Day 54 - Thanksgiving celebrations
Updated on 28 November 2008
Thursday 27 November 2008: celebrating Thanksgiving with the Obamas.
No press conference or team announcements today - it's a national holiday. But that didn't stop the transition team from releasing the latest weekly YouTube address from the President-Elect slightly early.
The message - giving thanks, but "this Thanksgiving also takes place at a time of great trial for our people." From troops abroad to the economic crisis, Obama used the address to repeat some previous claims on jobs.
But he said it was a "testament to our national character that so many Americans took time out this Thanksgiving to help feed the hungry and care for the needy", and referred to his own an volunteering on Wednesday.
"So this weekend," he concludes "with one heart, and one voice, the American people can give thanks that a new and brighter day is yet to come."
So how do the Obamas celebrate Thanksgiving? In an interview with Barbara Walters broadcast on ABC on the eve of Thanksgiving, Michelle and Barack said they would have "at least 60 people at our house, like we do every year."
"My contribution is the house," insists Michelle. "I do cook, but I'm not cooking. This is the one year, don't you think. My husband ran for president, I should have an 'out' on cooking something for Thanksgiving."
In the same interview, the couple also insisted that their daughters will still have chores to do when they live in the White House. They'll have to "scoop the poop" and make their own beds.
"That was the first thing I said to some of the [White House] staff when I did my visit," Michelle Obama said. "I said, 'You know, we're going to have to set up some boundaries,' because they're going to need to be able to make their beds, and clean their own rooms."
Still, hopefully in their future festive celebrations they won't make some of the same mistakes as their immediate predecessors. The New York Post reports that George W. sent an invitation to an Hanukkuh reception at the White House to Jewish leaders, only to include an image of a Christmas tree on the front.
