White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

  • Home
  • About
  • WHC Garden Brunch
  • Washington Insider
  • Archives
  • Contact

Archives for April 2009

New White House Correspondent Chuck Todd Says Ana Marie Cox is Wrong About Getting Rid of White House Correspondents

April 30, 2009 By Tammy Haddad

NBC WH Correspondent Chuck Todd

NBC WH Correspondent Chuck Todd

Elections usher in more than a new White House resident. It’s a time when the networks tap their new White House correspondent. For NBC, the highly regarded political analyst and editor Chuck Todd now occupies the NBC seat in the White House Briefing Room. While less than a mile away from his old perch at the Watergate as editor in chief of the Hotline, a back room backbencher of much political importance.   WHCInsider talked with Todd about his much more public role.  (He received an expensive old-fashioned shaving kit from a viewer when he won the NBC White House chair).   Todd won’t comment on rumors he will be getting his own interview show on MSNBC, but he proudly shares anecdotes of 5-year-old Margaret and 2-year-old Harrison.

Chuck Todd

Chuck Todd

Q. What surprised you most about being a White House Correspondent?

A. The lack of physical access inside the White House.  The high irony is we connect the two buildings, the White House to the West Wing.  The folks in the white house get to decide where you sit, where you go. It is not new to this White House, it’s a every modern White House that’s controlling.

Q. Compare Obama campaign access vs. The White House?
A. The White House is more open and transparent than the campaign but only because you cannot run the White House in a tight circle of just five people.

Q. How about your transition into this reporter role?
A.  I had a lot of real frustration.  I don’t think Ana Maria Cox got it right about getting rid of the White House Correspondents.  We still have a real value, but you have a lot of the good reporting outside the White House.  It is easier to report from outside the White House. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Media Strategy Tagged With: Ana Marie Cox, Chuck Todd, White House correspondents

"The Gibbsnotist"

April 30, 2009 By Tammy Haddad

White House Correspondents tell WHCInsider.com that Gibbs’ briefing room nickname is “The Gibbsnotist” for his ability to “bring the temperature down” and put some correspondents to sleep.

Watch ABC News WH reporter Jake Tapper and veteran WH reporter, The Examiner’s Julie Mason, on reporting from the front and back rows of the White House briefing room.  Tapper talks about the change in his relationship with Press Secretary Gibbs from the campaign to the very public daily briefings.  Both agree that WHC tweets are not news but a good source of information.  The tweeting birds you hear in the background were not added in post but birds serenading the WH north lawn.

Filed Under: Correspondents Tagged With: Briefing Room, Jake Tapper, Julie Mason, Robert Gibbs

First Lady to Present Journalism Scholarships at White House Correspondents Dinner

April 29, 2009 By WHC Insider

Michelle Obama to hand out scholarships to journalism students at WHCD while Jennifer Loven, WHCA Prez, cuts dessert and gives back money to DC food bank.

This year’s WHC dinner on Saturday, May 9, has a new feature.  First Lady Michelle Obama will personally hand out the annual awards that are funded by the White House Correspondents Association.  By eliminating dessert from the menu, Loven says they will pass on $23,000 in savings to a local charity.  The Washington Post’s The Sleuth, Mary Ann Akers reports.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Michelle Obama, scholarships, White House Correspondents Dinner

Will Former NSA-Employee-Turned-Comedian Wanda Sykes Make Torture Jokes at WHCD on May 9?

April 29, 2009 By WHC Insider

The National Security Agency: Material for Comedy?

The National Security Agency: Material for Comedy?

Wanda Sykes, this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner after-dinner entertainer, used to work at America’s top intelligence agency, with access to some of the United States’ most dear secrets. While the WHC Insider cannot confirm she was an actual spy, she has confirmed that she was a National Security Agency employee.

