White House Correspondents Insider

Behind the scenes of one of the most powerful clubs in America.

Kevin Bacon and Brother to Play Reporter’s Music Jam at White House Correspondents’ Dinner Weekend

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White House Correspondents’ Jam organizer and Rolling Stone Chuck Leavell playing at the 2017 event, Photo Courtesy Getty Images

Actor Kevin Bacon and his brother Michael Bacon, together known as The Bacon Brothers, are set to headline this year’s annual White House Correspondents’ Jam, which will be held on April 27th, one day before the Correspondents’ Dinner itself.

The concert is organized each year by Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell, who, according to the Washington Post, “usually enlists a bona fide celebrity band to headline, then rounds out the lineup with bands whose members include moonlighting journalists”.

Journalists on the roster of this year’s Correspondents’ Jam include Lester Holt and his band, and Wall Street Journal senior editor Michael Siconolfi’s group. FOX News’ Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts will be emceeing.

The Post mentions a possible reason for the Bacon Brothers’ appearance. The brothers use the opportunity to come to DC in order “to see their sister, local real estate developer Elinor Bacon”.

You can read more about the Bacon Brothers and the Correspondents’ Jam here.

CNN vs FOX: Washington Post Says Networks Are the Hatfields and McCoys of Cable News

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Matt Drudge, Tammy Haddad, Howard Kurtz, Tucker Carlson, Sheri Annis, and Barbara Comstock at the Washington Correspondents’ Garden Brunch in 2004

CNN and Fox are at war when it comes to President Trump, the Parkland school shooting survivors, and even each other’s Winter Olympics coverage, the Washington Post’s Paul Farhi reports in a piece published on Thursday, March 1st.

The inter-network squabbling, writes Farhi, “has taken on new intensity in the Trump era. Hosts at CNN and Fox now trade blows almost daily about whose coverage or commentary about President Trump is more distorted or unfair.”

According to Farhi, “In many ways, the Hatfields-and-McCoys act has become a proxy for the news media’s drift into more polarized camps, especially when it comes to covering Trump. The president has certainly stoked the perception that there are pro- and anti-Trump factions in the news media, singling out CNN and Fox in particular.”

Farhi asked both networks’ respective media correspondents what all the bad blood was about.

Brian Stelter, host of CNN’s “Reliable Sources” said that “Fox influences the president of the United States in a way not seen by any other network. Fox affects society in more ways than it did even three years ago. . . . If you only looked at CNN, MSNBC or CBS and you didn’t acknowledge Fox’s influence on the president, then you’d be missing the story.”

FOX media analyst Howard Kurtz says that, “Sniping by rival cable news hosts is a more polarizing sport in the Trump era and that now includes CNN, which fairly or unfairly is often at odds with the president over its coverage. I get why anti-Trump voices at other outlets try to lump Fox’s opinion hosts in with its news division to make it appear there’s one company line, which is clearly not true.”

Kurtz adds, “I make it my business to report fairly on CNN, criticizing or defending as the situation warrants. I treat Fox the same way, which is the ultimate test of fair media reporting.”

You can read the full Washington Post piece here.

Van Susteren and Coale to attend Kardashian Wedding

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Kim Kardashian, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale at the 2010 WHC Garden Brunch

The White House Correspondent’s Dinner has a history of building relationships.  In 2010, Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren brought Kim Kardashian to the weekend full of festivities.  Having kept in touch,  Greta and her husband, John Coale received an invite to the upcoming wedding of Kardashian to NBA player Kris Humphries this weekend in California.

Coale told POLITICO “Should be a real hoot!”

Another famous DC duo are also reportedly in Cali to do some baking for the wedding.

White House Reporters Take Their (new) Seats

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White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs wasted no time in pointing out that the press corps was decked out in their “Sunday best” for the debut of the new seating arrangements in the James S. Brady Briefing Room. With the President traveling in Atlanta, GA on Monday there was no daily briefing back in Washington, DC. But on Tuesday it was back to business.

“Church is full today,” joked Gibbs. “That’s good to see.” Here’s the briefing from C-SPAN.

Most eyes were on the Associated Press who now occupy the front row, center seat once warmed by Helen Thomas – but there were several changes made by the White House Correspondents Association and a whole new seating chart – one that may require a booster seat as Gibbs pointed out to America Urban Radio Networks’ April Ryan who could barely see the podium from her spot behind NPR reporter Ari Shaprio.

“Ms. Ryan, you’re going to have to ask that gentleman in front of you to sit down a little,” joked Gibbs. “He’s a little on the tall side.”

Ryan moved up from the fourth row to the middle of the third row next to Politico, which also moved up from fourth to third row. That put Ryan directly behind NPR, one of the contenders for the Thomas perch. NPR was given Fox’s old seat in the second row, directly behind the newly ensconced AP. Fox moved up to the first row in the old AP seat. Got it?