“White Horse?”

Scene from Armageddon:

Harry Stamper: Um, Bear would like to stay at the...
[tries to read writing]
Harry Stamper: "White horse"?
[looks up at Bear]
Bear: White, *House*. White House.
Harry Stamper: White House. Yeah, he'd like to stay in the Lincoln bedroom of the White House for the summer. Stuff like that.
Truman: Sure, I think we can, uh, take care of... some of that.

Sorry, Armageddon has been cycling through FX recently and I figured this quote applied.
Anyway, Ryan (my roommate), Matt (my suitemate), Amber (my friend), and I (myself) went to the White House today. Matt works for an Ohio Congressman and was able to book us last minute on the standard tour that goes through the White House. So after rising bright and early this morning we hobbled on over to the White House for an 8:30 tour. Fortunately the day is beautiful and even at 8:00am it was sunny and 30 degrees. So we began our visit at the Visitor Entrance building which is on the East side of the House. For the time we were on the first floor we passed the Library where Obama would give an interview for like 60 Minutes. We also passed the Vermeil Room and China Room. In this first corridor before we went up the stairs to the East Room I found what is probably the most hilarious thing in the White House, this Painting (note that I couldn't take any pictures so these are off the internet and you can click on them to get a bigger picture):


I find this Painting hilarious (and creepy) to me for multiple reasons. 1. It’s a painting of Hillary Clinton. 2. She looks creepy. 3. It’s a painting of Hillary Clinton. Now honestly it’s not because I dislike Hillary Clinton, it’s just that the painting feels “out of place.” Yes there are other paintings of first ladies in the White House, but she was just so recent that I wasn’t expecting a painting. Anyway…

So we go upstairs and move into the East Room:


This is the largest room in the White House and the President uses it for receptions, ceremonies, press conferences, and other events. Just last night Obama used it to sign an executive order strengthening the long-standing White House initiative on historically black colleges and universities. Now in this room is this famous painting:


I recognized it and wanted to know if that was the original. Uniformed Secret Service agents were in every room willing to answer questions so I asked and found out that this is one of the original eight that Gilbert Stuart painted, but more importantly it is the one Dolley Madison saved when the British burned the White House in 1814. Dolley had to have had some help or she was an iron woman because this is a huge 8 by 5 painting. Needless to say it was cool seeing that painting. Moving on…

Next room was the Green Room:


This was Thomas Jefferson’s dining room and it is now a parlor and is used for receptions.
This room is the Blue Room:


It is often used by the President to receive guests and is dead smack in the middle of the White House on the second floor. Outside is the South Portico and the view from what we could see is amazing. So whenever you’re watching a movie that shows the White House it’s the one in the middle of the rotunda. Coolest room by far. It’s blue, obviously, and houses the Christmas tree during the winter.

Fourth room, Red Room:


It’s used for small receptions, apparently the first ladies like it. John Adams used it as a breakfast room. It’s red.

Final room is the State Dining Room:


This can seat 130 guests and carved into the fireplace mantel is this quotation from John Adams: “I pray Heaven to bestow the best blessings on this house and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof.” Now in this room is famous painting number two:


Now I didn’t get as much background on this as I did the Washington one but it was bequeathed to the White House in 1939 by the widow of Robert Todd Lincoln, the President’s oldest son.
Finally, we end up in a cross hall before the exit. It was pleasant, there was a black choir group singing fun gospel music to add to our touring experience. Also, this room had famous painting number three:


Now this was my favorite because we were able to get inches away from it unlike the Washington and Lincoln portraits. It’s really beautiful up close and in person. I wish I had someone to ask about the history of this one and why that pose was chosen (even though it is obviously quite symbolic).

After that room we exited the White House from behind and went off to Macy’s for a one day sale where I bought two ties and saved 50 bucks. When we got on the Metro everyone was surprised it was only 11:30. As you can tell my crowd doesn’t wake up in the a.m. on weekends. So that is about it.

T-minus 15 days till numero 21.

Ryan, Matt, Amber, and me