White House Correspondents Insider

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

The Miss America Preliminaries Close Before "Shoe Us Your Shoes"

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The 53 contestants for the 2014 Miss America competition. photo: B. Vartan

The 53 contestants for the 2014 Miss America competition. photo: B. Vartan


The preliminaries for the Miss America pageant are over as the 53 contestants prepare for Sunday’s grand finale. The winners of last night’s final prelim program were Miss Georgia Carly Mathis and Miss Florida Myrrhanda jones winning the swimsuit and talent categories, respectively.

In honor of Miss Arkansas’ clogging, NJ.com goes through some of the less traditional talent choices over the many years of Miss America competition. But last night was also honoring other Miss America traditions, such as former Miss America Donna Axum Whitworth, who was crowned back in 1964 where she was Miss Arkansas and used her scholarship to help complete her Bachlore’s and Master’s degree at University of Arkansas.

The final prelim for 2014 featured a new twist for the swimsuit category when Miss Kansas Theresa Vall showed off more than her shoes–her tattoos.

The 22-year old sergeant currently serving in the U.S. Army features two tattoos–one the Serenity Prayer, the other the symbol of the U.S. Army Dental Corps. Coincidentally, she’s also the second contestant to ever be on active duty while participating the Miss America pageant.

The Washington Post spoke to Miss D.C. Bindhu Pamarthi who spoke about her experience in the pageant when it comes to nerves:
“The stage fright actually hasn’t gone away…At the same time, I definitely have developed a technique for how you deal with that anxiety. I know how to channel that into energy and charisma on stage.”

The weekend kicks off tomorrow with the annual “Show Us Your Shoes” parade, which Miss Maine Sondra Celli is going to stand out thanks to 50,000 Swarovski crystals and the rest of her parade attire from the Maine Sun Journal. Rumor has it that there will be a pair of bedazzled Louboutins.

Miss America Honors 9/11 During Preliminaries

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Miss America 2013

Sam Haskell, CEO of the Miss America Organization, with Miss Minnesota and Miss Oklahoma at the 2013 Miss America competition. Via YouTube.

The second night of the Miss America preliminary competition saw two new winners along with a somber tribute to September 11th.

Last night’s program opened with the Spotlight Performers Show Choir’s rendition of “God Bless America.” Speaking to the AP, Miss America Organization CEO Sam Haskell recalled what happened on the date in 2001:

“No one knew what to do. Should we cancel? There was no book to follow…They’d be damned if they let a vicious enemy keep them from celebrating those values. Those girls stood up. And they are still standing.”

Miss Oklahoma Kelly Griswold and Miss Minnesota Rebecca Yeh both won scholarships during last night’s preliminary. Griswold took home a $1,000 schoalrship for the swimsuit competition while Yeh received $2,000 during the talent competition for her performance. Since the regionals, Yeh has been stunning crowds with her playing:

“It’s been a huge way for me to give back to other people,” Yeh said. “I love sharing with other people whenever I can.”

Including Tuesday’s winners Miss Mississippi Chelsea Rick and Miss New Hampshire Samantha Russo there are now four scholarship winners thanks to the Miss America Organization. Thursday will be the final preliminary before the weekend’s festivities including the famous “Show Us Your Shoes” parade followed by the big event on Sunday night at 9pm on ABC.

Christie Names Interim NJ Senator

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Seems like a Jersey Boy picked a Chiesa boy when it comes to Frank Lautenberg’s seat. Chiesa, the current New Jersey attorney general, was announced by Gov. Chris Christie to act as interim senator according to the New York Times.

This comes days after Newark Governor Cory Booker announced his own attempt to explore a Senate run before October 16th’s special election. This means all of the 2014 pundits desperate for a red-meat race will get their meal early this year in a race that’ll go through a Dem and GOP primary before the big show.

Best of all, this brings up the chance to do it all over again in 2014. Suddenly all the Hardballs, Newshours and New Days have a vested interest in the Garden State.

