'Obamas aren't degrading White House'

New York, Jun 22: White House social secretary Desiree Rogers has given a spanking to claims that the Obamas were cheapening the presidential residence by hosting pop culture events at the premises.

The US First Family has been hosting lesser grand state dinners and more public events where children are invited.

The administration drew outbursts when it recently allowed Mariah Carey's husband, Nick Cannon, to use the North Lawn to publicise 'America's Got Talent'.

But Rogers, the first African-American to hold the post, revealed at a gathering of the Creative Coalition that President Barack Obama saw things differently.

"The President wants the White House to be a stage. We want Americans feeling they're part of the house," the New York Daily News quoted her as saying.

Rogers further revealed that she was told the black-tie crowd at state dinners would never be the one to shake a leg.

She added, "So we got Earth, Wind and Fire. And by the end, they were doing a conga line."

ANI