakaways will never understand.

That series was fabulous.

But I still miss Diana.

[fed_up_mother]

103. I think the British invented Shabby Chic :)

[janx]

102. Here's another variation of the magnolia informal china.

This is kind of fun:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

105. I'm lookin' and lookin' and

I finally decided that it's pretty awful.

Something about bugs and snails on your plate. Not the least bit appetizing. Or tasteful.

Was that a pun?

Dear god, forgive me....................

[janx]

107. YES.

That was a pun. :rofl:

[onenote]

131. my wife and I chose a pattern with "bugs" on it when we got married

We thought it was more fun and less stuffy than other china we saw. That was 11 years ago, BTW.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

147. Ahhhh - first style reminiscent of the Octopus, n'est ce pas?

:evilgrin:

[New Dawn]

7. Think of how many homeless starved to death today in the USA...

So that Laura could get a new toy.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

48. Read the article

That china was paid for by private funds.

Gotta love the assumptions made with absolutely no knowledge or information.........................

[nolabels]

148. Made possible by billions of dollars in tax breaks for the most privileged in our society

Give us all a break, please stop regurgitating the uber-rich's false dichotomies

[Tangerine LaBamba]

49. dupe - accident

[stray cat]

9. Does she get to take it home?

[MADem]

13. No.

It's for the WH collection, and paid for by a private foundation.

[MADem]

11. It's custom and tradition in recent presidencies. And the taxpayers aren't paying for it.

If Obama serves two full terms, Michelle will no doubt design some china and the private foundation will order it up for her to put in the White House collection, too. The successors to that administration will entertain using it.

I will say that the china that Laura designed is very tasteful. It will look good at a state dinner. It's a damned sight better than that ghastly red stuff that Nancy came up with, anyway.

[rhett o rick]

35. I say the taxpayers pay for it, maybe indirectly, but we pay for it. nm

[MADem]

36. No. not true.

It is a private foundation of rich bastards and people who are into history who contribute to this fund, and the fund is tapped to buy the china. See the original story.

[rhett o rick]

106. Yeah I know. And those rich bastards earned their money fair and square and didn't get massive tax

breaks.

[MADem]

126. What does that have to do with anything? Good grief. There is no

linear connection between wealthy people who benefit from Bush's tax cuts in the last eight years, and wealthy people who donated to WH refurbishment funds since the 1980s. These donors come from both parties, FWIW.

They donated under Clinton, too....they've been donating ever since the Nancy Reagan china flap. Jackie Kennedy was the one who kicked off the concept--she wrote a book about the White House restoration that helped fund the restoration of the pathetic White House, and repurchase furnishings and repair the place structurally. Cite: http://www.fieldmuseum.org/jkennedy/restoration.html

See, there are people who are interested in our nation making a good impression, and they realize that it's an onerous expenditure for the average taxpayer. I say "Thank you" to these people, not "Fuck you."

I tire of "Two wrongs make a right" arguments, or "Oh well, but this one is WORSE" as a retort.

No taxpayer is paying for this. That's the point.

:hi:

[rhett o rick]

152. Yes I hear you. And I accept your good grief comment, but....

I see that we are on the losing end of a class war. For the last 30 years the ruling class has been draining resources from the middle class at an ever increasing rate. And the coup de grass is the current thief of trillions. The middle class may never recover from this theft.

So as millions go without health care, food, heating oil, decent housing, I see clueless Laura Bush buying china for us, for the country that costs half a million dollars, I am reminded of Marie Antoinette offering cake to the starving French. And I assume you know she wasn't offering birthday cake.

Laura Bush's ignorance to the plight of the poor is self induced.

Am I bitter, yes.

[MADem]

154. Hillary Clinton did it, too. If Obama gets a second term, Michelle Obama will do it.

They go through plates at those state dinners. This last set was 320 place settings. The next set that needs to be replaced might be a smaller one, or even a larger one, maybe for luncheons. Sometimes, they feed a thousand or more.

It is wealthy people that give the bulk of the dough, but sometimes ordinary people, who just like being a part of history, donate as well. If they don't find a way to make it easier to access the White House for tours, though, that connection between "We, the People" and the history of that building and the important diplomatic events that take place there might be severed.

The thing is, Laura being the one to choose the replacement china's pattern isn't "taking away" from health care or the middle class. That money would have never flowed to those purposes, anyway.

