There's nothing like a handsome bachelor king to bring out a crowd.
More than 435 guests attended last night's state dinner for King Mohammed VI
of Morocco, making it the largest state dinner in White House history. For a
democracy, Americans sure go overboard for royalty.
Especially unmarried royalty. Singer-dancer Paula Abdul immediately warmed to
the subject. "Being that we're single--"
"--Princess Paula!" interrupted her pal Constance Schwartz.
The massive and eclectic guest list included Hollywood celebrities Teri Garr,
Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson and Carol Alt, filmmaker Ken Burns, Redskins owner
Dan Snyder, sex expert Ruth Westheimer, former White House reporter Helen
Thomas, Washington businessman Hani Masri, New York hostess Alice Mason,
international fundraiser Esther Coopersmith and law professor Alan Dershowitz.
For most, it was the first glimpse of the dashing 36-year-old king, who is
making his first official visit to the United States since assuming the throne
last year. His father, King Hassan II, died last July after a 38-year reign.
Mohammed is considered a more modern, hipper king. Last night, for example,
he opted for a tuxedo instead of traditional Arab robes. He speaks Arabic,
English, French and Spanish and did his doctoral thesis on the European Union.
When he's not ruling the country or attending state dinners, he likes golf, Jet
Skis and race cars. Older Moroccans hang his picture in their indoor markets;
younger ones try to copy his close-cropped haircut. "He's so popular the
younger generation call him 'M-6,' " said Marc Ginsberg, former U.S.
ambassador to Morocco.
When the monarch tours his country, girls line up in hope of catching a
glimpse of the Middle East's most eligible bachelor. Those hoping to catch his
eye, however, may be out of luck. International reports hint that the king has
already married, secretly. (Embassy officials only say he is not
"officially" married.) Last night he was accompanied by his sister,
Princess Lalla Meryem.
"I'm sure there's no lack of prospects for him," said William
Kennedy Smith.
But the king is here on business. While his father was known for his harsh
rule as much as for peace-keeping, Mohammed VI has called for a more open
government by releasing political prisoners and promoting advancement for women
and help for the poor. The king is using this visit to attract U.S. investors to
his country, which has a 20 percent unemployment rate. Most of his younger
subjects--70 percent of Morocco's population is under 30--seem to appreciate
Mohammed's modern shift, but he faces opposition from an entrenched old guard
and from Islamic fundamentalists.
"It is always tough to ascend to the throne after a great and famous
king," said Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the
United States. "I knew his father very well, and I'm impressed by this
young king. He definitely hit the ground running, and I think he made very gutsy
decisions. He surprised friends and foes. He's my kind of king."
Last night, President Clinton made clear he was a fan, too.
"No foreign guest is more deserving of a warm welcome here than King
Mohammed," Clinton said in his toast. Clinton announced that a scholarship
had been created in memory of King Hassan for Moroccan students studying in the
United States.
"I am willing to add my capacity and energy to yours," responded
Mohammed. Asking everyone to rise, he wished the United States "every
success" in promoting peace throughout the world.
But enough of substance. While the king opted for Western dress, the women
grabbed the fashion spotlight in traditional gowns. As a gift to Hillary
Clinton, Mohammed presented five takchita gowns; the first lady selected a gold
lace one for the dinner. Princess Lalla wore a similar gown, accented by a
magnificent ruby-and-diamond necklace. Janet Langhart Cohen wore a bright green
gown and gold drop earrings she bought during a recent visit in Marrakech. And
in honor of the king, Janet Ginsberg selected a red and gold crystal handbag,
created by Beverly Hills designer Kathrine Baumann, in the shape of--what
else?--a crown.
Chelsea Clinton, wearing a long lavender gown, slipped downstairs to greet
friends near the end of the receiving line. The line lasted just under a hour--a
record for Clinton's hugs and mugs--but the president was under strict
instructions not to launch into a long chat with any of the hundreds of guests.
In the waning days of his administration, the guest list grows but face time
shrinks.
To accommodate the multitude, dinner was served in a huge tent on the South
Lawn. The champagne tent was filled with light- and deep-pink roses on green
tablecloths. Guests dined on peppered seared salmon, lemon garlic lamb, warm
goat cheese tarts and "A Moroccan Oasis"--an orange sherbet and date
parfait molded to resemble a traditional Moroccan structure, accompanied by a
hand-painted sugar mural and mint and honey sauce.
Because the king is Muslim, the White House chef was instructed not to use
any alcohol in preparing the dishes. The king made his toast with a glass of
water.
