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Media Stars Support Non-Profit Journalism On #GivingNewsDay

November 28, 2017 By WHC Insider

Fox News Bret Baier and Wolf Blitzer in Washington, DC

November 28th is #GivingNewsDay, a day to give back to the hundreds of nonprofit newsrooms across the country. Donations up to $1000 will be doubled by NewsMatch, a national campaign to support nonprofit, local, and investigative news organizations. News Match 2017 was launched by Democracy Fund, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation to give people an easy way to find quality newsrooms in their region.

Thousands have already gone on social media to promote and discuss nonprofit news, as well as encouraging others to join in this year’s efforts.

Join me in standing with #Newsmatch on #GivingNewsDay. They will match all donations to your favorite newsroom. Find trustworthy news orgs in your area and lend your support here: https://t.co/0ofy9YKeCw . We need them as much as they need us! https://t.co/hzv8Tp890J

— David Mandel (@DavidHMandel) November 27, 2017

I’m standing with #Newsmatch on #GivingNewsDay. They will match all donations to your favorite newsroom. Find trustworthy news orgs in your area and lend your support here: https://t.co/gRMoYyuq5v

— Cara Mund (@MissAmerica) November 27, 2017

I am standing with #NewsMatch on #GivingNewsDay to support local newsrooms and the important work of investigative journalism. Find and support your local newsroom here: https://t.co/P6WGzuJtYo

— Dana Bash (@DanaBashCNN) November 27, 2017

Every day nonprofit journalists are reporting on life and death issues in communities across the United States. Without you those stories go untold. That’s why #NewsMatch is doubling donations to 110 nonprofit newsrooms. Donate at https://t.co/hYTxObrWNt #GivingNewsDay pic.twitter.com/HZbZ0JR1kR

— Josh Stearns (@jcstearns) November 27, 2017

Good journalism starts at home. On #GivingNewsDay please support your local nonprofit newsrooms so they can keep doing their important work. More info via #NewsMatch here: https://t.co/VNzbh1IXNr

— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) November 27, 2017

JOIN ME!
The need for independent investigative journalism is more important than ever. Join me in supporting #NewsMatch on #GivingNewsDay I donated to Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting for #NewsMatch. Did you give yet? https://t.co/R0wDtf57f9

— Michael Kelly (@michaeljkellyjr) November 27, 2017

I just donated to Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance for #NewsMatch #GivingNewsDay
I was really inspired today.
Did you give yet? https://t.co/VCU1VWnWdD

— Thomas Roberts (@ThomasARoberts) November 28, 2017

Local news is more vital than ever, and it cannot sustain itself without your help. #NewsMatch is doubling donations to 110 nonprofit newsrooms. Donate at https://t.co/UiVX0n2NM6 #GivingNewsDay pic.twitter.com/sEQUAk97K7

— Anthony De Rosa 🗽 (@Anthony) November 28, 2017

#GivingNewsDay has begun and To all who want to help the smaller news organizations across the country – donate here to help struggling newsroooms: https://t.co/mQuwI3z5rM

— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) November 22, 2017

This is awesome.

Find a specialized news outlet that you trust and want to know more about and NewsMatch will match $$ today. #GivingNewsDay 💪🏽 https://t.co/XRTvF4b0JP

— Kevin Cirilli (@kevcirilli) November 27, 2017

Getting ready for #GivingNewsDay and celebrating nonprofit local news organizations with @GloriaBorger #NewsMatch pic.twitter.com/IF6e9nkOud

— RACHEL GREENBERG (@VOLTAINSIDER) November 28, 2017

Visit NewsMatch.org to find a nonprofit newsroom and invest in quality journalism. NewsMatch will double your impact.

Filed Under: Causes, Correspondents, Event Coverage, Free Press, Miss America, News, News Media, Social Media, TV, Uncategorized, Veep, Volta Insider

Volta Insider: White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch 2017 Honors Military Veterans and a Free and Fair Press

May 18, 2017 By WHC Insider

Rachel Greenberg interviews Mark Testoni, President & CEO of SAP NS2 | NS2 Serves. Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

In the latest episode of Volta Insider, Rachel Greenberg interviewed several prominent attendees of the 2017 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch. This year’s Garden Brunch was dedicated to honoring military veterans and their families and celebrating a free press.

