Confedeate General Robert E. Lee
Obama rocks the Alfalfa Club (click here)
by Politico.com
Saturday January 31, 2009, 11:57 PM
Obama, the first African-American US president, alluded to the fact that the event's freighted history -- being founded by a white Southerner in the immediate post-Civil War era -- made his starring turn rather unlikely.
"Many of you are aware that this dinner began almost one hundred years ago as a way to celebrate the birthday of (Southern US Civil War) General Robert E. Lee," Obama said.
"If he were here with us tonight, the general would be 202 years old -- and very confused," the US leader quipped.
Obama also poked good-natured fun at the famously foul mouth of his chief of staff, former congressman Rahm Emanuel.
Quite frankly, it is high time there is a Chief of Staff with an HONEST sense of dialogue.
"This hasn't been reported yet, but it was actually Rahm's idea to do the swearing-in ceremony again," Obama joked, referring to the now famous do-over of his flubbed inauguration oath.
"Of course, for Rahm, every day is a swearing-in ceremony," Obama kidded.
But don't believe what you read. Rahm Emanuel is a real sweetheart.
No, it's true. Every week the guy takes a little time away to give back to the community. Just last week he was at a local school, teaching profanity to poor children.
The president also found humor in his hard fought negotiations with US security officials to keep his cherished Blackberry mobile communications device.
"In just the first few weeks, I've had to engage in some of the toughest diplomacy of my life. And that was just to keep my Blackberry," he joked.
"I finally agreed to limit the number of people who could email me. It's a very exclusive list.
"How exclusive?" he continued. "Everyone look at the person sitting on your left. Now look at the person sitting on your right. None of you have my email address."