At Mohammed's request, the evening's entertainment was provided by the
soul-funk group Earth, Wind & Fire. Co-founder Maurice White came out of
retirement just for this performance. The mandate: Play the group's greatest
hits. So the tent rocked with the sounds of "Shining Star,"
"That's the Way of the World" and "Boogie Wonderland."
"Weren't they great?" Clinton asked the audience after the show,
pointing to the original band members, many his own age. "I was thinking:
If a grandfather can do this, maybe there's life after politics."
But Paula Abdul was feeling a little left out. "You should have been up
there," one fan told the dancer and former Laker Girl.
"Next time, you're not going to stop me from jumping up on that
stage," she replied, flicking the train of her pink gown back in place.
"Not in this dress, though."
Guest List for White
House Dinner
Mohammed VI, king of Morocco
Princess Lalla Meryem
Lalla Soukaina, daughter of Princess Lalla Meryem
Moulay Driss, son of Princess Lalla Meryem
Moulay Abdellah Alaoui, cousin of the king, and Moulay Abdellah Alaoui
Moulay Driss Alaoui, cousin of the king
Mohamed Benaissa, minister of foreign affairs and cooperation
Andre Azoulay, adviser to the king
Mohamed Kabbaj, adviser to the king
Zoulikha Nasri, adviser to the king
Fathallah Oualalou, minister of economy and finance
Alami Tazi, minister of industry, trade and handicrafts
Abderrahman Sbai, minister delegate to the prime minister for national
defense
Taib Fassi Fihri, secretary of state for foreign affairs
Nouzha Chekrouni, secretary of state in charge of disabled persons
Mohammed Rochdi Chraibi, director of the cabinet
Hassan Aourid, palace spokesman
Abdallah Maaroufi, ambassador to the United States, and Kathleen Maaroufi
Ahmed Snoussi, ambassador to the United Nations
Abdelouahab Benmansour, historiographer of Morocco
General Abdelaziz Bennani, commander of the southern region
Maj. Gen. Abdelhaq Kadiri, director general of studies and documentation
Brig. Gen. Bouchaib Arroub, general staff of the Royal Armed Forces
Col.-Maj. Hamidou Laanigri, director general of the intelligence
Abdeslam Jaidi, ambassador of the king, and Maria Luisa Jaidi
Abdelhak Merini, director of royal protocol and chancery
Aicha Benhima, lady in waiting to Princess Lalla Meryem
Col.-Maj. Mekki Asraoui, aide-de-camp to the king
Paula Abdul, singer, and Constance Schwartz, National Football League
S. Daniel Abraham, Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation, and
Ewa Abraham
Jill Abramson, New York Times, and Henry L. Griggs III, consultant
Madeleine K. Albright, secretary of state, and Gregory Bowes
Henry Alpert, Spartan Petroleum, and Gerry Alpert, psychotherapist
Carol Alt, model-actress, and Melanie A. Bonvicino, Metro Management Group
Aida Alvarez, administrator, Small Business Administration, and John V.
Connorton Jr., lawyer
J. Brady Anderson, Agency for International Development, and Helen Brauner
Michael P. Andrews, Citigroup, and Julie Chrisco, ESPN
Rep. Robert Andrews. (D-N.J.) and Camille Andrews, Rutgers Law School
Kenneth S. Apfel, Social Security Administration, and Caroline Hadley
Felice Axelrod, Mount Sinai NYU Health, and Zachary Axelrod
Bruce Babbitt, secretary of the interior, and Harriet Babbitt, Agency for
International Development
William Bader, assistant secretary of state, and Gretta Bader, sculptor
David Beier, adviser to the vice president, and Elizabeth Wright
Jalil Belabbes Taarji, Marrakech Association of Hotel Investors
Seddik Belyamani, Boeing, and Prudence Belyamani
Richard Ben-Veniste, lawyer, and Donna Marie Grell
Naftali Bendavid, Chicago Tribune, and Dara Bendavid, Department of Health
and Human Services
Othman Benjelloun, United States-Morocco Council, and Laila Benjelloun
Abdelhak Bennani, WAFABANK
Fathia Bennis, Casablanca Stock Exchange
Samuel Berger, national security adviser, and Susan Berger
Meyer Berman, M.A. Berman Co., and Katia Christine
Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi ambassador to the United States
Patti Cadby Birch, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Avna P. Cassinelli
Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut attorney general, and Cynthia M. Blumenthal
Deborah Branson, attorney, and Lane Michael Luskey, Martin Frost Campaign
Committee
Alma Brown, Chevy Chase Bank, and Claude Edward Hitchcock, attorney
L. Carl Brown, Princeton University, and Anne Stokes Brown
Ken Burns, filmmaker, and Joanna Groning
Bill Burton, attorney, and Melissa Burton
Gloria Cabe, Export-Import Bank of the United States, and Piper Starr,
