White House Correspondents Insider

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

“The White House Plumbers” Return to The Watergate

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The Watergate Hotel became ground zero once again this time for HBO’s actors, producers, and crew to recreate the break-in orchestrated by President Richard Nixon’s Watergate plumbers, with G. Gordon Liddy portrayed by Washington native Justin Theroux and E. Howard Hunt played by Woody Harrelson.

Justin Theroux as G. Gordon Liddy and Woody Harrelson as E. Howard Hunt, set in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Theroux and Harrelson flank Judy Greer as Mrs. Frances Liddy and Lena Headey as Mrs. Dorothy Hunt.

From HBO:  “Based in part on public records and the book Integrity by Egil “Bud” Krogh and Matthew Krogh, the five-part limited series The White House Plumbers will tell the true story of how Nixon’s own political saboteurs and Watergate masterminds, E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy, accidentally toppled the presidency they were trying to protect.”

David Bernad, executive producer of the HBO hit “White Lotus,” developed the show with “Veep” writers Peter Hyuck and Alex Gregory. David Mandel, executive producer of “Veep” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” is also an executive producer and the director of all “White House Plumbers” episodes. Frank Rich of “Succession” and “Veep” fame is also an Executive Producer.

HBO “The White House Plumbers” Executive Producer and Director Dave Mandel reunites with “Veep” consultant Tammy Haddad while shooting at the Old Executive Office Building

“The White House Plumbers” producers, writers, and crew on site-survey for Lincoln Memorial sequence

“The White House Plumbers” actor Ike Barinholtz, consultant Tammy Haddad, and G. Gordon Liddy star Justin Theroux with rescue Kuma on the roof of The Watergate

Justin Theroux as G. Gordon Liddy and Woody Harrelson as E. Howard Hunt with Dannia Hakki at Prettyman Courthouse

White House Plumbers Show Jacket

Former HBO Films president and show producer Len Amato and Justin Theroux on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar Addresses Family Separations at Washington Post Health Event

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HHS Secretary speaks with Paige Winfield Cunningham at the Washington Post Health 202 Live event

The Trump administration policy forcing asylum seekers entering to US to split up with their children has sparked outrage around the world. As part of the Washington Post’s Health 202 Live event, health policy reporter Paige Winfield Cunningham spoke to HHS Secretary Alex Azar about his role in shaping the president’s policies, including immigration and child separation, as well as lowering insurance costs, and Medicare reform on Wednesday, June 20th.

On the controversial issue Azar said, “Nobody has ever desired to separate children from their families but, just like you or me, if you are arrested, your kids aren’t going to be with you. If you want to remain with your children, don’t come across the border illegally… Present yourself at a legal border crossing.”

Azar added, “Once members of Congress—the one who have actually visited facilities and toured it as opposed to those who are just talking about it—I think have been impressed. We take the mission quite seriously.”

Gary Cohn Talks Life After the White House, Addresses Peter Navarro Comments at Washington Post Live

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Gary Cohn, the former economic advisor to Donald Trump, spoke with Washington Post White House economic policy reporter Damian Paletta on Thursday, June 14th to discuss the legacy of his tax reform bill, Peter Navarro’s explosive comments at the G7, trade, infrastructure, and what’s next for the former Goldman Sachs CEO.

Washington Post publisher Fred Ryan kicked off the discussion saying “Gary Cohn has had a remarkable career and has stepped down from his position at the pinnacle of wall street and government finance to answer the call of government service.”

Gary Cohn says that the chance to serve in the White House was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” On his signature achievement at the White House, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, he said, “There was a moment every day where we thought this was going to fail.”

When asked by Paletta whether or not he thought the bill will eventually be revenue neutral, Cohn answered, saying “I’m going to make a bit on news here: It won’t be revenue neutral,” and suggesting that it would be either positive or negative depending on how the economy performs.

Paletta asked Cohn for his response to Peter Navarro’s incendiary comments suggesting there was a “special place in hell” for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by saying, “It was inappropriate and uncalled for. And it’s not his job.”

 On his time in the White House alongside fellow advisors Steve Bannon, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Cohn said, “Last year was the best year of my life.” When asked if the facts always won out in the Oval Office, Cohn replied, “I may not comment on that!”

Paletta asked Cohn if he could see himself coming back to work in this administration in a different role. Cohn said, “I can see myself coming back to Washington,” prompting cheers from the crowd.

Other highlights included Cohn thinking his nickname, “Globalist Gary” was “kind of a flattering name,” and suggesting that he knew of some CEOs that would make for great presidents. He also claimed that Trump’s tweets “100 percent” affect investment markets. As for his plans going forward, Cohn plans to spend more time with his family and also that, “At this stage of my life I’d like to go and do something more unique.”

