White House Correspondents Insider

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

Top World Leaders and CEOs Gather for Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York

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Screen grab courtesy Bloomberg Global Business Forum.

On Wednesday, the first-ever Bloomberg Global Business Forum gathered at the Plaza Hotel in New York City to tackle some of the most important international issues of the day.

Joined by innovators, heads of state and celebrities, former New York City mayor and Bloomberg, L.P. founder Mike Bloomberg launched the day’s events saying:

“Too often governments and businesses don’t talk to each other. This forum aims to fix that, and it’s especially important when isolationism is rearing its head, including here in the U.S.”

Recognizing that diplomacy is often contingent and influenced by economic relationships, the first annual Bloomberg Global Business Forum aimed to strike an unprecedented collaboration between corporations and nations, seizing the opportunity to reinforce the notion that those in the private sector and boost and enhance diplomatic ties that governments may neglect.

“We have to take [cooperation] to another level, and it depends upon our mind and our heart,” said Bloomberg as he opened the Bloomberg Global Business Forum. “First believing that we can and must every day expand the definition of ‘us,’ shrink the definition of ‘them.’ We shouldn’t have to have an earthquake or a hurricane to know that that is what we are about.”


Former President Bill Clinton addressed the crowd, challenging them to work to unite people around the globe, instead of building barriers.

“I want you to look to the future, but I believe underneath all these debates that are going on today lingers one simple question. Whether you believe social strength, economic reform and political reform flow from division or multiplication,” Clinton said.


Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chimed in on the importance of economic relationships, and how trade policies and pro-growth agendas are needed to counter modern-day scourges such as discrimination, poverty and inequality.

“[T]rade leads to growth, and we made a deal with citizens that we would pursue pro-growth policies and that everyone would benefit. So we’ve seen growth, but it hasn’t necessarily reached everyone. And that’s where we fall into the politics of fear and envy… So now we need to make a turn into a new progressive trade agenda,” Trudeau told the forum attendees.


Apple CEO Tim Cook pointed specifically to restricting border crossings and cutting back on immigration opportunities being one of the largest challenges to advance economic growth and prosperity around the globe.

“If I were a leader of a country… I’d want every smart person coming into my country… Smart people create jobs.”

NBA star LeBron James summed up the purpose of the gathering during a video statement.

“We all know what’s happening right now, how hard it is suddenly to understand so much in this world. You’re in this room for a reason. We’re leaders. We all know the world needs us to step up.”


Other notable attendees at the Bloomberg Global Business Forum included French President Emmanuel Macron, Alibaba founder and CEO Jack Ma, World Bank president Dr. Jim Kum, Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink and Softbank CEO Masayshi Son.

Spicer Regrets Arguing With Reporters Over Inauguration Crowd Size

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James Brady Press Briefing Room. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer regrets berating journalists during his first White House press briefing in January.  During this session, Spicer had aggressively asserted the inauguration crowd size was the largest ever.

“Of course I do, absolutely,” Spicer admitted during an interview Monday with the New York Times.

During the first official appearance in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, Spicer announced that “[t]his was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period.  Both in person and around the globe.”

Photos and videos of the inauguration showed fewer people gathered on the National Mall than for former President Barack Obama’s 2009 inauguration.  Additionally, Nielsen data suggests the television audience for the Trump inauguration fell below numbers for both Presidents Reagan and Obama.

Spicer made a surprise guest appearance at the Emmys on Sunday to make fun of this notable first briefing.  Appearing at the end of Stephen Colbert’s opening monologue, the former press secretary emerged on stage pushing a mobile podium similar to one used by Melissa McCarthy in a popular Saturday Night Live skit.

“This will be the largest audience to witness an Emmys, period.  Both in-person and around the world,” Spicer responded to Colbert.

“This was an attempt to poke a little fun at myself and add a little bit of levity to the event,” Spicer explained during in his interview with the New York Times.

