International Monetary Fund chief dines at White House the day before President unveils the American Jobs Act during Joint Session of Congress...During a confab that was not noted on his daily schedule for Sept. 7th, 2011, President Obama spoke with Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, during an eat n' meet at the White House, according to a photo newly posted to the official Flickr. Lagarde (to the President's right) has a plate of food in front of her, as does National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, seated opposite at the table. The President does not appear to be dining during the meeting, which took place in Donilon's West Wing office. The eat n' meet took place the day before President Obama spoke to a Joint Session of Congress to unveil the American Jobs Act, on Sept. 8.
Largarde took over the IMF on June 28th, after former chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn stepped down. President Obama first spoke to Lagarde by phone on August 26th, according to the White House, which issued a readout of the call. The conversation included a discussion of "the global economic situation and recent developments in financial markets," the White House said.
Also at the Lagarde eat n' meet, from Donilon's left in the photo: Mike Froman, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs; Caroline Atkinson, Special Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs; and Nemat Shafik, Deputy Managing Director of the IMF.
The rest of the President's day on Sept. 7...On the same day as the Lagarde meeting, President Obama welcomed NASCAR Sprint champion Jimmie Johnson and other 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers to the White House for a ceremony honoring Johnson's record-setting streak. That's another new photo on the White House Flickr: Above, the President, Johnson and his wife Chandra chat in the Red Room.
On Sept. 7th, the President also met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Oval Office, and later with Secretary of Defense Panetta in the Oval Office. Vice President Biden attended both meetings.
*Photos by Pete Souza/White House