By Jose Antonio Vargas and Roxanne Roberts
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, June 30, 2006

If there was ever going to be a fun official dinner in this White House, last night's affair would be it.

The George W. Bushes aren't the Reagans or the Clintons. They don't throw too many of these formal things. And, truth be told, the president and first lady never really look like they're having a good time sitting through them.

Last night, however, President Bush, in a lively, jovial mood, was honoring Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, his close friend -- or, as they say in Japanese, shinyu .

The guest list was an interesting mix of sports luminaries and political power. Olympic speedskater Apolo Ohno; figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and her husband, Bret Hedican of the Carolina Hurricanes; and baseball legend Hank Aaron were there, along with Dick and Lynne Cheney; Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld; Norman Mineta, the outgoing transportation secretary; Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert; and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

In his toast, Bush said, "This room has hosted many honored guests, and this night it also houses a treasured friend." Koizumi reciprocated in halting English: "It is such an impressive thing that our two nations, who once fought against each other, now share common values and, together as close friends and allies, are tackling a wide variety of challenges around the world." He summed up his country's policy toward the United States by naming the first song he ever memorized in English -- "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You."

All day yesterday -- exchanging thoughtful gifts, singing a duet to the Elvis Presley tune, toasting each other with such reverence -- it was a good-old-boy love fest. And why not? At their first meeting at Camp David five years ago, Bush looked Koizumi in the eye and recognized a fellow cowboy.

Both are baseball aficionados. Both love the movie "High Noon." Both come from political dynasties -- Bush's dad was the 41st president, his grandfather was a senator from Connecticut; Koizumi's father was a member of Japan's legislature, his grandfather served as minister of posts and telecommunications.

A quirky and charming hobby of Koizumi's is his fascination with all things Elvis. The prime minister released a CD of his 25 favorite Presley songs in 2001 and the president is accompanying his pal to Graceland today. At the welcoming ceremony in the Red Room early yesterday, Bush and Koizumi exchanged gifts. Koizumi, who is leaving office in September, presented Bush with a bicycle and a big reproduction of the Japanese Babe Ruth postage stamp. Bush surprised Koizumi with a restored 1954 Seeburg R100 jukebox filled with 45 songs, including 25 Presley hits.

If an official dinner at the White House came with a soundtrack, last night's would have included Elvis renditions of "You'll Never Walk Alone," "Let's Be Friends," "For the Good Times," "Steadfast, Loyal and True" and "I Need Somebody to Lean On."

Every White House dinner has an unspoken message:

S?, los Estados Unidos is a friendly, welcoming neighbor to Mexico. Thank you, Poland and the Philippines, for supporting the war on terror and being partners in the "coalition of the willing." Sorry, Kenya, for canceling my planned trip to your country, so here's a toast for you. Yes, the most populous democracy in the world -- that would be India -- is important to the United States.

And Japan? Well, I just really like Junichiro!

The evening's motif had a cool, light summery feel. Laura Bush wore a taupe-colored Bill Blass gown overlaid with chantilly lace hand-painted with cherry blossoms. The 64-year-old prime minister is divorced and did not bring a date. The 134 guests were seated in the State Dining Room at 13 tables with green silk tablecloths and green cymbidium orchids atop clear glass cylinders as centerpieces, with the gold-banded china set selected by the Clintons.

The menu was a "perfect marriage" of American and Japanese cuisine, said Cris Comerford, the White House chef. "Japanese cuisine puts a lot of emphasis on seasonality," she added, "and we want to honor that by using the best seasonal products we have." The menu began with Maryland she-crab soup; and jicama and cucumber chiffonade with lemon vinaigrette. The dessert was called Sweet Serenity and looked like an elaborate bonsai garden with a chocolate tree on a base of kumquat-stuffed cherries. Comerford said the menu was selected before Japan lifted its ban on U.S. beef last week, so Kobe beef from Japanese cattle raised in Texas was used for the main course.

Asked to choose between Japanese beef and American beef, guest Masaharu Morimoto, the Iron Chef himself, said: "Well, it depends. But Japanese beef is more expensive. I think I like American beef better."

The 24-year-old Olympian Ohno was attending his first White House dinner and said he went online to research dinner-partner etiquette, but still had one question. "Where do I turn after each course? To the right, the left?" (You switch after every course.)

After dinner, the guests moved to the East Room for the music of the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Setzer, who wore a silver skull-and-bones bolero, promised a couple of Elvis songs from the 1950s. "We're gonna rock this house," he said before dinner, and he did.

The 17-piece orchestra strode in wearing red shirts and leopard-print jackets and launched into a boisterous rendition of "Jump Jive an' Wail," followed by "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Stray Cat Strut." The president obviously was having a swell time; Koizumi watched everything intently.

An aide to the prime minister whispered in his ear and Koizumi whispered in Bush's ear. Then Japanese country-western musician Shoji Tabuchi jumped onstage with a fiddle and began playing western swing. He turned to Koizumi and said, "You requested country music. How about hoe-down music?" As Tabuchi played, the prime minister bolted from his seat to adjust the musician's mike.

Koizumi was thisclose to jumping onstage himself, but it was bedtime for Bush. The president thanked the musicians, then said cheerily, "Ready to go to bed?" He added, "Off to Graceland."

When Bush and Koizumi board Air Force One tomorrow on their way to Elvis's shrine, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will come along.

"Memphis . . .," Frist said wistfully. "There's no city in the world that will have a president of the United States, a prime minister from another country and a king."