White House Correspondents Insider

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

The Starts Align at WH Correspondents' Dinner Garden Brunch

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Georgetown was the center of the action today as Hollywood stars Lindsay Lohan, Matthew Morrison, and Chase Crawford joined political stars Valerie Jarrett, Gov. Jerry Brown and Haley Barbour and media hot shots Willie Geist, Greta van Susteren, and Arianna Huffington to support the White Ribbon Alliance and CURE Epilepsy at the 19th annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch.

Lindsay Lohan arrived with Greta van Susteren & John Coale, Kris Jenner and lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley and guests lined up to meet her and shake hands.  After listening to the speeches, Lohan wowed the young volunteers who lined up for photos.

Hosted by Tammy Haddad, Kevin Sheekey, Hilary Rosen, Clarke Camper, Mark Ein, Alex Castellanos, Anita Dunn, Bill Knapp, David Adler, Steve McMahon and Franco Nuschese, guests strolled through Ein’s home and marveled at all the star power.

Spotted in the crowd were Bob Barnett and Elle Macpherson, Kris Jenner, Kate Hudson, Kerry Washington, Tim Daly and Woody Harrelson.

Hosain Rahman from Jawbone donated super-hot Jamboxes to anyone who made a significant donation to White Ribbon Alliance or CURE.  Elle Macpherson used her supermodel moxy to quiet the crowd as she, Rosario Dawson and Willie Geist presented the Jamboxes to the lucky donors including Bret Baier, Steve Schmidt and Steve Clemons.

Also honored at the event were Steve and Jean Case for their innovation and philanthropy and Susan Axelrod for her tireless work to find a cure for epilepsy.  GOP power house Alex Castellanos moved the crowd with his speech about Lauren Axelrod’s struggle with relentless seizures.  Both Susan and David Axelrod had tears in their eyes as Alex recounted the family’s battle with their daughter’s illness.

Steve and Jean Case accepted their award from NYSE Euronext’s Clarke Camper with a beautiful reminder that everyone has the power to help people in need.

You can watch the program from the Garden Brunch tonight on C-SPAN prior to the live broadcast of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

"Other Mom" Jarrett fetes Graham Moore

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For the second time in a week, author Graham Moore graciously thanked his supportive mother, Susan Sher – soon departing the East Wing as the First Lady’s Chief of Staff – while celebrating the publication of his first novel “The Sherlockian,” a new take on the characters of Sherlock Holmes.

Moore was surrounded by friends during the relaxed evening at the home of Hilary Rosen. The party was thrown by his “other mother” Valerie Jarrett who in true mother form told the crowd how Moore had a wild streak growing up. The other “mother” co-hosts were Anita McBride, Tammy Haddad, Rhoda Glickman, Anne Fleming and Anita Dunn.

There to wish the young novelist well and have a few books signed were US Ambassador to Israel Michael Oren and wife Sally, Tom Oliphant, Wolf Blitzer, Sally Quinn, Winston Lord, Lynne Wasserman, John Coale, Mark Leibovich, Jodi Kantor and Mark Ein. Most of the East Wing staff took photos with proud mama and son.

LIVE: Arianna Huffington's Book Party

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WHC Insider exclusive coverage of the Arianna Huffington book party to celebrate her new book Third World America: How Our Politicians Are Abandoning The Middle Class and Betraying The American Dream, co-presented by Hilary Rosen, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale; Anita Dunn, Sally Susman, Alex Slater, Franco Nuschese, and Tammy Haddad. MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan will MC the program, which will include special guest Seth Reams, founder of WeveGotTimeToHelp.org.

Don’t wait for the C-SPAN book party coverage when you can follow WHC Insider on Twitter and watch it below the jump,  live , with us tonight starting at 6:30 pm.

