High-level visits to the White House often are accompanied with gifts -- hosts and guests do not come and depart empty-handed.

On Wednesday, the Obamas presented British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife a souped-up Braten 1000 Series Grill, hand-made by Engelbrecht Grills and Cookers of Paxton, Ill.

The White House says the gift is to commemorate the Obamas' visit last May when both heads of state held a cook out for American and British military servicemen.

"An American classic, the wood and charcoal burning grill is customized with American and British friendship flags engraved into the utility shelf and a personalized plaque mounted on the exterior lid," reads a press release from the White House.

The grill, valued at $1,895, boasts cast-iron wheels, grates made from solid steel and sized to take whole logs.

This product is built to last claims the website, "Take care of this; you can pass it down to your grandkids."

Not to leave any details out, the grill comes with two White House chef jackets, embroidered with American and British flags and the Great Seal, and personalized with the Camerons' names on the front. (read more)

President Obama travels Thursday to tout the benefits of the stimulus package in Michigan, a state with one of the worst unemployment rates in the country. Michigan has the second highest unemployment rate in the nation, having held the number one spot for four years, until May when Nevada moved to number one. This is Obama’s third stop this year to the Great Lakes state and his second visit promoting the stimulus. He’s been to the Midwest more than a dozen times this year with a similar agenda. President Obama will break grounds for a new lithium-ion battery plant in Holland, Mich., and plans to promote moving the country towards alternative energy. Republican congressman and gubernatorial candidate Pete Hoekstra welcomes the president's visit in a video release while expressing concerns of government largesse, “If you take a look around, you will see companies that were built by individuals and families. They have never received a government stimulus package." Hoekstra will attend the ceremony, but voted along party lines against the Recovery Act that's responsible for producing the green collars jobs in his district. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said at Wednesday’s White House briefing that the visit was in part a “roll call” on the vote. “These are businesses that are expanding and being created as a result of the tough votes that were taken on the stimulus. (read more)

The White House announced that President Barack Obama will deliver a eulogy for the miners who died in the April 5th blast at the Upper Big Branch mine. Vice President Joe Biden will accompany the president on Sunday to Beckley, WV. "President Obama will deliver a eulogy honoring the lives of those who perished and offering his deepest condolences to the loved ones they left behind," according to a White House statement.

PRESIDENT: 9:30 am President and Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing 10:00 am President and Vice President receive the Economic Daily Briefing 10:45 am President and Vice President meet with bipartisan Congressional leadership to discuss financial reform 12:30 pm President meets with senior advisors  4:15 pm President and Vice President meet with Secretary of State Clinton Briefing Schedule: 2:00 pm  Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs VICE PRESIDENT: 9:30 am President and Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing 10:00 am President and Vice President receive the Economic Daily Briefing 10:45 am President and Vice President meet with bipartisan Congressional leadership to discuss financial reform 1:15 pm Vice President will meet with representatives from American and international nuclear industries. The Vice President will share with the industry the outcomes of the Nuclear Security Summit, and seek public-private solutions to improving the security of nuclear materials worldwide in support of the President's agenda to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials in four years. The Vice President will be joined by Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. 3:15 pm Vice President will hold a bilateral meeting with President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili in the Roosevelt Room. 4:15 pm President and Vice President meet with Secretary of State Clinton 5:15 pm Vice President will meet with Senator Arlen Specter.   MRS. OBAMA: 1000  am Mrs. (read more)

When French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni meet with Barack and Michelle Obama on Tuesday at the White House, all eyes will be on the glamorous first ladies and the body language between the two leaders. During their one-on-one meeting, the two Presidents are expected to discuss issues ranging from Iran to climate change to recent controversial Air Force refueling contract bid. Their relationship has gone through some very public ups and downs since they have both been in office. Sarkozy was not shy in expressing his admiration for then-candidate Obama in July 2008, "The French love the Americans." Obama's campaign trip through Europe and the Middle East was his debut on the international stage. Obama left such an impression that Sarkozy wrapped up their joint appearance saying, "Good luck to Barack Obama, if he is chosen, then France will be delighted. If it is someone else, France will be the friend of the United States of America." ‪After Obama's victory, the relationship between two presidents seemed to get off to a strong start. In a letter soon after the election, Sarkozy congratulated Obama for having won a hard-fought campaign, "It is also a crowning achievement of an exceptional campaign whose brilliance and high tone demonstrated the vitality of American democracy to the entire world, while keeping them spellbound."‪ Sarkozy greeted Obama warmly during the NATO summit in Strasbourg last April, his first trip to Europe as commander-in-chief. The U.S. (read more)

