White House Correspondents Insider

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

New York Times Reports The Return of Aviator Joe

By

Courtesy of The New York Times 

Today, The New York Times reported on President Biden’s infamous aviator sunglasses. The aviators, as reported, are back after Covid, vacation and legislative victories for President Biden. 

Dynamite political strategist Lis Smith and our very own Tammy Haddad were quoted in the article. Here’s an excerpt: 

“You know Joe Biden is having a good day when he wears his aviators,” said Lis Smith, the author of the recent book “Any Given Tuesday” (buy it here) and the political strategist who helped craft Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign. See, for example, Mr. Biden’s appearance last April when he, Vice President Kamala Harris and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson appeared on the South Lawn after Ms. Jackson’s Senate confirmation as an associate justice of the Supreme Court.

“You know he’s having a good month when you see him day after day wearing his aviators,” Ms. Smith continued. “It’s a sign he’s on a roll right now.”

…

“They represent, “I’m a cool guy, but I’m a responsible person, and I’m going to wave the American flag and save you,” said Tammy Haddad, a consultant on “Veep” and the founder and chief executive of Haddad Media. It’s a familiar, comfortable semiology, which harks back to the myths of the silent generation, and the promise of Mr. Biden.

“People loved seeing Cruise in his aviators again, and responded,” Ms. Haddad said. “The president is following the same path hoping for the same results.”


You can read the full article here.

27th Annual White House Correspondents’ Weekend Garden Brunch Honoring the Press and Our Military Veterans Returns on Saturday, April 30th, 2022

By

Washington, DC – The annual White House Correspondents’ Weekend Garden Brunch returns for its 27th year on April 30, 2022. Traditionally held on the afternoon of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, the event brings together journalists, politicians, government officials, celebrities, and other notable individuals to honor the press and America’s military veterans. See preview video here. 

The 2022 Garden Brunch co-hosts are Tammy Haddad, Mark and Sally Ein, Kevin Sheekey, Stephanie Ruhle, Yamiche Alcindor, Craig Minassian, Teresa Carlson, and Franco Nuschese.

Bob Woodruff Foundation co-founders Bob and Lee Woodruff will be presented with the White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch “Innovation” Award for their work providing resources and support to injured service members, veterans, and their families. The couple launched the foundation after Bob Woodruff, an ABC News journalist, recovered from a ​​life-threatening traumatic brain injury he sustained while reporting on the war in Iraq.

Lt. General Donna W. Martin, the first woman to serve as Inspector General of the United States Army, a position she has held since September 2021, will be honored with the White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch “Courage” Award. LTG Martin was previously the Provost Marshal General of the U.S. Army, serving as the principal military advisor to the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army on policing matters, including law enforcement, criminal investigations, and anti-terrorism. LTG Martin served in both Iraq and in Afghanistan.

The Brunch will also highlight the work of Blue Star Families, an organization committed to strengthening military families by connecting them with their neighbors, and Dog Tag Bakery, which provides a bridge from military service to the civilian world by helping veterans, military spouses, and caregivers find renewed purpose.  Brunch guests will be invited to write notes thanking service members and their families, including those deployed in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine, and pin them onto an 8-foot-tall “Honor Wall” erected by Blue Star Families.

This year’s event will be held at the historic Beall-Washington House in Georgetown, once the home of former Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham, now owned by Mark and Sally Ein.

The first Garden Brunch took place in Tammy Haddad’s backyard 29 years ago, ahead of the 1993 White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. For background and interviews on the history of the White House Correspondents’ dinner and the events surrounding it, see Haddad’s podcast series, “Cone of Silence” on Audioboom or iTunes.

Photos and videos of previous White House Correspondents’ weekends and Garden Brunches can be found at WHC Insider.  

The 27th Annual Garden Brunch is made possible by the generous support of the Web3 Foundation, GM, and Flex.

Hashtag: #GardenBrunch

Photos of award recipients Bob and Lee Woodruff and LTG Donna W. Martin are attached below.

For more information, please contact: WHCgardenbrunch@haddadmedia.com 

The Annual White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch and White House Correspondents Insider (WHC Insider) are not affiliated with, or approved by, the White House Correspondents’ Association, which is a registered trademark of the WHCA.