Export-Import Bank of the United States
Meredith Cabe, associate counsel to the president, and Peter Hutchins,
attorney
Louis Caldera, secretary of the Army, and Eva Caldera
Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), and Jeremy Rabinovitz
Lisa Caputo, Women & Co./Citigroup Inc., and Steven Stearns, Salomon
Smith Barney
Rep. Julia Carson (D-Ind.) and Lee Marble, Marble Southern Cookery
James Chace, World Policy Journal, and Joan Bingham, Grove Atlantic Press
Sant Chatwal, Hampshire Hotels and Resorts, and Pardaman Chatwal, Bombay
Palace Restaurants
Mourad Cherif, Omnium Nord Africain
James Cohen, real estate developer, and Lauren Chesley Cohen
William Cohen, secretary of defense, and Janet Langhart Cohen
Sophia Collier, Northpoint Technology, and Katherine Reynolds
Esther and Jonathan Coopersmith
Nancy Corzine and Irwin Edlavitch
Ertharin Cousin, Albertson's Inc., and Howlie Rhett Davis, CH2M Hill
Kelly Craighead, deputy assistant to the president, and Shannon Finley
William Daley, secretary of commerce
Sen. Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) and Linda Hall Daschle
Dennis A. Davison, attorney, and Barbara B. Davison
John Paul De Joria, John Paul Mitchell Systems, and Eloise Broady De Joria
Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law School, and Carolyn Cohen, Harvard Medical
School
Charles and Valerie Diker, National Museum of the American Indian
Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Deborah Dingell, General Motors Foundation
Carey Dolgin, Allied Surgical Group, and Ellen Steiner Dolgin, attorney
William H. Donaldson, Aetna Inc., and Jane Phillips Donaldson, Phillips
Oppenheim Group
Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Kimberly Dorgan, American Council of Life
Insurers
Edward R. Downe Jr. and Mary Conley Downe
Albert J. Dwoskin, A.J. Dwoskin and Associates, and Lisa Claire Dwoskin
Harland Eastman, former consul general in Tangier, Morocco
Dick Ebersol, NBC Sports, and Susan Saint James Ebersol
Martin Edelman, attorney, and Nancy Edelman, family therapist
Lalla Laila Alaoui Lamdaghri, chief of protocol, U.S. Embassy in Morocco
A. Huda Farouki, Financial Instrument and Investment, and Samia Farouki
Lee Fentress, Octagon, and Diane Fentress
Tilman J. Fertitta, Landry's Seafood Restaurants, and Meredith A. Jones
David Finn, Ruder Finn, and Amy Binder
Hamilton Fish, Public Concern Foundation and the Nation Institute
Sandra Frankel, town supervisor, Brighton, N.J., and Neil A. Frankel, Xerox
Thomas Freedman, senior adviser to the president, and Karin Kullman, special
assistant to the president
Mary Mel French, chief of protocol
Thomas Freston, MTV Networks, and Kathleen Freston
Leon Fuerth, national security adviser to the vice president, and Lynn Fuerth
Edward M. Gabriel, ambassador to Morocco, and Kathleen Linehan
Teri Garr, actress
Mohamed Ali Ghanam, SOMACA
Marc Charles Ginsberg, former ambassador to Morocco, and Janet Ginsberg
Hershel W. Gober, deputy secretary of veterans affairs, and Mary Lou Keener,
Department of Defense
Daniel S. Goldin, administrator, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration, and Judith Goldin
Armando Gomez, United Airlines, and William Kennedy Smith
Gen. John A. Gordon, deputy director of Central Intelligence Agency, and
Marilyn Gordon
Rep. Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) and Leslie Peyton Gordon
Robert F. and Faith Lehrman
Edward S. Green, attorney, and Joan F. Green
Roberta Greene, Save America's Treasures, and Patrick H.H. McCarthy III
Janice B. Griffin, Griffin and Associates, and Arthur R. Collins,
Public-Private Partnership
Michael Gustin, Lone Star Energy, and Cynthia Gustin
Maximino and Jenifer Gutmann
William R. Hambrecht, W.R. Hambrecht and Co., and Sarah Pigman Hambrecht
Mohamed Hassad, Royal Air Maroc
Gamal Helal, senior adviser to the special Middle East coordinator, and Rafah
Helal
Thomas Hoag, Hill and Knowlton USA, and Sandra Hoag
Richard Hofflich, counsel to the king
Ray R. Irani, Occidental Petroleum, and Ghada Irani
Jill Iscol and Kenneth Iscol
Asna Jaidi, kingdom of Morocco
Rabea Jaidi, kingdom of Morocco
Lynette Jennings, Lynette Jennings Designs, and Jan-Paul Waldin
Driss Jettou, ONA
Broderick Johnson, deputy assistant to the president, and Michele Johnson,
ABC News
Joel Johnson, senior adviser to the president, and Miriam Johnson
Cathy Kangas, president, HideAway Group, and Edward M. Sion, Villanova
University
James E. Kennedy, deputy assistant to the president, and Nancy Kennedy
Sen. Robert J. Kerrey (D-Neb.)
