I can't believe this
Hey, so I found out why Barack Obama and his family couldn't stay at the Blair House like all the other president elect's and their family before Obama takes office. I really can't believe this. Like the Prime Minister of Australia couldn't be asked to stay at a hotel instead of our new President and his family? Here's the info from The Telegraph:
Obamas kept out of presidential guest house in favour of former Australian Prime Minister
The diplomatic mystery over who was keeping Barack Obama and his family out of the presidential guest house has been solved: John Howard, the former Australian prime minister, had a prior reservation.
By Alex Spillius in Washington
Last Updated: 6:38PM GMT 07 Jan 2009
Mr Howard is only staying one night at Blair House, the 119-room, 70,000 sq ft mansion across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House.
He is booked in for Jan 12, the day before President George W Bush will present him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his support in the Iraq war.
Two other loyal allies, former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, are also due to receive the award but declined Mr Bush's invitation to stay at Blair House, a White House official told The Washington Post.
A spokesman for Mr Howard told The Sydney Morning Herald: "I am sure he was unaware that Mr Obama wanted to come in early when he accepted the invitation."
In 11 years as prime minister, Mr Howard can rarely have caused such a fuss in Washington.
His reservation caused the Secret Service an unneeded headache and forced Mr Obama, his wife Michelle and two young daughters to live in a hotel for ten days until Jan 15, five days before his inauguration.
The incoming president and his family had requested to move into Blair House so the children could start school this week at Sidwell Friends School.