White House Correspondents Insider

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

Insider Round-Up for the Day After The Inauguration

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The Inaugural is over and now Capitol Hill can (supposedly) get back to business. Here’s what you need to read so you too can say, “What about the Al Roker snub?”

  • Al Roker got snubbed by ‘interviewed’ President Obama and Vice President Biden while walking to the parade box.
  • Photobombs were dropped left and right during the ceremonial swearing-in. From Bill Clinton to Joe Biden and even “Grumpy” Gohmert made an appearence.
  • At our event with Huffington Post and Third Way, we had Old Ebbitt Grill staples like mini-lobster rolls, chicken empanadas, tuna tartare, oysters, chorizo and manchengo…oh, the list goes on. Even the Inaugural Luncheon sounded good. While our event was fantastic according to Variety, the Inaugural Ball itself got the short end of the culinary stick with Presidential Cheez It.
  • The stars came out to the district according to Politico:

    “Guests who had less trouble getting to the event, held at the Harman Center for the Arts, included the Goo Goo Dolls, Richard Kind, Tim Daly, Melissa Leo (wearing a maroon velvet pantsuit), Evan Handler and Wayne Knight. Knight of ‘Seinfeld’ fame applauded President Barack Obama for speaking ‘from his heart’ during his inaugural address. Handler, known for his role on ‘Sex and the City,’ agreed. ‘He did a great job with his speech,’ the actor said.”

  • People were definitely not shouting “Boo-urns” at Rep. Paul Ryan according to the Huffington Post. (It was “Boo!”)
  • Beyoncé lip-synched at the Inaugural. Let the Internet go crazy!

    • Obama’s Remarks: "My main purpose is to say thank you."

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    It seems like the “Change” campaign is coming back in 2013. President Barack Obama gave a preview of today’s Inaugural speech during a reception at the Building Museum. After introductions from Vice President Joe Biden and the newly Tweeting FLOTUS Michelle Obama, the president took the stage.

    “Now, first of all, I love Michelle Obama. And to address the most significant event of this weekend, I love her bangs,” he said. The sentiment that followed was one of thanks but a preview of his Inaugural speech breaking ground with gay rights, environment and capped off with Beyoncé’s voice overpowering the Capitol sound system.

    “I’m delivering another speech tomorrow so tonight I’m going to be pretty brief, because there are a limited amount of good lines and you don’t want to use them all up tonight. My main purpose tonight is just to say thank you.

    As I look out on the room, we’ve got people from every walk of life, every corner and nook and cranny of this country, every state, every city, every suburb — people who have invested so much heart, soul, time, money, energy. One of the things that made this campaign unique was the degree of investment and ownership people had in this common project of ours, because you understood this was not just about a candidate; it was not just about Joe Biden or Barack Obama. This was about us, who we are as a nation, what values we cherish, how hard we’re willing to fight to make sure that those values live not just for today but for future generations.

    Among today’s other surprising lines?

    “Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well.”

    And of course, this:

    ” Progress does not compel us to settle centuries-long debates about the role of government for all time – but it does require us to act in our time.”

    So far, this Inaugural has been way more interesting than the last one. And–knock on wood–there’s still cell reception in downtown D.C.! It’s an Inaugura-miracle!

    Insider Round-Up: The Gun Control Annonucement

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    The Inaugural isn’t the only thing happening on Capitol Hill today, along with President Obama’s 11:55 a.m. gun control program. Below is our round-up for what’s worth reading.

  • The New York Times lays out President Obama’s talking points, fact sheet and executive orders including “improve incentives for states to share information with the background check system.”
  • CNN explains what “universal background checks” are hinting at:
    “The “universal background checks” now being pushed by some gun control supporters is code for closing federal loopholes on such checks at gun shows and other private sales.”

  • The Wall Street Journal asks what qualifies as an assault rifle:
    “The definition of assault weapon is in the eye of the beholder. How it’s defined will depend on whatever legislation is proposed in Congress. Many of the firearms identified as assault weapons are semi-automatic rifles that look like weapons used by the military. An example is the Bushmaster rifle used in the Newtown, Conn., shootings.”

