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 November 2016

VandeHei and Allen Announce New Strategy for Media Superiority

By

Jim VandeHei, Jenny Licht and Mike Allen. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Jim VandeHei, Jenny Licht and Mike Allen. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

After months of intrigue and mystery, former Politico notables Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen announced the groundwork of their new strategy for media domination.  Named “Axios,” the Greek term for “worthwhile,” this new media venture aspires to break the current traffic trap – termed the “crap trap” by VandeHei.

The goal of Axios will be to advance media news to the space it should have evolved into in the age of online information.  Per VandeHei, dominant players in the mainstream media such as The New York Times or The Economist have failed to move into these new arenas due to institutional attachments and decision-making based in part on their 19th century print roots.

He quipped that Axios is best summarized as what the media would be like if “Economist mated with Twitter,” and “smartly narrated all the good stuff its own reporters missed.”  The core mission of Axios will be to create reliable, solid content that can co-exist on social media and other platforms as well.

The mission of Axios is to break the mold on the current media business model — the “crap trap” — where traffic and clicks leading to short-term ad revenue are more important than sound reporting, quality information and long-term corporate sustainability.  “Google and Facebook are gobbling up the media business—they now control two-thirds of the ad market—and conventional publishers are tanking. The media business needs radical overhaul, not knock-offs or wishful thinking.”

This new outlet will focus primarily on politics, business, technology and media trends.  The founders have dedicated their efforts to hiring writers “who are authentically wired and smart in these topic areas.”

VandeHei and Allen have secured $10 million in initial funding for this venture, from sources such as Lerer Hippeau Ventures, NBC News, Emerson Collective, Greycroft Partners, and David and Katherine Bradley.

CNN’s Amanpour Strikes Back Against Media Bashing

By

BizBash's David Adler and CNN's Christiane Amanpour. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

BizBash’s David Adler and CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour struck back at critics of the mainstream media, saying her “blood ran cold” seeing tweets from Donald Trump claiming protests following his election as president were “incited by the media.”

Several statements by Trump in recent weeks, such as calling reporters “despicable and dishonest,” “liars” and “crooks” lay the groundwork for a dangerous and unstable political narrative.

“They target the press and set the press up as an opposition to the government, and they do it by subtly ratcheting up the accusations against the press — so, inciting, sympathizing, associating, actually being terrorists and subversives,” she said speaking to CBC News’ The Investigators.

Amanpour continued that Trump’s language is strikingly similar to political leaders in non-democratic countries, where journalists are regularly criticized, harassed and even imprisoned for their reporting.

“And, as you know, journalists around the world are routinely locked up, put in jail, put on trial on phony charges. So that’s why that worried me very much, and I felt I had to push back on that and take a stand against that.”

Amanpour received an award Wednesday for “extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom” by the Committee to Protect Journalists.

 

LEARN MORE:  “We Tracked Down A Fake-News Creator In The Suburbs. Here’s What We Learned” by Laura Sydell at NPR

Meeting Between Trump, Press Execs Goes Off the Record

By

mir-studio-lead16.9

Throughout the transition, much attention has been paid to those coming and going from Trump Tower in New York City.  Among recent visitors includes executives and anchors from TV news, attending an “off the record” meeting with the president-elect.

Organized by Kellyanne Conway, the Trump campaign manager, attending networks include ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and Fox News.  Spotted via a C-SPAN camera, notables such as CNN’s president Jeff Zucker and anchor Wolf Blitzer were in attendance.  Also spotted was NBC News president Deborah Turness and MSNBC president Phil Griffin.

According to Brian Stelter, other meeting participants included NBC’s Chuck Todd and Lester Holt; CNN’s Erin Burnett; CBS’s Norah O’Donnell, Charlie Rose, John Dickerson, and Gayle King; and ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, David Muir and Martha Raddatz.

The New York Times released a statement prior to the meeting announcing that publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. “and others are meeting with the President Elect tomorrow at the request of his team.  There will be a small, off the record meeting first, followed by an on the record session with Times reporters and editorial columnists.”

A report on Politico also pointed out that even as he asked for a “cordial” relationship, Trump complained that NBC had used unflattering pictures of him.

