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

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Sally McDonough Gets a Sparkly Send Off

August 9, 2012 By WHC Insider

It was cowboy hats, bandanas guacamole and chips with lots of catching up as Anita McBride and Amy Zantzinger co-hosted a cocktail reception to send Sally McDonough to Texas in style.

Ms. McDonough is joining the George W. Bush Presidential Center team in Dallas.  She is best known for her role as First Lady Laura Bush’s press secretary during the second Bush administration, but she spent the last few years helping the amazing scientists and doctors at NIH get their good word out.

McDonough, who began her career with Senator John Heinz, greeted former White House colleagues and media friends at McBride’s Spring Valley home. Guests included Missy DeCamp, Skyla Freeman, Robin Sproul, Betsy Fischer, Carrie Stevenson, Robin Gradison, David Almacy, Erin O’Connor, Amy Allman Dean, Sara Culvahouse, Lyric Winik and White House Correspondents Insider, Tammy Haddad.

There were many wishing Norah O’Donnell well in her September debut as a host of  “CBS This Morning.”  O’Donnell described how she plans  to commute to work  for the first 6 months since her kids are already enrolled in a Washington school.

McDonough is getting to Dallas just in time- the George W. Bush Presidential Center opens in the spring of 2013.

Filed Under: DC Tagged With: Amy Allman Dean, Amy Zantzinger, Anita McBride, Betsy Fischer, Carrie Stevenson, David Almacy, Erin O'Connor, First Lady Laura Bush, George W. Bush Presidential Center, Lyric Winik, Missy DeCamp, Nikki McArthur, Norah O'Donnell, Robin Gradison, Robin Sproul, Sally McDonough, Sara Culvahouse, Skyla Freeman, Tammy Haddad

Norah O'Donnell Heads to CBS

June 16, 2011 By WHC Insider

Norah O'Donnell and husband Geoff Tracy at Chef Geoff's Tysons Premier Party

CBS announced that Norah O’Donnell is leaving her post as a bureau reporter for NBC to take on CBS’s chief White House correspondent position.  Additionally, O’Donnell will become the principal substitute anchor for Face the Nation.  Chip Reid, who currently holds the position of chief White House corresponent for CBS, will see his role shift to that of national correspondent “with greater editorial range,” according to CBS.

Norah O’Donnell is an Emmy award winning reporter who joined NBC News in 1999 after a stint as a reporter for Roll Call and serving as a contributor and analyst for MSNBC.

Click HERE to read Politico‘s full story.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: CBS, Chip Reid, Face the Nation, NBC, Norah O'Donnell, White House correspondent

RTCA Evening Picked up the Pace at MSNBC's Neon After-Party

June 20, 2009 By WHC Insider

By Neil Grace and Catherine Hill

MSNBC threw a memorable Radio and Television Correspondents Dinner after-party that stood apart from parties past.  Held directly across the street from the main event at the Washington Convention Center, MSNBC turned the traditionally staid Historical Society of Washington, D.C. into a brightly-lit fete of themed cocktails, glowing neon necklaces and comfort food.

[tylr-slidr userID=” 35544829@N07″ groupID=”72157617172849739″]http://www.flickr.com/photos/haddadmedia/sets/72157619916571109/[/tylr-slidr]

As guests walked down the blue carpet entrance, we asked them the question of the night: are you a nerd or a jock? Politico’s Mike Allen said he was “all of the above!” and Patrick Gavin thought he was a hybrid of the two.  NBC’s Andrea Mitchell exclaimed she was a “total jock.” John “I’m a PC” Hodgman discussed the modern cultural divide at length during the dinner.

Inside the party, the scene downstairs included a Starbucks-sponsored coffee bar where guests ate ice cream sundaes and desserts.  From the main bar, guests walked outside to a large outdoor patio, where dance music had the party-goers on their feet for “Don’t Stop Believing.”  Faces and heads glowed in the light of neon necklaces and headbands.

Upstairs, special guest bartender Rachel Maddow was mixing up cocktails at her heavily-branded “Rachel Maddow’s Bar”– complete with MSNBC napkins and “Rachel’s Bar” menus.  Maddow’s signature cocktail was listed as a Hearst: a mix of gin, sweet vermouth and bitters (though she told us she actually served more of her cava drink, “Airmail” which mixed rum, fresh lime juice, honey and the bubbly cava on top).  Afterwards, Maddow relinquished her bar duties to catch up with Ana Marie Cox and John Hodgman.

Later in the night passed treats included mini-pancakes and mini-ham, bacon and cheese croissants.  As the bars began to close, guests went out back. Among the last to leave at 3:00 a.m. were MSNBC Morning Joe’s Willie Geist, Luke Russert and many of the cable network’s junior staffers.

Media heavy-hitters spotted at the party: Steve Capus, Tamron Hall, Norah O’Donnell, Contessa Brewer with Matt Ackland, Joe Scarborough with Mika Brzezinski, David Shuster, Carlos Watson, Chris Matthews, Lynn Sweet, Margaret Carlson, and Eugene Robinson.

Politicos rounded out the guest list, including Obama senior adviser David Axelrod, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Obama economic adviser Larry Summers, as well as Hilary Rosen, Alex Castellanos, Brad Dayspring, and Kevin Madden.

Filed Under: Event Coverage, News Media, rtca dinner, Washington Events Tagged With: Alex Castellanos, Ana Marie Cox, Andrea Mitchell, Brad Dayspring, Carlos Watson, Chris Matthews, Contessa Brewer, David Axelrod, David Shuster, Eugene Robinson, Hilary Rosen, Joe Scarborough, John Hodgman, Ken Salazar, Kevin Madden, Larry Summers, Luke Russert, Lynn Sweet, Margaret Carlson, Matt Ackland, Mika Brzezinski, Mike Allen, Norah O'Donnell, Patrick Gavin, Rachel Maddow, Steve Capus, Tamron Hall, Willie Geist

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About White House Correspondents Insider

Exploring “behind the scenes” of the most powerful city in the world — Washington, D.C. — and those who cover it.

We track the White House Correspondents’ weekend and all the activities around it, from journalists and media companies to the White House and politicos.

Tammy Haddad is Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief of WHC Insider and CEO of Haddad Media.

White House Correspondents Insider is not affiliated with or approved by the White House Correspondents’ Association, which is a registered trademark of the WHCA.

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