White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of one of the most powerful clubs in America.

Trump to host rally in Michigan on night of White House Correspondents’ Dinner

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Photo Courtesy donaldjtrump.com

President Donald Trump made it clear today that there is no chance he will be attending the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. His campaign announced that he will instead host a rally in Michigan at the same time the dinner in Washington, D.C. will be getting underway.

Michael Glassner, Chief Operating Officer of Donald J. Trump for President issued a statement:

“While the fake news media will be celebrating themselves with the denizens of Washington society in the swamp that evening, President Trump will be in a completely different Washington, celebrating our national economic revival with patriotic Americans.”

“The president is really looking forward to highlighting the growing success of his economic policies for Michiganders, including historic deregulation and tax cuts that are delivering a pay raise to working families; resulting in record-low unemployment, remarkable reductions in food stamp enrollment, and a return of the American dream for millions of families.”

As previously reported, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders will represent the administration at the White House Correspondents’ Association’s annual dinner at the Washington Hilton.

WHCD Host Michelle Wolf on Kimmel

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Comedian Michelle Wolf, who will host the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the end of this month, made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live where she discussed her thoughts on the upcoming event that President Donald Trump has said he won’t attend.

Her first reaction to the news that Trump had declined the invitation was, “Oh thank God I don’t have to hear Trump eat.”

But that concern didn’t stop her from challenging Trump to change his mind. “I dare you, you poor little man. I’ll give you five dollars if you come.”

Five Memorable Moments From White House Correspondents’ Dinner History

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The White House Correspondents’ Dinner has generated its share of funny, unexpected and uncomfortable moments over the years. Following are five memorable highlights that played a role in cementing the dinner as a legendary annual event.

1. The George W. Bush and Ozzy Moment
The year was 2002 and the unified spirit that enveloped Washington in the wake of the 9/11 attacks still lingered as the masses gathered at the Washington Hilton for the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. President George W. Bush was at the dais, along with several of his cabinet members and other administration officials. The featured entertainment for the evening was comedian Drew Carey and celebrities including Harrison Ford and Christie Brinkley were in attendance. But heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, a guest of Fox News host Greta Van Susteren, was the real draw of the event. His MTV reality television show, “The Osbournes,” was capturing the attention of the country, and even President Bush couldn’t resist the pull of America’s sudden and most unlikely celebrity. “The thing about Ozzy is he’s made a lot of big hit recordings,” Bush said as he gave the singer a shout-out during his remarks. “’Party With Animals,’ ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,’ ‘Face in Hell,’ ‘Black Skies’ and ‘Bloodbath in Paradise’…Ozzy, mom loves your stuff.” Osbourne responded by standing on his chair, arms raised and shouting as the audience howled and applauded.

2. Bill Clinton’s Farewell
The Clinton presidency had its share of drama, and at his final White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2000, President Bill Clinton was determined to prove he hadn’t lost his sense of humor. Known for being more effective than most at leveraging pre-produced videos, starting with the “Man From Hope” bio produced for his 1992 campaign, Clinton rolled out the tactic one more time for the 2000 dinner. Casting the president as a down-and-out lame duck who has been deserted by nearly everyone in the White House, including his Senate-bound wife, the video showed Clinton aimlessly roaming the halls of the executive mansion, giving press briefings to a sleeping Helen Thomas and pruning shrubs. Still, the president found joy – and success – by the end of the video: discovering eBay, launching golf shots at political opponents’ cars and finding a way to cheat the vending machines for some free ice cream. The crowd of reporters, editors, business leaders and celebrities in the room roared their approval.

3. Stephen Colbert’s Scolding
The mood of the 2006 White House Correspondents’ Dinner was tenser than President Bush’s first dinner in 2001. Cast in the shadow of the ongoing war, the President tried to set the tone by poking some fun at himself alongside Bush impersonator Steve Bridges (who served as Bush’s “internal voice”). However, the post-dinner buzz was focused on Stephen Colbert’s stinging indictment of both the president and the press. Appearing in character, Colbert started out by likening himself to the president, alluding to the perception that both made decisions from their “gut,” not beholden to the “reality” based “factinista.” He then turned his sights on the press, which, as an entity, had recently come under withering criticism for its coverage of the buildup to war. Colbert explained the “rules” of covering the president: “The president makes decisions. He’s the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put them through a spell-check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you’ve got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration? You know – fiction.”

4. Obama Takes on Trump
While best known as a reality TV personality in 2011, Donald Trump was also raising his political profile. One of the ways he was doing this was by vocalizing his support of the “birther” movement that questioned the legitimacy of President Obama’s birth certificate. Dipping his toes in the political waters at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Trump would quickly find himself in the spotlight. As President Barack Obama launched into a roast of Trump that lasted several months, Trump stared straight ahead with a stern look on his face. The presentation included Obama’s “official birth video” (footage from the Lion King), and then Seth Meyers continued lambasting Trump with his own series of jokes. While Trump had hinted at running for president many times over the last few decades, some people suggest this may have been the moment that spurred him to launch his campaign.

