White House gatecrasher 'devastated'

The American socialite who gatecrashed a White House dinner with his wife and shook hands with President Barack Obama strongly denied today that they had not been invited.

Tareq Salahi told NBC that the experience has been "the most devastating thing that has ever happened" to him and his wife, Michaele.

Mr Salahi said they "did not party-crash the White House'' and stressed they were co-operating with the Secret Service investigation.

"We're greatly saddened by all the circumstances ... portraying my wife and I as party-crashers. I can tell you we did not party-crash the White House," he said.

But White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said on the same programme: "This wasn't a misunderstanding. You don't show up at the White House as a misunderstanding."