The stand-up comedian known for her in-your-face and sometimes raunchy sense of humor once worked at the super-secret NSA, the signals intelligence operation located in Maryland, just north of Washington. (You know, the one that can listen in on your phone calls without a warrant?) We wonder if Wanda ever took a ride on any of these aircraft in the NSA official photo gallery. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized

White House Correspondents Dinner Guests – So Far

April 28, 2009 By WHC Insider

As of April 28:

* CNN: Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore
* ABC News: David and Susan Axelrod; Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff; Peter Orszag, Director, Office of Management and Budget; Valerie Jarrett, senior presidential advisor; Jackie Norris, First Lady’s Chief of Staff; Leon Panetta, CIA Director; Susan Rice, UN Ambassador; Justice Antonin Scalia; Meghan McCain; Jon and Dorothea Bon Jovi; Kate Walsh; Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel
* NY Daily News: Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger
* Fortune: George Lucas and Glenn Close
* People: Sting and Trudie Styler, Miranda Cosgrove, Kevin Bacon, Forest Whitaker, Jon Hamm, Eva Longoria Parker, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Brooke Shields
* Glamour: Narciso Rodriguez, Alicia Keys, Kenneth Cole, Kerry Washington and White House social secretary Desiree Rogers
* USA Today: Tim Daly, Justin Long, Richard Belzer, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Mona Sutphen, Dept. of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Michelle Obama staffer Jocelyn Frye
* Atlantic Magazine:Ed Westick (Gossip Girl), Newt Gingrich *
* Others: Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Anne Hathaway

Filed Under: Uncategorized

President to Address Nation Live on Wednesday Night

April 26, 2009 By WHC Insider

Barack Obama will address the nation on Wednesday, the 100th day of his presidency. Major networks are expected to carry the feed live at 8:00 p.m. EDT.

Filed Under: Schedules and Announcements Tagged With: Add new tag, Barack Obama 100th day, Wednesday

The Podium Game from WHCInsider

April 26, 2009 By WHC Insider



Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Filed Under: The Podium Game

Gibbs Grades Press Corp With an "A"

April 26, 2009 By WHC Insider

Filed Under: Uncategorized

White House Press Briefing Room: For the Birds

April 25, 2009 By WHC Insider

Nest of Robins in Bushes Outside Briefing Room Entrance

A momma robin is oblivious to the noisy comings and goings of the press corps as she hatches and nurses her babies in nest near busy doorway. See AP story and pics here.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: AP, nest, robins, White House Press Briefing Room

WHCInsider Exclusive: ABC News' Guest List for White House Correspondents Dinner

April 24, 2009 By WHC Insider

Bon Jovi, Kate Walsh, Taye Diggs, Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod, Meghan McCain, Antonin Scalia and More

ABC News will have its share of political and entertainment stars at its tables:

6th Annual Can-Do Awards

David Axelrod, White House senior advisor, and his wife Susan Axelrod
Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff
Peter Orszag, Director, Office of Management and Budget
Valerie Jarrett, senior presidential advisor
Jackie Norris, First Lady’s Chief of Staff
Leon Panetta, CIA Director
Susan Rice, UN Ambassador
Justice Antonin Scalia
Meghan McCain
Jon and Dorothea Bon Jovi
Kate Walsh
Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ABC News, Bon Jovi, David Axelrod, Idina Menzel, Jackie Norris, Justice Antonin Scalia, Kate Walsh, Leon Panetta, Meghan McCain, Peter Orszag, Rahm Emanuel, Susan Rice, Taye Diggs, Valerie Jarrett, White House Correspondents Dinner

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next Page »

Search WHCInsider

2022 WHC Garden Brunch

About White House Correspondents Insider

Exploring “behind the scenes” of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

We track the White House Correspondents’ weekend and all the activities around it, from journalists and media companies to the White House and politicos.

Tammy Haddad is Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief of WHC Insider and CEO of Haddad Media.

White House Correspondents Insider is not affiliated with or approved by the White House Correspondents’ Association, which is a registered trademark of the WHCA.

Cone of Silence Podcast

WHCA Seating Chart

Connect

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Flickr
  • Apple
  • Google
  • Instagram

Copyright © White House Correspondents Insider

 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.