Dinner in honor of His Majesty Mohammed VI King of Morocco
THE WHITE HOUSE - Washington, D.C. President and Mrs. Clinton welcomed His Majesty, Mohammed VI King of Morocco to the White House for an official state visit and dinner. The all-start event included over 435 guests and included celebrities, business leaders, and political stars. 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, Silicon Valley businessman Garry McGuire, 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
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., Compaq Computer Corporation
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