Greenberg provides insight into the themes of the Garden Brunch talking to elected officials, media titans, and some of the leading champions for military veterans.

Senator Mark Warner had a message for young people saying, “I think it’s more important than ever for young people to be involved.  Because if young people tune out, all you do is turn the keys over to the political extremes on the left or the right.  And for a nation that’s about 20 trillion in debt, to leave that kind of debt to the millenials, to our kids would be a disaster.  That is why your voices need to be heard.”

Rep. Darrell Issa had creative advice for those interested in pursuing a career in politics, “My advice [to young, aspiring journalists or politicians] … is to do something else first.  Really, the breadth of talent of people that go straight into politics, straight into journalism, there’s plenty of them.  The outliers — the people that make a difference — are the people that come with something to offer.  And so  particularly in the case for politics, life experience, real understanding.  Whether it’s working in soup kitchens or working on wall street, try to make sure you bring something other than a desire to vote.

Greenberg also spoke with CNN’s Brian Stelter on the new administration’s galvanizing effect on young journalism students, “There are so many problems in media right now, there are so many attempts to tear down the press, to delegitimize the press.  But it also makes it a more interesting time to be part of the solution.  And I see a lot of students nowawayds more motivated to be a part of it.”

Other interviews include Graham Moore, Academy Award winning screenwriter and author, Art Bilger, founder of the non-profit WorkingNation, and Meghan Ogilvie, CEO of Dog Tag Inc.

Check out the latest episode of Volta Insider here:

http://voltainsider.com/2017/05/16/episode-19-white-house-correspondents-garden-brunch-2017/

Filed Under: 2017 White House Correspondents Dinner, Awards, Causes, Correspondents, DC, Dog Tag Bakery, Event Coverage, Free Press, Honors, MIlitary Familiies, Volta Insider, Washington Events

Volta Insider: Scientists and Protesters Come to DC for Earth Day March for Science

April 28, 2017 By WHC Insider

Photo courtesy Volta Insider.

On the latest episode of Volta Insider, Rachel Greenberg went to the National Mall to talk to some of the protesters and scientists who showed up to celebrate science and advocate for facts.

Inspired by the worldwide Women’s March protest which took place the day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the March for Science was held on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, to highlight environmental science in the face of climate change.

Denis Hayes, the founder of Earth Day, spoke to the marchers. “This is about last November’s election. Did America somehow vote to melt the polar ice caps and kill the coral reefs and acidify the oceans? Did we vote to reduce the EPA’s research budget by a whopping 42%?”

Greenberg introduces us to (ret)Navy Captain John Zimmerman, a nuclear engineer and submarine veteran, who carried a sign reading, ’Je suis science’.

Zimmerman said of the importance of this event, “Science has been my life, I’ve been a submariner so I’ve been involved in nuclear engineering and principles of science for my entire life. I just feel really strongly that if we support science, if we’re not afraid to figure out what the truth actually is, we’ll be great. I always want to bring the data to the problem. I don’t want to hear stories, I don’t want to hear alternative facts. No, there’s only facts, and that’s why I believe so strongly in what we’re doing here today.”

Meet more of the scientists Greenberg interviewed including Bob Hirshon, Program Director for Technology and Learning for the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Check out the latest episode of Volta Insider here:

Episode 18: The March for Science

Subscribe to Volta Insider on iTunes here:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/volta-insider/id1049322728?mt=2

Follow Rachel Greenberg on Twitter @VoltaInsider

Filed Under: Causes, Correspondents, Uncategorized, Volta Insider

Volta Insider: Rachel Greenberg Covers the Women’s March on Washington

January 27, 2017 By WHC Insider

On the latest episode of the Volta Insider podcast, host Rachel Greenberg discusses her experience covering the Women’s March on Washington on Saturday, January 21st.  The Women’s March was one of the most attended national protests in American history with an estimated 2.9 million attendees.

Greenberg talked about meeting men and women that have never protested, travelling from across the country to our nation’s capital.  Many of the people she interviewed supported different causes, but held the common belief they were showing their support for the equal rights of women in America.

