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

POLITICO Playbook Co-Author Joins “Morning Joe” as a Senior Contributor and Political Analyst

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MARCH 22: (L to R) Mark McKinnon, Rachael Bade, Eugene Daniels, Jennifer Palmieri and Ryan Lizza in conversation at “Politico X Showtime”, an event co-hosted by Eugene Daniels. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images)

POLITICO Playbook co-author Eugene Daniels will join MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” as a Senior Contributor and Political Analyst, announced in a tweet on Monday. 

Daniels became a co-author of Playbook in January of 2021, along with Rachael Bade, Ryan Lizza and Tara Palmeri. He is also a White House correspondent with a special focus on Vice President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, and emerging power players in Washington. A friend of WHC Insider, Daniels is the first black and LGBTQ+ co-author of the influential newsletter.

Daniels started at POLITICO in 2018, where he covered the midterms, the Democratic presidential primary and the general election. Before that, he covered the 2016 primary, general election, and national politics as a political reporter at Newsy. He started his career at a local TV station in Colorado Springs.

Many past MSNBC contributors have gone on to anchor their own shows, like Tiffany Cross and Jonathan Capehart. Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell also are among those who got their start at the network as commentators and analysts. 

We wish Eugene all the best with his new responsibilities and know he will shine on “Morning Joe.”

The White House Easter Egg Roll is Back After a Two Year Hiatus 

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Former President Barack Obama at the 2010 Easter Egg Roll

Grab your baskets and get your Sunday best on: the White House Easter Egg Roll is back on Monday, April 18 after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. Tickets to the event are lottery style, with an online application live until 10:00 AM ET on Thursday, March 31. Results will be released on April 7.

The Easter Egg Roll is the most popular publicly-attended annual event hosted by the White House, which welcomes thousands of people over the course of the day to participate in festivities on the South Lawn. 

The popular tradition dates back to 1878 when President Rutherford B. Hayes issued an order that if any children should come to the White House to roll their Easter eggs, they would be allowed to do so. Today, children and their parents alike flock to the White House South Lawn to celebrate.

The Washington Kastles Mascots at the 2011 Easter Egg Roll

The Egg Roll marks one of the first notable public White House events to return since the onset of the pandemic. In the last two years, public tours have been postponed, in addition to a dramatic scale-back of the dozens of annual holiday festivities and events.

Thursday’s Easter Egg Roll announcement also included news of rescheduled Spring Garden Tours, which are free and open to members of the public. This year’s tour dates are April 9 and 10. Earlier this month, the White House also announced that public tours will recommence on April 15.

More information about the White House Easter Egg Roll and about entering the lottery can be found here.

White House, National Security Council Brief Influencers on Russia’s War Against Ukraine

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Ellie Zelier
Kahlil Greene
Marcus DiPaola

Top staffers at the White House and the National Security Council briefed social media influencers from TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram about Russia’s war on Ukraine. According to a White House official, the Thursday afternoon Zoom call included 30 of the top social media content creators chosen to receive important information and the latest news out of the region. 

The briefing was led by Matt Miller, a special adviser for communications at the White House National Security Council, as well as White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki. Psaki informed the influencers about “the United States’ strategic goals in the region” and answered questions regarding aid distribution, NATO, and more. 

One White House official said that “arming content creators with factual information and answers can be a critical tool” to fight misinformation online. With this, the White House is looking to combat online offenses, as the Russian government is now paying content creators to produce pro-Kremlin propaganda content. 

These influencers were chosen because many of them have created “explanatory content about Ukraine.” With these videos generating millions of views, it is a significant information source for young people in America and around the world. Some of the briefing participants included TikTok stars Ellie Zeiler (10m), Marcus DiPaola (3.5m), Aaron Parnas (1m), Kahlil Greene (540.7k), and Jules Terpak (270.9K).


More information can be found in The Washington Post, who first broke this story.

Trevor Noah to Entertain at 2022 WHCA Dinner

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Photo Credit: Trevor Noah/WHCA

The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) announced Monday that Trevor Noah, host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” is the headline entertainer for the 2022 WHCA Dinner on April 30, 2022, at the Washington Hilton.

Noah, who will also host the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards this year, is currently on tour with his comedy show, “Back to Abnormal.”

Due to the pandemic, this year’s dinner will be the WHCA’s first since 2019. And it will be the first dinner since 2016 to feature a sitting president.

