Politics & Government

St. Olaf Grad, A Same-Sex Marriage Advocate, Celebrates Easter at White House with Obamas

Same-sex couple Paul Melchert (a St. Olaf grad) and James Zimmerman and their twin sons Emmett and Gabriel, 3, are 'practicing who President Obama is,' KSTP reported.

Paul Melchert, a St. Olaf graduate, his partner, Jamez Zimmerman, and their twin boys traveled to Washington, D.C., to be guests of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll celebration. 

That's according to a post at KSTP.com, which explained how Tangletown residents Melchert and Zimmerman and their twin sons Emmett and Gabriel are getting ready:

"We've been practicing who President Obama is and why he's important to our family and why he is important for all of us," said father Paul Melchert.

Each year, President Obama reserves tickets to the annual White House Easter Egg Hunt for two-mom and two-dad families.

"At the years that our state and that the nation is looking at this in such an intense close eye- that that was the year our kids were on the White House lawn..." said Melchert.

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See the full article at KSTP.com.

The family already charmed viewers of a Feb. 27 press conference at which Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-61) and Reps. Karen Clark (DFL-62A) and Steve Simon (DFL-46B) announced new marriage-equality legislation. When Melchert took the podium with Emmett in one arm, the 3-year-old tried to muffle his father's prepared remarks. See video from the press conference by clicking on the YouTube thumbnail or at YouTube.com (start at the 15:15 mark).

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You can watch the White House Easter Egg Roll Program via an online livestream video on Sunday, March 31, 2013, from 6:30 a.m.–5:45 p.m. Central Time.


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