But Trump also attempted to build the groundwork for a positive relationship between his incoming White House team and the media. One meeting participant said that a New York Post account – described as Trump giving the attending media a “dressing down” — was overstated.

However, Trump cancelled this morning’s “on-the-record” meeting himself over Twitter.

Eileen Murphy, the top spokeswoman for the New York Times, said the paper “was unaware that the meeting was cancelled until we saw the President-Elect’s tweet this morning.”

FORMER WH PRESS SECRETARY CALLS FOR NEW RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHITE HOUSE, PRESS CORPS

By

Mike McCurry and Tammy Haddad. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Mike McCurry and Tammy Haddad. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

During a Q&A session with National Journal, Mike McCurry, White House press secretary during Bill Clinton’s presidency, suggested a new relationship between the incoming Trump administration and reporters, especially dealing with protective press pools and televised daily briefings.

Recently, the Trump transition team has breached protocol by travelling multiple times unannounced without his assigned press pool and by failing to notify reporters of the President-elect’s schedule.

Speaking about the protective press pools, McCurry said they can often be a waste of time.

“I think having a bunch of talented journalists sitting around a country club sipping Arnold Palmers while the president plays golf is an utter waste of time and a drain on news organization budgets that are already strained,” McCurry said, referring to where the pool normally works from while President Barack Obama is golfing. “So, yes, I think adjusting the terms of engagement for the protective pool makes sense.”

Instead of focusing on press pools that could result in reporters’ time spent on non-newsworthy information, McCurry called on the media to fight for more reliable access to senior transition and administration officials.

“The White House press corps should fight for things that really matter like access to senior officials, more openness when it comes to sharing of documents and regular ‘real’ briefings from senior decision-makers and staff,” McCurry said.

He also criticized the current state of daily briefings, stating they have devolved into stagesmanship instead of producing newsworthy information.

“The daily briefing has become less than helpful and I bear responsibility for that because I let it become a televised event. It should not be,” McCurry said. “It should be embargoed until completion and not carried ‘live’ except in unusual circumstances…like real news happening.”

FIGHT NIGHT BREAKS RECORD $5.2 MILLION RAISED – MORE AUCTION ITEMS NOW

By

Caption Fight night 2016 Steve Schmidt, Kevin Plank, Tammy Haddad, Harold Ford. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Fight Night 2016 – Steve Schmidt, Kevin Plank, Tammy Haddad, Harold Ford. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Washington’s Fight for Children’s annual Fundraiser, Fight Night, continued its over the top tradition with boxing matches, great music and giant steaks and cigars.

Co-chairman Kevin Plank and Raul Fernandez brought together Washington sparklies for boxing, cigars, steaks and great music. Musical performances included Foreigner, Sheila E, GrandMaster Flash to name a few.

If you missed the event you can still contribute to the educational services of the children of Washington and Baltimore by checking out these After Fight Night Auction items. Looking for ways to support Fight For Children? The Fight Night Online Auction  has a variety of new and exclusive items available for bidding right now – click here and select “After Fight Night Sale” under Categories, to see the full list.

Check out a quick video of the evening’s highlights here.

President Elect Trump Dumps Press Again

By

The Press Room at the debate, Photo Courtesy of Haddad Media

The Press Room at the debate, Photo Courtesy of Haddad Media

For the second time in less than a week, President-Elect Donald Trump has again ignored precedent and protocol, travelling without the journalists assigned to cover him and his movements.

Hope Hicks, Trump’s press secretary, announced late Tuesday there would be no news or travel for the remainder of the day.  However, later Trump secretly took his family to the nearby 21 Club restaurant for dinner.

A “protective pool” of reporters covers the activities of the president-elect for the media at large.  This pool is overseen by the White House Correspondents Association, and is designed to guarantee the president is always covered while travelling.

WHCA President Jeff Mason has called on the president elect to agree to a “protective pool” during the transition.  Not allowing this, he wrote, would be a “serious breach of historical precedent.”

In a released statement, Mason criticized the transition’s lack of allowing a pool of journalists to travel with the president-elect.

