White House Correspondents Insider

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

Jay Leno to honor veterans at 2019 WHC Garden Brunch

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Jay Leno performs at the 2004 White House Correspondents Dinner

Special guest Jay Leno will join White House Correspondents Garden Brunch hosts and guests on Saturday, April 27, 2019 to honor veterans and present a Purple Heart recipient with the WHC Garden Brunch “Champions of Freedom” Award in a presentation sponsored by Wells Fargo and Military Warriors Support Foundation.

Many veterans have challenges when transitioning to civilian life, and the Military Warriors Support Foundation aims make that transition a bit easier. The organization provides mortgage-free homes and payment-free vehicles to our nation’s combat wounded heroes and Gold Star families.

Jay Leno is no stranger to White House Correspondents’ Weekend festivities. He has previously headlined the annual WHCA dinner on multiple occasions over the past three decades, and the Garden Brunch hosts are excited to have him as part of the program this year.

Andrea Dellinger from the Military Warriors Support Foundation and Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Quinn, Wells Fargo’s Head of Military & Veteran Initiatives, will also be part of the award ceremony.

You can watch this special presentation live via Twitter @whcinsider starting at 12:15 pm ET.

Philanthropist Jean Case to present WHC Garden Brunch “Be Fearless” Award to Lt. General Gwendolyn Bingham

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Steve Case, Tammy Haddad, Jean Case, Kara Swisher, Hilary Rosen and José Andrés at a book release party for “Be Fearless” in January 2019

Over the past several years, the White House Correspondents Garden Brunch has recognized active duty members of the military, veterans, and military families to thank them for their service and to put names and faces to the stories that journalists cover.

Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation and Chairman of the National Geographic Society, has shared her advice on how to be successful in her national bestselling book, “Be Fearless,” and at the 2019 Garden Brunch, she – alongside the other brunch cohosts – will recognize U.S. Army Lieutenant General Gwendolyn Bingham with the WHC Garden Brunch “Be Fearless” Award.

Bingham has served our country for more than 30 years. She has worked in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom and has served in more than 20 countries. She has also broken a lot of barriers along the way. Bingham is one of the few 3-star female general offices in U.S. Army history, and she is the recipient of numerous campaign and service medals.

For her distinguished service to our country, and her tireless efforts to improve the quality of life for men and women in uniform and their families, we are honored to recognize Lt. General Gwendolyn Bingham at the 2019 Garden Brunch.

Jean and Steve Case are co-hosts of the 2019 White House Correspondents Garden Brunch. Steve is Co-Founder of America Online and Chairman and CEO of Revolution.

White House Correspondents’ Weekend 2019 Preview

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Military service members were honored at the 2018 Garden Brunch

It’s that time of year again for a weekend of news and events surrounding the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. We’ve got the latest on who plans to party again and who decided to opt out (for now).

Remember, it’s more than dinner on Saturday: there are events starting as early as Thursday, April 25th. That includes Voto Latino’s 11th Annual “Our Voices: Celebrating Diversity in Media” reception, as well as the 6th Annual “Bytes & Bylines” party – a gathering of leaders in technology, media, and politics. The party is co-hosted by Allen Gannett, Eric Kuhn, John McCarthy, and Jennifer DeCasper and will once again be held at the residence of the Ambassador of Ireland to the United States.

On Friday, April 26th, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee will hold its second Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, DC. Though she vowed never to host another NWHCD again, Samantha Bee said in a press release, “…the White House Correspondents’ Association has left me no choice — it is now up to comedy journalists to take care of real journalists. Even if those journalists insist on wearing corduroy.”

While NWHCD 2 tapes on Friday, it will air at the same time as the official White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Saturday, April 27, 10 PM ET/PT on TBS. Programming note: get your remote controls ready, as not only will the actual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner and NWHCD 2 air simultaneously, but President Donald Trump will be holding a campaign rally at the same time in Green Bay, Wisconsin. For those keeping track, this is the third time the President has opted out of the WHCA dinner.

