State Dinner Time: Pres. Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host South Korean President Lee Myung-bak

AP

It's State Dinner time! President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his wife Kim Yoon-Ok to the White House today for a state dinner. As for entertainment tonight, newcomer Janelle Monáe will preform as well as Ahn Trio, a classical ensemble of three Korean-American singers.

The 200 guests expected tonight will dine on the first course consisting of  Butternut squash bisque, honey poached cranberries, Virginia cured ham, pumpkin seed praline, and crème fraiche.A second course that will include early fall harvest salad on daikon sheets, masago rice pearl crispies, and rice wine vinaigrette. The main course will be Texas Wagyu beef, orange-ginger fondue, sauteed kale, roasted kabocha squash. Tonight's dessert will consist of chocolate male devils food layers with pear and almond brittle. Sounds good!

German State Dinner Watch: Michelle Obama dress revealed!

What do you think? Love it or hate it?

China State Dinner: Arrival Ceremony

Getty and Reuters

President Obama welcomed Chinese President Hu Jintao to the White House this morning in an elaborate arrival ceremony. The ceremony was only the first in activities for the Chinese president which also includes a joint press conference and a state dinner later tonight. This morning, several Political Girls were present for the ceremony including First Lady Michelle Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Jill Biden. Vice President Biden and Secretary of Defense Gates were also on hand. This is the first State Dinner for China in 14 years so they are really rolling out the red carpet for the President Hu Jintao.

Did you know there was a State Dinner next week?

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at their 2nd State Dinner hosting Mexican counterparts Felipe Calderon and Margarita Zavala.

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcoming Indian Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife, Gursharan Kaur

According to the Washington Post, it is true. On next Wednesday, January 19 President Obama will welcome Chinese President Hu Jintao to the United States with a full fledged White House State Dinner in spite of the Tragedy in Tucson. While the White House contends it has been planned for months in advance, I can see many of their opponents jumping on them for having such an elaborate gathering so soon after the shooting.

What do you guys think? Good idea or bad idea?