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White House Watch

THE EASTER EGG ROLL When he ran for President, Barack Obama

talked about hope and change, but being in the White House is mostly about

those traditions that have been around for centuries. Throwing out the first

pitch, the Christmas tree lighting, every last detail of the inauguration and is

festivities, even pardoning a turkey. Today, another long-lasting tradition

will be celebrated as the Obamas participate in the 135th

White House Easter

Egg Roll!!

Like most traditions, there is uncertainty when it comes to the exact time

when an egg was first rolled on the White House lawn. It could have been in

1814 with First Lady Dolley Madison or perhaps with President Lincolns

son Tad in 1861. However, when it comes to formal Easter Egg Rolling in

D.C. we know the event has its roots not at the White House, but across

Pennsylvania Avenue at the U.S. Capitol.

Every Easter Monday starting in at least the 1870s, young children went to

the Capitol to roll eggs in honor of the holiday. However, senators and

congressman eventually got sick of the huge crowds that descended on the

Capitol and the state they left the grounds with. In 1876, Congress passed

the Turf Protection Act, banning Easter Egg Rolls from occurring on the

Capitol grounds.

Two years later, on Easter Monday, local children saw President Rutherford

B. Hayes walking around, and asked him if they could do the Egg Roll on

the White House lawn instead. He decided to open the gates to all children,

and thus a tradition was born.

First Lady Pat Nixon started the Easter Egg Hunt and the famous tradition of

the egg-rolling race. These were started using real eggs, but the White House

staff found out that the ones that werent found really smelled. Now colorful,

wooden eggs are used, and children also get keepsake eggs with printed

autographs by the President and First Lady. First Lady Nixon also began the

tradition of someone dressing up as the Easter Bunny. All of this is still done

today.

Today 35,000 people from all 50 states will come to the South Lawn of the

White House for the festivities. Performers will include Jordin Sparks, Coco

Jones, The Wanted, Sesame Street, and the U.S. Marine Corps Band, while

readers will include Danica Patrick from NASCAR, Adrian Peterson from

the Minnesota Vikings, The Wanted, and Elmo, Abby, Gordon, and Rosita

from Sesame Street. A number of different chefs, including some from the

White House, will be preparing healthy foods, and lots of different

professional athletes will be playing sports with kids in the Eggtivity Zone.

Also, lots of costume characters will be at the Easter Egg Roll today

likeBugs Bunny and Daffy Duck from Looney Tunes, Finn and Jake from

the show Adventure Time, Scooby Doo, the Cat in the Hat, Clifford the Big

Red Dog, Curious George, Smurf, Smurfette, and Papa Smurf from the

Smurfs movie, Charlie Brown and Snoopy, George, Tom, Abe, Teddy, and

Taft from the Washington Nationals Racing Presidents, Spongebob, Dora

the Explorer, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, and Barney. Finally, todays special

guest is Robby Novak, the Kid President from YouTube.

The event will go from 7:30 AM Eastern Time to 6:45 PM, and the Obamas

will arrive at 10:30 AM.

Capitol Hill News

Senate: Status Update The U.S. Senate is in recess until April 8.

House: Status Update The House of Representatives is in recess until April

9.

Today In

1789 The U.S. House achieves a quorum, and is

able to hold its first full meeting ever and begin

work. The body also elects its officers and chooses

Frederick Muhlenberg, a Pro-Administration

Representative from Pennsylvania, as the first

Speaker of the House.

During the Revolutionary War, Muhlenberg served

in public life as opposed to fighting (although his

brother Peter, a pastor, is known for announcing

his support for independence from his pulpit by

taking off his pastoral robes to show a military

uniform. Peter became a General in the Continental

Army, and he also served in the U.S. House of Representatives when it first

met in 1789.) Frederick Muhlenberg was a member of the Continental

Congress from 1799 to 1780 and was then elected to the Pennsylvania

House of Representatives, and he served as that Houses Speaker from 1780

to 1783. When the Constitution was sent to the states to be ratified,

Muhlenberg was the President of Pennsylvanias ratifying convention.

As Speaker of the first U.S. House, Muhlenberg was the first to sign the Bill

of Rights. According to legend, it was him who suggested George

Washington be referred to as Mr. President, setting the precedent for all

Washingtons successors. There is also a legend that Muhlenberg, although

he was of German descent, made sure German was never made the United

States official language. Muhlenberg was not Speaker of the Second U.S.

House, but did serve in the position again during the 3rd

Congress.

Muhlenberg served as a Representative until 1797, and died in 1801.

Happy Birthday To

David Eisenhower The grandson of Dwight Eisenhower and the son-in-law

Young David Eisenhower in front of

the Camp David sign. Davids

grandfather, President Dwight

Eisenhower, renamed the presidential

retreat Camp David in honor of David.

of Richard Nixon turns 66 today. Richard

Nixon was his grandfathers running

mate, and David married Nixons

daughter Julie. Grandpa Eisenhower also

renamed the presidential retreat for David

upon becoming President, and the name is

still used today: Camp David.

Sam Alito Supreme Court Justice Samuel

Alito turns 63 today. Alito is a member of

the courts conservative wing. Alito

formerly served as Assistant to the

Solicitor General, arguing 12 cases before

the Supreme Court in that time, and later

as U.S. Attorney for the District of New

Jersey. George H.W. Bush appointed him

to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third

Circuit, and Bushs son appointed Alito to

the Supreme Court to replace Sandra Day

OConnor, who had retired.

Question of the Day

Which President is known for delivering a radio address where the

camera accidentally picked up him saying that he opposed April Fools

Day at the end? This event caused an uproar with the pro-April Fools

voting bloc, and some say led to the Presidents re-election defeat.