At The Spectator, John Roberts II explains the “magic” a ballroom will bring to the White House, writing:
There is nothing like the thrill of getting a White House invitation. Even though I worked there at the time, I vividly recall the sparkly feeling when I read that “The President and First Lady” requested the pleasure of my company at a reception for the US Embassy hostages who had just come home from captivity in Iran.
It was a great stroke for my ego, simultaneously a sensation of importance and reward for work well done. My origins are plebeian and it ranked among the most exciting things that happened to me since being unexpectedly invited to tea with Princess Margaret at Oxford.
A White House social invitation is an informal tool of presidential power. From George and Martha Washington onward White House invitations have been used to achieve policy aims. They have literally shaped America.
He concludes later:
JFK had only five Inaugural Balls. Their number has grown steadily under each president. The Obamas had ten. The need for more entertaining space within the secure perimeters of the White House is clear.
In the past 125 years we’ve grown from 76 million inhabitants to 342 million. The White House’s cramped quarters are simply too small for gatherings of the growing number of movers and shakers, influencers and influentials in contemporary American society.
A large ballroom will give future presidents far more maneuvering room, literally and figuratively, to use the magic of White House invitations to achieve their aims. They can thank Trump for it.
Read more here.
