178:
One of the evening's activities includes the playful nomination of a presidential candidate by the Club's leadership. The candidate is then required to make a speech. Several such candidates became
430:
519:
148:; members are required to be invited to join. Invitations are extended to prospective members annually to fill the spots of recently deceased members. Several
701:
686:
612:
472:
368:
257:
spoke at the club's annual dinner, saying, "This dinner began almost one hundred years ago as a way to celebrate the birthday of
General
498:
696:
592:
144:. There are approximately 200 members of the club, all of them influential politicians and business executives. The club has an
271:'s membership in the club became the subject of discussion in a Senate Judiciary hearing after Rehnquist was nominated to be
199:
691:
275:. He described the club as one that "met once a year to listen to patriotic music and 'hear some funny political speeches
389:
272:
162:
If in attendance, the
President of the United States is usually asked to deliver remarks at the banquet. President
279:" and said "he did not think his membership in such a once-a-year group violated the canons of judicial ethics."
149:
206:, constitutionally ineligible for election to the U.S. presidency. In 2001, the presidential nomination went to
166:
spoke at the banquet each year of his presidency; the
Alfalfa Club was one of only three clubs that his father,
179:
640:
243:
409:
347:
322:
170:, was a member of as president. President Obama attended and spoke at the banquet in 2009 and in 2012.
559:
431:"Jeff Bezos Threw A Party After The Annual Alfalfa Club Dinner. So What Exactly Is The Alfalfa Club?"
137:
620:
264:
In addition to its
January banquet in Washington, the club previously held an annual summer picnic.
299:
480:
211:
706:
287:
190:
in 1974 (elected in 1980), and George W. Bush in 1998 (elected in 2000). In 1969, it nominated
268:
261:. If he were here with us tonight, the General would be 202 years old. And very confused."
8:
524:
394:
373:
302:, had also been a member. Clinton's boycott had been the first by a U.S. president since
117:
46:
661:
539:
645:
597:
414:
246:
567:
215:
167:
145:
295:
227:
203:
92:
67:
616:
503:
476:
129:
253:. It began admitting Black people in 1974 and women in 1994. In 2009, President
291:
191:
163:
152:
have been members of the club. The press is not allowed to attend the banquet.
141:
136:
at a local restaurant. The banquet, which lasts 4 hours, features music by the
125:
680:
571:
286:
over a lack of women in the club, the club admitted its first women members,
258:
250:
239:
187:
183:
499:"Alfalfa Club Dinner: Bush Family, Sandra Day O'Connor and More Trade Jokes"
303:
283:
254:
195:
456:
310:
223:
207:
133:
219:
104:
520:"A political truce is called at the 104th annual Alfalfa Club dinner"
121:
352:
156:
460:
159:
plant's supposed willingness to "do anything for a drink."
390:"Alfalfa Club Hears Bush Speak as President for Last Time"
666:
544:
214:
became the first female president of the club. In 2017,
662:"Occupy DC protesters demonstrate outside VIP dinner"
593:"PRESIDENT ASSERTS HE WILL WITHHOLD REHNQUIST MEMOS"
56:
Hosts annual banquet on the last
Saturday of January
173:
678:
238:The club was formed by four southerners in the
124:banquet on the last Saturday of January at the
517:
218:was elected president of the club. In 2018,
635:
633:
590:
202:. Its 2000 nomination was Australian-born
518:Andrews-Dyer, Helena (January 29, 2017).
496:
82:~200 politicians and corporate executives
369:"What's the deal with the Alfalfa Club?"
702:1913 establishments in Washington, D.C.
687:Clubs and societies in Washington, D.C.
630:
387:
341:
339:
337:
155:The club was named in reference to the
679:
659:
497:MCELWAINE, SANDRA (January 30, 2011).
452:
450:
345:
282:In 1994, after a boycott by President
660:Battle, Courtney (January 28, 2012).
591:TAYLOR Jr., STUART (August 1, 1986).
540:"Obama gets laughs at Alfalfa dinner"
388:Newhall, Marissa (January 27, 2008).
346:MARTIN, JONATHAN (January 29, 2009).
200:Motion Picture Association of America
428:
366:
334:
641:"Point Made, Clintons Dine at Club"
447:
120:that exists only to hold an annual
13:
273:Chief Justice of the United States
14:
718:
697:Organizations established in 1913
560:"THE PRESIDENCY: Weekend Mystery"
182:after being nominated, including
367:Heil, Emily (January 29, 2015).
222:was elected president. In 2019,
174:Annual club president nomination
653:
605:
584:
552:
532:
479:. February 1969. Archived from
410:"Bush Belongs to 3 Men's Clubs"
150:Presidents of the United States
511:
490:
465:
422:
402:
381:
360:
198:, the former president of the
194:. In 2004, the Club nominated
180:President of the United States
1:
348:"Palin, Obama to share stage"
328:
242:to celebrate the birthday of
619:. April 1942. Archived from
323:List of Alfalfa Club members
30:; 111 years ago
7:
692:Culture of Washington, D.C.
316:
186:in 1965 (elected in 1968),
10:
723:
233:
138:United States Marine Band
98:
86:
76:
60:
52:
42:
24:
309:During the 2012 dinner,
626:(subscription required)
486:(subscription required)
313:protested the banquet.