NWHCD 2 hasn’t named their celebrity guests yet but all proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Sorry, no tickets available for the annual Friday night dinner hosted for Official Washington by David Bradley, publisher of The Atlantic. It’s invite-only for the Embassy Row backyard gathering.

Also happening on Friday night, United Talent Agency (UTA) will hold its fourth annual “Celebration of America’s Journalists” pre-party at Fiola Mare restaurant. The event is co-hosted by UTA co-president, Jay Sures, and Mediaite CEO, Dan Abrams.

Sures said in a statement: “UTA is thrilled to continue our tradition of bringing together journalists and voices from across the political aisle to celebrate the diversity of opinions that make our democracy stronger.”

From The Roots to The Hill, Grammy Award-winning musician Questlove is expected to DJ at the media outlet’s “Toast to Freedom of the Press” at the National Portrait Gallery. The Hill’s Friday night shindig promises to be a “celebration of politics without prejudice.” This is a departure from last year where The Hill hosted a pre-party with the entertainment TV show Extra and the Canadian Embassy.

Not happening this year due to scheduling conflicts: the Correspondents’ Jam hosted by Chuck Leavell, owner of the enviro-news outlet, Mother Nature Network. The event usually featured bands fronted by journalists with the occasional celebrity cameo appearance. Leavell is the touring keyboardist for the Rolling Stones who were supposed to be on tour right now, but those plans are on pause while frontman Mick Jagger recovers from heart surgery.

The Creative Coalition is opting out for the first time in years because of the congressional recess. “We would love to have been at the correspondents’ dinner, except we tie it to a day where we advocate for the arts to Congress, and Congress is out of session,” Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk told The Hill. Instead, the Coalition – with stars from “Madam Secretary,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Shameless” and more – will be coming to DC on May 9th for their annual #RightstoBearArts Capitol Hill Advocacy Day and Gala.

Not to worry, there will be plenty happening at the 26th annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch to keep people buzzing. This traditional Saturday afternoon gathering started by Tammy Haddad will honor military veterans and their families. Invited guests will attend the outdoor affair at the Beall-Washington House in Georgetown, currently owned by Mark and Sally Ein. The estate was once the home of the late Washington Post publisher, Katharine Graham. Stay tuned because we hear there will be a special guest to present a BIG gift to a well-deserving Purple Heart veteran. There will also be a presentation to an active duty officer by author and philanthropist Jean Case.

The big WHCA dinner, of course, takes place at the Washington Hilton. Chief Washington Correspondent for SiriusXM and president of the WHCA, Olivier Knox, says there will be changes this year, telling The Hill he “felt the dinner needed a reset, to be more serious, to put the focus back on journalism, on the job of chronicling a presidency and holding it to account.”

The reset includes swapping out a late-night TV host/comedian as the entertainment for Ron Chernow, best-selling and award-winning author. He wrote the biography of Alexander Hamilton that Lin-Manuel Miranda picked up, which led to the creation of the hit Broadway musical, “Hamilton.” You know, no biggie.

A number of after parties have already been announced for this year, but one not coming back is Playboy’s “No Tie After-Party.” The 2018 inaugural party was hosted by the adult magazine’s chief creative officer, Cooper Hefner, but they’ve decided to pass this time around.

Constance Zimmer and Michael Kelly at the 2015 Garden Brunch

Instead, folks can try to score an invite to Capitol File’s after-party at the Dupont Circle Hotel hosted by Michael Kelly of “House of Cards” or NBC/MSNBC’s “The After Party” at the Italian Embassy.

The Los Angeles Times is also getting in on the action. They’ve planned a fundraising after-party at the National Press Club to raise money for Austin Tice, a former U.S. Marine and an American freelance journalist who went missing in Syria over six years ago. #FreeAustinTice

On Sunday, Politico founder and publisher, Robert Allbritton, and his wife, Elena, will once again host their own garden brunch at their elegant Georgetown home. Party-goers can also opt to nurse their headaches at CNN’s Political Hangover Brunch – and as the invite says – “Laissez les bon temps rouler!” Let the Good Times Roll, indeed.