U.S. Virgin Islands Needs Americans’ Help

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Mike Bloomberg and Tim Duncan help unload supplies from a boat in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, on Thursday, September 14, 2017. Photo courtesy Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

The U.S. Virgin Islands are in critical need for assistance following the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma, which swept over the region earlier this month, killing more than 33 people and causing untold damage. The Category 5 storm was the strongest hurricane ever measured in the Atlantic Ocean, bringing 185 mph wings that caused significant devastation to the idyllic St. John and St. Thomas.

On Thursday, former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg joined retired NBA star Tim Duncan and U.S.V.I. Governor Kenneth Mapp to assess the damage on the islands.  The founder of Bloomberg LP also brought with him supplies and technical relief, including a car full of life-saving medicine from Johns Hopkins in New York.

“We had big hurricanes in Florida, Miami and Texas, but this is part of America and we wanted to make sure people didn’t forget that there was another part of this country that was struck by a deadly hurricane,” Bloomberg said during a press conference at the St. Thomas Jet Center.  “The damage here is just unimaginable.”

Bloomberg also praised the spirit and dedication of the island residents, noting that “there is a lot of optimism coming from the people.  Everyone I’ve talked to said that they’re staying, that they are going to rebuild and that the best days are yet to come.”

Donations for disaster relief on the islands can be made to the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI).  100 percent of all donations made to the CFVI’s Fund for the Virgin Islands, established to provide critical relief and recovery needs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, will go directly to the Fund’s mission.

You can learn more about the local relief efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands and make a tax-deductible donation to the Foundation by visiting USVIRecovery.org.

Ken Burns’ The Vietnam War Premieres at the Kennedy Center

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Photo courtesy Politico.

Tuesday evening, celebrities and veterans alike gathered at the Kennedy Center to view legendary documentarian Ken Burns’ newest masterpiece, “The Vietnam War.”  This latest offering, sponsored with generous support from Bank of America, displays the southeastern Asian conflict in a comprehensive fashion, covering the war and societal tensions from numerous viewpoints both on the battlefield and back home.

Guests were treated to a sneak-peek screening that drew from throughout the series’ 18 hours. Chart-topping Denver-based band The Lumineers also took the stage to perform a song they wrote for the film.

The project was ten years in the making and will surely be a gigantic smash when the first installment premieres Sunday, September 17th at 8PM EST on PBS.  The series will be aired on the network in 10 weekly installments.

Culminating the evening, Burns and co-director Lynn Novick took to the stage in a question-and-answer session along three notable Vietnam veterans — John McCain, John Kerry and Chuck Hagel.  The panel was moderated by ABC News chief global affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz.

Arizona Senator McCain highlighted the importance of remembering the impact of the conflict in today’s global climate.

“It’s the right time, particularly since we are in such turmoil in the world today,” said Senator McCain.  “These young men died because of inadequate or corrupt leadership.  We must have leaders who can lead and be able to give them a path to victory so we will not sacrifice them, ever again, to a lost cause.”

McCain spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, after being shot down while flying navy ground-attack aircraft over Hanoi in October 1967.

Former defense secretary and senator from Nebraska, Hagel agreed on the importance of both the documentary and the lessons it teaches.

“Yes, it’s difficult to see this, but it’s important for our next set of leaders to understand the consequences of war and the consequences of decisions that we never get all right,” Hagel told the audience.  What also came out of Vietnam was the first real questioning of our government, a questioning of our leaders and a demand for accountable government, honest leadership.”

Hagel received two Purple Hearts while an infantry squad leader in the War.

Former Secretary of State and Massachusetts senator Kerry pointed out the importance of diplomacy and honesty in crisis events.

“Knowing what we’re doing, being honest with our people, making war a last resort, exhausting diplomacy,” said Kerry.  “These are all relevant to every choice we face.”

Kerry was awarded combat medals including the Silver Star Medial, Bronze Star Medal and three Purple Heart Medals for his service in the Naval Reserves serving four months in South Vietnam.

Longtime Ken Burns supporters Bank of America sponsored the film and premiere event. Burns gave a shout out to longtime friend Anne Finucane, Bank of America’s Vice Chairman.

