Both Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam were among the guests at the White House's state dinner honoring French president Francois Hollande Tuesday night. Beshear and his wife Jane also participated in the arrival ceremony for the French president.
Beshear said it was a wonderful opportunity for the state anytime a Governor can be in the same room with so many leaders. France is the seventh-largest consumer of Kentucky products. It's the second time in recent weeks Beshear has found himself in the Washington spotlight. He was among the guests who sat with First Lady Michelle Obama at President Obama's State of the Union speech.
Haslam last month blamed scheduling conflicts for missing a planned tarmac meeting with Obama when he visited a Nashville high school for a speech, but that didn't stop the Republican Governor from being among the 350 people at last night's glitzy affair.
Invitations to state dinners have been especially coveted in recent years. Obama has held just six over the past five years, while George W. Bush held the same number over his entire eight years in office.
