Tales from the Trail

The reviews are in on President Barack Obama’s newly redecorated Oval Office. And they are, like the earth tones of the custom-made sofas, mostly muted.

The morning after the spiffed-up office was unveiled — during Tuesday night’s presidential address to the nation, with Obama sitting behind the Resolute Desk — the Washington Post splashed its impressions on the front page of the much-read Style section, complete with graphics and commentary. “Very American and very appropriate,” said Margaret Russell of Architectural Digest; “tasteful and … very safe,” was interior designer Celerie Kemble’s assessment, both reported in the Post.

The New York Daily News stressed the provenance of many of the new furnishings, noting that the hand-painted striped wallpaper was made in the Hamptons on Long Island. NBC’s “Today” show and ABC’s “Good Morning America” both had spots on the White House makeover. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos — a former aide to President Bill Clinton, and so presumably fairly familiar with the space — disclosed he’s friends with the decorator, Michael S. Smith of Los Angeles.

Maureen Dowd, the stiletto-penned columnist for The New York Times, recalled Oval Offices past, including what she called the Belle Watling style adopted during the Clinton administration. Dowd went on to riff about the quotations from former presidents and Martin Luther King Jr. that were chosen for the new carpet’s border, and suggested some alternate ones, such as, “It’s the economy, stupid!”

There was some tut-tutting about the advisability of rolling out a new decorating scheme with the country in the economy doldrums, and the White House was quick to point out that no taxpayer dollars were spent on the project, which features products made in the U.S.A. Some critics said it looks like a den, a man cave or a hotel lobby.

The Iraq war ended where it began — at the president’s desk in the White House Oval Office.

President Barack Obama declared the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq with his hands folded on the desk where 7-1/2 years earlier President George W. Bush announced the beginning of military operations.

“Much has changed since that night,” Obama said in the second Oval Office prime-time televised address of his presidency.

President Barack Obama will not be running a “victory lap” when he addresses the nation on Iraq this evening. Quite rightly, he points out that there is still a lot of work to be done to make sure Iraq “is an effective partner for us.”

There are several other reasons why tonight’s speech cannot be a victory lap. The first, Republicans argue, is that Obama is trying to take credit for the achievements of his predecessor George W. Bush, and specifically the “surge” in troop numbers (a policy Obama opposed at the time). The second, as the White House well knows, is that a victory lap might seem inappropriate in light of the nation’s economic woes. Indeed, Obama will be talking about the economy tonight, and the need to refocus resources back home.

 A third reason, perhaps, is that it could sound disingenuous to triumphantly declare the end of combat operations in Iraq while 50,000 armed American troops remain in the country. Not all of them will be working as trainers or instructors, and it is obvious that the troops will still be ready for combat if that should prove necessary.

The first family had a little redecorating done back at the White House while they were on vacation last week, just in time for President Barack Obama to make only his second nationally televised address from the imposing — and newly redone — Oval Office.

The presidential sanctum has been decked with new and reupholstered furniture, fresh paint and new, hand-painted striped  wallpaper and a new wheat, cream and blue rug made of 25 percent recycled wool, the White House said.

In front of the fireplace, there are two mahogany armchairs that were used by President George W. Bush, but have been reupholstered in caramel-colored leather. The brown leather desk chair is new, as is the coffee table, made out of American walnut and mica. The somewhat casual-looking couches were custom-made in New York and covered with custom-made light brown cotton fabric with red, white and blue threads running through it. There are also two new table lamps with blue ceramic bases.