Rhinebeck, NY – President Barack Obama says he will not attend former first daughter Chelsea Clinton’s wedding on Saturday because he has not been invited.
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Mr Obama explained during a taped interview broadcast on ABC on Wednesday: “I was not invited to the wedding because I think Hillary and Bill, properly, want to keep this thing for Chelsea and her soon-to-be husband.”
He then joked with the ladies of ABC’s “The View” programme that “you don’t want two presidents at one wedding. All the secret service, guests going through [metal detectors], all the gifts being torn apart.”
Chelsea Clinton, the 30-year-old daughter of former US president Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, is to tie the knot with investment banker Marc Mezvinsky, 31.
The ceremony will take place in the picturesque town of Rhinebeck, two hours north of New York City.
Details have been guarded like state secrets and the former first family has not even confirmed that Rhinebeck, with its 4,000 residents, upmarket boutiques and pricey homes, is the chosen location for the wedding.
In the meanwhile, hundreds of members of the media have descended on the little Hudson Valley town that has been astonished of suddenly being pushed in media spotlight.
Town residents are hanging up congratulatory signs on shop windows, getting used to TV cameras and hoping that the wedding will be a boost for the town’s economy.
“I think this will put us on the map in an entirely different way,” said Ira Gutner, owner of Samuel’s coffee shop, which featured a sign in the window congratulating the Methodist bride and Jewish groom with “Mazel Tov, Chelsea and Marc”.
“People will say, ‘Oh, let’s go to Rhinebeck, Chelsea Clinton got married there’. We’ll forever be known for this,” he said.
According to media reports, the couple and scores of VIP guests will gather at Astor Courts, a secluded posh estate, sitting on a 50-acre piece of land, built more than a century ago along the Hudson River.
The guest list reportedly includes talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, singer Barbra Streisand, director Steven Spielberg, former British Prime Minister John Major and media mogul Ted Turner.
The party will be protected by temporary flight restrictions, issued by Federal Aviation Administration and requested by US Secret Service, from Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning.
Wedding planners not involved in the ceremony have quoted cost estimates as high as $5m.
nu, i wasn’t invited either. so i will save on a gift.
Mr Obama explained during a taped interview broadcast on ABC on Wednesday: “I was not invited to the wedding because I think Hillary and Bill, properly, want to keep this thing for Chelsea and her soon-to-be husband.”
What? Every wedding is for the bride and groom. They invite guests. I would have expected a bit more intellect from a sitting president. Sorry, I forgot. No teleprompter. All stupid responses are excused.
Sorry! If he is not invited, it is because of major in-fighting. Everyone invites their boss to their child’s wedding. The fact is Barack Hussein is persana non grata!
5 million dollars on a wedding. What happened to the takonas that the Agudah instituted. Her memeila (its understandable) but he is ‘doch fun unzerer’ he should abide by the takonas.
Hillary hates obama she’s gonna challenge him 2012
wow to Obama’s overly inflated ego. He’s trying to sell the public that his presence at this wedding would make it all about him instead of Chelsea? Unlike the rest of the invited unPresidential-therefore-far-less-exciting wedding guests that the Clintons *are* inviting?
If the Clintons did not invite Obama, its because they aren’t interested in his company. President or not, he is obviously just personally not all that important to Bill and Hillary Clinton.
What kind of stupid thing to say ” because I think Hillary and Bill, properly, want to keep this thing for Chelsea and her soon-to-be husband.” Every wedding like that. Some village in Kenya is missing their idiot!
There is a famous story about a Ruv who didnt get along with the Rosh Hakuehl and the RH made a big fancy wedding and did not invite the Ruv…In middle the dancing the Ruv shows up and sits down at the head table. The RH walks over to the ruv and asks him..Ruv u werent invited to the wedding why did u show up ? The ruv turns around to the RH and said to him..Sorry you and I know that i wasnt invited but why does all the guest from all over the world have to know this……I think Obama should show up without being invited…..
On Wikipedia it says that Barack Obama is on the guest list
In the end he will go 2 the last sheve brochos
I was thinking about it a little and I feel that Obama should at least be invited for the chuppah and simchas chosson v’kallah.
Is this really worthy of a news story? Who cares about these events? If it was a current President, perhaps ;however, Clinton has been out of office for nearly a decade. Even Donald Trump’s daughter’s wedding did not get this much advance publicity!
maybe the chatan is a fried republican
Whoneeds him there??
I wouldnt mind Bill Clinton as a father in law. And hillary is not a bad Shvigger either. Thats what u call marrying well.