Abdellatif Kriem, charge de mission at the private secretariat of the king
Fayal Laaraichi, Moroccan Television
Marc Lacey, New York Times, and Omaira Lacey
Abderrahim Lahjouji, General Confederation of Enterprises in Morocco
Rep. Ray H. LaHood (R-Ill.) and Kathleen Irene LaHood
Barry Landau, television film producer, and Lynn Furstenberg
Gary J. LaPaille, Montgomery Watson Engineering, and Christine LaPaille,
National Governors' Association
Yusef A. Lateef, musician, and Tahira Lateef, teacher
Thomas H. Lee, Thomas H. Lee Co., and Ann G. Tenenbaum
Bruce Lindsey, deputy counsel to the president, and Dawn V. Woollen, special
assistant to the deputy counsel
Joseph Lockhart, assistant to the president and White House press secretary,
and Laura Logan
Mrs. Russell Long
Robert L. Mallett, deputy secretary of commerce, and Terri Mallett
Robert Malley, special assistant to the president for Arab-Israeli affairs,
and Caroline Brown, attorney
John P. Manning, Boston Capital Corp., and Lyle Howland
Yassine Mansouri, Maghreb Arab Press
William P. Marshall, deputy assistant to the president and deputy counsel to
the president, and Leslie Hitch, Edvisors Inc.
Alice Mason, Alice F. Mason Ltd., and Dominique Richard, Alice F. Mason Ltd.
Hani Masri, Capital Investment Management, and Cheryl Masri
Mary Stuart Masterson, filmmaker, and Damon G. Santostefano, director
Col.-Maj. Abdelghani Mathqal, physician to the king
Garry Mauro, Fannie Mae, and Cristina Wait Mauro
Rep. Karen McCarthy (D-Mo.), and Phil Ramone, Phil Ramone Inc.
William T. McCormick Jr., CMS Energy, and Ann McCormick
Ann McCoy, special assistant to the president and director of personal
correspondence, and Grady McCoy, special assistant to the commissioner of public
buildings service
Robert McGee, Occidental International, and Mary Louise McGee, Recording for
the Blind and Dyslexic
Garry K. McGuire Sr., Lucent Technologies, and Cherie McGuire
Garry K. McGuire Jr., Enterasys Networks
Allison Charlotte Storr, James Irvine Foundation
William Barrett McGurn III, American Chamber of Commerce in France, and
Catherine McGurn
David G. Mengebier, CMS Energy, and Molly Mengebier
Robert B. Menschel, Goldman Sachs Group, and Joyce F. Menschel, Metropolitan
Museum of Art
John Merrigan, Democratic Business Council, and Mariana Cruz Gonzalez
Cheryl Mills, Oxygen Media, and David Domenici, Maya Angelou Public Charter
School
Husam Misleh, American Federation of Ramallah, Palestine, and Rima Misleh
Arshad Mohammed, Reuters, and Zeba Mohammed Rasmussen
Edward Montgomery, deputy secretary, Department of Labor, and Kari Montgomery
Rep. Dennis Moore (D-Kan.) and Stephene Moore
Doug Morris, Universal Music Group, and Monique Morris
Lissa Muscatine, director of communications to the first lady, and Bradley
Graham, The Washington Post
Thomas A. Nassif, former ambassador to Morocco, and Zinetta Nassif
Marc Nathanson, Broadcasting Board of Governors, and David Nathanson, News
Corp.