In covering the march, Greenberg said:

“I was not surprised by the enthusiasm of the crowd, but what struck me was the sense of camaraderie that encompassed the march. It was entirely peaceful, even joyous occasion for the protesters. Young children, the elderly, people of color, all marching side-by-side in peaceful solidarity. For as big of a protest as it was, not a single arrest was made.”

You can view a front-row seat to Greenberg’s podcast on the Women’s March on Washington here.  Also, remember to subscribe to the Volta Insider podcast on AudioBoom or iTunes.

Filed Under: Volta Insider, Washington

Volta Insider: Rachel Greenberg Interviews Oscar-winning Writer Graham Moore

October 4, 2016 By WHC Insider

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On the latest episode of the Volta Insider podcast, host Rachel Greenberg had a conversation with novelist and screenwriter Graham Moore, one of the most sought after young writers in America. Moore’s latest, the historical novel The Last Days of Night, tells the tale of the early days of electricity in America and the rivalry between Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla that led all the way to the Supreme Court. Moore won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2014 for his Alan Turing biopic The Imitation Game and gave an emotional acceptance speech about overcoming self-doubt that has become a viral video hit. He is also the son of Susan Sher, former Chief of Staff to First Lady Michelle Obama.

Moore recently announced that The Last Days of Night is being turned into a feature film which is currently in preproduction. Greenberg asked the admitted perfectionist what it was like to adapt his own novel for the screen. “I’m on draft 12 of the screenplay right now. There will be 30 by the time I’m done.”

Greenberg asked Moore about his inspiration for the new novel and his obsession with scientists and mathematicians. “They’re passionate, they’re driven, and they’re obsessive. They devote their lives to these subjects that the general public might think are arcane and I identify with that.”

Moore also gave some insider tips in case you want to win an Oscar. “Your clock doesn’t start until you step to the podium, so if you need a moment to compose yourself on stage you can take the trophy, pause, then step up to the podium.”

You can watch the full interview with Graham Moore here.

Filed Under: Volta Insider Tagged With: Graham Moore, The Imitation Game, The Last Days of Night, Volta Insider

Volta Insider: Art and Activism at the RNC and DNC

September 6, 2016 By WHC Insider

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Rachel Greenberg at the DNC, Photo Courtesy of Volta Insider

As the political forces of the Democratic Party descended on Philadelphia for the 2016 Democratic National Convention, activists, protesters, artists, and performers, converged on the streets of downtown Philly to entertain, provoke, and raise awareness for their issues. Rachel Greenberg, host of the Volta Insider podcast, went to the DNC to find out why those from outside the world of politics come to the national conventions.

Greenberg caught up with artist Andrew Purchin to discuss the DNC, his hopes for the election, and the intersection of art and politics.

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Rachel Greenberg with Andrew Purchin, Photo Courtesy of Volta Insider

Andrew Purchin brought his interactive project “The Curious End to the War Against Ourselves” to both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions this year. The piece, a 144-foot linen scroll, is designed for passerbys who stop by to contribute. Purchin describes the project as “a guided art-making meditation”. His goal with the work is to connect with people across the political spectrum and get them to collaborate in the same space with people who share dissimilar views, be it social or political. This apolitical work is an attempt at reconciling what Purchin calls “the infighting both within our heads and with each other”.

To watch Greenberg’s interview with Andrew Purchin click here. You can find more Volta Insider episodes here.

To find out more about Andrew Purchin’s art and his project visit his website here.

Filed Under: Volta Insider Tagged With: DNC, Rachel Greenberg, RNC, Volta Insider

Volta Insider: Barack Obama’s Democratic Convention Swan Song

August 1, 2016 By Rachel Greenberg

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Barack Obama addresses the Democratic National Convention, Photo Courtesy Volta Insider

Barack Obama is an incredibly impressive orator. He speaks with grace and power, his words suffused with purpose. He has mastered a voice that exerts both authority and emotion without pontificating. There is an honesty in his cadence that slightly resembles that of Bill Clinton, a speech delivered in a style that isn’t really a speech, but more of a conversation. That night, President Obama and the American people had a conversation about something our President knows quite a bit about, the audacity of hope. And trust me, there wasn’t a dry eye in the entire arena.

I was enamored by his remarks, but it wasn’t until the crowd resurrected the famous slogan “YES WE CAN” that I was deeply affected. It was within those seconds I was, as Fitzgerald writes, “…within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.”

