I know exactly what happened to her, as I’ve seen it many times. Washington just hates anyone who is too obvious about being stylish and successful – especially if that person is “staff”. It’s moronic, it’s sometimes vicious, but it’s very predictable. Ms. Rogers thought her participation in fashion and the performing arts were an asset to White House entertaining. In the real world, the world of results, most sane people would have agreed. But in Washington, as Vince Foster famously said, “destroying people is a sport.”

With her brilliance, style and femininity, she drew attention to herself, rather than the Obamas, and in that she committed what Washington views as an unforgivable sin: “Thou shalt not stand out.” Just watch the news and see how the truly powerful women present themselves. Hillary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Senators Blanche Lincoln and Kay Bailey Hutchison? The highest fashion statement allowed is a nice St. John suit, preferably black, but cherry red allowed for festive occasions. Bonus points – it doesn’t wrinkle. And on their feet, sensible pumps. You never see a ruffled violet blouse, or a pretty skirt and jacket that don’t match. The height of jewelry style is the ubiquitous eagle-on-a-pearl pin. It’s a uniform, and every woman in power is supposed to adopt it, if she wants to be taken seriously.

In New York and Los Angeles successful women get to express themselves with their individual taste and observers enjoy it. In fact, who will even believe you’re successful if you don’t flaunt it? In Washington, God forbid you draw attention to yourself for your femininity or fashion sense. The old boys’ club doesn’t like being reminded that it’s no longer just an “old boys” club. Remember Hillary and her black pant suits? She did that to make people take her seriously – and it worked. Ms. Rogers didn’t understand that as STAFF, she’s not supposed to be in the news. She’s supposed to be behind the scenes and as invisible as she can make herself. Interviews with Vanity Fair, Vogue and the WSJ are simply not part of that program. She stuck her neck out, probably because her many successes in Chicago and her longtime friendship with both Obamas made her feel secure. But she’s not their only friend, and apparently Axelrod and Jarrett and some of the rest of them also didn’t like her prominent public image. So, off with her head (metaphorically speaking.)

That’s Washington’s sad reality.

The answer to that question is the part of the story that’s most shocking, because it’s inconceivable there would be a social event of any kind – much less a State Dinner, the most important event of all – without any staff from the Social Office there to welcome and check in every guest.  And yet, that’s what happened.  No one from the Social Office at the gate, and now the Social Secretary saying that apparently they need to do that.  Gee, you think?

OF COURSE there should be Social Office staff at the gate!  They’re the ones who create the lists, know the names, know who’s important to the President and First Lady – just in case a real guest name has been left off a list.  They manage all the last minute changes from cancellations and additions.  And they’re the ones who should decide if a person should be added to a list at the gate – not the Secret Service!  If they say so, then the guest’s name, date of birth and social security number are put into the clearance system, they wait for approval, and the guest gets to enter.  That’s how it’s supposed to work, anyway.

I am speechless at the idea that the Social Secretary didn’t think this process was necessary.  Actually, I was already shocked to see Desiree Rogers arriving as a GUEST (in a very strange dress) rather than running around behind the scenes to ensure every little detail was perfect.  You can’t delegate these things, at least not at the White House, and you can never assume things will go the way you planned – at least not at the White House!  Your plans may be brilliant – probably were brilliant -  but nothing important goes off without some little problem. Apparently the Omaba team believes all the hype about their exceptionalism.  Big mistake.  They may be different, may actually BE the smartest people in the room, but that doesn’t change the White House, a place that eats smart people for lunch.

I know the Secret Service, by nature, will tell White House staff they can handle anything – are happy to handle anything.  But that doesn’t mean they should.  And White House staff who have been in place almost a year now should know that.

I was all set to provide the expert commentary on the event on C-SPAN tonight, but the President’s toast was 45 minutes late and it took away  my 10 minutes!  Next time please be more punctual, Mr. President!

The dinner looked beautiful.  apple green table cloths, violet roses and orchids in low, gold bowls, violet stemware and THREE different Presidential chinas: the Eisenhower base plates with the wide gold band on the rim, the Hillary Clinton china with pale yellow and gold rims, and a china I don’t know, from George and Laura Bush.

