White House Correspondents Insider

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

White House Correspondents’ Dinner Surprise: Daniel Radcliffe

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Daniel Radcliffe and Bloomberg's Peter Cook

Mega star Daniel Radcliffe was Bloomberg’s guest at the correspondents’ dinner.  He talked with Obama’s former top aide Reggie Love, Steve Ricchetti and Evan Ryan, from the Vice President’s office and Bloomberg LP CEO Dan Doctoroff at their pre-reception.  Radcliffe fans screamed with joy as he arrived with his co-star Dane DeHaan from the production, “Kill Your Darlings.”

Other Bloomberg guests were Kevin Spacey, Alicia Keys, Elle Macpherson, Kerry Washington, Sports Illustrated cover girl Kate Upton, actress/singer Malin Ackerman, plus Kyle McLachlan and Desiree Gruber.

Tech CEOS were well represented at Bloomberg tables, including Hosain Rahman from Jawbone, Chamath Palihapitiya, formerly of Facebook, and Brad Keywell, co-founder of Groupon.

Slow Jamming With Jimmy

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Is the President trying to get a comedic jump on Jimmy Kimmel?

Just days before sharing the dais at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with Late Night Comedian Jimmy Kimmel,  President  Obama “slow jammed” the news last night on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.”

Obama taped the segment on Tuesday at the University of North Carolina.

North Carolina is a key battleground state for the 2012 Presidential election, and Obama’s appearance on “Late Night” is seen as the White House’s latest effort to capture the youth vote.

On Saturday April 28, Jimmy Kimmel will host the 98th annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and President and Mrs. Obama are expected to attend.

First Family Leads the Fun at the Annual White House Easter Egg Roll

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President Obama and the First Family opened the South Lawn of the White House to 30,000 excited visitors for the 134th annual White House Easter Egg Roll.  Visitors from all 50 states were treated to fun and games, all focused on the theme “Let’s Go, Let’s Play, Let’s Move” to encourage kids to make healthy choices.

The President joined the kids in all the activities, including rolling Easter eggs, reading “Where the Wild Things Are”, shooting hoops, playing tennis and cheering on and encouraging all the kids to have fun.

Melina Spatharis watched the President play tennis against tennis legend Chris Evert and got to shake his hand, “I thought it was awesome and the President looked like he was really having fun,” she said.

Additional activities included Rachel Crow singing the National Anthem, actress Julianne Moore reading to the kids, chefs cooking healthy and yummy dishes, US Olympian gymnast Dominique Dawes and NFL Star Antwaan Randle El leading the kids in the Eggtivity Zone Obstacle Course, and Charlie Brown, the Power Rangers and other costume characters taking pictures and having fun.

Click here to view a slideshow of pictures

“Let’s Go, Let’s Play, Let’s Move” at the White House Easter Egg Roll

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Put down that basket of candy and join President and Mrs. Obama and 30,000 people from all 50 states at the 134th annual White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday April 9.

Promoting health and wellness, this year’s theme is “Let’s Go, Let’s Play, Let’s Move!” to encourage kids to get up and move and lead healthier and more active lives.

Tickets have already been distributed, but you can watch all the action live at  WhiteHouse.gov/live.

In addition to the actual Easter egg roll, you can catch Rachel Crow singing the National Anthem, actress Julianne Moore reading to the kids, chefs cooking healthy and yummy dishes, US Olympian gymnast Dominique Dawes and NFL Star Antwaan Randle El leading the kids in the Eggtivity Zone Obstacle Course, Charlie Brown, the Power Rangers and other costume characters and much more!

Here are some pictures from last year’s Easter Egg Roll.

White House Leaders and the National Science Foundation Step Forward for Working Women

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Tina Tchen and Valerie Jarrett

Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to the President and  Tina Tchen, FLOTUS Chief of Staff and head of the White House Council on Women and Girls, penned an editorial in the Washington Post promoting the President’s jobs initiative and the importance of his new partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF).  It detailed initiatives that will help bring a work-life balance to the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields that often see women drop out due to family responsibilities.  They say, “for many women who dream of becoming scientists and researchers, these kinds of simple, common-sense changes will make a world of difference. And our entire economy can benefit, because if more women have the chance to pursue STEM careers, it will lead to more innovation, entrepreneurship and growth.”