[rhett o rick]

155. I recognize your points. I just have a hard time accepting the opulence of the ruling class in

this country.

[MADem]

158. In the big scheme, they're not terribly opulent, actually.

The living quarters at the White House isn't any great shakes. It's not like Presidential families will actually be hanging out in the Blue Room or the kids will be playing Twister in the Map Room--those are more public areas--or they used to be, before they limited tours after Nahn Wun Wun Changed Ever-thang.

Even the "Residence China" (the stuff with the flower) will likely only be used when someone gets that lucky, intimate invitation to dine in the residence. The kids won't be microwaving their Hot Pockets on that stuff. And it will stay with the residence and continue to be used until, over time, pieces get broken and they have to downsize the set for smaller soirees and order new china for those tiny dinners for twenty or whatever.

The ones who do opulence well are the French. The Queen in the UK has it down, too. But really, at the end of the day, it's simply a matter of protocol. It's opulence with a purpose, not for amusement. You cannot have a shabby venue, otherwise people have no confidence in your nation. You can't have shabby accoutrements, either. It invites negative comments. Everything has to be top drawer and squared away, at all times. You've gotta pull out the stops for "the company" and make them feel important.

I just can't see President Obama saying to the PM of the UK, "Look, I've got Mac-n-Cheese in a cup, or a chicken broccoli lean pocket--which one do you want?" Unless of course, they're camping, or something! Now, Bush used to do that crap every so often, serving people hot dogs and so forth, but we looked down our noses when he did it....he could get away with a full-bore barbeque, but when he served a frigging hot dog on a plate, he was regarded as a cheap-ass jerk. You may recall, when he endorsed McCain, he slipped the guy the old HOT DOG:

http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN051954720080306

There's just so much symbolism wrapped up in any public event that they do, it's gotta be full-bore. But privately, they don't live like that at all. Yes, they have cooks, but the President works a full day and so does "the wife" --even though she doesn't get paid for her labor, so the cook really isn't a luxury--it's a small compensation for making the wife work for no pay. And they pay for their own food, and the meals are as simple or as complicated as the individual family wants to make them.

I regard Presidents as our SERVANTS, though...not our rulers. They're elected to serve We, The People, and we're nice employers. We give them decent "servant's quarters" to live in. It is the best public housing in the US (as Clinton oft remarked).

[emilyg]

110. No.

[originalpckelly]

38. Couldn't someone spend that money on feeding the homeless?

Why waste it on plates, why not put food on someone's plate for that amount of money?

[tpsbmam]

51. Fantasy....

The Obamas acknowledge the WH has PLENTY of china bought over multiple presidencies, buck this trend and request the same donations but for something like "WH china for American underfed: 1,000,000 filled paper plates" instead of more inane gilt for the WH.

[MADem]

128. It's not the family china. It's the china to be used for state dinners,

the sorts of events that solidify relationships between nations. If you invite a foreign leader to your nation's official house, and feed him or her a fucking hot dog off of a cracked old plate, you're telling that nation that they, and their leader, are not worth much. OTOH, if you engage in ceremony and care, you're telling that nation that they are an important partner.

These people used those dinners to very good effect.







Just because Bush went to bed at nine and had lousy entertainment for our nation's foreign guests does not mean that future Presidents will do the same. I can't believe people can't see the big picture, here.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

50. I liked FDR's best

Simple, in fitting with the times, I think. Very nice.

[TheCowsCameHome]

12. China will buy the White House for that amount someday.

[Warpy]

14. It's probably service for 100, at least

and it wasn't paid for by the taxpayers. Let's hope the final design was chosen by the White House Historical Society that footed the bill.

Consider even upper medium grade dinner china can cost upwards of $300 a place setting and the overall cost starts to make a little more sense.

The stuff belongs to the White House, not to Stupid and his family and we didn't have to pay for it. As long as it isn't black with an air brushed Jesus, I have no serious complaint.

[MADem]

20. It's for those big state dinners. Michelle will get to design some too, if her husband

makes it to his second term.

How about black with an air-brushed ELVIS??? Now THAT's Tacky Americana!

[fed_up_mother]

32. I think it's a 14 piece place setting. Imagine how much that cost!

[Warpy]

42. No kidding. There were pictures in the Cooking & Baking Group

and apparently 2 sets were ordered, a tacky gilt one with a magnolia blossom printed in the middle of the plate and a traditional pattern with the presidential seal in the middle.