Three hundred twenty guests dined in a tent set up on the South Lawn, which is something we did a LOT for the Clintons.  I carefully noted they installed a floor.  ONE time we didn’t do that, and it rained, and the guests had to step through mud and soggy grass to get to their tables – a lot of expensive gowns and shoes were ruined, and it was awful.  I guess that lesson is carefully settled with the White House Ushers, and they’ll never do that again!

I am surprised that the President, who I greatly admire, seems not to be well advised on protocol and etiquette.  Last week he bowed to the Emperor of Japan while holding out his hand to shake – a very awkward and silly move.  You may have seen the smile on the Emperor’s face, the polite Japanese equivalent of rolling on the floor laughing.  How did that happen?  The Chief of Protocol, Capricia Marshall, was Social Secretary to the Clintons and is a very smart and capable woman.  Surely she advised the President to simply shake hands?  Americans DO NOT BOW to foreign leaders.  We fought a revolution that pretty much settled that!

And then, at the State Dinner, the Indian PM offered his toast, in honor of the President, Mrs. Obama and the American people, and the President took a glass and drank!  No. No NO!  You never drink to yourself!  Someone toasts in your honor and you smile and nod while everyone else sips!  No.

But that’s a miniscule thing to criticize when the rest of this important and high-profile event went so well.  Congratulations to the White House Visitors Office and Social Office for pulling off their first – and therefore most difficult and stressful – State Visit.

White House State Dinners are the most exclusive, elegant events in Washington, and the highest-level expression of diplomacy and protocol.  And even with all that, they’re a lot of FUN!

The planning starts with the guest list, and this may be the hardest part – ‘cause EVERYONE wants to come, and there’s just not enough room.  The State Dining Room is the traditional venue, but it only seats 140 at round tables of 10.  That may sound like a lot, but it’s not when you factor in all the politicians who have to be invited, the diplomats from our government and the guest country, the major supporters who naturally expect an invitation, and the celebrities who liven up any dinner party.  Diplomats and politicians by themselves would make a mighty dull party, so let’s hear it for the actors, actresses, musicians, writers, poets, painters and assorted creative people who spark it all up!

To make room for more guests the dinner can be moved to a tent on the South Lawn, and that’s what the Obamas are doing, with 400 guests coming on Tuesday for the PM of India.

The Social Office solicits guest suggestions from major White House departments, and I remember sitting in some of these meetings as names were offered and accepted or cut.  I especially remember the meeting for Hungary, when someone suggested a major film maker of Hungarian descent.  I couldn’t believe my ears – this guy had produced and directed a scummy movie about strippers, and then went on TV to urge young teens to evade the NC17 rating by sneaking in to his movie.  Not a perfect White House guest, and I let them all know it.

Beautiful calligraphed invitations go out about a month before, and there’s still plenty of begging from people who absolutely, positively HAVE to be on that list!  Sometimes that works, but usually not.

Major planning begins months in advance on the menu, décor and entertainment.  The White House chef does research on the taste preferences and dislikes of the visiting Head of State.  State Dept has to ask about allergies, ‘cause God forbid a guest gets sick.  Sample menus are suggested to the First Lady, and the dishes that appeal to her are prepared for a tasting, with the Social Secretary and anyone else they want to include.  The pastry chef does research too, and is expected to come up with something so spectacular the guests will all gasp when it’s brought to the table.

The White House has its own Flower Shop, and there’s a new head florist this year who’s also doing her research about what colors and flowers are appropriate for a specific country.  White, for example, is not a good choice for Japan, because there it’s a color of mourning.  Which china will Mrs. Obama choose – the Reagan red and gold, or the Hillary Clinton pale yellow and gold?  Maybe both, to serve 400 guests!

It’s a great honor for an entertainer to be asked to perform at a State Dinner, even though they only get about 20 minutes (Washington politicians have short attention spans.)  And they don’t get paid; they do it for the prestige.  Sometimes the performance is about purely American styles of music and dance, and sometimes it’s about the traditional forms of the guest country as they’ve been adopted and adapted by American artists.  The King of Morocco loves jazz, so he got the Modern Jazz Quartet.  The President of Argentina got an American ensemble, QuinTango, playing tango, and American actor Robert du Vall dancing tango with his Argentine fiancé, and famous Argentine tango dancers Pablo Veron and his elfin and elegant partner.  Since Hillary knew I loved tango, she asked me to arrange the entertainment, and it was the most exciting night of my life!

More about this in the next blog post!

I dance with tango god Pablo Veron at the Argentine State Dinner