In the WHCA’s news release announcing Noah, WHCA President Steven Portnoy of CBS News Radio said, “The White House Correspondents’ Dinner celebrates Americans’ freedoms and the working people who bring the news to the world. Trevor is an incredible talent who keeps us laughing — and thinking — four nights a week. We can’t wait for him to help bring our 100-year Washington tradition ‘Back to Abnormal.”

About the WHCA

Founded in 1914, the White House Correspondents’ Association exists to promote excellence in journalism as well as journalism education, and to ensure robust news coverage of the president and the presidency. We support awards for some of the best political reporting of the past year, and scholarships for young reporters who carry our hopes for vibrant journalism in the years to come. Each day, we work to ensure that the men and women who cover the White House have the ability to seek answers from powerful officials, up to and including the President. Our association comprises hundreds of members from the worlds of print, television, radio and online journalism. Their work, for outlets based in the United States and overseas, reaches a global audience. The association has been holding an annual dinner since 1921.

Biden to Hold Press Conference Amid Coronavirus Confusion and a Stalled Agenda In Congress

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Photo Source: Politico

Ahead of his one year anniversary in office, President Biden plans to hold his first formal news conference in months. Biden has remained out of the public eye this week as he prepares for just the second solo White House press conference amid slipping poll performance, 40-year record inflation levels looming, and all-time high COVID-19 cases. 

The President is seeking to  highlight his administration’s progress amid the ongoing pandemic. In announcing the press conference, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the president “looks forward to speaking directly to the American people.” 

Averages of the most recent national polls compiled by both Real Clear Politics and FiveThirtyEight put Biden’s approval at 42% and disapproval at 52%. 

Biden’s approval rating hovered in the low to mid 50s during his first six months in the White House. But the president’s numbers began to decline in August at the wake of Biden’s much-criticized handling of the U.S. exit from Afghanistan and a surge in COVID-19 cases this summer.

Biden’s approval ratings average has hovered in the low 40s and his disapproval ratings average in the low 50s since mid-October. 

But a Quinnipiac University national poll grabbed headlines last week when it measured the president’s approval at just 33%. A White House memo described the survey as an “outlier.”

However, it’s important that Biden makes this press conference. “There are times when you have to step up. This is one of them,” said David Axelrod, a former top adviser to President Barack Obama, in The Washington Post. “You have to try to shape the narrative of the last year, because you know the media and opposition will.”

Shop-For-A-Cause Supporting Dog Tag Bakery At Tyson’s Lafayette148 Store

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Lafayette 148 Holiday Fundraiser

The political stars were out to support the veteran’s hiring program, Dog Tag Bakery, on Tuesday evening November 30th. April Ryan, Hilary Rosen, Anita McBride, and Tammy Haddad invited friends and colleagues to  the holiday shop-for-a-cause at Lafayette148 in Tysons Galleria with proceeds going to support Dog Tag’s work.

Attendees were invited to shop, drink, and enjoy the sweet treats freshly made in Dog Tag Bakery’s Georgetown shop. The non-profit was founded in 2014 by Connie Milstein and Father Rick Curry. More than just a bakery, the Dog Tag Fellowship Program seeks to support veterans, military spouses, and caregivers return to their communities with confidence, support, and a new sense of purpose. 

Lafayette 148 Holiday Fundraiser

Two graduates of the program were styled in the latest Lafayette 148 fashions by King Chong, Megan Boswell from Lafayette HQ and Whitney Harrington and the Tyson’s team. Ms. Jonee Coleman served 10 years in the Army, working as an Army information systems operator/analyst. She has dedicated her time to updating her skills and revising her current business for success. Ms. Ronetta Jones served 13 years in the U.S. Air National Guard. In 2018, she founded XtraOrdinary Solutions, achieving success in business consulting and event operations management. Lindsay Walls, director of development and Elizabeth Vana from Dog Tag Bakery shared program details to the invited guests. 

Lafayette 148 Holiday Fundraiser

Notable guests included Washingtonians old and new. White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Erica Loewe, the White House Director of African American Media were joined by Michelle Obama’s former Chief of Staff Tina Tchen, Kathleen Buhle Biden, Kimberley Fritts, Kendra Barkoff, Susan Davis, Virginia Coyne, Courtney Surls, Tim McBride, Nancy Murphy and Rebecca Kutler.  

 

They were joined by several prominent women in media, such as Wendy Benjaminson from Bloomberg News, CNN’s Abby Phillip, and Axios DC reporter Paige Hopkins. 

Lafayette 148 Holiday Fundraiser

Lafayette 148 New York’s King Chong and Megan Boswell with Whitney Harrington and her entire Tyson’s team cheered on the shoppers!