I was transported eight years back, to television clips of people shouting “YES WE CAN” in massive crowds. Struck with the absoluteness of the change he has brought about and the love the American people share with him because of it.

“Time and again, you’ve picked me up. And I hope, sometimes, I picked you up, too. And tonight, I ask you to do for Hillary Clinton what you did for me. I ask you to carry her the same way you carried me. Because you’re who I was talking about 12 years ago when I talked about hope. It’s been you who fueled my dogged faith in our future, even when the odds were great; even when the road is long. Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope.”

I knew then why Barack Obama had won back in 2008. Fear is subjective, but hope is indefinite. I looked down towards the stage, at the side of his face and the corner of the podium. Compelled by the sadness in his stance that lifted a little bit in each word he spoke and the arena got smaller and smaller. As if there were not millions of people behind those big black cameras scattered among skyboxes. That speech was a love letter to this country. If Shakespeare wrote speeches for the King of England, it would probably sound something like what we heard that night. 46 stunning minutes when all I could think was: that’s my president.

Filed Under: Volta Insider Tagged With: Barack Obama, DNC, Rachel Greenberg, Volta Insider

Volta Insider: Rachel Greenberg Reflects on DNC Day One

July 27, 2016 By Rachel Greenberg

Bill Clinton speaking at the DNC, Photo courtesy of Haddad Media

Bill Clinton speaking at the DNC, Photo courtesy of Haddad Media

Monday, July 25th was an exceptionally trying day for Democrats. After the media storm that followed the news that emails from top staffers in the DNC had been leaked, and the resignation of Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, things were off to a tumultuous start.

In the one-step-forward-two-steps-back relationship the Clinton campaign has with Bernie Sanders supporters, it is not surprising that some Americans don’t believe that the Democratic party is not deeply polarized. It is underestimated just how much Bernie Sanders has influenced not only the Democratic party platform, but also on the success of Hillary’s campaign. Throughout the primary season he pushed her to craft a more progressive agenda and in doing so changed the narrative of this election.

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Delegates on the floor of the convention hall, Photo courtesy Haddad Media

But in the larger picture, in the words of Donald Trump, the Republicans have a movement and in the words of Bernie Sanders, the Democrats have a revolution. The distinction between the words is telling, and speaks to the longevity of their respective party platforms. Movements come and go, but a revolution is something people seldom forget.  Regardless of who wins come November, either or both of these attempts to change establishment politics will challenge the current course of Washington.

You can check out more of my convention coverage here.

Filed Under: Volta Insider Tagged With: DNC, Rachel Greenberg, Volta Insider

Volta Insider: Paul Manafort and Reince Priebus Storm the DNC

July 25, 2016 By Rachel Greenberg

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The Republicans have set up camp in enemy territory at a boxing arena in South Philadelphia where they will host a series of press conferences during the week of the DNC. Paul Manafort, Trump’s campaign manager, Reince Priebus, Chairman of the RNC, and Sean Spicer, Chief Communications Director of the RNC spoke on the record and organized a brief Q&A for the audience. Responding to questions about the DNC WikiLeaks, claiming that the Trump campaign and the RNC will not have the same problem, and do not have any involvement. The theme of their setup was “Enough” complete with dice, cornhole, and other games all “rigged” for Hillary to win as well as a poster with a “setlist” of her scandals dating back to the 1980s.

You can check out more of my convention coverage here.

Filed Under: Volta Insider Tagged With: DNC, Paul Manafort, Rachel Greenberg, Reince Priebus, Volta Insider

Volta Insider: Rachel Greenberg Reflects on RNC 2016

July 24, 2016 By Rachel Greenberg

RNC Reflection (rachel)

When I landed in Cleveland last week, I had 14 pages left of Game Change.

I didn’t know what to expect, had never been to a convention before, and while the collective conjecture of a “total shitshow,” was amusing, it was not helpful. That prediction proved accurate for the first 48 hours, then escalated in the final two days, even before Ted Cruz took the stage Wednesday night.