140:as well as a political
226:was elected. In 2020,
483:on December 14, 2008.
623:on February 1, 2009.
613:"Jesse Gets Ruffled"
269:William H. Rehnquist
16:American social club
649:. January 29, 1995.
548:. February 1, 2009.
525:The Washington Post
473:"Nixon's New Humor"
418:. February 1, 1989.
395:The Washington Post
374:The Washington Post
288:Sandra Day O'Connor
212:Sandra Day O’Connor
21:
646:The New York Times
598:The New York Times
415:The New York Times
19:
429:Au-Yeung, Angel.
216:Michael Bloomberg
168:George H. W. Bush
146:invitation system
110:
109:
714:
672:
671:
657:
651:
650:
637:
628:
627:
624:
609:
603:
602:
588:
582:
581:
579:
578:
556:
550:
549:
536:
530:
529:
515:
509:
508:
494:
488:
487:
484:
469:
463:
454:
445:
444:
442:
441:
426:
420:
419:
406:
400:
399:
385:
379:
378:
364:
358:
357:
343:
298:, whose father,
296:Katharine Graham
278:
228:David Rubenstein
204:James Wolfensohn
93:David Rubenstein
68:Washington, D.C.
38:
36:
31:
22:
18:
722:
721:
717:
716:
715:
713:
712:
711:
677:
676:
675:
658:
654:
639:
638:
631:
625:
611:
610:
606:
589:
585:
576:
574:
558:
557:
553:
538:
537:
533:
516:
512:
504:The Daily Beast
495:
491:
485:
471:
470:
466:
455:
448:
439:
437:
427:
423:
408:
407:
403:
386:
382:
365:
361:
344:
335:
331:
319:
276:
236:
176:
130:Washington D.C.
101:
89:
79:
72:
34:
32:
29:
17:
12:
11:
5:
720:
710:
709:
704:
699:
694:
689:
674:
673:
652:
629:
604:
583:
566:. 1946-07-01.
551:
531:
510:
489:
464:
446:
421:
401:
380:
359:
332:
330:
327:
326:
325:
318:
315:
292:Elizabeth Dole
235:
232:
192:Harold Stassen
175:
172:
164:George W. Bush
126:Capital Hilton
108:
107:
102:
100:Vice President
99:
96:
95:
90:
87:
84:
83:
80:
77:
74:
73:
71:
70:
64:
62:
58:
57:
54:
50:
49:
44:
40:
39:
26:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
719:
708:
707:Robert E. Lee
705:
703:
700:
698:
695:
693:
690:
688:
685:
684:
682:
669:
668:
663:
656:
648:
647:
642:
636:
634:
622:
618:
614:
608:
600:
599:
594:
587:
573:
569:
565:
561:
555:
547:
546:
541:
535:
527:
526:
521:
514:
506:
505:
500:
493:
482:
478:
474:
468:
462:
458:
453:
451:
436:
432:
425:
417:
416:
411:
405:
397:
396:
391:
384:
376:
375:
370:
363:
355:
354:
349:
342:
340:
338:
333:
324:
321:
320:
314:
312:
307:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
280:
274:
270:
265:
262:
260:
259:Robert E. Lee
256:
252:
251:Robert E. Lee
248:
245:
241:
240:Willard Hotel
231:
230:was elected.
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
201:
197:
193:
189:
188:Ronald Reagan
185:
184:Richard Nixon
181:
171:
169:
165:
160:
158:
153:
151:
147:
143:
139:
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
106:
103:
97:
94:
91:
85:
81:
75:
69:
66:
65:
63:
59:
55:
51:
48:
45:
41:
27:
23:
665:
655:
644:
621:the original
607:
596:
586:
575:. Retrieved
563:
554:
543:
534:
523:
513:
502:
492:
481:the original
467:
457:Alfalfa Club
438:. Retrieved
434:
424:
413:
404:
393:
383:
372:
362:
351:
308:
304:Jimmy Carter
300:Eugene Meyer
284:Bill Clinton
281:
266:
263:
255:Barack Obama
237:
196:Jack Valenti
177:
161:
154:
114:Alfalfa Club
113:
111:
78:Membership
20:Alfalfa Club
311:Occupy D.C.
244:Confederate
224:Mitt Romney
210:. In 2011,
208:John McCain
134:after-party
118:social club
681:Categories
577:2020-09-14
440:2020-02-19
329:References
220:John Kerry
132:, with an
105:Jim Mattis
572:0040-781X
267:In 1986,
247:Civil War
122:black tie
88:President
25:Formation
353:Politico
317:See also
249:General
61:Location
234:History
157:alfalfa
53:Purpose
33: (
570:
435:Forbes
294:, and
142:roast
116:is a
617:Time
568:ISSN
564:Time
477:Time
461:NNDB
112:The
47:Club
43:Type
35:1913
28:1913
667:CNN
545:CNN
459:at
128:in
683::
664:.
643:.
632:^
615:.
595:.
562:.
542:.
522:.
501:.
475:.
449:^
433:.
412:.
392:.
371:.
350:.
336:^
306:.
290:,
670:.
601:.
580:.
528:.
507:.
443:.
398:.
377:.
356:.
277:'
37:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.