I am guessing Laura insisted on the first but the Historical Society insisted on the second and was willing to foot the bill for 2 services to get them.

[fed_up_mother]

81. I like the magnolia blossom

I think they'd be lovely for a women's luncheon, instead of the more stately dishes.

Although I can't afford expensive dinnerware, I do admire beautiful dishes. And as much as people here complain about the Reagan red dinnerware, I saw a picture once of a gorgeous table set with the Reagan china, and it was just gorgeous with all the silverware, crystal, an flower arrangements. When you look at china from the other presidencies, I don't think any of these dishes are over the top.

[Warpy]

92. They'd be fine for that

or for any less formal occasion, mostly working lunches.

However, they are too informal for state dinners.

My own taste tends to restraint. I stopped being a sucker for the "clean your plate so you can see the pretty picture" when I was three. I haven't liked pictures on my plates since I realized I'd been conned.

[fed_up_mother]

96. Conned? LOL Anyway, the magnolia plates are to go with the magnolia trees around WH

And from what I've read, they were definitely designed with less formal occasions in mind.

[MADem]

130. It's 320 fourteen piece place settings.

The White House Historical Association Acquisition Trust, a nonprofit group, paid $492,798 for 320 14-piece place settings, according to a fact sheet officials distributed to reporters.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2009/01/todays-photo-la.html

That's sufficient for a fair-sized state dinner. They do lots of courses at those things.

[glitch]

39. Lol! I actually expected something awful, but it's nice enough. nt

[Hannah Bell]

117. ok, then, $1000/setting for 100 people = $100,000. But this cost 1/2 million freaking dollars.

i don't care who pays for it, it's sick.

[onenote]

132. its a 14 piece service for 320 -- a lot of dishes

Nearly 4500.

[pleah]

16. Let's tar and feather this bird!

:wow:

[DemoTex]

17. Marie Antoinette, Jr.

Pickles should be aware of Marie's fate (Le Bois de Justice).

[Barack_America]

21. My thoughts exactly.

[nc4bo]

18. Daggone it, now I gotta find what the various utensils and fine crystal are used for...

Being from a regular ole family has left me unprepared to eat a meal at the WH.

Mom and Gram would have big formal family dinners and they still didn't have half the silverware and glassware seen in these photos.

:rofl:

$500,000.00 worth of china, dear Gawd!!

[Trailrider1951]

23. OMG, what a waste!

$480,000 is more than 5 times the cost of my house! These people have NO CLUE!!! Marie Antoinette indeed!!!:puke:

[barbtries]

22. what's the point

so late in the game? so that michelle obama won't be able to choose her own white house china? just to waste money? they cannot take it with them, right?

[hack89]

90. Tradition

the outgoing first lady orders china for the WH just as they leave. Read the article.

[TWiley]

25. How would you think the Obama's will feel if they use bush plates?

They will probably stay in the crate and be stored in the basement

[barbtries]

27. here's a look at some of the past patterns

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/whtour/china-samples.html

[janx]

93. I LIKE THE HAYES CHINA! I WANT IT!

Haviland is kick ass. I have a Haviland serving dish that belonged to my grandmother. It's decorated with flowers though, so it's not nearly as cool as the turkey.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

122. Yes, Haviland ROCKS!!!

I have some Theodore Haviland that was my grandmother's.

It's got an art nouveau sugarbowl, so I presume it's Pre WW I.

Plain white with a gold rim.

[az chela]

28. Why the hell would she pick out the dishes for Michelle??

She is such a stupid bitch.I wouldnt want anyone picking out my dishes

[fed_up_mother]

33. Get some info. The Bushes have used the Clinton china, among others

It takes so long to design the stuff and then make it, that its customary to present the china at the end of the term.

It took Hillary Clinton two years just to finish the design (and I'm sure she was working with professionals). Then it takes years to make.

[rhett o rick]

34. This sounds way to aristocratic for my president to be involved with. nm

[greguganus]

137. Wow, have you been fooled!! n/t

[rhett o rick]

156. It can happen. nm

[AlinPA]

29. Why not Martha Stewart china?

[greguganus]

140. Maybe a nice Martha Stewart prison pattern. n/t

[Hepburn]

31. Jebus H. Christ....

....what total bullshit.

