WASHINGTON - Straw huts, hula dancers and kids playing with hula hoops were all on display Thursday evening in the White House's backyard -- not the typical congressional picnic.
President Barack Obama wanted it this way for the annual picnic for members of Congress and their families.
"I just want to say to all the members of Congress, you've been working hard. I wish I could give you all trips to Hawaii," Obama said in his brief remarks. "But I figured since, given our budget crunch we can't do that, that we'd at least bring Hawaii to you."
The Obama White House turned its first congressional picnic into a Hawaiian luau, in celebration of the president's home state. Tents were set up on the South Lawn, tiki torches lined the perimeter, and potted palm trees were brought in. More than 2,000 guests, many wearing leis and sipping drinks, were scattered on the South Lawn under the blue sky.
All wearing leis, the president, first lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters 10-year-old Malia and 8-year-old Sasha along with Vice President Joe Biden walked from the White House to meet the crowd. Before Obama shouted an "aloha" to guests, he and Sasha could be seen boogying to the music.
On the menu were traditional luau foods like kalua pig and lomi lomi salmon prepared by famed Hawaii chef Alan Wong.
