White House Correspondents Insider

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

Annual Garden Brunch to honor Dog Tag Bakery and Blue Star Families

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Continuing in the tradition of celebrating White House Correspondents Weekend and highlighting causes that are making a significant difference in people’s lives, this year’s annual garden brunch will honor two organizations that support veterans and their families, Dog Tag Bakery and Blue Star Families.

The co-hosts of the White House Correspondents Garden Brunch are asking guests to make a contribution to Dog Tag Bakery and support what will hopefully become a franchise of bakeries across the United States to support and educate disabled veterans and their spouses.

The first Dog Tag Bakery location will be one block from the corner of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown – on Grace Street – where supporters will be able to see firsthand the results of their investment. Father Rick Curry, a professor in the Catholic Studies Department at Georgetown University, and Connie Milstein, a successful attorney, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, are the driving forces behind this important cause. When it opens, the 4,200 square foot building in Georgetown will provide a retail location for the bakery and café, housing a production/baking area, a training and meeting room, and an office space from which to manage the business.

“What I have tried to do is what my father always told me – find a niche where people are not doing what needs to be done and try to fill it,” says Milstein. The mission of Dog Tag Bakery is “to create a bold, new model for transition assistance and job training for veterans (and their spouses) with a service-connected disability who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.”

Also in the spotlight at the brunch will be Blue Star Families, a non-partisan, non-profit organization, created by real military families. The organization is committed to supporting families through the unique challenges of military service and asking the larger civilian population to help as well.

We are so grateful for the men and women who serve our country and we are very honored to dedicate this year’s garden brunch to raising awareness for these two causes that are so important for supporting active service members and veterans. We also look forward to tasting the unique Dog Tag Bakery cupcakes that Georgetown Cupcakes will be creating for the event to help raise money and awareness for this very worthy cause!

Katty Kay and Claire Shipman Have A New Hit Book

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Leave it to Washington favorites Claire Shipman of ABC News and the BBC’s Katty Kay to create another book to help women in Washington and around the world. “The Confidence Gap” is a must-read for any woman working the halls of Congress, the White House or media outlet. Ms. Shipman has reported from the streets of Moscow to the White House, while Ms. Kay is the anchor of BBC America’s nightly news program. Claire Shipman teaches the ladies of The View how they can become more successful. We think she looks pretty comfortable on the couch.
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John Dingle on the last 57 Years in Washington

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This week Rep. John Dingle celebrates 57 years on Capitol Hill, going over 30 terms and 11 different presidents. In the interview with the New York Times, Dingle reflects on the changes in policy and a greatest hits of what’s happened in Washington. Choice quotes include:

  • “Nixon was, according to Eisenhower, a great bad man.”
  • “Obama…has probably got the smallest rolodex of anybody in this town.”
  • “I never wanted to be president. You’re never a human being after that.”
    It’s a quick runthrough of Dingle’s greatest hits without his wife Debbie or children. No sign of Michigan’s newfound holiday, “John Dingle Day,” in 2009 or the time he read a poem responding to Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly’s “War on Christmas” speech. Instead Dingle’s reflections go over the many presidents that came and went, while leaving the survivor of three redistricting in Michigan in office for half a century.

    • 2013 White House Correspondents Brunch Video

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    The 2013 White House Correspondents’ Dinner and Annual Brunch are over, but it doesn’t stop you from giving to important organizations that need your support the Miss America Foundation for scholarships and CURE epilepsy for brain research. Retired Army Captain Pat Horan and his wife Patty received the Garden Brunch Heroes Award and WHCA President Ed Henry was presented with an award to salute 99 years of White House Correspondents. The Garden Brunch was a great opportunity for the Washington media to interact with charities, tech pioneers and bold-faced names that attended the dinner.

    You can donate to Miss America Foundation and CURE from these links.

    Does Chris Christie's Surgery Look Like A Magic 8-Ball?

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    Gov. Chris Christie and Secretary Shaun Donovan

    Politico asks the question no one ever wondered: “What Chris Christie’s surgery means for 2016(?)”

    It’s a story that hasn’t seemed to change anything about the New Jersey governor’s political legacy, despite constantly being brought up. Literally, Politico ran the fact that most New Jersey voters don’t care about his weight back in March. It goes to other sites too: HuffPost has been tracking “Chris Christie Weight” since 2011. Throw “Christie Weight” into Google, immediately get 22 million results from the last few hours.

    So just why is the good governor’s health so concerning to us? Because it’s yet another dark horse for the 2016 presidential race. Going into the hows and whys of Christie deciding to privately have a surgery when his weight has been such a–sorry–massive issue to even be mocked on Letterman.

    Maybe a surgery can just be a surgery and not turn itself into a monsoon in 2016.

    DCI's Meyers: "Be mindful of the rise of these Republican millenials"

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    Dan Meyers

    Enough with comparing Lena Dunham to millenials when Dan Meyers is taking the same issue to Politico’s Op-Ed page. The DCI Group Vice President is bringing the millenial focus directly to the GOP and proving the party’s need to acknowledge this emerging group.

    The main point Meyers gets at is same-sex marriage and how it effects millenial voters.

