Michelle Obama's 50th birthday bash featured performances by pop stars Beyonce and John Legend, and appearances by a host of A-list celebrities, one prominent guest says.
"Amazing. Incredible party," political analyst Donna Brazile told CNN on Sunday about the festivities, about which few details were revealed by the White House.
"Childhood friends there. People from the administration," she gushed about Saturday's exclusive celebration.
"The most important thing is, Beyonce performed, and I have to tell you, John Legend sang Happy Birthday," said Brazile, a longtime Democratic Party operative who ran Al Gore's unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2000.
"The most moving tribute came (from) (President) Barack Obama, who talked about the woman he met and fell in love with."
CNN reported that the party lasted until around 2am, and was attended by actor Samuel Jackson, singer Smokey Robinson and basketball legend Magic Johnson.
The White House distributed a limited number of invitations to personalities close to the first lady asking them to wear comfortable dancing shoes and spend an evening of "Snacks & Sips & Dancing & Dessert".
The invitees were admonished to keep their attendance at the event secret and not to publish photos or remarks about it online, a request that apparently was respected by all although the press managed to extract certain verbal details from some of them about the soiree.
President Barack Obama displayed his dancing ability, despite the fact that his wife has much more skill in that regard than he, as she has shown in the past on numerous public occasions.
The Washington Post, meanwhile, wrote that actress and singer Jennifer Hudson was also on hand.
The VIP guest list, The Post reported, also included former President Bill Clinton and his wife, ex-secretary of state Hillary Clinton, former Beatle Paul McCartney, former Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan and folk singing legend James Taylor.
Michelle Obama turned 50 on Friday to great national fanfare, including magazine interviews and television profiles of her life and her role in history as America's first African American first lady.
Born on January 17, 1964, in Chicago as Michelle LaVaughn Robinson, the first lady earned a Harvard law degree and is one of three presidents' wives to have obtained a graduate degree, the others being Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton.
Closely watched as a fashion icon and praised for social causes that include working with military families and fighting against childhood obesity, the first lady has polled a 65 per cent popularity rating - a good 20 points higher than her husband.
Share
