White House Correspondents Insider

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

Greta and John bring LiLo to WHCD

By

Another Van Susteren WHCD first: Kim Kardashian in 2010

Greta Van Susteren and her husband, attorney John Coale have won the booking sweepstakes this year by scoring Lindsay Lohan as their guest for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.   Since her move to Fox 10 years ago, Greta has been wowing Washington insiders and making headlines by snagging the hottest guests.

It was a scene like none other when President George W. Bush, at his first dinner mentioned Greta and John’s guest, Ozzy Osbourne, who was at the height of his reality show fame.  Last year, Van Susteren surprised everyone by bringing Sarah Palin to the WH Correspondents’ Dinner to mingle with the “gang of 600”, the top politicos and policymakers, something no one ever thought would happen.

Van Susteren has had the number 1  show on Fox for 10 years, and  never shies away from a controversy or a question.

Here is how FishbowlDC broke the big story.

Game Change Premieres in DC

By

John Heilemann, Sarah Paulson, Julianne Moore, Mark Halperin

Mike Allen reported in today’s Politico Playbook, that while New Yorkers (who had their premiere two nights ago) thought the new HBO Film Game Change “was a sit-com,” Washington watched it as a documentary.  The Newseum was packed with reporters and 2008 campaign staff eager to see the much buzzed about Game Change film based on the book by the same name by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin.  Walking the red, or blue rather, carpet were the authors, screen writer Danny Strong, director Jay Roach, and the star of the film, Julianne Moore, who plays Sarah Palin and Sarah Paulson who plays staffer Nicolle Wallace. Also in attendance were veteran producers Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks, as well as McCain senior campaign strategist, Steve Schmidt who was portrayed by Woody Harrelson in the film.

The film takes place five years ago starting in 2007, following the John McCain campaign through selecting Sarah Palin as his running mate and the struggles and victories within the race.  Viewers such as Wolf Blizter praised Moore’s performance – “She did an amazing Sarah Palin. She looked like her, she sounded like her — she was Sarah Palin,” as reported by Politico. Ed Harris as John McCain and Harrelson as Schmidt were also highlights of the film as they played characters carrying the emotional weight of a presidential campaign having to make difficult decisions.  The film mixed real news footage of reporters and then candidate Obama with film footage which gave Blitzer, Gwen Ifill and Katie Couric cameos.

Check out more photos from the premiere below:

Jennifer Siebel Newsom's Documentary "Miss Representation" toasted at the Jefferson

By

White House Staff such as Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard, Mayor Cory Booker and more came out to to celebrate Jennifer Siebel Newsom‘s documentary Miss Representation, which is about imaging and cultural perspectives on women and girls in the media.  The film premiered at Sundance earlier this year and has been since been seen by millions around the world. Siebel’s husband, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, Secretary Hilda Solis, Regina Hopper, Eve O’Toole, Chief of Protocol Capricia Marshall and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) were also in attendance.

Check out the photos and and full story by the Huffington Post’s Christina Wilkie here.

Watch the trailer for Miss Representation below:

Newest Miss Representation Trailer (2011 Sundance Film Festival Official Selection) from Miss Representation on Vimeo.

Wendi Murdoch’s Lao Tong

By

Wendi Deng Murdoch lifted the veil on her homeland, China, in her first feature film, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Today in the Huffington Post she teaches us more Chinese and the power of women with “lao tong” that translates “friends for life.” Read her full piece here.

Senator Chris Dodd hosted Ms. Murdoch at a special screening of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and celebrated 10 years of “how the practice of Chinese-American co-productions has led to a vibrant productive partnership between two countries’ film industries.” Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yesui, Senator and Mrs. Jim Sasser, Ambassador from Singapore, Chan Heng Chee, and Washington media mavens Ed Henry, Roxanne Roberts and Hilary Rosen.

Check out Ralph Alswang’s photos from the MPAA screening below:

Graham Moore Sells Alan Turing Script to Warner Bros

By

Graham Moore (right) with Vice President Joe Biden and Susan Sher

Graham Moore, the New York Times best-selling author for his first novel, The Sherlockian, has scored a 7-figure deal with Warner Bros for his script about math genius, Alan Turing, titled The Imitation Game.   The script, just like his book, is receiving rave reviews and is reported to have been picked up due to Leonard DiCaprio “chasing the project.”

Moore is no stranger to DC, as his mother, Susan Sher, spent over two years in the White House as Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama.  The family even celebrated the release of his first novel at the Vice President’s residence (pictured right).

Read the whole report from Deadline Hollywood here.