U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) will join President Obama and 119 other guests at the White House Wednesday evening for an iftar meal to break the daily Ramadan fast. It's a special occasion with many dignitaries in attendance, but Ellison said he prefers private iftars: 

• “My favorite iftars are the ones with my family, but I also think that in a country with such diversity, there has been a tradition to honor all faiths, including Muslims,” Ellison told Roll Call. “I recognize our constitutional separation of church and state, but at the same time, there’s nothing wrong with a holiday message or a holiday dinner.”

Roll Call, a Capitol Hill news organization, also noted that Thomas Jefferson hosted the first known White House iftar in 1805. 

'Not Totally Dedicated'
Ellison's Muslim faith continues to draw attention. A columnist at the conservative WorldNetDailywebsite chided Republican presidential contender Herman Cain for backtracking on a pledge not to include Muslims in his administration's cabinet. Cain apologized for saying "many of the Muslims, they're not totally dedicated to this country"—a comment that WND.com columnist Pamela Geller took as a criticism of Ellison. 

Early End to Recess Unlikely
In other news, MinnPost cited an Ellison town hall meeting set for Thursday as an example of what members of Congress like to do during their August recess, and why Obama likely won't call Congress back in session early. 

Super Congress
Ellison is one of several lawmakers who political progressives would like to see on a super committee that will wrestle with the nation's budget problems. The Campaign for America's Future calls Ellison out as a favorite in a blog post and petition.