26th Annual White House Correspondents’ Weekend #GardenBrunch

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The 26th Annual White House Correspondents’ Weekend Garden Brunch will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 in Washington, D.C.

The brunch will be hosted by Tammy Haddad, Hilary Rosen, Jean and Steve Case, Mark and Sally Ein, Jennifer Dunn, Zac Moffatt, Greta Van Susteren & John Coale, Fritz Brogan, and Franco Nuschese. Comedian Jay Leno will be the special guest this year.

Our military heroes have shown us the true meaning of sacrifice, and we will honor veterans during the Garden Brunch with the Champions of Freedom Award and the Be Fearless Award.

Leno, along with Garden Brunch hosts and guests, will honor a deserving veteran who has demonstrated exemplary service to the United States. This recognition will be presented in partnership with Wells Fargo and Military Warriors Support Foundation.

Jean Case, alongside the other hosts, will also present the Garden Brunch Be Fearless Award in recognition of a veteran’s fearless leadership.

There will be a live stream available on Twitter @WHCInsider of guest arrivals starting at 11am ET and the stage program at approximately 12:15 pm ET. Join the conversation on Twitter using #GardenBrunch.

Watch Leno’s performance at the 2010 White House Correspondents Dinner.

WHC Garden Brunch Promises Big Surprises

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The 26th Annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch will once again honor U.S. military service members and their families on Saturday, April 27, 2019.

The Garden Brunch brings together journalists, politicos, lawmakers, and Hollywood stars to raise awareness for important causes. What started as a backyard tradition by WHC Insider’s Tammy Haddad has become a much-anticipated event to kick-off the day. In addition to Haddad, this year’s co-hosts include Hilary Rosen, Jean and Steve Case, Mark & Sally Ein, Jennifer Dunn, Zac Moffatt, Greta Van Susteren & John Coale, Fritz Brogan, and Franco Nuschese.

Watch highlights from the 2018 WHC Garden Brunch.

Politico Playbookers Gather at Uber

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Politico’s Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer react to a question from Uber’s Danielle Burr

Uber’s Head of Federal Affairs, Danielle Burr, turned the media tables on Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer to take the audience behind the scenes on their reporting for their new book, The Hill to Die On: The Battle for Congress and the Future of Trump’s America.

Burr asked about how The Hill to Die On authors were able to show Capitol Hill from the inside out. Sherman and Palmer described how they reported, including listening to member conference calls. They profiled legislative leaders — and their staffs — through these secret conversations, describing the power struggles that fuel Congressional politics.

Guests included: Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Microsoft VP Fred Humphries, Uber’s Susan Hendrick, The Washington Post’s Kris Coratti, Bloomberg’s Craig Gordon, NRCC Executive Director Parker Poling, Variety’s Ted Johnson, VICE’s Shawna Thomas, Speaker Pelosi’s Chief of Staff Robert Edmonson, Rep. Will Herd’s COS John Byers, Rep. Dan Kildee’s COS Mitchell Rivard, and Minority Leader McCarthy’s Policy Chief, Will Dunham.

Countdown to 2019 White House Correspondents’ Weekend

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ABC News Reporter Bob Woodruff joins representatives from Wells Fargo and Military Warriors Support Foundation’s Homes4WoundedHeroes program to present a mortgage-free home to Staff Sergeant Dominic Perrotte at the 2018 WHC Garden Brunch. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

The White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on April 27th is just two weeks away, and with President Donald Trump poised to skip the gala for the third year in a row, all eyes are on the national media.

After years of attacks on the press corps, the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) is continuing its overhaul of the annual scholarship fundraising dinner to elevate the business of news and to highlight the critical role of journalists in protecting the First Amendment and bringing accountability to government.