“The White House Correspondents’ Association is deeply concerned by President-elect Donald Trump’s decision to reject the practice of traveling with a ‘protective pool’ of reporters for his first visit to Washington since the election. In addition to breaking with decades of historical precedent and First Amendment principles, this decision could leave Americans blind about his whereabouts and well-being in the event of a national crisis. A pool of reporters is in place and ready to cover President-elect Trump. The WHCA urges President-elect Trump to allow it to do its job, including being present for motorcade movements, meetings, and other interactions. Not allowing a pool of journalists to travel with and cover the next president of the United States is unacceptable.”

U.S. CHAMBER UPS SUZANNE CLARK TO NUMBER 2 EXECUTIVE

By

Rich Galen, Suzanne Clark, and Dr. Faruk Taban. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Rich Galen, Suzanne Clark, and Dr. Faruk Taban. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has announced the promotion of Suzanne Clark as senior executive vice president, the Chamber’s number two executive, leading their Government Affairs division.

“Suzanne is the ideal choice to lead this all-star team,” said Chamber president and CEO Thomas J. Donohue. “Her prior experience as the Chamber’s chief operating officer, as president of the National Journal Group of Atlantic Media, and as CEO and owner of a Washington-based public policy research organization gives her an unparalleled perspective on the issues and public attitudes facing our members. She is an individual of high energy, keen intelligence, and total integrity who enjoys the trust and confidence of the Chamber’s board, key members, federation partners, and me.”

Sullivan succeeds Giovanni Coratolo, who retired earlier this year.

“With a new administration and Congress on the way, we couldn’t have assembled a better team at such an important moment for the business community and our country,” concluded Donohue. “We are well positioned for success in 2017 and beyond.”

VEEP NOMINATED FOR BEST COMEDY AT CRITICS’ CHOICE

By

 

img_6989

The award nominations keep pouring in for HBO’s Veep!

HBO’s political comedy was nominated as Best Television Comedy for the 22nd annual Critics’ Choice Awards, announced earlier today.  Overall, HBO led all networks with 22 nominations, including four for Veep.

  • Best Comedy Series
  • Best Actress in a Comedy Series – Julia Louis-Dreyfus
  • Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Anna Chlumsky
  • Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Tony Hale

Tammy Haddad, Co-Founder of WHCInsider, is a consultant to Veep.

Hosted by TJ Miller, the 22nd annual Critics’ Choice Awards airs on A&E live on December 11 at 8PM ET, 5 PM PT.

Trump Transition in Disarray

By

Kristi Clemens Rogers, Mike Rogers at 2016 White House Correspondents' Garden Brunch. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

Kristi Clemens Rogers, Mike Rogers at the 2016 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch. Photo courtesy of Haddad Media.

After winning the Presidency last week, the Trump campaign shifted focus toward the transition between the current Obama administration and the new incoming one.  However, this pathway has not been as smooth and seamless as past transitions.

The team’s national security advisor, former Congressman Mike Rogers, abruptly resigned from the transition.  He stated that he was “proud of the team that we assembled at Trump for America to produce meaningful policy, personnel and agency action guidance on the complex national security challenges facing our great country.”

In resigning, he handed off his role and all responsibilities to incoming Vice President-elect Mike Pence.

Potential nominees have also made their wishes publicly known on specific positions.  Rudy Giuliani has stated he does not want to be Attorney General, a slot many assumed was going to the former New York City mayor.

Additionally, campaign advisors have dismissed much of the prior work done by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, creating disarray in the team dominated by Trump loyalists.  At least one individual being considered for a Cabinet position by the Christie team has been nixed.  And administrative transition work such as a code of ethics, interviews and written, in-depth questionnaires for potential nominees, and even submitting legally-required paperwork to the government, which allows the transition to officially begin collaborating with the Obama administration.

A statement from White House officials late Monday said that replacing Mr. Christie on the transition team and the lack of a signed document from the current head of the Trump team has frozen the transition process for now.

WHCInsider Mourns the Passing of Gwen Ifill

By

ifill

PBS news anchor Gwen Ifill has passed away.  She was 61.

WETA president and CEO Sharon Percy Rockefeller emailed staff saying “I am very sad to tell you that our dear friend and beloved colleague Gwen Ifill passed away today in hospice care in Washington.”

Ifill was best known for moderating PBS’s Washington Week in Review and her role as senior correspondent on PBS NewsHour.