Affair with Former Senate Intel Aide Compromises Reporting from NYTimes’ Ali Watkins

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NYTimes writer Ali Watkins

The New York Times has reported that federal investigators have seized email and phone records from national security writer Ali Watkins on Thursday, June 7th. Now, press freedom groups and news organizations are condemning the move, calling it an intrusion into the freedom of the press. The Justice Department seized files from Watkins’ office after news broke that she had a three-year-long affair with retired Senate Intelligence Committee staffer James Wolfe, who was arraigned in federal court on Friday for lying to the FBI about his communications with numerous journalists.

According to the New York Times, Ali Watkins had disclosed this relationship to the publication when she was hired and did not use him as a source for her reporting. Questions linger about a Buzzfeed article, penned by Watkins, that revealed Russian operatives tried to recruit Carter Page as part of its efforts to undermine the 2016 US elections. The reporting was supplied with leaked information from the Senate Intelligence Committee. Wolfe maintains that he did lie to the FBI but that he never disclosed information related to his Senate Intelligence Committee work.

The Committee to Protect Journalists released a statement calling the Justice Department’s actions “a fundamental threat to press freedom.” The New York Times called the seizure in its own statement “an outrageous overreach.”

President Donald Trump weighed in on the charges against Wolfe, claiming that he is “a very important leaker” and that his arrest would be “terrific”.

Washington Celebrates Bret Baier at Three Days in Moscow Book Party

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Bret Baier’s newest book is already creating buzz. On Monday evening, an A-list of Washington politicos descended on the Marriott Marquis at the invitation of co-hosts David & Carrie Marriott and Ande & Mae Grennan for a reception celebrating Fox News Anchor Bret Baier’s new book, Three Days in Moscow: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of the Soviet Union.

Bret and Amy Baier were joined by Kellyanne Conway, Attorney-General Jeff Sessions and Mary Sessions, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and Hilary Ross, and Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao.

Marriott Executive Chairman Bill Marriott and wife Donna entertained guests alongside their son and daughter-in-law in the hotel’s Liberty Ballroom.

Fox News Anchor Chris Wallace mingled with National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow before Baier gave his remarks.  He discussed key moments in the book and told previously unheard stories about the Reagan family, including a humorous account of Nancy Reagan saving longtime White House Correspondent Helen Thomas from a flash mob in Moscow. When Secret Service agents formed a protective circle around the First Lady, she spotted Helen in the crowd, pointed to her, and exclaimed, “She’s with us!”

The reception kicked-off a two-week national book tour, which concludes just before the author heads to Singapore to cover the much-anticipated U.S.-North Korea summit.

Guests included Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Azerbaijani Ambassador Elin & LaLa Suleymanov, Jordanian Ambassador Dina Kawar, Kuwaiti Ambassador Salem & Rima Al-Sabah, Barbara Allbritton, Heather Podesta, Kay Kendall and Jack Davies, Janet Donovan, Willie and Finlay Lewis, and Ryan Williams.

Kellyanne Conway: Expect Staff Shake Up in Wake of Explosive White House Leaks

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Kellyanne Conway at the 2018 Garden Brunch

Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway took to the airwaves to defend the Trump administration against a series of leaks coming out of the White House press shop. One of the leaks has sparked outrage from all sides when communications staffer Kelly Sadler claimed that Senator John McCain’s opposition to Gina Haspel becoming CIA Director “doesn’t matter” and that “he’s dying anyway.”

In an appearance on FOX News Monday morning, May 15th, Conway hinted that there may be personnel changes coming soon. “There are all kinds of leaks. Some leaks exist to hurt, I guess, colleagues, some leaks exist because they disagree with the policies that are being put forth, but none of them are helpful…Something else that’s gone on in this White House but not as badly as it was at the beginning, where it’s not so much leaking as using the media to shiv each other, and that was going on quite a bit at the beginning of this administration and it’s less so now.”

Meanwhile, President Trump took to Twitter to claim the leaks were “fake news”:

The White House has yet to issue an apology to Senator McCain for the staffer’s comments despite calls to do so from Congressmen and women on both sides of the aisle.

Tammy Haddad interviews Ronan Farrow for Washington Insider Podcast

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Ronan Farrow Book Party 5/3

Ronan Farrow appeared Friday, May 4th at Cafe Milano in an event hosted by Franco Nuschese, Kathy O’Hearn, Hilary Rosen, and Tammy Haddad to discuss his new book War on Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence and his Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting on the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal. Tammy Haddad interviewed Ronan during the event as part of the Washington Insider podcast. You can listen and subscribe here.

Farrow’s book charts the militarization of diplomacy, and he interviewed every living Secretary of State, including Rex Tillerson in his final days in office, who for the first time expressed regret that he did not fully familiarize himself with the inner workings of the State Department before agreeing to take the job.

Ronan Farrow and Franco Nushcese

Fellow Pulitzer Prize-winner and New Yorker colleague Jane Mayer joined Ronan for a toast to Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting. He spoke with Tammy Haddad about the experience of writing these complex stories, “The stories needed to be bulletproof. They needed to account for every counterargument…I try to tell the stories that have staying power and reach an incredibly high level of seriousness…you owe it to all the parties to interrogate the claims as skeptical and rigorously as possible.”