John Dingle on the last 57 Years in Washington

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This week Rep. John Dingle celebrates 57 years on Capitol Hill, going over 30 terms and 11 different presidents. In the interview with the New York Times, Dingle reflects on the changes in policy and a greatest hits of what’s happened in Washington. Choice quotes include:

  • “Nixon was, according to Eisenhower, a great bad man.”
  • “Obama…has probably got the smallest rolodex of anybody in this town.”
  • “I never wanted to be president. You’re never a human being after that.”
    It’s a quick runthrough of Dingle’s greatest hits without his wife Debbie or children. No sign of Michigan’s newfound holiday, “John Dingle Day,” in 2009 or the time he read a poem responding to Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly’s “War on Christmas” speech. Instead Dingle’s reflections go over the many presidents that came and went, while leaving the survivor of three redistricting in Michigan in office for half a century.

    • Barbara Walters Announces Her Retirement…

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    …next summer? Ok!

    The mainstay anchor and reporter of ABC has announced her plans to retire in 2014.

    “I am very happy with my decision and look forward to a wonderful and special year ahead both on ‘The View’ and with ABC News,” she said. “I created ‘The View’ and am delighted it will last beyond my leaving it.”

    “There’s only one Barbara Walters,” says ABC News President Ben Sherwood. “And we look forward to making her final year on television as remarkable, path-breaking and news-making as Barbara herself. Barbara will always have a home at ABC News and we look forward to a year befitting her brilliant career, filled with exclusive interviews, great adventures and indelible memories.”

    As for the rest of the release–ok? Back in March Walters suffered from a fainting spell, which turned out to be the Chicken Pox. But now we’ve got a year to honor and praise “The View” co-founder including her last series of specials to air later this year.

    "The End of Big" Book Party [Photos]

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    The End of Big

    Nicco Mele’s new book, “The End Of Big,” delves into the impact and lessons of new technology across a wide political, economic, media and social spectrum — a spectrum reflected in the diverse cross-section of Washington political and media leaders, campaign veterans, current and former government officials and business and new technology leaders who turned out in force to fete Mele at “The End of Big” book party hosted by Connie Milstein, Tammy Haddad, Doug Wilson, Joe Trippi and Jeff Trammell last night at the Jefferson Hotel.

    Nicco Mele

    Former Assistant Secretary of Defense Doug Wilson and former Howard Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi – who shared a small, windowless office in Denver as senior members of the ill-fated 1988 Gary Hart for President campaign – introduced Mele, seen as the guru of Dean’s high-tech leap from obscurity to front-runner status throughout most of the 2004 Democratic primary campaign. “Little did I know when I shared that small space in Denver with Trippi that he would be responsible for the emergence of an unknown to national prominence, someone who would transform the national political landscape, “ Wilson told the crowd. No, it was not the former Governor of Vermont: it was the man who merged high-tech and politics, Nicco Mele.” Trippi, now a frequent political commentator and international political consultant, introduced his protégé recalling that the hard-working Mele made sure he and his team also took time to appreciate the world around them: “I caught Nicco and his crew away from their desks once and found them outside.” Trippi said. “ ‘We were just looking at the sunset’, Nicco told me. I yelled at them and said ‘Do you think Kerry’s people are looking at the sunset? Bush’s?’ He gave me a look that shut me up.”

    Mele, seen as a “godfather” of a field that has expanded exponentially in the past decade, and mentor and role model for young practitioners responsible for Barak Obama’s unprecedented use of social media to attract voters, galvanized the crowd with his comments about the impact technology continues to have on all aspects of life. He held up his smartphone to the crowd and told them that the phone case had been made using his new 3-D printer, and that future models would enable people to “print” everything from shoes to rifles.

    More photos are below:

    The End of Big Book Party 'Live' At The Jefferson

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    We’re lucky that Nicco Mele< / tried to warn us about this back in 2004. His new book, “The End of Big” has an important sub-title: “How the Internet Makes David the New Goliath.”

    Whether it’s a personalizing comments or reshaping media Nicco’s book is the starting point for our new landscape. Nicco already is an accomplished entrepreneur, angel investor and tired of answering everyone’s question about “what is a Bitcoin anyway?”

    All that aside, Nicco’s an important voice in this changing world of media and interactivity. It started at Howard Dean’s meetups and continued through today as he’s on faculty at the Harvard Kennedy School teaching graduate students how the Internet, politics and even bitcoins factor into running our country. And if that’s not enough, you can always go to his site for a less-serious photo.

