Well That Explains It

Some folks thought it odd that with so many people wanting to get in to his last town meeting Rush Holt only held one session, leaving hundreds outside who became easy prey for a challenger for his seat.

Well, now we know why. It seems simply that Rush got a better offer for his precious evening time during Recess

Guest list for Obama’s White House Ramadan dinner
September 1, 2009 | 4:27 pm

(UPDATE: 5:48 p.m. The president’s dinner remarks — sans teleprompter — have been added to the end of this item.)

The other day President Obama issued a special message to the Muslim world for the annual Ramadan holiday. Tonight, before leaving Wednesday for the rest of his stay-cation at Camp David, the president hosts a White House banquet to celebrate the same holiday.

Invited guests include three Cabinet secretaries, numerous diplomats, five members of Congress including the first Muslim, Keith Ellison of Minnesota, and the chief of the Palestine Liberation Organization mission.

Here is the (partial) list of invited guests, as provided by the White House:

Cabinet: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Deputy Cabinet secretaries: Commerce Deputy Secretary Dennis Hightower and Education Deputy Secretary Adam Miller.

Congress: Reps. Andre Carson (D-Ind.), John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Rush D. Holt (D-N.J.) and Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.).

In fact, poor Rush has taken such a drubbing in the last week that the President felt he had to single him out in his remarks to show how tight Rush is with The Won

THE PRESIDENT: Please, everybody have a seat. Thank you. Well, it is my great pleasure to host all of you here at the White House to mark this special occasion — Ramadan Kareem.

I want to say that I’m deeply honored to welcome so many members of the diplomatic corps, as well as several members of my administration and distinguished members of Congress, including the first two Muslims to serve in Congress — Keith Ellison and Andre Carson. Where are they? (Applause.)

Just a few other acknowledgements I want to make. We have Sen. Richard Lugar here, who’s our ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Where is Dick Lugar? There he is. (Applause.) Rep. John Conyers, chairman of the Judiciary Committee. (Applause.) Rep. Rush Holt is here. Thank you, Rush. (Applause.) Have we found you a seat, Rush? (Laughter.)

REPRESENTATIVE HOLT: I’m on my way to the train. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: I got you.

Actually, Rush, we have found your seat…and soon Mike Halfacre will be sitting in it.

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