White House Correspondents Insider

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

Archives for January 2013

Welcome to the Inauguration with Huffington Post and Third Way!

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Welcome to the 57th Presidential Inauguration! We’re here live at the Old Ebbett Grill directly on the parade route and comfortably heated. We’re having a bit of a viewing party with our friends from Third Way and Huffington Post’s HuffPost Live along with their D.C. bureau.

We’re offering the usual Insider information related to the Inaugural along with live video from Huffington Post.

We’ll be updating throughout the day with video and photos.

Inaugural Insider Round-Up

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Good morning and happy Inauguration Day/Martin Luther King Jr. Day! Here’s all you’ll need to know while waiting in the parade line and fidgeting for AT&T service.

Know how there’s supposed to be less attendees at the Inaugural? It’s still in six figures, but a more manageable six figures. The gridlock around downtown D.C. will be like a Monday multiplied by Wednesday’s Metro Fail.

Huffington Post profiles the episcopal priest that replaces Gigligo:
“[The Reverend Louis] Leon’s own parish is known for welcoming openly gay members. The church, which has openly gay, non-celibate priests and has had a gay bishop, announced this summer that it would bless same-sex partnerships and ordain transgender priests. This month, the Washington National Cathedral, an Episcopal church, announced that it would also begin same-sex marriage ceremonies.”

The AARP profiles Charlie Brotman, the man who will be announcing his 16th Inaugural Parade today:
“Brotman, now 85, has been the official announcer for every inaugural parade but one since then. He didn’t man the microphone for President Dwight Eisenhower’s first parade in 1953, but ironically, it was Eisenhower who probably made him the go-to voice from then on.

Here’s how it happened. In 1956, Brotman, who as a child lived with his parents and sister behind the family’s corner grocery store in the nation’s capital, landed a dream job as the stadium announcer for Washington’s baseball team, the Senators. When President Eisenhower came to throw the first pitch on opening day, it was Brotman who squired him around and introduced him to the team. Eisenhower liked him so much that the White House asked Brotman to announce the president’s second inaugural parade, in 1957.”

WaPo historically breaks down weather patterns over the Inaugurals:
“The 1985 swearing-in ceremony remains the coldest of all presidential inaugurations since D.C. weather records began. Ironically, it was preceded by the warmest January inauguration just four years earlier. When President Reagan took the oath of office in 1981, the temperature was 55ºF at 12 p.m., and peaked at 56 degrees later that afternoon.”

Metro’s operating schedule is like all the worst parts (Peak fares) with the worst of the weekend (Yellow Line ends at Gallery Place-Chinatown.)

The Christian Science Monitor has an Inaugural quiz to test your knowledge. Cabs are a $1 more from 4 a.m.until midnight, which even effects UberTaxi.

The Internet Association and sf.citi Welcome The Mayors

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The Internet Association and sf.citi came back to D.C. in style last night. The two dot-com firms welcomed America’s mayors at the “Welcome Innovation” reception lat Local 16. Co-chaired by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and MC Hammer, or as Digital Media Advisor for House and Finance Tom Wilbur tweeted, “NBD.”

Among those at the soiree was the CEO of the Internet Association Michael Beckerman, Eve O’Toole (Holland and Knight) and others attending the 81st Winter Meeting of The United States Conference of Mayors.

Obama Appoints New Administration Posts

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President Obama made five new appointments spanning science, art and culture last night. The full release below.

Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

  • Vinton G. Cerf – Member, National Science Board, National Science Foundation
  • Marta Araoz de la Torre – Member, Cultural Property Advisory Committee
  • Michael Graves – Member, Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
  • Laurie Leshin – Member, Advisory Board of the National Air and Space Museum
  • Lynne Sebastian – Member, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

    • President Obama said, “These fine public servants both bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their new roles. Our nation will be well-served by these individuals, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

    Insider Round-Up: The Gun Control Annonucement

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    The Inaugural isn’t the only thing happening on Capitol Hill today, along with President Obama’s 11:55 a.m. gun control program. Below is our round-up for what’s worth reading.

  • The New York Times lays out President Obama’s talking points, fact sheet and executive orders including “improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.”
  • CNN explains what “universal background checks” are hinting at:
    “The “universal background checks” now being pushed by some gun control supporters is code for closing federal loopholes on such checks at gun shows and other private sales.”

  • The Wall Street Journal asks what qualifies as an assault rifle:
    “The definition of assault weapon is in the eye of the beholder. How it’s defined will depend on whatever legislation is proposed in Congress. Many of the firearms identified as assault weapons are semi-automatic rifles that look like weapons used by the military. An example is the Bushmaster rifle used in the Newtown, Conn., shootings.”