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Arianna Huffington's Book Party Tonight

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W:WIE hosts Donna Karan, Sarah Brown, and Arianna Huffington

WHC Insider exclusive coverage of the Arianna Huffington book party to celebrate her new book Third World America: How Our Politicians Are Abandoning The Middle Class and Betraying The American Dream, co-presented by Greta Van Susteren and John Coale; Anita Dunn, Sally Susman, Alex Slater, Franco Nuschese, and Tammy Haddad. MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan will MC the program, which will include special guest Seth Reams, founder of WeveGotTimeToHelp.org.

Don’t wait for the C-SPAN book party coverage when you can watch it live with us tonight starting at 6:30 pm.

Obama Originals and Regulars Reunite at HBO Party

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“By the People,” the HBO documentary by Amy Rice and Alicia Sims, brought together top Obama campaign veterans and the press corps that followed them through the historic 2008 election for a backslapping, bear-hugging reunion at the newly renovated Motion Picture Association of America. HBO President Richard Plepler greeted top White House advisers Anita Dunn, Austan Goolsbee, Dan Pfeiffer, Sarah Feinberg, Bill Burton, Mike Blake, Dag Vega, and Washington’s newest Chicago import Susan Sher, the First Lady’s longtime friend and chief of staff.

The filmmakers’ Obama bus mates were well represented in the 80-plus crowd beginning with bestselling author Richard Wolffe, Obama “original” Juliana Goldman, Lynne Sweet, plus several campaign heavy hitters: Mike Allen, Mark Leibovitch, Jeff Zeleny, and David Jackson.

Representing the 2008 TV and pundit corps: Hilary Rosen, Jonathan Capehart, Betsy Fischer, and David Chalian.

The party went into overdrive when Reggie Love huddled with Richard Plepler; one line formed to take photos with Love and another to shake hands and schmooze with Plepler.

Washington’s elite came out to watch the HBO screening: Ben Bradlee, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, George and Liz Stevens, and Bob Barnett. And all eyes were on Barnett and the HBO chief, as they huddled over their upcoming projects.

Obama media man Jim Margolis and White House Communications Director Anita Dunn spoke after the screening, reminding the crowd that Rice and Sims joined the campaign in 2006.  And after an inspiring speech about the campaign, Margolis told how he meticulously prepared for commercial shoots at the critical campaign moment Rice and Sims were always present, whether it was around the campaign office or stepping in a the right moment to get the shot of the candidate who made history. Dunn said the film captured the special feeling of what it was like to work on the campaign and that “there will not be another campaign that was like the Obama 2008 campaign…people felt that they were a part of something much bigger than one individual.”

Reggie Love, who was always one step in front of or behind Obama in the film, attended the screening with two BlackBerry’s in hand, greeting many of those who spent hours covering the candidate or working on the campaign.  MSNBC’s Richard Wolffe, who made several appearances in the film, cheered and laughed along with his colleagues as the audience could see through the camera lens the sometimes quiet and sometimes frantic moments of the campaign.

For many it was a chance to relive the excitement of the campaign, for others it was to catch up with Obama people who are now running the country.

“By The People” premieres November 3rd at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO.

Guest Lists Trickling Out: CNN and CBS Hosting Tables

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A few more guest lists are now known for tonight’s RTCA dinner

CNN, LA Times, POLITICO Democratic Debate

CNN Anchor Wolf Blitzer will attend the RTCA dinner

CBS, which is hosting a pre-party at the Convention Center, will have, among others, RNC Chairman Michael Steele; National Security Council member Samantha Powers; Dag Vega, the White House’s director of broadcast media and Lebanese Ambassador Antoine Chedid.

CNN, which took a full 15 tables, is hosting CIA Director Leon Panetta, U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan; White House Communications Director Anita Dunn and, as it usually does, a number of military folks, including Army Lt. General Francis Kearney.

There will be a full roster of CNN talent there, too, including Wolf Blitzer, Ed Henry, Suzanne Malveaux, Dan Lothian, Joe Johns, Heidi Collins, Brianna Keilar, Gloria Borger, Bill Schneider, Kate Bolduan, Barbara Starr, Chris Lawrence, Lisa Sylvester, Tom Foreman, Jim Acosta, Howard Kurtz and Jeffrey Toobin.