5. Reagan Dials Into the Dinner
Donald Trump wasn’t the first Republican president to miss a White House Correspondents’ Dinner. In 1981, Ronald Reagan wasn’t able to attend the annual event, but not for political reasons. He was still recovering from the assassination attempt made on his life just weeks before – at the same location. However, he did phone into the dinner to offer his thanks and brief remarks for the attendees. His advice for the dinner crowd: “When somebody tells you to get in a car quick, do it.” White House Press Secretary James Brady’s wife, Sarah, was in attendance, and Nancy Reagan got on the phone to share a moment. “Sarah, you remember those days in the hospital when you and I had many conversations. And we both agreed that you and I, from now on, had a bond that was very special and that nobody could ever break…I know that both our fellows are going to make it, and I send you and Jim all my love.”

Michelle Wolf warms up for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

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Michelle WolfMichelle Wolf. Photo courtesy of Twitter @michelleisawolf.

White House Correspondents’ Dinner host, Michelle Wolf, is warming up for the annual event that will take place at the Washington Hilton on April 28.

Wolf recently shared her pre-dinner thoughts with The Hollywood Reporter. On whether or not President Trump shows up: “I’m going to say the same things, whether he’s there or not. I think it’s more fun when people are there only because I like making fun of people to their face.”

Wolf also received some advice from 2011 dinner host Seth Meyers. “He told me to be specific and that the room is terrible.”

The Daily Show correspondent and future Netflix late-night host also reacted to news that Sarah Huckabee Sanders will attend on behalf of Trump. She told The Daily Beast, “I’m just excited Sarah finally gets to go to prom.”

Read the full interview with The Hollywood Reporter: Michelle Wolf On Trump Skipping Correspondents’ Dinner and Her Netflix Late-Night Debut

Read more via The Daily Beast: Michelle Wolf Mocks Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Attending White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Bloomberg’s Washington Bureau Fêtes Margaret Talev

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Margaret Talev and Andrea Mitchell at Bloomberg’s Washington Bureau, Photo Courtesy of Haddad Media

Bloomberg Washington Bureau Chief Craig Gordon gathered government officials, media, and Washington influencers to celebrate one of Bloomberg’s own, White House Correspondent Margaret Talev, at Bloomberg’s Washington Bureau on Tuesday, April 10th. As this year’s president of the White House Correspondents Association, she has had the difficult task of leading the press pool that covers President Trump and negotiates access. Talev, as head of the WHCA, is leading this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 28th.

Talev spoke at length about the importance of the First Amendment and encouraged the crowd to talk to their friends, colleagues, and family about the principles and foundations of a free press.

Craig Gordon, a veteran news manager who became Bloomberg’s DC bureau chief in 2017, praised Talev’s reporting and applauded her for choosing to lead the White House Correspondents’ Association at such a tumultuous time. 

Tom Forrest and Meredith Balenske, Photo Courtesy Haddad Media

Guests included White House aides Kellyanne Conway, Sean Spicer, and Hogan Gidley, as well as media powerhouses Steve Clemons, Andrea Mitchell, David Bradley, Daniel Lippmann, Polson Kanneth, and Sam Feist. Washington influencers included Neera Tanden, Ryan Williams, Grover Norquist, Frank Coleman, and David Chavern. Business was well represented by Danielle Burr of Uber, Tom Forrest of Shinola, Meredith Balenkse of Revolution, and Robin Sproul of Javelin. Bloomberg’s top executives and reporters Jason Schechter, Emily Chang, Ty Trippett, and Laura Zelenko were also there to celebrate Talev’s success.

Trump Snubs White House Correspondents’ Dinner

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President Donald Trump, Photo Courtesy Reuters

After weeks of toying with the idea of attending this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, President Donald Trump has decided to pass. Trump, whose last appearance at the dinner was in 2011 as a civilian, is sending White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in his place. This year’s Correspondents’ Dinner is set to take place on April 28th.

White House Correspondents Association President and Bloomberg News White House reporter Margaret Talev released a statement saying, “The White House has informed us that the president does not plan to participate in this year’s dinner but that he will actively encourage members of the executive branch to attend and join us as we celebrate the First Amendment. In keeping with tradition, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also will represent the administration at the head table. The April 28 dinner celebrates award-winning reporting, scholarship winners and the vital role of the First Amendment and the free press in American democracy.”

