The White House Let-Down

On Thursday, August 3, 2006, exactly 40 interns from the Center for American Progress had a tour of the White House. We left our building around 12:00noon because our tour was at 12:30P.M. and we were asked to be there at least fifteen minutes in advanced. We all walked together to the White House because it's only a few blocks away from our building. Prior to the day we were scheduled for a tour, we received an email saying don't bring a long list of items. A camera was one of the items, so you won't see any pictures on this post. Sorry!

When we arrived, we were asked to get in alphabetical order and line up against the wall. We lined up relatively quickly for a group of our size. Once we were in a line, one by one our identification was checked and we went inside the security check point. After you were cleared we then walked to the White House. Now I know you all are saying I should be grateful I went on a tour because they had stopped giving tours of the White House. I agree, I should be grateful and I am, but the story of my tour is tragic. When we began to fill the first room, some of the interns were a little louder than usual. A guard then loudly requested all of us to use our inside voices because the 1st Lady, referred to as Laura by the guard, was upstairs and he didn't want to upset her. He then told us that it was a self-guided tour and guards would be on their various posts if we had any questions. We went through the following rooms between parallels rows of velvet rope. We walked past the library and then went up a set of stairs to the main level of the White House. We walked through the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, the State Dining Room and a very short hallway.

Then I realized that the next walk through was a door that led to outside... I had only been walking around for about 15 to 20 minutes tops. Our tour of the White House was a shorter distance than the distance from our building to the White House. I know that might not be that big of a deal to some people, but the blocks in Washington, DC make the blocks in Charlotte look like driveways. I was disappointed in our tour. I mean we went to "The White House" and it was sad. I mean I knew the President wouldn't be there because he's razing, I mean conserving, our country. Then we were given a little self-guide tour. The interesting thing was one of the interns found out that the White House has a $1.2 million budget for flowers. Now, I know I'm not a policy experts or a political expert, but I do have common sense. We have people that are homeless and starving, amongst other things and they have a budget that high for flowers. Well, I just hope the nation doesn't end up like the flowers, withering and eventually dead.

I hope you enjoyed this post, excuse me for being a bit critical.