Biden’s first state dinner draws famous faces

Celebrities brought some star power — and a touch of “le charme” — as they joined lawmakers, Cabinet members and VIPs at the White House for the state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron, the first such event of Biden’s presidency.

Among the famous faces who were eyed making their way through the East Garden Room to the dinner on Thursday: John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jennifer Garner and her daughter, Violet, Ariana DeBose, Stephen Colbert and Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour, sporting her signature pair of sunglasses.

“It’s very exciting,” former “Veep” star Louis-Dreyfus told reporters.

Singer Jon Batiste, who was poised to serve as the entertainer at the state dinner, teased that his performance would “be fire.”

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D) told ITK that he can speak just a bit of French, crediting a course he took in high school. The only problem, the New York Democrat said after rattling off a number of French sayings at a breakneck pace, is, “I don’t know what the hell I’m saying.”

When asked how she felt about her successors — after Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) was voted to replace her as Democratic House leader — Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said, “Great. And happy. And relieved.”

Her daughter, Alexandra Pelosi, quickly quipped, “Free at last!”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who’s fighting to secure the Speakership in the new Congress in January, said there were several issues that Republicans could potentially work on with Democrats, including the economy, energy independence, border security and stopping fentanyl.

Asked what it would be like to be at the same event as Hunter Biden, who was listed as an attendee at the state dinner by the White House, McCarthy replied, “Well, I’m at dinner with my mom, so we’re going to have a great time.”

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have vowed to launch probes into the business dealings of Biden’s son.

The French-filled, black-tie affair sported a rare-in-Washington bipartisan showing. Sens. Thomas Carper (D-Del.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Reps. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Michael McCaul (R-Texas), Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Steve Scalise (R-La.) were among some of the lawmakers eyed at Biden’s first state dinner.

A number of journalists also attended the dinner as guests, including MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, ABC’s Robin Roberts, “Morning Joe” contributor Mike Barnicle and The Washington Post’s Olivier Knox.

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