AFL CIO President Richard Trumka Praises Trump’s Steel Tariffs in Exclusive Interview with Bloomberg’s Kevin Cirilli

By

Bloomberg’s Kevin Cirilli Scores Interview with AFL CIO President Richard Trumka

Bloomberg’s Kevin Cirilli nabbed an exclusive interview with AFL CIO President Richard Trumka, who out is supporting Democrat Conor Lamb in Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional district, on Friday, March 9th. The Pennsylvania election, happening Tuesday, March 13th, is the first special election of 2018. The victor will fill the seat vacated by Tim Murphy, who retired in October.

While Trumka is supporting a Democrat he is quick to give credit to President Trump for his recently proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum and says the move will help Republican candidate Rick Saccone saying, “You’re going to see steel plants expand their capacity. It’s going to create jobs. When you enforce laws, everybody gets a fair playing field.”

You can watch Cirilli’s full interview with Richard Tumka here.

NYT Haberman Says Trump Will Contact Reporters Directly in Post-Hope Hicks White House

By

Maggie Haberman in front of Air Force One, Photo Courtesy Vanity Fair

Donald Trump stunned reporters in the White House briefing room on Thursday, March 8th with a surprise appearance, his first ever in front of the correspondents who usually grill Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The brief appearance acted as a teaser for his planned meeting with Kim Jong Un. President Trump is reportedly angry at Sanders for her comments about his legal case with the porn star Stormy Daniels.

Washington’s favorite White House columnist, New York Times’ Maggie Haberman, says that this move is indicative of a post-Hope Hicks White House and for Trump’s interactions with the press a sign of things to come.

President Obama to Netflix Spokesman Confirms Conversations with Barack and Michelle Obama

By

The New York Times has exclusive reporting on conversations between President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, to join Netflix. “Former President Barack Obama is in advanced negotiations with Netflix to produce a series of high-profile shows that will provide him a global platform after his departure from the White House, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Under terms of a proposed deal, which is not yet final, Netflix would pay Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, for exclusive content that would be available only on the streaming service, which has nearly 118 million subscribers around the world. The number of episodes and the formats for the shows have not been decided.

Mr. Obama does not intend to use his Netflix shows to directly respond to President Trump or conservative critics, according to people familiar with discussions about the programming. They said the Obamas had talked about producing shows that highlight inspirational stories.

But the Netflix deal, while not a direct answer to Fox News or Breitbart.com, would give Mr. Obama an unfiltered method of communication with the public similar to the audiences he already reaches through social media, with 101 million Twitter followers and 55 million people who have liked his Facebook page.”

“President and Mrs. Obama have always believed in the power of storytelling to inspire,” Eric Schultz, a senior adviser to the former president, said Thursday. “Throughout their lives, they have lifted up stories of people whose efforts to make a difference are quietly changing As they consider their future personal plans, they continue to explore new ways to help others tell and share their stories.”

Read the rest here.

Donna Shalala, Favorite of Both Parties, Running for Congress

By

Donna Shalala and Sally Quinn at the Alfalfa Club afterparty at Cafe Milano, Photo Courtesy Haddad Media

Donna Shalala, the former President of the University of Miami and Health and Human Services secretary under Bill Clinton, has announced her plans to run for Congress in Florida’s 27th district. The news comes nearly one year after incumbent Ileana Ros-Lehtinen announced her plans to retire from Congress.

Despite being a longtime Clinton ally, serving as head of the Clinton Foundation after a 14-year stint as University of Miami’s President,Shalala has a storied history of bipartisanship in Washington, working for both Democrats and Republicans over the course of her career. In 2007, she was handpicked by George W. Bush to run the Commission on Care for Returning Wounded Warriors along with Senator Bob Dole. In 2008, President Bush awarded her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Before joining the Bush administration, Shalala was appointed HHS Secretary by President Bill Clinton, staying in the position for 8 years, the longest tenure for an HHS Secretary in history.

Shalala released a video explaining why she’s throwing her hat in the ring saying, “Everything we fought for in our lives is under attack under the slogan, ‘Make America Great Again’,” and adding, “Running for Congress was never in my plans. But now I realize everything we fought for is at risk.”

The district, which encompasses the greater part of Miami and Coral Gables, is relatively Dem-friendly, going for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by nearly 20 points during the 2016 presidential election.

Shalala was in Washington for the annual Alfalfa Club Dinner shaking hands and greeting old friends including Sally Quinn. Here’s an interview with Shalailah and the Miami Herald after news of the announcement broke.

