Surprise party held aboard Air Force One

Two of President Barack Obama’s advisers, Senior Adviser to the President Valerie Jarrett and Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Ben Rhodes, were treated to a surprise birthday party at 30,000 feet on Saturday, while en route to Asia with the president aboard Air Force One.

According to the White House blog, Rhodes and Jarrett were lured into a conference room expecting a briefing, but were treated to cake and a rendition of “Happy Birthday” instead. The president made an appearance, as did some of his staff.

Many of the attendees were genuinely surprised, but the birthday boy wasn’t one of them. The blog notes that Rhodes was “unconvinced by POTUS personal aide Reggie Love’s clumsy promise of ‘some sort of briefing.’ ”

 Jarrett was celebrating her 56th birthday; Rhodes turned 32.

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