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 February 2025

POLITICO’s Jack Blanchard and Dasha Burns welcomed by Washington Women Technology Network

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The Washington Women’s Technology Network held an exclusive breakfast co-hosted by Jessica Nigro and Tammy Haddad on February 25 at the House at 1229 to welcome POLITICO Playbook’s new editor Jack Blanchard and Politico’s new White House bureau chief Dasha Burns. The event brought together leaders in media, politics, and business.

L to R: Symone Sanders, Jessica Nigro, Jack Blanchard, Dasha Burns, and Tammy Haddad

Blanchard recently relocated to Washington, D.C. from London, where he wrote the London Playbook for over 5 years. At the breakfast, he shared his take on new British PM Keir Starmer and his relationship with President Donald Trump. Burns, fresh from covering the Munich Security Conference, where she interviewed Sen. Mark Warner, provided a firsthand account of key global security discussions and their implications for U.S. foreign policy. With shifting geopolitical dynamics and fast-moving developments in Washington, their perspectives were both timely and invaluable.

L to R: Jack Blanchard, Jessica Nigro, and Dasha Burns

Attendees debated how recent White House actions would influence media access, the challenges of political coverage in a polarized landscape, and the broader implications for journalism’s role during Trump 2.0.

Jack Blanchard and Adam Verdugo take a look at the Lucid Air.

Attendees included: MSNBC’s Symone Sanders; NobleReach Foundation’s Tina Anthony; Elizabeth Falcone, chief of staff to Sen. Mark Warner; Disney’s Susan Fox; GlobalWIN’s Helen Milby; LinkedIn’s Caitlin O’Neill; AWS’s Olivia Igbokwe and Alla Seiffert; BSA’s Victoria Espinel; Politico’s Alisa Vasquez; Shannon Ricchetti; Liz Johnson; Adrienne Elrod; Adam Verdugo; and Rufus Gifford.

Dasha Burns discusses covering Trump 2.0 at a Washington Women’s Technology Network breakfast.

Video: 2024 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch

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The 31st annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch was held at the historic Beall-Washington House in Georgetown on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

Co-hosted by Tammy Haddad, Ruth Porat, Kevin Sheekey, Mark and Sally Ein, Symone Sanders-Townsend, Jon Banner, Craig Minassian, and Franco Nuschese, the Brunch celebrated journalism, democracy, and heroism.

Highlights of the stage program included:

Host Tammy Haddad recognizing Maryland State police officers whose actions in the wake of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore saved many lives.

MSNBC anchor Symone Sanders-Townsend presenting the Garden Brunch Champion of Journalism Award to the White House Correspondents’ Association, which was accepted by incoming WHCA president Eugene Daniels.

CNN Anchor Kaitlan Collins and Olympic medalist Gus Kenworthy presenting co-host Mark Ein, co-owner of the Washington Commanders and owner of the Beall-Washington House, with the Friend of the Garden Brunch award.

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

Attendees included Governor of New Mexico Michelle Lujan Grisham; British Ambassador Dame Karen Pierce; Ukraine Ambassador Oksana Markarova; Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason; Luxembourg Ambassador Nicole Bintner; Australian Ambassador and Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd; DC Mayor Muriel Bowser; Senator Amy Klobuchar; Senator Mark Warner; Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester; Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Steven Horsford; Former counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway; Lyft CEO David Risher; TODAY’s Al Roker; CNN anchors Jake Tapper, Dana Bash, and Abby Phillip; women’s soccer legend Ashlyn Harris; and actors Sophia Bush, Kevin McHale, Rosario Dawson, Jordan Klepper, Wilson Cruz, Joseph Lee, Andrew McCarthy, and Desi Lydic. The 31st Anniversary Garden Brunch was made possible by the generous support of McDonald’s, General Motors, U.S. Steel, Verizon, and Flex.

LIVE FROM LONDON ‘Conclave’ and ‘The Brutalist’ Dominate at the 2025 BAFTA Awards

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Mikey Madison, winner for Best Actress for her role in Anora, poses on the red carpet at the 2025 BAFTA Awards in London on Sunday, February 16th

The 78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) delivered an unforgettable evening Sunday night at the Royal Festival Hall, with Conclave and The Brutalist each securing four prestigious awards. 

Conclave, a gripping political thriller starring Ralph Fiennes, was honored with Best Film and Outstanding British Film, underscoring its critical acclaim and resonance with audiences. Director Edward Berger expressed gratitude for the recognition, highlighting the film’s exploration of contemporary themes.

Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist also made a significant impact, earning accolades for Best Director and Best Leading Actor, with Adrien Brody’s compelling performance praised by critics and peers alike. The film’s innovative narrative and artistic vision were key talking points of the evening.

Veteran actor Warwick Davis was bestowed with the BAFTA Fellowship, recognizing his outstanding contribution to cinema. In an emotional speech, Davis paid homage to his late wife, Samantha, and reflected on his decades-long career in the film industry.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story won the award for Best Documentary. Directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, the film explores Reeve’s rise to fame, his life-changing accident, and his advocacy for disability rights, featuring interviews with his children and close friend Robin William. Ian Bonhôte accepted the BAFTA for Best Documentary on behalf of the team.