Richard Parker, Middle East Institute and former U.S. ambassador to Morocco,
and Jeanne Parker
Jay Kumar Patel, National Federation of Indian-American Associations, and
Jyotsna Patel
Lisa Perry, New York, and Richard Perry, Perry Capital
Anthony T. Podesta, Podesta.com, and Delia A. Cohen, deputy director, White
House Correspondence Department
John Podesta, chief of staff to the president, and Megan Rouse, Morgan
Stanley Dean Witter
Lester Pollack, Centre Partners Management, and Geraldine Pollack
Philippa S. Polskin and Howard W. Polskin
Steven Protulis, National Council of Senior Citizens, and Dorinda Fox, NSCERC
Bobby Rahal, motorsports, and Debi Rahal
Joseph Verner Reed, undersecretary general of the United Nations and former
ambassador to Morocco, and Harmon E. Kirby
Ray Reggie, Media Direct, and Mary Michelle Reggie
Steven Ricchetti, deputy chief of staff to the president, and Amy Blanchard
Max I. Richtman, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare,
and Monique Maniet, Veterinary Holistic Care
Bruce Riedel, senior director for Near East and South Asian affairs, National
Security Council, and Elizabeth McCullen
Richard Riley, secretary of education, and Tunky Riley
Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson Foundation, and Sharon Robinson, Major
League Baseball
Stuart W. Rockwell, former ambassador to Morocco, and Rosalind Rockwell
Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ken.), and Cynthia Rogers
Richard Rominger, deputy secretary, Department of Agriculture, and Isi
Siddiqui, senior trade adviser to the secretary of agriculture
Robert Rosen, White House advance office director, and Jessica Gibson
Jack Rosen, American Jewish Congress, and Phyllis Rosen
Dennis Ross, special Middle East coordinator, and Deborah Ross
Kenneth Rothaus, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Weill Center, and
Paula Rothaus, New York Presbyterian Hospital
Alan Rothenberg and Georgina Rothenberg
Alfred Rotondaro, National Italian American Foundation, Kathleen Rotondaro,
Quadel Consulting Corp.
Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) and Carolyn Rush
Noureddine Sail, 2M Channel
David Saperstein, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and Ellen Weiss,
National Public Radio
Lloyd M. Sara, dentist, and Lisa Sara
Cristophe Schatteman, Cristophe Hair Salon, and Deborah P. Herbst
Robert Scheer, Los Angeles Times, and Narda Catharine Zacchino, Los Angeles
Times
Eric Schmidt, Novell Inc., and Wendy Schmidt
George A. Smathers and Louis Long Jr.
Daniel Snyder, Washington Redskins and Snyder Communications Inc., and Tanya
Snyder
Rep. Vic Snyder (D-Ark.)
Juliet Sorensen and Benjamin Jones
Ted Sorensen, attorney, and Gillian Martin Sorensen, U.N. assistant secretary
general
Mary Steenburgen, actor, Ted Danson, actor
Phil Stefani, Phil Stefani Restaurants, and Karen Stefani, Avanti Boutique
James Steinberg, deputy assistant to the president for national security
affairs, and Sherburne Abbott, National Academies Board on Sustainable
Development
David Steiner, Steiner Equities Group, and Sylvia Steiner
Lawrence H. Summers, secretary of the treasury, and Victoria Perry Summers
John Sykes, VH1, and Laurie Sykes
Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) and Betty Ann Tanner
Helen Thomas, former reporter, United Press International, and Tim Jenkins,
attorney
Rep. Ed Towns (D-N.Y.) and Gwen Towns
Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, George Washington University, and Francine
Trachtenberg, WETA
Susan Trees, Washington, and Roger Lee Cossack, CNN
Ann Walker Marchant, Shandwick International, and George H. Walker III,
Opportunity Systems Inc.
Edward S. Walker Jr., assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs,
and Wendy Walker
Mark Walsh, VerticalNet Inc., and Polly Vail
Vernon Walters, former ambassador to the United Nations and Germany, and
Ariston Adams
Raul Walters, Raul Walters Properties, and Vicki Walters
Mark S. Weiner, Financial Innovations Inc., and Susan Weiner
Togo D. West Jr., secretary of veterans affairs, and Gail Berry West,
Armstrong World Industries
Ruth Westheimer, New York, and Werner Gundersheimer, Folger Shakespeare
Library
Margaret Whillock, deputy director of the White House visitors office, and
Carl S. Whillock, special assistant to the president for agricultural trade
Sean Wilentz, Princeton University, and Christine Stansell, Princeton
University
Anthony A. Williams, mayor, District of Columbia, and Diane Simmons Williams
Maggie Williams, former chief of staff to the first lady, and William
Barrett, State Department
Karen E. Williamson, AmeriChoice Health Services, and Peter Woolfolk,
Department of Education
Frank G. Wisner, former ambassador to India, Egypt and the Philippines, and
Christine Wisner
I. William Zartman, Johns Hopkins University, and Marie-Daniele Zartman
James J. Zogby, Arab American Institute, and Eileen P. Zogby
President
Clinton and King Mohammed at last night's state dinner, the
largest in White House history. (Robert A.
Reeder - The Washington Post)