    You can watch remarks starting live at 7 p.m. est below:



    Streaming Live by Ustream

    Does Chris Christie's Surgery Look Like A Magic 8-Ball?

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    Gov. Chris Christie and Secretary Shaun Donovan

    Politico asks the question no one ever wondered: “What Chris Christie’s surgery means for 2016(?)”

    It’s a story that hasn’t seemed to change anything about the New Jersey governor’s political legacy, despite constantly being brought up. Literally, Politico ran the fact that most New Jersey voters don’t care about his weight back in March. It goes to other sites too: HuffPost has been tracking “Chris Christie Weight” since 2011. Throw “Christie Weight” into Google, immediately get 22 million results from the last few hours.

    So just why is the good governor’s health so concerning to us? Because it’s yet another dark horse for the 2016 presidential race. Going into the hows and whys of Christie deciding to privately have a surgery when his weight has been such a–sorry–massive issue to even be mocked on Letterman.

    Maybe a surgery can just be a surgery and not turn itself into a monsoon in 2016.

    Celebrating 20 Years: 2011 Garden Brunch

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    David and Susan Axelrod (middle) and Rupert Murdoch (right)

    2011 represented a remarkable year of change for the Garden Brunch. The event moved from its historic location in the Palisades of Washington, D.C. to a new location: the historic Georgetown Beall-Washington House, the residence of Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham. Co-presented by the residence’s current owner, Mark Ein, the Garden Brunch spread itself out into yet another staple of Washington’s architectural history.

    Hollywood guests included Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black, “Glee” star Matthew Morrison, “Gossip Girl’s” Chase Crawford, The Social Network’s Joe Mazzello, Jeremy Piven and Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Also representing the entertainment industry were Joan Rivers, Morgan Fairchild and Rosario Dawson among others.

    Attending their first Brunch, Sarah and Todd Palin made a huge impression. Seen mingling with President Obama’s political strategist David Axelrod, CURE epilepsy’s Susan Axelrod and many other Washington correspondents–both White House and political.

    Olympic snowboarder phenom Shaun White was visible among the crowd, as were media moguls like Sean Parker, David Carr and Twitter co-founder Evan Williams.

    The brunch happeneda week before Mother’s Day, which let co-chairs Wendi Murdoch and Susan Axelrod take the opportunity to honor all mothers by honoring The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood and CURE: Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy at the reception. Take a look at the video below:

    2011 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch from whcinsider on Vimeo.

    PR Firm asks Politico's Mike Allen "Are You Media?"

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    Politico's Mike Allen recording the program
    edit: Yes, in the original we said “Mike Ryan.” It’s because we were reading HuffPost Entertainment.

    This seems to be too crazy even for the week leading up to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday. Politico reports that the actual White House Correspondents’ Association overnighted a trademark lawsuit to GBK Productions (which Politico provides here). The source of the lawsuit? A gifting suite that GBK is co-partnering with The Creative Coalition that’s called “GBK & The Creative Coalition White House Correspondence [sic] Weekend Gift Lounge.”

    This goes against the trademark of the WHCA and gives visiting celebs the false impression that their dinner hosts would be providing free swag from “the St. Regis Bora Bora, Made by Survivors handmade jewelry, Lovelinks by Aagaard jewelry, EyeWalker Elements Aromatic Botanical Alchemy (a.k.a.., perfume) , Jorg Gray watches ‘and more'” according to today’s Playbook.

    To further dig a knife into the wound, when Mike Allen tried to inquire further he was met with the age-old response given to online journos since 2004: “Are you media?” And given the always charming response from another GBK representative: “If you’d like to RSVP, follow the instructions on the email. Any other questions, we have no comment.”

    It seems silly that a gifting firm wouldn’t look into possible legal issues if they name themselves after the weekend festivities they’re attending. Even sillier is asking whether or not a company like Politico are press. Maybe Tom Brokaw wasn’t wrong when he took the encroaching celebrity aspect of the dinner to task? Or maybe it’s far too late as our annual fete for journalists–now the worst ranked job of 2013–comes calling.