From this morning's Leah Garchik-

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Leah Garchik

* Out with tulips, in with carrots 04.17.09
* Keeping lid on the dope question 04.16.09
* No holding those babies at Cal 04.15.09
* Sunday in the park with J.C. 04.14.09

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Meanwhile, Dead musicians Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann (plus Jeff Chimenti and Warren Haynes), who were playing in Washington on Tuesday, visited the president in the White House on Monday evening.

"He's a real human being," said Hart on Thursday, "so warm and open and gracious. It's like he just opened the door to his house and said, 'Come on in. This is a good place to talk.' "

Hart brought his wife, Caryl, and 15-year-old daughter, Reya. As they approached the front gate, a stern-faced guard on the other side of the fence said, " 'Mr. Hart? Mickey Hart? I'm sorry, Mr. Hart, it's about your priors. You've got priors.'

" 'Priors? I got a parking ticket 22 years ago. What do you mean, priors? You've got to be kidding.' ... 'Yeah,' said the guard. 'Welcome to the White House.' "

The show was Tuesday, and drummer Tipper Gore sat in on "Sugar Magnolia." "We were playing really beautifully," said Hart, "the band sounding like a million bucks. And Obama is the reason we were together. We got together over the benefits we put on for him. So in a way, he's become part of our destiny now."

I reminded him that Elvis had met with Nixon. "You gotta remember how bad it could be," said Hart. "But this one is how good it could be."