Chief Washington Correspondent for SiriusXM and president of the WHCA Olivier Knox recently told The Hill he “felt the dinner needed a reset, to be more serious, to put the focus back on journalism, on the job of chronicling a presidency and holding it to account.”

As part of the reset, the WHCA has invited author Ron Chernow to be the featured speaker at its annual dinner instead of going with a late-night TV host or comedian. Chernow has garnered wide acclaim for his biographies of business tycoons J.P. Morgan and John D. Rockefeller, and has written about Presidents and Founding Fathers, as well. His work “Washington: A Life” won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, and his biography of Alexander Hamilton was turned into a hit Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Chernow served as historical consultant).

After learning the President was skipping the event again, comedian Michelle Wolf, whose controversial performance at the 2018 WHCA Dinner helped spur the latest reset, told Vanity Fair that President Trump “doesn’t have a big enough spine to attend.”

The President’s re-election campaign announced that he will hold a campaign rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the Resch Center the night of the dinner. The 2019 White House Correspondents’ Dinner will take place on Saturday, April 27th, at the Washington Hilton.

About the WHCA

Founded in 1914, the White House Correspondents’ Association exists to promote excellence in journalism as well as journalism education, and to ensure robust news coverage of the president and the presidency. The WHCA supports awards for some of the best political reporting of the past year, as well as scholarships for young reporters to promote vibrant journalism for years to come. The inaugural White House Correspondents’ dinner took place on May 7, 1921.

Zignal Labs Releases New Report: How to Know What People are Saying About Your Brand Online

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Josh Ginsberg, co-founder & CEO, Zignal Labs

Zignal Labs, the only media analytics platform that harnesses the entire digital media landscape in real-time, released today a new report that explores what corporate social responsibility (CSR) means in today’s modern media landscape, where it’s going in the future, and why companies that jump on the bandwagon too quickly often fall right back off.

The data-driven report — 10 Ways to Find Your Brand’s Purpose — highlights the key metrics and winning strategies behind the CSR efforts at Starbucks, Salesforce, and Häagen-Dazs.

“With social media giving consumers and companies the opportunity to connect more intimately than ever,” the report highlights, “consumers want to support a company that not only aligns with their own moral beliefs and values but also allows them to participate, whether directly or indirectly, in perpetuating social good.”

Today, 93 percent of the world’s largest companies publish annual reports describing their CSR initiatives. Coupled with the growing number of savvy consumers, there has never been a more critical time for brands to examine and elevate their CSR efforts. Zignal shows us how and why.

Download the Zignal report here.

Zignal’s report highlights:

  • 87% of consumers prefer to buy from companies that share their moral beliefs

  • 78% of today’s consumers expecting companies to take a stand on social issues

  • 55% of consumers are willing to spend more money to buy products from companies they deem to be socially responsible

For more information on Zignal’s proprietary media monitoring platform, please visit ZignalLabs.com.

About Zignal Labs

Zignal Labs is the only media analytics platform that harnesses the entire digital media landscape in real-time. Instant insights help our Fortune 1000 customers measure the impact of their brands, mitigate reputational risks and inform strategic decision-making.

Through real-time and predictive analysis of the full-media spectrum, Zignal’s centralized platform empowers corporate communications, marketing, and executive teams to build and protect brand reputation, inform strategy and take action.

Headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York City and Washington, DC, Zignal serves customers around the world including Airbnb, Citrix, IBM, Levi’s, NVIDIA, Tyson, Uber, The Sacramento Kings and FleishmanHillard.

Greta Van Susteren Joins Gray TV as Chief National Political Analyst

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Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, co-hosts of the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch with ABC News’ Bob Woodruff (right).

Greta Van Susteren is joining Gray TV as their new Chief National Political Analyst, where she will cover national and international politics. Gray TV owns and/or operates over 90 local television stations across the country. In addition, Ms. Van Susteren, will host two nationally syndicated shows in development with Gray TV.

