Check. A gift? President Barack Obama says he has both and is ready for a Valentine's Day date with the first lady. Speaking in suburban Atlanta on Thursday, Obama said his wife, Michelle, made him promise to get back to the White House in time for their date. He said he already had gotten her a gift and had the flowers, which he joked are easier to get when one has a Rose Garden nearby. The White House Rose Garden, located just outside the Oval Office, was started in 1913 when first lady Ellen Wilson began planting roses there. For Valentine's Day last year, Obama took his wife to dinner at Vermilion, a restaurant in Old Town, Alexandria, Va., just outside of Washington.