:eyes:

[AsahinaKimi]

37. What would it cost to

Get Bush Co. tar and feathered and run out of town on a Rail?

[1776Forever]

44. Why wasn't this left for the Obama's to order? They are going to be using it.

I think this was pretty arrogant of Laura to do 2 weeks before she left. I suppose Laura would say she thought it was a nice gesture. :dunce:

[Tangerine LaBamba]

47. It was ordered years ago

Read the article.

The Obamas will have their own china - it's the tradition - and it will be unveiled as they are leaving the White House. That's the tradition.

[1776Forever]

52. What article? This report was a video from ABC News & they were saying 2 weeks ago.

Do you have a link to an article? I did hear in the video that the tax payers aren't paying for the dishes but still it sounded like it wasn't very thought out if they were ordered 2 weeks ago. I was just going by what I heard in the ABC report.

[tammywammy]

58. Here's an article

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gXGxQn0yqoTVPDyPVMJ3qkRAihnAD95IEIH00

-snip-
Laura Bush said the china has been in the works for several years and the family had hoped to be able to use it, but the process took longer than expected.

"So I hope that the next family, and I know they will be happy to have these two sets, as well, to be able to entertain their heads of state that come in, as well as for their closest family and friends," she said in the White House Family Dining Room.

The Bush family moves out of the White House Jan. 20, the same day President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in.

Officials did not believe the new china would be used for President Bush's lunch Wednesday with Obama and former presidents Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter, because it is still being unpacked.

Former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton also unveiled official china shortly before leaving the White House. That set and a famously expensive one commissioned by Nancy Reagan are the plates now used for large events, but the Bush china has more place settings — 320 — than either of those.
-snip-

[1776Forever]

88. Thank you - this is why print media shouldn't go out of business - appreciate it.

This makes much better sense when you read the entire article and it does make Laura come out smelling like a rose.

:hi:

[liberalmuse]

45. Too incomprehensible to even comment on.

And to think I was horrified at reading how the nice Romanov family was dragged out of their palace. I'd really like to go Bolshevik on the entire Bush administration.

[Avalux]

54. Her way of saying "FU" to Michelle? What if Michelle hates the pattern?

Will she be compelled to use the china just because Laura bought them for her? :wtf:

[tammywammy]

64. Sigh, no not at all

The First lady usually unveils the new china at the end of the second term, just like Hillary Clinton did. BTW, the Bush's have used the Clinton china at quite a few of their state dinners.

[Avalux]

66. It's OK.

Just having some fun. ;-)

[greguganus]

141. It's tradition. (for the 100th time) n/t

[Riley18]

55. Was the china made in America?

[tammywammy]

59. Lenox, Inc and Pickard China

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gXGxQn0yqoTVPDyPVMJ3qkRAihnAD95IEIH00

[jaysunb]

56. Please take whatever you like and leave

:evilfrown:

[Beacool]

57. What's the outrage about?

It's tradition and it's usually paid with private funds. The Clinton service was the most current one prior to this one. Sometimes, depending on the number of guests, several services are combined and used at the same time.

The Clinton Service

The Clinton service is remarkable not only for its revolutionary design but also for its significance to the history of the American presidency. The Clinton administration coincided with the bicentennial of the White House as home to America's first families, a role it had played since John Adams, the second president, took up residence there on November 1, 1800. To commemorate this event, and also replenish the stock of official state china for the first time in nearly two decades, President William Clinton and his wife, Hillary, commissioned Lenox to create 300 12-piece placesettings in 2000. In a dramatic departure from previous White House services, the Clinton china features a border of pale creamy yellow, instead of a bright primary color, and images of the White House facades, in place of the customary presidential seal. Each piece in the placesetting is decorated with a different pattern, the motifs derived from outstanding architectural elements found in the State Dining Room, East Room, and Diplomatic Reception Room. Fittingly, the china was used for the first time at a dinner attended by former Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George Bush, their wives, and Lady Bird Johnson, former first lady.

[tammywammy]

60. From what I read

There's only two full sets now, Regan's & Clinton's. Lots of wear and tear on those dishes during events.

[Beacool]

63. Does the image appear?

I'm still at work and sometimes we only see Xs instead of a pic.

