Worthington mayor, wife attend White House reception

• At the White House

Mayor Alan and Janice Oberloh stand in front of the White House during a June 7 arrival ceremony for Angela Merkel, chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany.

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WASHINGTON — It was a “once-in-a lifetime” opportunity that they couldn’t pass up.

On June 7, President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama hosted a reception on the White House Lawn to welcome Angela Merkel, chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. Among the dignitaries who witnessed this spectacle were Worthington’s mayor and own first lady, Alan and Janice Oberloh.

“R.T. Rybak, mayor of Minneapolis, was given the privilege of inviting five mayors,” to the arrival ceremony, explained Alan Oberloh, who has developed a relationship with Rybak through the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities. “When I was first contacted, I asked if it was just for the mayors or if spouses were invited, too, and they said, ‘Does your wife want to go?’”

Janice, of course, wanted to accompany Al to the event, but not if it meant bumping another Minnesota mayor from the privilege. But a couple mayors turned down the invitation, and Al and Janice, Granite Falls Mayor Dave Smiglewski and Park Rapids Mayor Nancy Carroll became the official Minnesota delegation.

With the intention that he would make some political connections while in Washington, the mayor’s travel expenses were approved in advance by the city council; the Oberlohs footed Janice’s expenses.

Although their security clearance hadn’t yet come through, the Oberlohs took a gamble, booked their airfare and hotel and began to ponder appropriate dress for a White House reception. They spent June 6-9 in the nation’s capital and attended the reception on June 7.

The invitation was all the more special for the Oberlohs because of Worthington’s sister-city connection to Crailsheim, Germany, which is recognized as one of the most enduring such partnerships in the world.

“I said right away, ‘Is it because of our long-standing sister-city relationship,’” said Al, “but it didn’t have anything to do with it. It was because I’d gotten to know R.T. Rybak and had worked with him when we were talking LGA (local government aid) and the ramifications of cutting that.”

The morning of June 7 dawned bright and sunny, and as directed on the invitation, the Minnesotans were toward the front of the line with invitations and identification in hand when the gates opened at 6:45 a.m. The Oberlohs’ names were on the list, but unfortunately, Smiglewski’s had been omitted, and he was pulled to the side for an additional security check. (He was later allowed to join his friends, just in time for the ceremony.)

The reception itself was a military spectacle, the Oberlohs described, with Obama and Merkel reviewing troops from every branch of the military. Holding small flags of both the U.S. and Germany, the Oberlohs were standing probably eight to 10 feet away from the president and chancellor during part of this process.

“They walked side by side, with all the branches in full formation. It was just as I remember seeing it on TV — the reviewing of the troops,” Al said. “It was so impressive to see how crisp the lines were and how tight the formation. I’ll bet half the people who were there were military.”

As the president and Merkel passed by the lines of servicemen, their heads would swivel to follow the movement of their commander in chief. There was a 19-gun salute, and flags from all 50 states and territories were flying for the ceremony. Both the president and the chancellor had prepared remarks.

“Her comments involved the relationship between the United States and Germany as allies and talked a lot about getting out of the recession — working together to create jobs,” recalled Al.

“She said Obama had made comments (during a visit to Germany) about the United States having no better ally than Germany,” added Janice.

A joke that Obama made about how things change, referencing himself as an African-American and Merkel as a woman, was memorable for both Al and Janice.

“He said something like ‘We don’t look anything like our predecessors,” repeated Janice.

During their short stay in Washington, the Oberlohs paid visits to the capitol offices of Sen. Al Franken, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Tim Walz. They attended Minnesota breakfasts hosted by Franken and Klobuchar — featuring “Minnesota fare” such as wild rice porridge and Iron Range pastries — and spent some time with both senators talking about local issues such as the Lewis and Clark water project, for which the financing is in jeopardy.

“Basically we were told to keep pushing for completion,” said Al, “that we need to keep the coalition strong and active. We have to keep hammering the issue.”

Klobuchar invited Al and Janice into her private office and to a hearing about her bill on Internet privacy. When a quorum couldn’t be rounded up to vote on the bill, Klobuchar utilized the break in the proceedings to introduce the Oberlohs, and a spontaneous conversation about turkey race ensued with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont). They were also treated to a private tour of the Capitol with an intern on Klobuchar’s staff.

Making those Capitol Hill connections was an important aspect of the trip for Worthington’s mayor

“Was it a privilege to be asked?” Al said about the White House reception. “Of course, but would I want to do it just for the pomp and circumstance? No. I wanted to spend some quality time with the people who represent us in Washington.”

The Oberlohs returned to Worthington with some souvenirs of their trip — the invitation, the small flags and the program — all of which they intend to have framed in a shadow box. But Al also grabbed a more unconventional memento from the White House.

“When the reception was over, I reached down and grabbed a handful of grass,” he said. “Everybody around me just started laughing, and I said, ‘I’m taking this back and putting it on my lawn in Worthington.”

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