Lady Gaga at White House to discuss anti-bullying

[December 07, 2011]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Lady Gaga visited the White House on Tuesday to discuss bullying prevention.

The pop singer met with Obama administration staffers on the issue and afterward, Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett praised the star as "a source of strength for many young people who feel isolated and scared at their schools."

"Lady Gaga has described this cause as a personal one -- she has said that as a child, she was often picked on for being different," Jarrett wrote in a blog post on the White House website. "I am deeply moved by the way she has used her story, and her success, to inspire young people, and shine the spotlight on important issues."

Gaga didn't have a chance to meet with President Barack Obama, who was traveling in Kansas for a speech on the economy.

But the two have met before, when the singer attended a fundraiser for Obama's re-election campaign in California earlier this year.

Gaga was spotted by news crews as she exited the White House grounds Tuesday afternoon dressed all in white, including sky-high white heels, with her long blond hair down.

The White House held an anti-bullying conference earlier this year, and the administration estimates that bullying affects 13 million students, or about a third of those attending school. Jarrett said the administration looked forward to supporting Gaga's Born This Way Foundation, to explore how to change the culture and policies around children in school.

[Associated Press]

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