Read their entire editorial here.

Alan Krueger Nominated to Chair the Council of Economic Advisers

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Alan Krueger playing at the 2009 WTT Celebrity Tennis Match

President Obama nominated Alan Krueger as the Chair to the Council of Economic Advisers.  In his remarks given in the White House rose garden, Obama said,

“Alan brings a wealth of experience to the job.  He’s one of the nation’s leading economists.  For more than two decades, he’s studied and developed economic policy, both inside and outside of government.”

Krueger served as the chief economist at the Treasury Department until 2010 when he left to go to Princeton as a Bendheim Professor of Economics and Public Affairs.  He will be replacing Austan Goolsbee who left the White House to go back to Chicago.

Read the Washington Post story here.

Watch the President’s remarks below:

The White House Leaves Tips on Foursquare

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While President Obama is travelling throughout the Midwest this week checking in on the American people, he’s also checking in via Foursquare, the location-based networking website. According to the official White House Blog the administration is “excited to launch” the president’s latest venture into social media as he kicks off his economic bus tour.

You can follow the President on the road through Cannon Falls, Minnesota; Decorah and Peosta, Iowa; and Atkinson and Alpha, Illinois. Through the new White House page on Foursquare, you can keep up with the President’s tour and check-in to let your friends know you’re there.

The administration already has a Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Flickr account where people can engage with officials.

San Francisco Giants' Victory Lap in Washington

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California’s Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom gathered with friends and supporters after a spectacular day in Washington

The President, in between his Congressional negotiations, met with World Series Champions, San Francisco Giants.  Joining them in the East Room were former San Francisco Mayors Willie Brown and Gavin Newsom, as well as current Mayor Ed Lee, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Baseball legend, Willie Mays, was also in attendance who “was just a 23-year-old out-fielder the last time the Giants won the World Series, back when the team was in New York.”  President Obama said, “even though there have been some great Giant’s teams since them, none of them had brought a championship back to the Bay Area.”  This was a special team indeed, as Obama quoted manager Bruce Bochy, who once called them a bunch of ‘misfits and cast-offs’ and then looks around at the unique team, but then said the “one thing they know, is how to win.”

The President ended his talk with wishing the Giants the best of luck, “unless the White Sox are in the world series, which right now is not a sure thing” and was then presented with a signed bat, custom glove and jersey #44.

Gavin Newsom, was also in town to discuss his upcoming release of California’s Economic Growth and Competitiveness plan–state’s first plan in a decade–meeting with the Center for American Progress, Brookings Institution, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the State Department, and the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and stopped by 701 Pennsylvania Avenue with friends such as Eve and Peter O’Toole, Marc Adelman, Reta Jo Lewis, Dan Maldonado, Evan Ryan, Francisco Sanchez, Maria Teresa Kumar, Neil Albert, Patricia Daley and Paul Glenchur.

Check out photos below:

Bob Bauer Resigns and Kathryn Ruemmler Named New White House Counsel

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“Bob [Bauer] is a good friend and has served as a trusted advisor for many years. Bob was a critical member of the White House team. He has exceptional judgment, wisdom, and intellect, and he will continue to be one of my close advisors,” said President Obama in a statement announcing the change of staff. Bauer will go back to the private sector to resume his position at Perkins Coie and will work on Obama’s reelection campaign. He will officially leave the White House at the end of June.

Kathryn Ruemmler currently serve’s as Bauer’s deputy and has been at the White House since January of 2010. Ruemmler will be the third White House counsel for this administration (after Bauer and Greg Craig). Prior to the White House, she served at the Department of Justice and, at the office of Latham & Watkins, and was a co-lead prosecutor in the Enron investigations.

For the full announcement go here.

President Obama and Seth Meyers Score Plenty of Laughs and YouTube Views at #WHCD

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The day before Osama Bin Laden was killed the President entertained a crowd of high profile politicos, media personalities and hollywood celebs at the Washington Hilton throwing satirical punches at Donald Trump with video pieces of his birth certificate and his never seen before “actual birth.”  SNL’s Seth Meyers brought his whole family to the affair as well as his Weekend Update humor.

Check out the videos below:

Obama’s speech is now the most watched video on C-SPAN’s YouTube channel with over 6 million hits and counting.