ABOUT THE FILM

Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s ten-part, 18-hour documentary series, THE VIETNAM WAR, tells the epic story of one of the most consequential, divisive, and controversial events in American history as it has never before been told on film. Visceral and immersive, the series explores the human dimensions of the war through revelatory testimony of nearly 80 witnesses from all sides—Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as combatants and civilians from North and South Vietnam.

Ten years in the making, the series includes rarely seen and digitally re-mastered archival footage from sources around the globe, photographs taken by some of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th Century, historic television broadcasts, evocative home movies, and secret audio recordings from inside the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations. THE VIETNAM WAR features more than 100 iconic musical recordings from greatest artists of the era and haunting original music from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well as the Silk Road Ensemble featuring Yo-Yo Ma.

Miss North Dakota Cara Mund Crowned Miss America 2018

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Photo courtesy Cara Mund via Twitter.

Celebrations and congratulations flowed Sunday night in Atlantic City as Miss North Dakota, Cara Mund was crowned 2018’s Miss America.  Last night was the first time in pageant history that Miss North Dakota has ever won the coveted tiara.

A Brown University graduate heading to law school following her reign, Mund said she hopes to one day become the first woman elected governor of North Dakota.  She showed political savvy and determination when asked about President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris climate accords earlier this year.

Referencing the decision to withdraw from the climate accords, the newly-crowned Miss America said: “It’s a bad decision.  There is evidence that climate change is existing, and we need to be at that table.”

She told reporters at Boardwalk Hall following the ceremony that it was her desire to provide a factual and honest answer to the question posed, instead of glossing over her answer.

“My onstage question answer was just my personal opinion,” she told The Associated Press in an interview. “I think everyone has a right to think what they want. But it’s important to have a spot at the negotiating table. This isn’t necessarily: ‘Does climate change exist or not?’ but rather the fact that we’re going to keep our Earth clean for future generations, and I just think it’s really important that we have a seat there. To pull out, I think, is just really unfortunate.”

Behind Mund, the other top five 2018 Miss American contestants were first runner-up Miss Missouri Jennifer Davis, second runner-up Miss New Jersey Kaitlyn Schoeffel, third runner-up Miss District of Columbia Briana Kinsey, and fourth runner-up Miss Texas Margana Wood.

The panel of judges for the 2018 pageant included country singer Thomas Rhett, actress and author Molly Sims, Grammy-nominated singer Jordin Sparks, People Magazine’s editor in chief Jess Cagle, CEO of AfterBuzz TV Maria Menounos, Miss America 2014 Nina Davuluri and Olympic gold medalist, Tara Lipinski.

The Miss America Organization, alongside The Miss America Foundation and its 52 licensed organizations, is the nation’s largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women, awarding millions annually for young female scholars across the country and around the world.  The Foundation provides academic and community-based scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies, as well as endowed scholarships for young women entering medical school, working in special areas for military service awareness and the performing arts.

‘The Weather Channel’ Viewership Surges During Hurricanes

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Photo courtesy Pixabay

Cable television viewers flocked to The Weather Channel last week, driven primarily by concerns over recent hurricanes bombarding huge portions of the United States.

The channel had averaged approximately 150,000 viewers in prime time throughout July.  Last week, according to Nielsen ratings, roughly 1.3 million people tuned in during peak hours – nearly a ten-time spike in viewers.

The Weather Channel has featured 24-hour coverage of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma during the past few weeks.  Nearly 70 reporters and producers have deployed to Texas, Louisiana and Florida to cover both of the deadly and devastating storms blasting the region.

“People are tired,” said Nora Zimmett, senior vice president of programming for the Weather Channel.  “But there is an adrenaline that comes with an event like this.”

Top UN Human Rights Official: Freedom of Press Under Attack by Trump

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Photo courtesy John Gillespie.

The top human rights official at the United Nations stated that freedom of the press is under attack by U.S. President Donald Trump.

”It’s really quite amazing when you think that freedom of the press, not only sort of a cornerstone of the U.S. Constitution but very much something that the United States defended over the years is now itself under attack from the President,” said Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights.

He continued, “it’s sort of a stunning turnaround.  And ultimately the sequence is a dangerous one.”

