Desiree was a guest at the dinner.

In the past, White House social secretaries have worked, not partied, on the nights of major events, racing around to make sure everything is going according to plan.

Apparently, she's too good for that.

Could it be that the couple were passed at checkpoints based on verbal orders drom WH staff, and then the WH was embarrassed by the pics showing up on Facebook? The media twig to the fact that the couple wasn't on the published list, so the WH goes into CYA, blame it on the Secret Service mode?

Were the Salahis seated for dinner? That would tell a lot.

And if they are not charged with anything, that will say even more.

She talks of 'branding' the Obama presidency. This debacle is probably not what she intended.

From WSJ this Spring:

“You have to think about it [the social secretary job], in my mind, almost like a business. Otherwise, you never get there. You get caught in linen hell and flower hell, list hell,” Rogers says as she reflects on the first series of high-profile events.

Now we know that she meant “List? Hell!”

Will we ever find out what the conversation was like when the Secret Service questioned her on not having personnel at the entrances? Or when she brought pressure to bear to speed up the admittance process? She strikes me as the type of boss who will threaten you with your job if you don't do what she wants, right now. The side-step the consequences and blame when it all goes tits-up.

Have you not seen Maya Rudolph on SNL over the last decade? Her impression of Oprah selling the Chicago Olympic bid was hilarious.

To say nothing of the honoured guest, Prime Minister Singh.

Or the next State Dinner honouree – “No thanks, Barack, let's just meet at the IN-N-OUT in Sausalito, you and I can talk over 3×3s Animal Style. Make sure that your SS detail this time is made up of only experienced non-political appointees, and leave Desiree at home. I mean it.”

She's a glamorous woman, strong and all, but she needs to get it together. Yes, the Secret Service is overloaded, but if she would have done what other Social Secretaries traditionally do, which is to have someone with the guest list at the entrance greeting everyone and checking to make sure they are on the list. If someone is sketchy you refer them to the Secret Service. She made the administration look amateurish and threatened the lives of those in the Line of Succession