The 2024 White House Correspondents' Garden Brunch - White House Correspondents Insider

(L to R) **Symone Sanders-Townsend, Eugene Daniels, Tammy Haddad, Savannah Guthrie, Mark Ein, Craig Minassian, Jon Banner, Kaitlan Collins,** and Gus Kenworthy on stage at the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch in Washington, D.C., Saturday, April 27, 2024. *(Photo credit: John Harrington)*

Leaders in government, politics, media, business, and entertainment came together yesterday for the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch, held at the historic Beall-Washington House in Georgetown ahead of this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

This marks the 31st anniversary of the Garden Brunch, first held in 1993 in founder Tammy Haddad’s backyard during Correspondents’ Weekend. The annual brunch honors the freedom of the press as well as the important work of veterans’ and military family organizations. Joining Haddad as Garden Brunch co-hosts this year were Ruth Porat, Kevin Sheekey, Mark & Sally Ein, Symone Sanders-Townsend, Jon Banner, Craig Minassian, and Franco Nuschese.

During the Brunch’s main program, Sanders-Townsend presented the Garden Brunch “Champion of Journalism” Award to Eugene Daniels – Playbook Author and White House Correspondent for POLITICO, and the next president of the White House Correspondents’ Association.

**Symone Sanders-Townsend** presents **Eugene Daniels** with the 2024 Garden Brunch “Champion of Journalism” Award, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Photo credit: John Harrington)

Daniels also led the attendees in a moment of silence to honor fellow journalist Evan Gershkovich of the Wall Street Journal, who has been illegally imprisoned in Moscow for more than a year.

Haddad also honored and recognized four Maryland police officers whose actions in the wake of the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore saved many lives. Corporal Jeremy Herbert, Officer Garry Kirts, Sergeant Paul Pastorek, and Officer Timothy Baublitz were in attendance and received an emotional round of applause for their heroism.

**Tammy Haddad** recognizes Maryland police officers **Corporal Jeremy Herbert, Officer Garry Kirts, Sergeant Paul Pastorek,** and Officer Timothy Baublitz at the Garden Brunch, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Photo credit: John Harrington)

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy also took the stage to present co-host Mark Ein – owner of the Washington Commanders, the Washington Kastles, and the Beall-Washington House – with the Garden Brunch Award, marking the 10th anniversary of the Brunch being held at the historic property.

**Mark Ein** receives the 2024 Garden Brunch Award, presented by **Kaitlan Collins** and **Gus Kenworthy**, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Photo credit: John Harrington)

TODAY Show host Savannah Guthrie thanked members of the military for their service and acknowledged two organizations that support veterans and military family members: Dog Tag Bakery and Blue Star Families.

**Savannah Guthrie** gives remarks at the 2024 Garden Brunch, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Photo credit: John Harrington)

Throughout the Brunch, guests also had the opportunity to write notes thanking our nation’s service members and their families on the Blue Star Families Honor Wall, sponsored by U.S. Steel.

*SBA Administrator **Isabel Guzman** posts a message to the Honor Wall at the Garden Brunch, Saturday, April 27, 2024. (Photo credit: John Harrington)*

Attendees included Governor of New Mexico Michelle Lujan Grisham; British Ambassador Dame Karen Pierce; Ukraine Ambassador Oksana Markarova; Ireland Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason; Luxembourg Ambassador Nicole Bintner; Australia Ambassador and Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd; DC Mayor Muriel Bowser; Senator Amy Klobuchar; Senator Mark R. Warner; Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester; Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Steven Horsford; Former Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway; Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat; Lyft CEO David Risher; TODAY’s Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie; CNN anchors Jake Tapper, Dana Bash, and Abby Phillip; MSNBC host Symone Sanders-Townsend; former soccer player Ashlyn Harris; and actors Sophia Bush, Kevin McHale, Rosario Dawson, Jordan Klepper, Wilson Cruz, Joseph Lee, Andrew McCarthy and Desi Lydic.

Also seen were Counselor to the President Steve Ricchetti; White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt; White House Cabinet Secretary Evan Ryan; Speechwriter for the President Vinay Reddy; Senator Chris Coons; Rep. Don Beyer; Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick; Senior Advisor to President Obama Valerie Jarrett; Former RNC Chairman Frank Fahrenkopf; Dreamworks Co-Founder Jeffrey Katzenberg; Meta Vice President, AI Research Joelle Pineau; Under Armour Founder and CEO Kevin Plank; co-founder and editor-at-large of Recode Kara Swisher; executive editor of The Washington Post Sally Buzbee; Axios CEO and co-founder Jim VandeHei; POLITICO reporter and upcoming WHCA President Eugene Daniels; SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher; Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt; television personalities Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright; and Washington Commanders President Jason Wright.

Special thanks to this year’s Garden Brunch sponsors were GM, U.S. Steel, McDonalds, Verizon, Flex Association, and the Mark and Sally Ein Foundation; our Friends of the Brunch, Brunswick Group, The Ned, and Pernod Ricard; and our hospitality partner, Versus, bringing their Casta’s Rum Bar and Morris American Bar brands to the Garden Brunch.

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Want more history on the Correspondents’ Dinner and related events? Listen to Tammy Haddad’s podcast series “Cone of Silence” on Audioboom and iTunes.