President Obama made an unannounced stop at Prairie Lights, an independent bookstore in downtown Iowa City, IA, after delivering remarks on health care reform legislation. "Well, this used to be my favorite place," Obama told the owner as she showed him around.‪ He stopped and noticed two recent releases --Karl Rove's book Courage and Consequence" and former presidential contender Mitt Romney's "No Apology," then asked pool reporters "What do you think guys?" He purchased neither.‪ This touched off a flurry of Twitter messages among political rivals beginning with White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton's tweet "Even at the bookstore, POTUS reaches across the aisle." Romney responded, "Mr. President, I think you should read both" causing Rove to also chime in "Mr. President, I think you should read both." The president did buy "Journey to the River Sea" by Eva Ibbotson and "The Secret of Zoom" by Lynne Jonell for his two daughters. He also picked up the tab for a Star Wars pop-up book for White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs' son Ethan. Gibbs said, "It's a little pricey sir but it's a good book" to which his boss quipped, "I can handle it...It's for keeping his dad away for too many hours a day." Heeding his advice to Americans not to accrue debt, the president did not use a credit card but took out five twenty dollar bills to pay for his purchases.‪ Obama has said in interviews that he misses anonymity and while browsing the shelves he remarked to customers that his job no longer allows him to mosey around bookstores. (read more)

After losing his NCAA basketball tournament bracket pick, President Obama hopes the University of Northern Iowa will clinch victory during March Madness, "I want to congratulate all the Northern Iowa fans in this part of the state on their big win. And since you ruined my bracket I'm rooting for you now. I want you to just go ahead and take it. Go all the way." The president had chosen Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky and Villanova for the Final Four with number one ranked Kansas prevailing over Kentucky. The president sympathizes with Kathleen Sebelius, Health and Human Services Secretary, former Governor of Kansas and a huge Jayhawks fan, who introduced him at a speech on health care in Iowa City, IA "I also feel your pain. In my bracket, I had Kansas winning the entire championship, so I'm a little bit bitter too." Moments after his speech, a young girl handed Obama a Northern Iowa Panthers #5 Ali Farokhmanesh jersey. Farokhmanesh is a senior guard who delivered a three-pointer in the final 30 seconds of the game and thus blew away Kansas in the second round of the NCAA tournament last Saturday. Northern Iowa plays Michigan State Friday in the Midwest semifinals.

Although President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law on Tuesday, his job of selling his health care reform is far from finished. The president travels to Iowa City, Iowa on Thursday to explain how the new policy helps the average American and small business. Obama likely has a special place in his heart for Iowa, where he won the caucuses in 2008, which gave him the political momentum that inevitably led to his presidency. Iowa City is also where candidate Obama first laid out his vision for health care reform at the University of Iowa on May 29, 2007. The President begins his victory lap by returning to that same university where he first promised that he would sign a reform bill into law by the end of his first term in office. David Yepsen, former political columnist of the Des Moines Register, and currently a professor at Southern Illinois University said Obama's visit to Iowa is smart politics. "Not only did the state give him a big boost with his caucus victory but it is also a part of his electoral college base." Yepsen believes that all politicians need to pay attention to their base, "I think it's also important that he's going to Iowa City, a decidedly left of center community. Many on the left were Obama supporters but they've become upset over things like the war in Afghanistan and the lack of a public option. (read more)

President Obama and the White House staff spent Sunday trying to round up last-minute support on health care reform as the US House of Representatives cast votes on the president’s signature domestic agenda. White House Chief Photographer Pete Souza chronicled the historic day, catching moments like a hug from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama clenching a good luck charm. View the slide show for an inside look at the behind-the-scenes action and celebrations.

Those who listened carefully may have received a shock at what Vice President Joe Biden whispered to the President Obama as he took the podium before signing the health care reform bill into law on Tuesday in the White House East Room.  “This is a big f---ing deal” can be heard as the vice president is leaning in closely to the president after the introduction. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs concurred with the Vice President by tweeting "And yes Mr. Vice President, you're right..."

 

Democratic House and Senate leaders and relevant committee chairmen stood behind the president as he signs the bill. The ceremony was also attended by Vicki Kennedy, widow of Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, Connie Anderson, sister of cancer-survivor Natoma Canfield who went into debt paying for her health insurance premiums, Marcelas Owens whose mother died after getting sick,  losing her job and with it health insurance, and members of congress who voted for the legislation.