An Annual Tradition

Obama 'Close' To Xmas Present Decision For Wife

WASHINGTON (CAP)(CNN)(PETIN) - Hello, this is Anderson Cooper freezing in Washington, D.C. instead of freezing in New York, I guess.

With just days to go before the big holiday, White House officials say President Barack Obama is "very close" to a decision on what to get First Lady Michelle for Christmas -- a warm blanket would be my first choice, but the President knows better than I do... maybe they have plenty of those already. But, the President being as he is, so slow at making important decisions, is expected to announce his choice, hopefully, within "several hours" today, and I say "today" with trepidation.

"The president has been meeting daily with his top advisors and they have provided him with the best options and bargains available at this time," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs tells me. "In approximately one hour, he will present his choice to a hand-picked task force, who will then approve or veto the choice." If I were that hand-picked task force -- whatever that is, I would be waiting sitting down.

Despite Obama's recent claims on Oprah Winfrey's talk show that he gives "nicer stuff" than he gets -- perhaps the words to trick the First Lady into upping the quality of his present -- he's sly like a fox, not as I am a "Fox" but a fox nonetheless.

Republicans charge that the president is no different than any other man who waits until the last minute to get his spouse a gift, except for the fact that he is black, and some of them add their misguided assurance that he is Muslim too. However, Gibbs says that Operation Christmas Present has been in the works "for weeks" without much fanfare. I'm sure Mr. Gibbs wanted to be respectful to the President. The operation has probably been in the works since December 26 of last year. (giggles)

"It is unfathomable that this president would not first consult Congress before making such a major decision," said Rep. Buck McKeon (R-CA). "I expect the House and Senate will have some say when it comes to choosing gift wrap, bows and ribbon. We must nip this in the bud before it blossoms into presentgate." Republicans, always raising more obstacles than solutions since President Obama was elected. Pffft!

Gibbs denied such accusations, noting that Operation Christmas Present did originally include a public option and that the present would be fully paid within the next five years. But furor from within the President's own party led him to rethink that idea and go with a more simplified decision-making process that would not include any object, personal or otherwise, from Lords & Taylor, Bloomingdale's, Bergdorf Goodman, FAO Schwarz, Tiffany's, Saks Fifth Avenue, or any store on Fifth Ave. for that matter. Toys-R-Us being the only exception.

"Let me get this straight. The president wants the government to help him pick a Christmas gift for his wife?" Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) whined to reporters on Capitol Hill last week. "I don't have time for this crap. I have candles to light and my own wife to guess what she likes so that she'll continue to take care of the kids and the house(s)."

According to CAP News sources within the White House, Obama has actually already finalized his gift decision and is simply awaiting the rubber stamp approval of the task force before making the announcement. Documents illegally obtained by CNN News indicate the president plans to give his wife a limited edition Disney's Just One Kiss Princess Tiana doll custom made in Michelle's likeness.

"I don't think it's as good a gift as the Snuggies they gave each other last year," said CNN News political analyst David Gergen. "But how can you turn down the free shipping with Amazon's Super Saver Shipping on orders $25 and over?"

Christmas 2008 present from each otherFor his part, President Obama has pledged to make clear to the American people the reasoning behind his gift-giving decision as well as the costs of the gift, of which the American taxpayers will be bearing the brunt. A recent CAP News / Fox (not)News poll found that 24 percent of American Republicans believe the Disney doll is not a good choice, while the other 76 percent think he should give her his Nobel peace prize -- which the President puts around his neck every time somebody knocks at the front door of the White House.

Stay tuned as Larry King Live will continue reporting on this controversy about the cost, the quality, and the bad timing of the President announcing the decision of his task force -- whatever that is, regarding the Christmas present for the First Lady.