Bush to Host Rare Glitzy A-List Dinner (Associated Press)

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http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050718/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_glitzy_dinner_1

WASHINGTON - Famously early to bed, President Bush decided to make an exception Monday night for what has been a rare event in his administration: a glitzy, Washington A-list dinner.

The menu's fragrant basmati rice and lotus blossoms, the saffron-colored, silk tablecloths and the trumpeting elephants fashioned from fresh mums and roses all pointed to India, for the guest of honor was Manmohan Singh, the visiting prime minister, and his wife, Gursharan Kaur.

The event was only the fifth grand dinner of Bush's presidency, and the first of his second term. It was much anticipated, given that it's been nearly two years since the last such dinner by Bush.

Previous dinners were held for the presidents of Mexico, just days before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001; Poland, in July 2002, and the Philippines and Kenya, in May and October of 2003.