White House Correspondents’ Association Awards Maggie Haberman, CNN for Trump Administration Reporting

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The crowd gathers at the annual White House Correspondence Brunch, Photo courtesy of Haddad Media

While the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is still a few weeks away, the White House House Correspondents’ Association has released the list of recipients of some of the top journalistic prizes in the industry. Among the big winners is The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman for her insider reports on the Trump Administration that the WHCA says “often conveyed the feeling of being a fly on the wall of the White House.”

Other winners include CNN, whose team consisting of Evan Perez, Jim Sciutto, Jake Tapper, and Carl Bernstein whose reporting on the Russia-Trump story in January netted them The Merriman Smith Award.

Reuters reporters Jason Szep, Peter Eisler, Tim Reid, Lisa Girion, and Grant Smith were awarded the Edgar A. Poe Award for their reporting on tasers in police brutality cases.

WHCA President Margaret Talev said in a statement that the Correspondents’ Association “congratulates these award winners, and we’re proud to honor them at our annual dinner as we celebrate the First Amendment and the crucial role of journalism in informing and protecting the public.”

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner takes place on April 28th. You can read the full list of honorees here.

Jay Roach to Direct Michael Wolff’s White House Tell-All Fire and Fury in TV Adaptation

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Bryan Cranston, Producer Monica Levinson, and Jay Roach at the DC premiere of Trumbo, Photo Courtesy Haddad Media

Michael Wolff’s bestselling tale of White House palace intrigue, the bestselling Fire and Fury, has been set to be adapted into a television series for a yet-to-be-determined network since its publication in January. Details about the eagerly anticipated series have been slow to come out but, on Wednesday, March 28th, The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Jay Roach is set to direct the series.

Roach is well known as the go-to director for all things political, having directed Game Change about the 2008 presidential election, and Recount, which details the Florida recount that determined the fate of the 2000 presidential contest, for HBO Films. He also directed the feature film Trumbo, starring Bryan Cranston who was nominated for an Oscar for his performance as blacklisted writer, Dalton Trumbo.

Wolff’s book tells the inside story of President Trump and his staff’s first year in power in a fly-on-the-wall approach that gave the author unprecedented access to the administration’s power brokers. The book made headlines for weeks fueled by President Trump’s denunciation.

Television rights to the book were secured by Endeavor Content days after the book was released. The deal reportedly netted Wolff a seven-figure payday. The book itself has been wildly successful, topping the New York Times’ bestseller list for 10 straight weeks and has sold over 2 million copies in the US.

Jay Roach will also serve as executive producer of the series along with Michael Wolff, BBC exec Michael Jackson, and John Lyons.

You can read more details about the series here.

Jessica Yellin Set to Publish Novel of Newsroom Intrigue, Savage News

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Jessica Yellin with Wolf Blitzer and Dan Pfeiffer, Photo Courtesy Haddad Media

Veteran Washington Correspondent Jessica Yellin will bring her years of experience to her first novel, Savage News, set to be published next year. Let’s hope she tells some insider stories!

Yellin was a correspondent for ABC News, MSNBC, and most recently CNN as their chief White House Correspondent, covering the biggest political stories of the last 15 years.

Page Six has learned some details about the novel’s plot. “Natalie Savage, fights to report on serious news at a network driven by a ratings-obsessed boss…as she investigates a scandal involving the foreign-born US first lady…against a backdrop of institutional sexual harassment.”

When asked whether the book contains any characters based on real people in newsrooms she has worked at, Yellin says this: “I’ll just say this is a work of fiction.”

You can read the full Page Six report here.

Mike Allen Talks to Parkland Shooting Survivor David Hogg Ahead of March for Our Lives

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David Hogg and Mike Allen, Photo Courtesy Axios

Mike Allen interviewed Marjory Stoneman Douglas student and school shooting survivor turned activist David Hogg on Friday, March 23rd, one day before the March for Our Lives gun control protest set to take place on in Washington, DC and around the country. They discussed the march, his activism, and his role in becoming a leading voice in the gun control debate.

Hogg states that, after the shooting, Marjory Stoneman is “like a prison” since last month’s shooting with the increased police presence and security measures. He added that “law enforcement are some of the hardest working individuals in the country,” and that, “we need to realize that there are serious issues not only at the FBI and Broward County Sheriff, but with politicians too who are responsible for government agencies.”

Allen asked about Hogg’s take on the way the media covered the shooting and the movement that has sprung up in its wake. Hogg’s biggest takeaway was that the media did not reach out to African-American students in the same way that it reached out to white students. “My school is about 25% black, but the way we’re covered doesn’t reflect that.”

Watch the full interview here.

The March for Our Lives is set to take place in Washington, DC and other cities around the country on Saturday, March 24th. You can learn more about the march here.