Tuesday, February 11, 2014

French Arrival Ceremony #WHSocial

Two years ago, after a failed attempt to secure White House Easter Egg Roll tickets, Lea became aware of a TweetUp to get access to the event. Our second effort was unsuccessful, but we made contact with the White House Social Media Office and procured Garden Tour tickets as a (great) consolation prize. Late last week, we received an invitation to submit for a lottery to attend the arrival ceremony for French President Francois Hollande. Erik was a lucky applicant and headed out early this morning to the White House. The air was crisp and frigid, but the sky was bright. After waiting in a few security lines, he made his way to the South Lawn. A bit after 9:00 am, the event began with the presentation of colors, renditions of Hail to the Chief and national anthems, and brief remarks by both presidents. While Erik was not quite in handshake-distance of the presidents, he was close along the rope line. Other obligations kept Erik from attending the follow-up session in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, but the opportunity to participate in the ceremony was fantastic. Photos below.

Soldiers and Sailors from the Armed Services
Waiting in the Cold
The Presidents through a Sea of Hands and Cellphones
Greetings from President Obama
More Greetings from President Obama
President Hollande Addressing the Crowd
The First Lady and Presidents at the Ceremony's End

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