President Trump has consistently attacked the mainstream media, even before his inauguration as a candidate.  His standard response to news stories that aren’t positive of him or the administration consists of him ripping the media as “fake news” and accusing journalists of being unpatriotic.

At a political rally in Phoenix last week, Trump claimed that journalists are “truly dishonest people” following criticisms of his response to a white supremacist rally in Virginia where he blamed “both sides” for the violence.  One woman was killed when a man attending the rally drove his car through a crowd of counter-protestors.

President Trump Blames Media for Racial Tensions

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Photo courtesy Wikimedia.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump led crowds in his first campaign-style rally in Phoenix, the first since a white supremacist rally in Virginia resulted in the death of one counter-demonstrator and nearly two dozen others injured.  At the rally, Trump spent much of his time speaking blaming the media for the racial tensions highlighted since Charlottesville.

“Not only does the media give a platform to hate groups, but the media turns a blind eye to the gang violence on our streets, the failures of our public school, the destruction of our wealth at the hands of our terrible, terrible trade deals made by our politicians that should’ve never been politicians, and the hostility to our local police that work so hard and do an incredible job,” he said.

Turning specifically to criticisms he faced across the political spectrum following his initial response on Charlottesville, Trump misquoted and toned down his own statement, leaving out that he blamed people “on many sides” for the violence.

“This is me speaking. ‘We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence.’ That’s me speaking on Saturday, right after the event.”

He continued with blaming the media for the confusion stemming directly from his several days of contradictory statements following the violence: “Truly dishonest people in the media and the fake media, they make up sources.  They don’t report the facts, just like they don’t want to report that I spoke out against hatred and violence and strongly condemned the neo-Nazis, the white supremacists and the KKK.”

The president was playing to his base supporters at the rally, where he was interrupted frequently with chants of “drain the swamp” and “CNN sucks.”

Trumps Will Skip Kennedy Center Honors

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Photo courtesy Wikimedia.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will not attend this year’s annual Kennedy Center Honors in December.

According to a White House statement, “The President and First Lady have decided not to participate in this year’s activities to allow the honorees to celebrate without any political distraction.”

Several honorees had said they would boycott the White House reception.  Both dancer Carmen de Lavallade and television producer Norman Lear had announced they would not attend that portion of the celebration.

“In light of the socially decisive and morally caustic narrative that our existing leadership is choosing to engage in, and in keeping with the principles that I and so many others have fought for, I will be declining the invitation to attend the reception at the White House,” de Lavallade said last week, prior to the White House announcement.

In a joint statement, Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein and President Deborah F. Rutter said the center “respects the decision made today by the office of the President of the United States.  In choosing not to participate in this year’s Honors activities, the Administration has graciously signaled its respect for the Kennedy Center and ensures the Honors gala remains a deservingly special moment for the Honorees.  We are grateful for this gesture.”

This will be the fourth time a sitting president is not in attendance at the Honors, following Presidents Jimmy Carter in 1979, George H.W. Bush in 1989 and Bill Clinton in 1994.  All three former presidents had attended the annual celebration other years while in office.

White House Correspondents Association Receives Press Freedom Award

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Photo courtesy AFS-USA Intercultural Programs.

The White House Correspondents Association will be honored by the National Press Club and its nonprofit Journalism Institute with its John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award.

Named after the late president of the National Press Club and a renown journalist dedicated to press freedom, this award is presented annually to two recipients — one domestic and one foreign — at the annual Fourth Estate Gala, to be held in October.  The recipients are recognized for “demonstrating through their work the principles of press freedom and open government.”

In announcing the decision, the National Press Club said that

“While there are a number of worthy potential recipients this year, the Club and Journalism Institute chose the White House Correspondents’ Association for its tireless — and often thankless — efforts to maintain lines of communication with the leaders of our government and stand up for public access, all while enduring insults, public ridicule and not-so-veiled threats.”

The Club also noted that “the toxic environment for reporters in Washington is making it more difficult for journalists at a state and local level to keep the public informed.”

The press corps of Mexico is this year’s foreign recipient of the Press Freedom Award.