The White House is officially on Pinterest. So far, one pin — a teaser inviting people to join the first family at a holiday social on Dec. 17 — has been posted to a single board "1600," featuring the Obama family dog Bo.
A select few Pinterest users will be chosen to attend the event (registration has closed), where they will check out the White House decor, meet the people who decorated the White House for the holidays, participate in a craft project and, of course, share it all on Pinterest.
While the president's Pinterest follower count has reached nearly 8,000, it comes nowhere near the pope's initial fan count of more than 500,000 on Twitter. But Pinterest users are a far more positive bunch than those on Twitter. As requested, they're leaving their comments as to what they'd like to see pinned from the White House.
If you've ever wondered whether Pinterest is really a site for the ladies, wonder no more. Recipes, gardening tips and Michelle's dresses top the list of pin requests. "There should be an entire board of Michelle's wardrobe! As well as her tips and tricks to staying so fit!" one user, Ellie Shahin, wrote.
And others want a behind-the-scenes view of life at the White House. "Spill the beans about what goes on in the real West wing!" Dode Waller said. "Love to hear gardening tips from the First Lady and basketball tips from the President!" Even cleaning tips would be welcome, posted Julia Riemer.
Another pinner requested that the president and Michelle post photos showing their travels. "We often get to see images from the media of you, but it would be great for you to share what you see," MyZWright wrote.
There's always a humbug in the crowd, though. "I would rather the person who's being paid to keep this board actually do something USEFUL for the nation," Minou Barton said.
However, the White House has already demonstrated mastery of many a social media outlet, including Twitter, Facebook and Reddit . Pinterest may be an opportunity to connect with constituents in a more personal way.
New boards and pins will be posted on Monday, Dec. 17, the day of the social.