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Bill Clinton Loves This Book, and You Will Too!
Breakfast with Tom Hanks, lunch with Michael Douglas, gifts from the King of Morocco and dinner seated next to the President of the United States were all in a day’s work for Melinda Bates …
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White House Insider returns to White House for State Visit
White House Insider and expert explains State Visits
Washington Backstabbing Brings Down Another Prominent Woman
As a native of Washington, DC, I’m sadly all too familiar with what happened to outgoing White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers. She came to DC with her outstanding resume, her sense of style and her innovative ideas for White House events. She worked her ass off, creating a range of creative and welcoming parties, [...]
Featured Speaker on Amazing Celebrity Caribbean Cruise
Melinda Bates, Ultimate White House Insider, featured enrichment speaker on Celebrity cruise ship Equinox
FABULOUS White House visit!
Melinda Bates, Ultimate White House Insider, goes back to the White House for an East Room event with President Obama, rekindles great memories of her eight exciting years working out of the East Wing.
Ultimate White House Insider is Returning – to the White House!
Melinda Bates, former Director, White House Visitors Office for Bill and Hillary Clinton returns to the White House with the Park View Little League world champs, Feb. 5, 2010.
White House Gate Crashers, Social Office Screw-Up
I’m following the news about the couple who crashed the White House State Visit with absolute astonishment – and not for the reason you think. It’s certainly shocking when anyone manages to bluff her way into what is supposedly the country’s most secure location. But it’s wrong to blame the Secret Service. They do staff [...]
Thanksgiving from the White House to Baja Mexico
That’s me in the picture there, and you may wonder why I’m petting a turkey. Good question! (‘Cause, you know, who does that? Not to mention, isn’t that the biggest turkey you’ve ever seen?) Well, that’s not just ANY turkey. That’s the official, White House turkey! You’ve probably seen a video clip of a President [...]
Obama State Visit/State Dinner
Looks like the President and Mrs. Obama hosted a brilliant State Visit for the PM of India. It’s too bad they don’t (yet) control the weather, ’cause it really rained on their parade/arrival ceremony in the morning. They had to move the event inside, to the East Room, which is a lot less festive than [...]
How to Throw a State Dinner
White House State Visits – State Dinner Edition! 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 [...]
White House State Visits – A Personal Look! Part I the Arrival Ceremony
Arrival Ceremony from a bird’s eye view The Nov. 21 edition of the Washington Post has a photo montage of State Dinners from President Eisenhower to Bush 43 – wow, did these bring back some amazing memories! Take a look at the Emperor and Empress of Japan, the Clintons’ first State Visit. Nothing like starting [...]
Happy Birthday White House!
Today, October 13, is the birthday of the White House! She is 217 years old, as dated from the laying of the cornerstone (that nobody can now find). I called the White House to see how they’re celebrating this date, but they knew nothing about it. Too bad! In OUR first year at the White [...]
Art in the White House
There’s a story in the October 6 Washington Post about art selected by the President and Mrs. Obama for use in the private Residence and East and West Wing offices. Most people don’t know about programs providing loans of art from American museums to the White House and embassies around the world. Presidents (really First [...]
Lunch with Dr. Ruth
Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the famous sex advisor, comes to the White House one day, and ends up in my office. (I never know exactly why.) I shake her tiny hand and think, Gosh, I didn’t know Chanel made suits in children’s sizes! I guess she must have them custom made. I guess she must have [...]
You Heard it Here First, Yeltsin Edition!
It’s interesting that the news this week has focused on a particular story in the Clinton Tapes – the one about Russian President Boris Yeltsin being drunk during his White House visit. But those who’ve read White House Story, a Democratic Memoir, were already in the know, ‘cause I tell this story in a lot [...]
Welcome to the Ultimate White House Insider blog!
Thanks to my eight amazing years working in the heart of the Clinton administration, I’m THE expert on how the White House really works, what happens when it doesn’t, and who comes to visit (hint: EVERYONE!) Here in the blog I’ll be telling some of those intimate, back stage stories, and commenting on the news [...]