Snub me (Peng Liyuan, wife of Xi Jinping and FLOTUS' Chinese first lady counterpart) - Snub me (Michelle) NOT!

Let’s get this out of the way first thing, shall we? Obama’s very tough Friday schedule after a very tough week of wrangling Putin to the ground and before some very tough holes on the golf course I’m sure.

Obama Schedule || Friday, March 21, 2014
10:30 am || Receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
4:05 pm || Meets with Internet CEOs

A little bit of these two first ladies background from last June if you will –
Michelle Obama ‘snubs’ China’s first lady (ouch?)

China’s hopes that their first lady would dazzle the American public during this week’s summit between her husband, Xi Jinping, and Barack Obama have been dashed after it was announced that Michelle Obama would not attend.

Communist Party bosses had seen the June 7-8 Sunnylands summit as a golden opportunity to deploy Peng Liyuan’s much-vaunted charms on the world stage in a bid to spin a more favourable image of China’s leaders.

But on Tuesday Mrs Obama’s office told the New York Times the first lady would remain in Washington with her daughters who are coming to the end of their academic year.

Mrs Obama’s absence is likely to limit her Chinese counterpart’s role at the two-day California meeting, which begins on Friday, and may be interpreted as a snub, analysts said.

Zhang Ming, a political scientist from China’s Renmin University, predicted Mrs Obama’s absence would “not go down very well” in Beijing.

“First lady diplomacy is also very important and the US side has failed to cooperate,” he said. “According to normal diplomatic etiquette this is very strange. It shouldn’t be like this.” More here.

And so – the world knows Michelle arrived in China yesterday along with the girls, Mom, and an “entourage of about 70″ and for the record was not snubbed by Peng Liyuan.

From Keith Koffler – White House Dossier – Pandas! Great Walls! The Forbidden City. Ancient statues. A show . . .

First Lady Michelle Obama plans to pack in an exciting week of sightseeing during what is definitely NOT a vacation excursion with her daughters, who are on spring break, and her mother, who likes to go on Michelle’s trips.

The White House refuses to say how much it will cost you, according to the New York Times.

Well, I can reveal it here: A lot!!

A couple of air force planes – one for Michelle and one for her stuff – security costs, staff, lodging for everyone.

Pay up, suckers.

But this is not a vacation. Please repeat to yourself. This is not a vacation.

I’ll give you a moment.

And on this “official” excursion, no reporters will be permitted to tag along, and Michelle won’t be giving any interviews.

This trip is actually designed to address Mrs. Obama’s lifelong interest in educating Chinese children. And Mrs. Robinson and the first daughters are a crucial element, according to Tina Tchen, Mrs. Obama’s chief of staff.

She won’t, as I’ve reported, meet with any victims of China’s gross human rights violations. More here.

Meanwhile – back home on the range.

Obama ladies touch down in China amid taxpayer uproar excerpt – “The White House also announced that Mrs. Obama wouldn’t field any questions from journalists she encountered in Beijing, which rankled some members of the press and the private sector, given her trip — complete with an entourage of about 70 — was still being paid for with tax dollars.”

And from one of us little people at twitter Vigilant Veteran – How much is this costing #WeThePeople cuz apparently just 1 limo won’t do. Hey FLOTUS – WE’RE BROKE! #FlotusInChina