  • Politico already thinks the gun plan is “doomed:”
    “Interviews with multiple House Republicans from the Midwest and Northeast reveal almost zero appetite to vote on any sort of sweeping gun bill. In the month after the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., none have brought up the issue with Speaker John Boehner. Without internal pressure from such center-right Republicans, and given his difficulties with restive conservatives in his conference, Boehner would seem to have little political incentive to move on guns.”

  • Polygon examines the importance of the president’s call for the Center of Disease Control and exploring the effects of violence from video games:
    “For years, the CDC and other federally funded scientific agencies have been barred by Congress from using funds to “advocate or promote gun control.” Some have argued that that ban prevented the organizations from conducting research into the causes of gun violence. Today’s Presidential Memorandum on the topic looks to discount that argument.”

  • Meanwhile, the NRA ad targeting the president’s kids is called “repugnant and cowardly” while the NRA defends itself to WaPo:
    “‘The main aim of the ad is to make sure that we all act to keep our children safe. It’s not aimed at anyone’s child in particular,’ he said. ‘Anyone who claims otherwise is intentionally trying to change the topic or missing the point completely.'”

  • And yes, as The Daily Beast points out, there is an NRA game for iOS:
    “The NRA did not respond to requests for comment on the app from The Daily Beast or, apparently, any other news organization. If the app were an ugly hoax, the NRA would have been justified in crowing that it had been set up, and the media bought it hook, line, and sinker. Instead, crickets—a tacit admission of at least some guilt. My guess is that the app had been commissioned and forgotten about. But silence ain’t going to make the thing go away. At least someone decided they’d better change the age appropriateness of the app to ages 12 and up—because that will make it all better.”

    • Foursquare Checks Into National Day of Service With 2013 Badge

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    Of course there’s an unique Foursquare badge for the Inauguration, but there’s also one for the Day of Service. The partnership between Foursquare and the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced the new badge today for those attending the January 19 event on the Mall. If you’re not in the District, PIC has information on nationwide service events.

    “At Foursquare, we were so inspired by the idea of a lifelong commitment that we created the first Foursquare badge to reward volunteerism,” said Foursquare CEO and Co-Founder Dennis Crowley. “Along with the Presidential Inaugural Committee, we encourage all Americans to get out and serve in their own communities to celebrate the inauguration of President Obama and the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”

    Besides, there’s a better chance to unlock this badge than the “I Tried to Check-In At the Inaugural Parade 2013 But AT&T Failed Us.”

    Ken Salazar Also Out Before the Inaugural

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    Ken Salazar told President Obama today that he plans to resign as interior secretary. Joining Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Salazar seemed to be a definite keeper for the president’s second term. But instead the former senator from Colorado gave the president his notice that he’d be leaving the position in March.

    From the president:

    “I want to thank Ken for his hard work and leadership on behalf of the American people. As the Secretary of the Interior, Ken has helped usher in a new era of conservation for our nation’s land, water, and wildlife. Ken has played an integral role in my Administration’s successful efforts to expand responsible development of our nation’s domestic energy resources. In his work to promote renewable energy projects on our public lands and increase the development of oil and gas production, Ken has ensured that the Department’s decisions are driven by the best science and promote the highest safety standards. Ken has also made historic strides in strengthening our nation to nation relationship with Indian Country, helping to resolve longstanding disputes and make tribal communities safer and stronger. I have valued Ken’s friendship since we both entered the Senate in 2005, and I look forward to receiving his counsel even after he returns to his home state of Colorado”

    What’s The Best Feature for the Inauguration App?

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    Among the other announcements today about Chelsea Clinton and who’ll be speaking at the Inaugural Day of Service, AT&T has released the official app of the 2013 Inauguration.

    Available for free on iOS and Android, the Inaugural app seems like an essential tool this weekend. While the social scheduler is lax, focusing primarily on the Day of Service, the Inaugural ceremonies and parade. There’re options to view volunteer opportunities around the District, along with the Presidential Inaugural Committee’s blog and pre-loaded map of the parade route with First Aid, food and screen locations marked out.

    The app may be the least of your inaugural woes if AT&T’s extra cell towers are nothing more than an eyesore. Reception’s still spotty downtown, frequently bringing our snail-like 3G all the way back to the dreaded E. If the app could promise us clear calls and full bars, we’d forego even the Google Maps app in place of the official Inaugural one. So what is the best feature for the Inauguration app?

    Letting us know when we’ve lost the signal this weekend. And the map.

    Speakers and Performers Announced for National Day of Service

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    Prepare for the full list of speakers and performers during the 2013 Day of Service on the Inaugural Weekend. Ranging from Hollywood starlets like Eva Longoria, Fraggle friendly rockers like Ben Folds or politicans like Represetative Tammy Duckworth among a large list of who’s who. Featuring nearly a hundred non-profit organizations behind the Service Summit, the Day of Service will be one of the Inaugurals major events.

    The full release is below.
    [Read more…]