White House Correspondents Insider

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

Daily Mail Reports on Trudie and Sting's Eco-Extravagances

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 Sting’s eco-wacko wife charters private jet for flight to Obama dinner (The DM Headline)

Celebrities Arrive At The White House Correspondents Association Dinner In Washington DC. 4 of 6

Trudie flew her personal hairstylist from New York to Washington, DC for this? She could have gotten the same effect by sticking her head out the window of the cab on the way to the White House.
Our Green Hypocrite of the Week award goes to Trudie Styler, wife of rocker Sting.
Instead of flying commercial or taking the Amtrak Shuttle, she chartered a private jet to take her eight person entourage from New York to the White House Correspondents dinner in Washington, DC. Included in the entourage was Antonio Prieto, her personal hairstylist.

‘Yes, I do take planes,” Styler said haughtily. “My life is to travel and my life is also to speak out about the horrors of an environment that is being abused at the hands of oil companies.”

Sting and Trudie claim to be big proponents of saving the rainforests. She’s a co-founder of the Rainforest Foundation. In 2006, he organized a charity concert for the Foundation, but caught flak after donating a paltry 41% of the proceeds to rainforest programs.

But it’s tough to reconcile that concept with the fact that it’s been discovered that Mr & Mrs Sting “have a carbon footprint estimated at 30 times that of the average UK resident.”

Maybe this guy should change his name from Sting to Scam. Mr & Mrs Scam just seems so much more appropriate.

Source: DailyMail UK via Deceiver.com

McLaughlin Group Gathers For Traditional "Morning After" Brunch

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Patricia Duff, Mort Zuckerman and host John McLaughlin at his traditional "Morning After" Brunch

Patricia Duff, Mort Zuckerman and host John McLaughlin at his traditional "Morning After" Brunch

The Father of the Modern Political Panel Talk Show, John McLaughlin, came to national prominence as President Nixon’s priest who defended him so well on television after his fall. But for many in Washington, he’s almost as well known for his Sunday brunch on the White House Correspondents Dinner weekend.  One of the great traditions for A-listers (local and Hollywood based) is to wake up and head on over for more people watching. “The McLaughlin Group” is the first panel political show to put opinions and humor into Sunday morning political talk.  From the beginning McLaughlin captured and advanced the conversation with original panelists like Robert Novak, Jack Germond and Mort Kondracke to the omnipresent Patrick Buchanan.  The long suffering Eleanor Clift still holds her own, while Moynihan “hottie” Lawrence O’Donnell has brought in a new audience to this Washington staple.  McLaughlin owns his show which is both on NBC and syndicated on PBS stations around the country. Others have tried and failed to compete with his original delivery and thought provoking banter.  He is the ringmaster and makes politics more accessible to audiences that would not watch a cable show.

His unique place in the political conversation has made his brunch just as thought provoking.  When Robert DeNiro was prepping for “Wag The Dog” he was McLaughlin’s guest for the WHCD.  The double takes as DeNiro talked to Laura Ingraham and Janet Langhart was a classic McLaughlin brunch moment.  The occasional appearance of Tom Selleck, as well as VP Cheney and other cabinet officials of both parties, caused an incredible fight for an invitation.  The brunch, then in McLaughlin’s Woodland Drive home, has become another weekend tradition.

This year’s Brunch at Teatro Goldoni, the first to coincide with Mother’s Day, brought out a crowd that included, Tivo Chairman Tom Rogers, Nancy Bagley, Soroush Shehabi, Nicole Bagley, former Sec. of Defense Bill Cohen, Beth and Ron Dozoretz, Fred and Marlene Malik, Buzz Aldrin, Debbie and John Dingell, Amb. Ivonne A-Baki, Susan Hurley, Tandy and Wyatt Dickerson, Pat Buchanan and wife Shelley, Ali and Mark Russell, Spike and Tina Karalikis, Jim Kimsey, former Md. Cong. Tom McMillen, Judith Czelusniak, PR worldwide Bloomberg, and Dr. Christine Warnke among others.

More pictures of today’s brunch after the jump. [Read more…]

Leads- Coverage From All Over

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Obama the star at reporters’ annual dinner

The Associated Press – ‎27 minutes ago‎
WASHINGTON (AP) — It was the hottest ticket in town, a black-tie dinner gathering of Washington’s political and media elite but Dick Cheney couldn’t make it …

 

President Barack Obama gets laughs at White House Correspondents …

New York Daily News – ‎43 minutes ago‎
BY Rich Schapiro President Barack Obama pokes some gentle fun at politicians and the press at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. …

Obama doesn’t spare himself in comedy turn

CNN – ‎1 hour ago‎
WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Barack Obama isn’t afraid to laugh at himself. In fact, he appears to revel in it. President Obama delivers some one-liners at …

RNC Chair Gives Obama Speech a Thumbs Up

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Michael Steele, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, told WHCInsider that he thought Obama’s speech was great. Steele said he thought the ribbing was “fine and fair.”

And Wanda’s?
 
“Wanda is Wanda, she comes real and you got to be prepared. But there will be news made later this week, I guarantee you,” said Steele.

Watch Wanda’s routine below.

Pat Buchanan Praises Obama's Speech but Criticizes Sykes's Monologue

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Conservative commentator and former candidate for the GOP presidential nomination Pat Buchanan said Barack Obama’s speech to the WHCD was well-done and well-delivered. Speaking on MSNBC, Buchanan particularly praised Obama for poking fun at everyone, while Wanda Sykes, Buchanan said, was “over the top” because of some harsh jokes at Republicans’ and conservatives’ expense. Other MSNBC commentators thought Sykes at times might have been controversial.

Doesn't Seem Wanda Sykes Will Tone Down Her WHCD Routine Tonight

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Asked by WHCInside whether she would hold back anything for her monologue tonight, comedian Wanda Sykes said, “I don’t think so.”

During the steady stream of red carpet arrivals at the Washington Hilton, screams and yells from star-gazers behind the velvet ropes often bewildered some of the guests. Sykes even looked taken aback at times, but made her way on into the ballroom.

Pre-WHCD Garden Party a Hit

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Early estimates for the turnout at the Pre-WHCD Garden Brunch exceed 500, probably more, as a capacity crowd mingled and mixed in anticipation of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner tonight. The weather — always an issue in D.C. — cooperated, serving up a sunny, if slightly humid afternoon.

Guests included actors Val Kilmer, Christian Slater, Matthew Modine and Dana Delaney; Capt. Richard Phillips of the Alabama Maersk and his wife Andrea; Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano; former Clinton administration official Donna Shalala; David Gregory, Andrea Mitchell and Ann Curry of NBC News, and many others.

The party ran from Noon until 3:00 p.m., when guests started leaving to prepare for tonight’s big event.

Janet Napolitano and Donna Shalala

Janet Napolitano and Donna Shalala

Christian Slater

Christian Slater
Val Kilmer

Val Kilmer

Shelby Coffey and Ann Curry

Shelby Coffey and Ann Curry

NBC Chief Hosts Rare WHCD Reception

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zucker1Jeff Zucker, NBC’s chief executive who’s not known for throwing high-profile bashes, will host a VIP reception before the White House Correspondents’ Dinner tonight on an upper floor of the Washington Hilton, above the mostly ground-floor receptions.