It was mid-afternoon when a crowd assembled around the entrance of the Q, Cleveland, Ohio’s center of gravity during the RNC. I abandoned my laptop and armed myself with a camera, running outside to see what all the commotion was about. At first it was just the media, aiming their massive black cameras over each others heads and inching closer and closer to a supposed protesters. Then there was the cops, a – of them, yelling for the press to move back and some sort of liquid was sprayed, forcing those in front of me and behind me to press backwards without dropping their equipment. I ducked out of the way after the man in front of me stepped on my foot.

The crowd had grown at this point, but maintained a humble volume. There was no roaring chant, no clear message. I looked around, wondering what the point of this demonstration was. I stood on my toes, trying to read the signs placed in front of the entrance.

They read:
“REVOLUTION – NOTHING LESS.”
“AMERICA WAS NEVER GREAT.”

I heard whispers of an attempted flag burning. But where was the smoke?

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Protestors at the RNC, Photo courtesy of Haddad Media

Behind me a train of police swept by, escorting three men with three-tiered signs. Sporting phrases like “The Pope is the Antichrist!” On their tail was a much shorter man holding up a piece of canvas which had “End the War on Drugs” sprayed in red and black ink.

I stepped back to the sidewalk to try to get a clear shot of what was going on. The masses were evenly matched with police, who maintained all the composure of a statue. Patient but firm, they sought order in squads of 5 or 6. A loud crack tore a hole in the murmurs and whistles as one of the signs snapped and fell two feet from where I stood. I discarded the recovery of the asset for the sound of some SJWs who looked like they hadn’t showered in at least 5 days.

“Go home you nazi scum! Go home you nazi scum!” They cried.

At this point, I was just confused. The flag burners were communist and the evangelicals, however dramatic, were far from anti-semitic nationalists. I learned later that the lady who had attempted to burn the flag had accidentally set herself on fire. It had to be the most ineffective protest I had ever witnessed.

I also found that this convention celebrated an ineffective use of language. The speeches lacked clarity, having resembled poorly written high school essays in both accuracy and flow. It was as if the whole convention had adopted Trump’s staccato speech pattern and on-the-spectrum scream. The only speeches that didn’t fit into this category were those of his children, Tiffany, Don Jr., Eric, and Ivanka. His children strike me as closeted democrats, or maybe they’re just normal republicans. I might have too much faith in language and fail to understand the appeal of these “outsider” tactics aimed at the disillusioned. But is “dumpster fire” the kind of locution the American voter wants to hear from a potential president?

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Police outside of the Quicken Loans Arena, the site of the RNC, in Cleveland, Ohio, Photo courtesy of Haddad Media

In Niccolo Machiavelli’s book The Prince, he questions if it is better to be feared or loved.
“A prince should inspire fear in such a fashion that if he do not win love he may escape hate.” He writes.

I don’t think Donald Trump has read this book, and if Paul Manafort has, he certainly isn’t applying that principle to Trump’s campaign.

On Monday morning, I sat in on a Bloomberg breakfast hosted by Al Hunt, where 15 reporters sat around a table and asked Mr. Manafort about the week ahead. He talked circles around each question brilliantly. His plan followed a disregard for the numbers; their plan to gain the loyalty of the Republican base and bring in people who have never voted before does not seem realistic for the general election. Trump will sway almost no Bernie supporters, maybe a few independents, but millennials and college educated women still despise him.

They can paint Donald Trump as a savior in a dark, dark world, like the light at the end of the establishment-built tunnel, but a win for the Trump campaign just isn’t very likely.

When I landed back home in Washington two days ago, I was happy to find the White House was somehow still standing. And I resumed to add a copy of Double Down was sitting in my Amazon cart.

I guess this ineffective, confusing, “dumpster fire” of a world will just keep spinning, no matter what happens.

You can catch more of my reporting from the conventions for my podcast, Volta Insider here.

Filed Under: Volta Insider Tagged With: Donald Trump, Rachel Greenberg, RNC, Volta Insider

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About White House Correspondents Insider

Exploring “behind the scenes” of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

We track the White House Correspondents’ weekend and all the activities around it, from journalists and media companies to the White House and politicos.

Tammy Haddad is Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief of WHC Insider and CEO of Haddad Media.

White House Correspondents Insider is not affiliated with or approved by the White House Correspondents’ Association, which is a registered trademark of the WHCA.

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