 

Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon Mulls Run for NY Governor

By

Cynthia Nixon accepting this year’s HRC Visibility Award, Photo Courtesy AP

Another celebrity is seriously considering joining the ranks of actors-turned-politicians like Al Franken, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sonny Bono, and Frank Grandy. Cynthia Nixon, of HBO’s “Sex and the City” fame, is reportedly weighing her options in a potential primary showdown with Andrew Cuomo, who many see as a strong contender for a presidential run in 2020, for governor of New York. While she is yet to make any sort of official announcement, she “is in serious conversations about jumping in and has begun reaching out to potential campaign staffers,” according to a new report in Politico.

Nixon has been vocal in her criticism of both Donald Trump and Governor Cuomo. In an op-ed published by CNN in January, she wrote, “President Trump’s first year in office has been a dark year for many in America. For those of us who value equal rights for all, or economic and racial justice, or want to combat climate change, we’ve taken huge steps backwards.”

Governor Cuomo, who many see as a strong contender for a presidential run in 2020, and his team were reportedly caught off guard by the news. Politico claims that the reelection campaign has not done any polling on Nixon or any other potential primary opponent.

You can read Politico’s full report on Nixon here.

The Weekly Standard’s Alice Lloyd On #MeToo and Motherhood

By

Alice Lloyd, writer for The Weekly Standard

The Weekly Standard’s Alice Lloyd is out with a bold new cover story on the #MeToo movement and the intergenerational divide it has exposed. In the essay, she discusses the challenges of motherhood and standing up for yourself.

She spoke to Jill Abramson, the first-ever female executive editor of the New York Times about life for women in the newsroom, and how the #MeToo movement is changing the status quo in the workplace. “I can remember the first day I went to work in the Washington bureau, two women reporters took me out to lunch to tell me everything: who to watch out for, who was a real asshole,” says Abramson.

Lloyd states that “It was only in October of last year that the Harvey Weinstein stories started to hit, yet it already has the unmistakable feeling of epoch-making history. Predatory men, perched on the ruling rungs of highly visible professions, fell one after the next…Whatever you call it, there’s no denying its purpose. What #MeToo’s critics all seem to miss is that the movement now underway represents a practical reorientation of the struggle for women’s equality. At its core is not a partisan argument, but an exceptionally American one: that we’re past due our equal freedom.”

Bridging the divide between generations of American women, she says, “The freedom to call a creep a creep—and not just destroy him, but change the course of history—means more when we remember how hard women have worked, bit by bit, proving our equal measure while also bearing our extra biological burden, just to claim our natural freedoms in the first place.”

You can read Alice Lloyd’s story in full here.

Kellyanne Conway Cited for Multiple Hatch Act Violations

By

White House Special Advisor Kellyanne Conway, Photo Courtesy Getty Images

White House Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway has been hit with two ethics violations from the US Office of Special Counsel (not to be confused with the ongoing Robert Mueller investigation, which is overseen by the Department of Justice) on Tuesday, March 6th.

The violations stem from a “Fox and Friends” interview she gave on November 20th, and a CNN interview on December 6th. In each interview, Kellyanne either discouraged voters in Alabama from supporting Doug Jones, or suggested that Alabamians support Roy Moore, respectively.

According to the Special Counsel’s report, “While the Hatch Act allows federal employees to express their views about candidates and political issues as private citizens, it restricts employees from using their official government positions for partisan political purposes, including by trying to influence partisan elections.”

The report concludes that Conway “impermissibly mixed official government business with political views about candidates.” It also suggests that Kellyanne ignored multiple requests to explain herself in the face of these allegations.

While Kellyanne does not face criminal charges for the violation, the Special Counsel’s office, the report was sent to the Trump White House for disciplinary action.

 

Doctor Phil to Interview Former White House Comms Director Anthony Scaramucci and Wife

By

Anthony Scaramucci, Deidre Ball, and Doctor Phil

“I ended up doing things that I totally regret,” claims Anthony Scaramucci, whose rollicking 10-day tenure as White House Communications Director ended with news that his wife was separating from him, in an interview with Doctor Phil premiering on Tuesday, March 6th at 3pm on CBS.

The episode will feature a sit-down interview between Oprah’s favorite therapist and Scaramucci and his wife, Deidre Ball. In a trailer for the special, Deirdre claims that Scaramucci “never really talked about” taking a position at the White House.

In a tweet plugging his appearance, Scaramucci claims the special will be a “real conversation about marriage and Washington’s impact”. Grab the popcorn!