  • Politico already thinks the gun plan is “doomed:”
    “Interviews with multiple House Republicans from the Midwest and Northeast reveal almost zero appetite to vote on any sort of sweeping gun bill. In the month after the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., none have brought up the issue with Speaker John Boehner. Without internal pressure from such center-right Republicans, and given his difficulties with restive conservatives in his conference, Boehner would seem to have little political incentive to move on guns.”

  • Polygon examines the importance of the president’s call for the Center of Disease Control and exploring the effects of violence from video games:
    “For years, the CDC and other federally funded scientific agencies have been barred by Congress from using funds to “advocate or promote gun control.” Some have argued that that ban prevented the organizations from conducting research into the causes of gun violence. Today’s Presidential Memorandum on the topic looks to discount that argument.”

  • Meanwhile, the NRA ad targeting the president’s kids is called “repugnant and cowardly” while the NRA defends itself to WaPo:
    “‘The main aim of the ad is to make sure that we all act to keep our children safe. It’s not aimed at anyone’s child in particular,’ he said. ‘Anyone who claims otherwise is intentionally trying to change the topic or missing the point completely.'”

  • And yes, as The Daily Beast points out, there is an NRA game for iOS:
    “The NRA did not respond to requests for comment on the app from The Daily Beast or, apparently, any other news organization. If the app were an ugly hoax, the NRA would have been justified in crowing that it had been set up, and the media bought it hook, line, and sinker. Instead, crickets—a tacit admission of at least some guilt. My guess is that the app had been commissioned and forgotten about. But silence ain’t going to make the thing go away. At least someone decided they’d better change the age appropriateness of the app to ages 12 and up—because that will make it all better.”

    • Obama Would Probably Chose The Horse-Sized Duck

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    President Barack Obama made the toughest decision of his political career when he managed to break Reddit during the 2012 campaign. He’d fight the horse-sized duck. Maybe.

    The answer is just as strange as the question, but since it’s a staple meme on Reddit it comes as a surprise to no one. Buzzfeed released another chapter from their upcoming campaign e-book, “Panic 2012: The Sublime and Terrifying Inside Story of Obama’s Final Campaign.” The chapter is dedicated to the day that Obama took to Reddit on his own AMA, or Ask Me Anything. The president showed the importance of “being yourself” on social media, but only days later did his digital campaign team notice one forgotten question: would he fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?
    [Read more…]

    Cliff's Notes For 2013

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    President Obama makes a lay-up
    Great news, everyone! The Fiscal Cliff happened and then didn’t happen and now everyone is a winner!

    No, we’re serious. Politico‘s epic reveal of the event that lead up to and enveloped the District could be summed up with John Boehner’s own advice from an F-bomb:

    The harsh exchange just a few steps from the Oval Office — which Boehner later bragged about to fellow Republicans — was only one episode in nearly two months of high-stakes negotiations laced with distrust, miscommunication, false starts and yelling matches as Washington struggled to ward off $500 billion in tax hikes and spending cuts.

    [Read more…]

    Brief Moments in Biden: The Other Kerry for Secretary of State

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    cure_452

    Not only is Vice President Biden crashing parties and giving speeches, but he’s even sending in the other Kerry!

    From the White House Pool Report of President Obama’s recent announcement to nominate Senator John Kerry for secretary of state:

    “One thing you probably didn’t see on TV — Biden and T(eresa) H(einz) Kerry entered the room first and stood before reporters for a couple of minutes before the president and Sen. Kerry came in. In the awkward silence, Biden turned to the pool and said he was there to announce the nomination of Teresa Kerry as Secretary of State. She then smiled and said, ‘another woman!’“

    The Pool also reports that Obama spoke to secretary Clinton today and “found her in good spirits.”

    We All Like Hillary Clinton (For Now)

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    Tina Brown, Meryl Streep and Hillary Clinton Stage

    If you thought you liked Hillary Clinton before, you may not in 2016. So claims data guru Nate Silver today at FiveThiryEight where he examines the curious case of how everyone loves the soon-to-be-former secretary of state.
    [Read more…]

    Obama Pardons Cobbler and Gobbler In Historic First

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    Ready Set Go!

    Come tomorrow, Gobbler and Cobbler can rest easy knowing their necks aren’t on the line for Thanksgiving dinner. The two presidential birds were both pardoned minutes ago by President Obama at a ceremony outside the White House’s Rose Garden.

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