A White House “Alice in Wonderland” costume ball — put on by Johnny Depp and Hollywood director Tim Burton — proved to be a Mad-as-a-Hatter idea that was never made public for fear of a political backlash during hard economic times, according to a new tell-all. In her new book "The Obamas," Jodi Kantor reports that the White House communications staff was concerned about the optics of the Obamas hosting a star-studded 'Alice in Wonderland'-themed Halloween party in a time of economic misery. Burton’s own Mad Hatter, the actor Johnny Depp, presided over the scene in full costume, standing up on a table to welcome everyone in character.” 
 
 The Obamas’ daughters, Malia and Sasha, then 11 and 8 respectively, “sat at the table, surrounded by a gaggle of their friends, and then proceeded to the next delight, a magic show in the East Room.” 
 
 Kantor’s book details more personal aspects of the Obama White House, serving up glimpses of the first couple’s marriage, parenting, sometimes tense handling of staff issues and even the president’s sly sense of humor when it comes to race.
– At the nadir of the economic crisis, the Obama White House held a lavish Alice in Wonderland-themed Halloween costume party, organized by Johnny Depp and Tim Burton and full of Star Wars character. But with unemployment at 10%, the Tea Party at its apex, and the economic downturn still rocking the country, officials feared the 2009 party would look terribly decadent, so kept it a secret, reports the New York Post. “White House officials were so nervous about how a splashy, Hollywood-esque party would look to jobless Americans—or their representatives in Congress, who would soon vote on health care—that the event was not discussed publicly, and Burton’s and Depp’s contributions went unacknowledged,” alleges Jodi Kantor in her new book, The Obamas. But was it really a secret? The White House fired back yesterday, saying the party was no secret: Photos were released via the White House's Flickr account and websites and newspapers at the time mentioned Johnny Depp's attendance, reports Politico. "Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read in books these days," said a White House spokesman. You can see plenty of pics (including Chewbacca, but no mention of Depp or Burton) in the New York Times' original coverage of the event.