Lafayette 148 Holiday Fundraiser

Politico Playbook mentioned the event this morning here. 

Lafayette 148 Holiday Fundraiser

To order Dog Tag Bakery treats for your business clients and family click here.

Veteran Diplomat Martin Indyk’s New Book On Kissinger

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Secretary John Kerry with Gahl Burt and author Ambassador Martin Indyk at Cafe Milano book Party

On November 17th,  Ambassador Yousef Al Otaiba and Franco Nuschese hosted a book party for Martin Indyk’s newest work, Master of the Game: Henry Kissinger and the Art of Middle East Diplomacy at Cafe Milano in Washington, DC.  

Attendees included diplomatic heavy hitters like John Kerry and Ambassador Al Otaiba, who paid tribute to Indyk with a kind speech. Indyk then spoke, entertaining the crowd with an amusing story about Henry Kissinger and issuing many thanks. 

 

NYT columnist Tom Friedman and Amb. Yousef Al Otaiba at the celebration at Cafe Milano

Newly confirmed U.S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides, Israeli Ambassador Mike Herzog, Sally Quinn, and former Congresswoman Jane Harman were also present for the celebration, as well as media figures Wolf Blitzer, Norah O’Donnell, and Kaitlan Collins. Other notable guests included Tom Friedman from The New York Times, Roxanne Roberts from The Washington Post, and Jeff Goldberg from The Atlantic.

U. S. Ambassador to Israel Tom Nides with Tammy Wittes and friend

 

Cafe Milano owner Franco Nuschese and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins

Martin Indyk served twice as U.S. Ambassador to Israel from 1995-1997 and 2000-2001. He was President Clinton’s Middle East adviser on the National Security Council, and in Clinton’s second term he became the assistant secretary of state for Near East Affairs. Master of the Game is Indyk’s third book, and first solo publication in a few years. 

Blue Star Families Awards Their "Angel" Constance Milstein

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On Monday, Blue Star Families awarded their long-time board member Connie Milstein with their prestigious “Angel Award.”

As a Who’s Who of philanthropists, veterans and civil-minded Washington leaders gathered at The Army Navy Club Ballroom, Milstein was surrounded by longtime friends and colleagues like Heather Podesta, Greta Van Susteren and John P. Coale, Doug Wilson, Kathy Roth-Douquet, other members of the Blue Star Families and Michelle Obama’s Joining Forces team of Tina Tchen, Col. Rich Morales and Tanya Bradshear were there. The “Angel” program also featured a special video tribute, featuring Father Richard J. Curry thanking her for all the work and effort she put into his program at Dog Tag Bakery, scheduled to open next spring.

Photos of the event are below:

Washington's the Church, Hollywood's the Steeple. Here's Who Opens the Doors for all the Veeple

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Veep Season 2 screening

The Washington City Paper continues their love of Veep by going into the consultants behind shows like Alpha House, House of Cards and the glory days of The West Wing. Marin Cogan dives into the Beltway folks that have re-energized and brought more to hashing out the “Veeple” instead of living out the dream of very confused Secret Service hopefuls after White House down and Olympus has Fallen. And sometimes, the shows continue to get things wrong about Washington (we’re looking at you Homeland and King & Maxwell:

“It’s easy to spot when Hollywood gets something majorly wrong about Washington, like when Homeland portrays Farragut Square as a sprawling green park rather than a tiny city square. What’s less obvious is the effort some shows, like House of Cards or Veep, put into hewing closely to the real look and feel of Washington—if not in character and plotlines, then at least in setting and dialogue. It’s the result of a lot of effort from obsessive directors, writers, line producers, props and set designers. But behind all of them are political consultants, current or recovering politicos offering up their experiences and insight as grist for visual fiction.”

Veep ended two weeks ago and House of Cards is back in production for season two in Balitmore–conveniently in the same soundstage as the HBO show. The City Paper goes into the nitty gritty, explaining the shared friendships and co-working conditions that befit programs about Washington as fittingly as the city’s own working relationships around government, private sectors and stealing lines from science fairs.

WCP – Hollywood Squares

This Week Welcomes Jeremy Bash To The Talking Heads

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A new Obama pundit joined the Sunday show ranks yesterday. Jeremy Bash, former chief of staff to former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and his top deptuy at the CIA, appeared on This Week’s panel explaining the President’s new position on Syria. Joining him were George Will, Jeffrey Goldberg and Martha Raddatz.

While Will went with the Napolean quote to lead of the Sunday conversation, Bash used his own experience at the CIA to go over the issues.

The Week – Roundtable I: U.S. Role in Syria