Obama imports taste of Hawaii

WASHINGTON -- Straw huts, hula dancers and kids playing with hula hoops were all on display Thursday evening in the White House's backyard -- not the typical congressional picnic.

President Barack Obama wanted it this way for the annual picnic for members of Congress.

"I just want to say to all the members of Congress, you've been working hard. I wish I could give you all trips to Hawaii," Obama said. "But I figured since, given our budget crunch we can't do that, that we'd at least bring Hawaii to you."

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs took a turn in the dunk tank.

Gibbs had agreed to be target practice once reporters said it could raise money for charity.

Taking shots at him were Fox News' Mike Emanuel (missed), the Associated Press' Ben Feller (dunked him), CBS' Bill Plante (dunked him) and -- yes -- Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times (missed).

AP