Seth Meyers: Trump Demanded I Apologize for WHCD Roast

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Comedian and “Late Night” host Seth Meyers sat down with Edward-Isaac Dovere, chief Washington correspondent for Politico and the host of the “Off Message” podcast, where he claimed that Michael Cohen approached him about Trump appearing on his show as a way of repairing ties after Trump’s comedic roasting at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

According to Meyers, the “Late Night” host invited Donald Trump to appear on his show. Trump’s fixer Michael Cohen stipulated that he would have to publicly apologize to Trump for the supposed slights during Meyers’ stand up routine at the Correspondents’ Dinner. Meyers refused to the terms and the talks stalled.

You can listen to the full Seth Meyers’ interview here.

Michelle Wolf Ruffles Feathers at White House Correspondents Dinner

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Michelle Wolf roasts the President and White House administration officials at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner

Michelle Wolf’s divisive stand-up routine at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner has stirred tensions on both sides of the aisle for her comments on White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and other administration officials. According to a review by the New York Time’s Michael Grynbaum, Wolf’s performance “took unflinching aim at some of the notables in the room — and quickly opened a divide, largely but not entirely along partisan lines, over the limits of comedy and comity under a president who rarely hesitates to attack the press.”

After Wolf’s performance, the White House Correspondents Association issued an apology, “Last night’s program was meant to offer a unifying message about our common commitment to a vigorous and free press,” White House Correspondents Association President Margaret Talev wrote. “Unfortunately, the entertainer’s monologue was not in the spirit of that mission.”

For her part, Wolf is unapologetic about the response her performance received, tweeting “Thank you!” to a statement made by former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer calling her comments “disgraceful”.

Here’s All The Big Stars Who Attended This Year’s White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch

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The annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch brings together Hollywood stars, politicians, and of course, the brightest lights of Washington media, and this year’s 25th anniversary was no different.

Stormy Daniels’ attorney Michael Avenatti was spotted at the brunch as well as celebrities like HBO Ballers star Richard Schiff, Gloria Calderon Kellett showrunner Netflix’s One Day at a Time, and The View co-host Sunny Hostin.

Among the Trump administration and White House officials in attendance were Senior Advisor to the President Kellyanne Conway, Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley, and former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.

Pollster Frank Luntz, political advisor Bill Knapp, Heather Podesta, and American Conservative Union head Matt Schlapp and his wife, White House Director of Strategic Communication Mercedes Schlapp were among the politicos seen at the brunch.

The bipartisan crowd featured members of Congress from both sides of the aisle including Representatives Darrell Issa, Debbie Dingell, Don Beyer, Joaquin Castro, and John Delaney.

Government officials included Virginia Lieutenant Gov. Justin Fairfax, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, DC Councilman Jack Evans, DC Senator Paul Strauss, and Dr. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress.

Comedians Jordan Klepper, the host of Comedy Central’s “The Opposition”, and RJ Fried, the executive producer of “Our Cartoon President”, a segment of which made it into the program at the White House Correspondents Dinner, were also in attendance.

News Leaders included Fred Ryan, publisher of the Washington Post, Craig Gordon, Bloomberg DC Bureau Chief, Sam Feist, CNN Bureau Chief, and Andrew Morse, President of CNN Digital.

A handful of TV hosts including ABC Correspondents Bob Woodruff and Juju Chang, Brian Stelter, Don Lemon, MSNBC analyst Heidi Przybyla, Washington Post reporter and host of PBS Washington Week Robert Costa, and MSNBC hosts Ali Velshi and Stephanie Ruhle joined the fun.

Making the rounds were media stars Margaret Talev, the veteran Bloomberg White House Correspondent and WHCA President, MSNBC’s Peter Alexander and his wife Alison Starling, CNN Political Director David Chalian and CNN reporters Jeff Zeleny and Jim Acosta, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist from the Washington Post Philip Rucker, ABC White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl, The Atlantic’s Steve Clemons, Politico’s Daniel Lippman and Anna Palmer, MSNBC national security analyst Jeremy Bash, Fresh FM Tommy McFly, and Defense One’s Kevin Baron.

Notables included MPAA President Charles Rivkin, President of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Patricia Harrison, Ted Olson and Lady Booth Olson, General John Campbell, Abbe Lowell, Valerie Jarrett, Ambassador Lloyd and Ann Hand, Sally Quinn, The Wing co-founder Audrey Gelman, Executive Director of Wikimedia Katherine Marler, David Adler, Robert & Elena Allbritton, Ryan Williams, Facebook’s Erin Egan and Rachel Whetstone, Zach Leonsis, co-owner Monumental Sports, Washington Wizards and Ed and Deborah Lerner Cohen, co-owners of the Washington Nationals, and Tina Tchen of the Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund.

This year’s Brunch co-hosts were Mark and Sally Ein, who own the Beall-Washington House where the brunch took place, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Tammy Haddad, Hilary Rosen and Megan Murphy, Kevin Sheekey, Fred Humphries, Franco Nuschese, and Fritz Brogan.