[tammywammy]

65. No, it doesn't

:(

[Beacool]

67. Let me try again.

Different image, but I couldn't enlarge it. Here's the rest of the article:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/11/27/print/main252622.shtml

[Olney Blue]

71. closer look at Clinton china

[Beacool]

78. Thanks!!

I'm trying to get out work after a very long day and couldn't find a better image in a hurry.

;)

[janx]

94. I love the silverware. It's simple and elegant. I'd like to use

that silverware with the Hayes Haviland turkey china!

[tammywammy]

72. I like the Clinton china very much n/t

[Beacool]

80. Great pic, thanks.

I like it far better than the red set designed by Nancy. Interesting that each of these two First Ladies selected pattern included their favorite colors. Hillary loves yellow and Nancy is partial to red.

:D

[Beacool]

76. Maybe this is why Laura waited so long to order a set of her own.

Laura Bush's Clinton Connection

First lady Laura Bush has a thing for the Clinton presidential china. For two of the three state dinners held by President Bush, Mrs. Bush has chosen the table settings picked out by her predecessor, Hillary Rodham Clinton. The stated reason should be good enough. "It was selected because it looked the best with the flowers," says East Wing florist Nancy Clark of the gold-trimmed china used in last week's dinner for the president of Kenya. "The short answer," adds chief usher Gary Walters, "is because Mrs. Bush likes it." One selling point is that the Clinton china is the only pattern with an image of the White House on it. But there's another reason, and it's the one that led Mrs. Clinton to order it up. No collection, except the Reagan china used once by the Bushes, has enough complete place settings for the 130 seats in the State Dining Room. Reason: Some pieces have been broken, others stolen. In fact, now every piece is accounted for before the guests leave. So why not always use the Reagan china? It's hard to match the tomato-red color with flowers, flatware, and tablecloths.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/whispers/articles/031020/20whisplead.htm

[elleng]

87. The 'outrage'

is about people not taking the time to read the story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/07/AR2009010702829_pf.html

and learn anything about the traditions involved. I'm afraid we're in for 4 (8) years of this type thing. Laura did her job, as she's done in the past with w, their kids, and her in-laws.

[Beacool]

89. Exactly.

The White House is steeped in history and tradition. There's is a time for partisanship, but this is not one of those moments.

:eyes:

[TWiley]

125. great, another republican apoligist

Maybe the outrage is simple. Who will use the plates? Myself, I would choose those of Abraham Lincoln, FDR, or Bill Clinton.

Most of the world leaders hate us because of bush. So, have a state dinner and insult the majority of them by offering poison on a plate commerating the greatness of the bush administration?

100 place settings = $4,850 per setting. To honor the worst president ever?

[onenote]

136. great another poster who didn't read (or didn't comprehend) the article

The reason for the new china is that the older china patterns don't have enough complete place settings to serve a full state dinner.

And there are 320 settings, not 100, so your math is off by a factor of more than three.

[TWiley]

149. Hey B-Flat, the O.P. does NOT have an article to read

If you happened to actually look at it, it is a link to an ABC news broadcast, and not an article. Furthermore NOTHING in it supports your claim.

Pick your bone with ABC news if you have a problem with accuracy.

[onenote]

150. Hey TooLazy

If you had bothered to read other posts in this thread, you'd have found at least six links to articles discussing why the china was purchased and home many settings there are; several other posts have made the same point without a link.

[TWiley]

151. Hey concise reader ..... this is fun

efferdently, you have much more time than I do. I don't always read every post in a thread which might be the point. I did watch the video though.

[greguganus]

143. At least they didn't put their faces on the plates. n/t

[elleng]

153. That would be 'apologist,'

if it were correctly spelled; suggesting that someone is an apologist for citing 'history' is, I think, simply incorrect.

[TWiley]

121. Maybe the 32% approval rating? Shrub is not well liked.

a $485,000 rememberence to his brilliant job? Who will use the plates, and why spend more (pretty close) than any two other presidents?

[TahitiNut]

61. I'd sure have it tested for lead before I let anyone use it.

:puke:

[JeffreyWilliamson]

70. Is this the dreaded Reagan stuff?

Personally don't care for the red, or gold trim.

[Beacool]

82. It's hard to match with the flowers and decor.

That's why it appears that Laura preferred the Clinton china for State dinners.