Hosted by David Tennant for the second consecutive year, the ceremony was attended by an array of Hollywood’s biggest stars including Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone, Bradley Cooper, Margot Robbie, Barry Keoghan, Carey Mulligan, Paul Mescal, Ariana Grande, Demi Moore, Selena Gomez, Pamela Anderson, Saoirse Ronan, Cynthia Erivo, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Zoë Saldaña, Colman Domingo, and Anna Kendrick. Tennant, joined by his wife Georgia, led the evening’s festivities, which featured standout musical performances by Take That and Jeff Goldblum, adding an extra layer of glamour and entertainment to the night

Other guests included BAFTA’S North America Board Chair Joyce Pierpoline alongside fellow board members Sally Habbershaw EVP, Americas all3media International and Tara Grace, film executive and producer. 

The 2025 BAFTAs proved to be a thrilling precursor to the Oscars, solidifying Conclave and The Brutalist as major awards season contenders. With a lineup of standout performances, heartfelt speeches, and cinematic excellence, this year’s ceremony once again reaffirmed the BAFTAs as one of the most prestigious events in film. A full list of winners can be found here: Baftas 2025: The winners list in full

(L TO R): Tara Grace, Sally Habbershaw and Joyce Pierpoline pose on the red carpet at the 2025 BAFTA Awards in London on Sunday, February 16th
Adrien Brody calls his family shortly after winning Best Actor for his role in Conclave at the 2025 BAFTA Awards in London on Sunday, February 16th
Tara Grace, Tammy Haddad, Joyce Pierpoline and Sally Habbershaw pose on the red carpet at the 2025 BAFTA Awards in London on Sunday, February 16th
Mikey Madison, winner for Best Actress for her role in Anora, poses on the red carpet at the 2025 BAFTA Awards in London on Sunday, February 16th
Monica Barbero walks the red carpet at the 2025 BAFTA Awards in London on Sunday, February 16th
Alexandra Reeve Givens with CNN’s Amy Entelis
Tammy Haddad poses at the 2025 BAFTA Awards in London on Sunday, February 16th

Washington AI Network and Ned’s Club DC Host Power Breakfast Honoring British Ambassador Karen Pierce 

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(L-R) Honoree Dame Karen Pierce and Tammy Haddad, Founder, Washington AI Network and CEO, Haddad Media speak during breakfast at Ned’s Club DC.

The Washington AI Network, in partnership with the newly opened Ned’s Club DC, hosted a power breakfast on Saturday, January 25 in honor of British Ambassador Dame Karen Pierce. The event brought together a distinguished group of political leaders, diplomats, media and other influential figures ahead of the annual Alfalfa festivities taking place later that evening. The breakfast honored Ambassador Pierce’s remarkable five-year tenure in Washington and her contributions to diplomacy, highlighting the strong U.S.-U.K. bond and the enduring special relationship between the two nations.

The conversation was recorded for the Washington AI Network Podcast. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on the Washington AI Network YouTube channel.

Joiwind Ronen, Executive Director of Membership & Programming at Ned’s Club DC, welcomes the crowd at the start of the program

Joiwind Ronen, Ned’s Club DC executive director of membership & programming, opened the event with brief remarks, welcoming attendees to the newly opened club. Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad led a wide-ranging interview, exploring Pierce’s insights on U.S.- U.K. relations, her work over the last five years in DC, and her diplomatic career. She addressed her predictions for the future relationship, including thoughts on her successor Peter Mandelson as well as the new Trump administration. On Mandelson, she commented, “He’s a very good businessman, and above all, I think he’s a really good trade expert. He went on to be the European commissioner for trade. He’s done a lot, and he’s got very good political and policy instincts.” When asked about the relationship between President Trump and Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the UK, Pierce noted, “They got on very well. They’ve talked a few times on the telephone. They had dinner together in September in the margins of the UN General Assembly. The president was very gracious and invited the prime minister and the foreign secretary to his personal apartment in Trump Tower.” 

Sen. Chris Coons speaks during breakfast hosted by Washington AI Network and Ned’s Club DC honoring Dame Karen Pierce

Senator Chris Coons offered a heartfelt toast following a lighthearted video montage featuring tributes from notable figures comically suggesting new roles for Pierce as she departs her DC post. The video featured Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Kellyanne Conway, Bret Baier, Kaitlan Collins, and entrepreneur and Washington Commanders co-owner Mark Ein. When asked to reflect on her time living in Washington, Pierce said “being in Washington makes me smile. The very first time I came we drove along Rock Creek Parkway for some political military talks at the State Department and I thought, ‘I can’t believe you drive through the park to get to work in the world’s most important city’ and I was hooked from that moment.” 

At the end of the interview, Haddad presented Pierce with a commemorative champagne saber engraved with the language “Always the Dame of DC.”

Dame Karen Pierce holds a commemorative champagne saber gifted by Tammy Haddad

Held at the newly opened Ned’s Club, the gathering was a blend of intellect, humor, and camaraderie. As a fresh addition to Washington’s social scene, Ned’s Club DC provided the perfect venue for this power-packed occasion, reflecting its mission to host high-level and impactful convenings.  

Notable guests included: Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Debbie Dingell, Kellyanne Conway, Walter Isaacson, Hon. Jane Harman, Amb. Kay Bailey Hutchison, Robert Barnett, Mark Ein, Shannon Kellogg, Olivia Igbokwe, Cam Sadler, Lynda Carter, Karen Knutson, DeDe Lea, Kara Swisher, Arun Gupta, Richard Walters, Cal and Laura Ripken, Alexandra Veitch, Sally Quinn, Govind Shivkumar, Niamh King, Ed Luce, Pamela Brown, Symone Sanders, John McCarthy, Helen Milby, Andrea Mitchell, Keenan Austin Reed, Senay Bulbul, Rohit Chopra, Bob Costa, Rory Gates, Nicoletta Giordani and Ryan Williams.