Read the Gray TV press release, here.

“We’re thrilled to have someone with Greta’s depth of experience join our team. Our stations and our viewers will benefit from Greta’s no-nonsense, straightforward approach to complex political issues,” said Hilton Howell Jr., Gray’s Chairman and CEO.

An award-winning journalist, Ms. Van Susteren hosted “On the Record” on the Fox News Channel for 14½ years before a short stint hosting a nightly news program on MSNBC. Prior to Fox News, Ms. Van Susteren hosted CNN’s prime-time news and analysis program, “The Point with Greta Van Susteren,” and co-hosted the network’s daily legal analysis show, “Burden of Proof.” Her legal analysis for CNN’s coverage of Election 2000 earned her the American Bar Association’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Journalism.

“After more than 20 years on cable news platforms, I am thrilled to move to broadcast news and especially excited to join Gray Television’s journalists all across the country,” said Greta Van Susteren. “It’s a journalist’s dream to be part of a growing media company so focused on delivering quality news in local markets big and small through trusted, local institutions like Gray’s television stations.”

Ms. Van Susteren currently hosts, and will continue to host, “Plugged in with Greta Van Susteren” on Voice of America, which broadcasts exclusively outside of the United States. The VOA program features Ms. Van Susteren’s first-hand reporting around the world from the G-20 to the North Korean summit. In just the past few months, she has interviewed numerous world leaders one-on-one, including President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and former President Carter.

Greta has represented various clients in civil and criminal cases during her career as a trial attorney and appellate attorney. She has authored two books and served as an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center from 1984 through 1999.

Sandy Breland, Gray’s Senior Vice President-Local Media, added, “More than ever, our local news viewers are wanting to know the impact of national government decisions on their lives and communities. With her decades of covering current events and legal issues, Greta will provide an in depth look at issues that matter the most to our viewers.”

About Gray Television

Gray TV owns and/or operates television stations and leading digital properties in 91 television markets, including the first or second highest rated television station in 85 markets. Upon the closing of a pending transaction, Gray TV will own 67 number-one rated television stations in 93 markets covering approximately 24 percent of US television households. Gray TV’s television stations broadcast almost 400 separate programming streams, including nearly 150 affiliates of the CBS/NBC/ABC/FOX networks. They also own video program production, marketing, and digital businesses including Raycom Sports, Tupelo-Raycom, and RTM Studios, the producer of PowerNation programs and content. For further information, please visit www.gray.tv.

Uber’s Danielle Burr Hosts Jean Case for Fireside Chat

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February 11, 2019 — Danielle Burr, Uber’s Head of Federal Affairs, hosted a fireside chat on Monday evening at Uber’s DC office to interview author and philanthropist Jean Case about her new book, Be Fearless: 5 Principles for a Life of Breakthroughs and Purpose. The event was held at Uber’s DC office.

Danielle Burr (left) welcomes special guest Jean Case (right) to discuss the lessons and principles from her new book, Be Fearless.

Drawing on her experience as a female tech veteran at AOL to her current work as CEO of the Case Foundation and chairman of National Geographic, Jean brought to life the key principles outlined in her book for living a “fearless” life. Be Fearless

Jean spoke about her successes — as well as her failures — and how she responded to and utilized the experiences of both throughout her career.

Jean and her husband, Steve, founded the Case Foundation in 1997 to “invest in people and ideas that can change the world.”

Following the discussion, the audience asked questions during a Q&A and Jean signed copies of her book.

Guests included:  Uber’s Susan Hendrick, Charles Rivkin, Steve Case, Heather Podesta, Kathleen Biden, Margaret Talev, David Chavern, Jon Decker, Niki Christoff, Susan Goldberg, Anita McBride, Dan Meyers, Gail MacKinnon, Kathy O’Hearn, Patrick Steel, Kevin Cirilli, Ryan Williams, Robyn Bash, Connie Partoyan, Peter O’Toole and Geoff Burr.