    “Nearly every recent public poll has shown extraordinarily high and growing support for freedom to marry among younger voters. A recent survey by ABC News/Washington Post stands out. TargetPoint’s survey revealed that 64 percent of evangelical millennials support the freedom to marry. This number further highlights the generational shift on issues such as marriage equality — even among those who strongly align their personal belief systems with their faith.”

    Only in Washington can you get an idea of how the other half of the political spectrum lives. While the entertainment niche is an easy foothold, can’t we all agree on how to live regardless of politics? Or even choosing which HBO show best represents us? Granted, Game of Thrones could inspire both Dems and GOP to come together if dragons ever show up. As for which generation will claim to have that title is left to a future op-ed in Politico.

    Obama Nominated Thomas Perez for Secretary of Labor

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    Earlier today President Barack Obama announced Thomas Perez as his nomination for secretary of labor. Perez currently serves in the Civil Rights devision of the Department of Justice and would be following up in the role that Hilda Solis left in January.

    “Like so many Americans, Tom knows what it’s like to climb the ladder of opportunity. He is the son of Dominican immigrants. He helped pay his way through college as a garbage collector and working at a warehouse. He went on to become the first lawyer in his family. So his story reminds us of this country’s promise, that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, what your last name is — you can make it if you try,” said President Obama. The remarks were delievered earlier today from the East Room in the White House. Per the White House Pool report attendees including Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, NAACP President Richard Trumka, Al Sharpton, Valerie Jarrett, Gene Sperling and Executive Director of Labor Council for Latin American Advancement Hector Sanchez.
    New York Times did the round-up of labor leaders, including the Teamsters’ own Jimmy Hoffa Jr. and AFL-CIO, and their opinions of Perez.

    “And Tom has made protecting that promise — for everybody — the cause of his life. As a civil rights attorney, an aide to Senator Ted Kennedy, a member of the Montgomery, Maryland County Council, Tom fought for a level playing field where hard work and responsibility are rewarded and working families can get ahead,” said Obama. “Now, while he’s tackled plenty of tough issues, Tom has also spent a career as a consensus-builder. He’s worked with CEOs, he’s worked with labor leaders. He’s worked at federal, state, and local government levels. And throughout, he understands that our economy works best when the middle class and those working to get into the middle class have the security they need on the job, a democratic voice in the workplace, everybody playing by the same set of rules.”

    There is no current date set for Perez’ Senate hearings or any opposition, so far, to his nomination. Perez gave selected remarks after Obama’s praise, summing it up like so:

    “As you well know, our nation still faces critical economic challenges, and the Department’s mission is as important as ever. I am confident that together with our partners in organized labor, the business community, grassroots communities, Republicans, Democrats, and independents alike, we can keep making progress for all working families.”

    Sequester Goes Too Far With White House Tour Cancelation

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    Starting March 9th, the sequester will take one of Washington’s few government benefits: the Official White House Tour.

    Talking Points Memo confirmed, re-confirmed and then followed up with the White House phone reservation system:

    What does The Daily Caller’s related article have to say about this? (“RELATED: Bob Woodward claims President Barack Obama lied repeatedly about sequester trigger”).

    With hours to go before Washingtion is buried under the Snowquester who knows what terrible non-important fallout we’ll experience?

    Obama Announces Replacement Picks for Energy, Labor and Budget

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    Energy Secretary Steven Chu

    President Obama announced his choices earlier today to replace Energy Secretary Steven Chu, EPA’s Lisa Jackson and Office of Management and Budget.The three nominations came during the president’s first cabinet meeting of 2013.

    ” I’m proud to nominate another brilliant scientist to take his place — Mr. Ernie Moniz. There’s Ernie right there. Now, the good news is that Ernie already knows his way around the Department of Energy. He is a physicist by training, but he also served as Under Secretary of Energy under President Clinton. Since then, he’s directed MIT’s Energy Initiative, which brings together prominent thinkers and energy companies to develop the technologies that can lead us to more energy independence and also to new jobs,” said Obama.

    “At EPA, Gina McCarthy would take over Lisa Jackson’s position and Sylvia Mathews Burnwell would replace Jeff Zients at OMB. As I said before, the American people are resilient. And I know that Jeff and Sylvia will do everything in their power to blunt the impact of these cuts on businesses and middle-class families. But eventually, a lot of people are going to feel some pain. That’s why we’ve got to keep on working to reduce our deficit in a balanced way — an approach that’s supported by the majority of the American people, including a majority of Republicans. And I’m confident that we can get there if people of goodwill come together. So I want to thank Steve and Lisa and Jeff once more for their outstanding service, for all the great work that they’ve done in this administration over the last several years. I want to thank Ernie, Gina and Sylvia, and their families, for agreeing to take on these big roles.”

    USA Today pointed out the obvious announcement:”In introducing his new budget director, Burwell, Obama cited her biggest immediate challenge: the sequester, $85 billion in automatic budget cuts over the next seven months that began over the weekend.”

    The three will have to go through the Senate, but two of the nominees–per Politico–are bringing the conversation back to the sequester and environment. But that’ll be yet another issue in the coming weeks as the country learns exactly how the sequester will effect the country.