On the 29th of October, President Barack Obama delivered the keynote address at the 36th annual National Italian American Foundation Gala, in Washington, DC., an annual event that attracts some of the nation’s top political and entertainment luminaries of Italian descent.
President Obama praised the contribution of Italian Americans in the United States and reminded the over 2,000 Italian Americans gathered at the venue, that Italians weren’t always welcome in the U.S., and that the history of the U.S. Italian-American community offers lessons on how to regard the struggles of today’s immigrants.
The President also joked he wasn’t lucky enough to have Italian ancestry.
"I do not, in fact, have any Italian ancestry," Obama said. "Not all of us are that lucky.
"I can't sing like Frankie Avalon," Obama said, honoring the former teenage idol who was in attendance. "Where's Frankie? ... He looks the same! Unbelievable!"
"I can't cook as well as any of your grandmothers," Obama then told the entire crowd in Washington. "Michelle won't let me have seconds or thirds anymore."
"So all I've got to offer is a last name that ends in a vowel," Obama said. "That's all I've got."
We would add that the President surname ends in "ama" which in Italian means "he/she loves".......Italy of course!