:)

[fed_up_mother]

84. I saw a picture of a table set with those plates

With the crystal, silverware, flowers, etc., it was gorgeous; however, I understand that it wouldn't be very versatile.

Anyway, I love red, but don't like too much gold. I can admire the china Hillary designed, but there's too much gold for me. I am very intrigued by the pattern, however. I think she did a terrific job on her dishes.

[lonestarnot]

79. I think we should send the shit back for a refund in 1 week and 6 days. Son of a bitch!

Kid killer wasting money like that, curtain wear'n freak, you can't get packed soon enough for the exit eggs.

[tammywammy]

83. Are the private donors asking for their money back?

:shrug:

[lonestarnot]

85. I wasn't about to watch that crap. Did it say private donors paid for the pickle jars?

[tammywammy]

99. Well, you could have read the thread

Here's a link to an article
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gXGxQn0yqoTVPDyPVMJ3qkRAihnAD95IEIH00

Yes, it was paid for by private donors.

[lonestarnot]

101. Thanks for the link. Looks like she's drown the whole place in yellow pissy rugs.

Ackety. I'd have a greek dance with some of that crap.

[LibertyLover]

86. The formal china is kind of pretty

I like the combination of green and gold. But I don't particularly care for the less formal magnolia service. I prefer more traditional floral patterns. Since the china is paid for by private donations, I don't really have a problem with these two services' purchase - well except that I don't care for the less formal magnolia one. But then I don't have to live with it and I do like the china I have.

[samplegirl]

91. I think this would of really been in good taste...had Laura

let Michelle pick her own pattern. Everyone has their own taste and personally I would not like someone picking out my dishes. I hope Michelle goes in and replaces everything Laura has done.

[tammywammy]

97. If the Obamas are in the WH for 8 years

Michelle will pick her own china. This is very customary for the china to come out at the end of the 2nd term.

And the Bush formal china is nice, I won't be surprised if Michelle picks it for a few state dinners.

[alittlelark]

95. I hope the Obamas choose 'Made in the USA'

For All of their place settings, wine and food. There are some wonderful wines coming out of smaller wineries. They need a wine steward that has intricate knowledge of American wineries. I would also love to see our 'china' made in AMERICA.... there are many brilliant ceramacists here in the US.


I can only hope.

[tammywammy]

98. The Bush china was made by Lenox and Pickard n/t

[Beacool]

116. Lenox is the official company that has been used for many years

and the china is indeed made in America.

;)

[liberalhistorian]

100. Good God, think what that money could do

for THIS poor child and his family:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x4787000

Unbefuckinglievable that she could think nothing of dropping that amount on a stupid dish set, when the same amount could save this child's life. But, of course, he's not a corrupt banker, silly me.

[greguganus]

144. She didn't pay for the shit. Private investors did. Maybe we can get the investors' names

and then you contact them. Where was the outrage with Clinton's china?

[Ilsa]

104. But did anyone notice that odd blue rufflely dress Pickles was wearing

in one scene of the video? She looked like she was wearing a bedskirt.

[Lugnut]

115. And they're ugly.

The Bushes are notorious for tackiness and those dishes bear that out.

[jtrockville]

118. *sings* all my clothes come from the top designers...

all my china is a perfect match.

[Trillo]

120. Just a guess: Sounds like a money-laundering operation.

I'd be very surprised if the china maker/manufacturer actually received, or will receive, all of that as cash. Prolly lots of middlefolks, some with creative accountants?

If anyone knows the amount the manufacturer actually receives as cash, please reply.

[fed_up_mother]

124. That's 320 place settings, with something like 14 pieces per place setting

Plus the luncheon dishes. (Don't know how many place settings they ordered there.)

Considering the quality, I don't think anyone is laundering money. Especially for custom work.

[Festivito]

123. Probably complete with CIA microphones and transmitters. /nt

[spanone]

127. she should get the bill for it.

[onenote]

138. did it occur to you to actually read any of the posts in the thread?

As stated umpteen times, the china was paid for by private donations to the White House Historical Association.

[kiva]

142. But then how could they be sufficiently outraged? n/t

[-..__...]

134. I wonder if it's a common occurence...

that guests swipe some of the place settings at these functions (gotta have that souvenir)?

[onenote]

139. apparently it was, so that now they are more careful to account for every piece

[eowyn_of_rohan]

146. What happened- did they BREAK it all during their drunken tantrums?