White House Correspondents Insider

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

Senator John McCain Headlines Daily Beast Hero Summit

By

Tina Brown kicks things off at the second annual Daily Beast Hero Summit with an interivew with the always interesting Senator John McCain. As politicians line up to claim they are outraged by the government shutdown’s affect on veteran services. Syria and the controveries in Congress will all be covered starting at 8:30 a.m. when Senator John McCain joins Tina Brown in a special session.

Afterwards the morning program continues with a look back at the 20th anniversary of the events behind Black Hawk Down with the producer of the 2001 film Jerry Bruckheimer. The day continues featuring speakers from Capitol Hill, the military and the premiere later tonight of Peter Berg‘s “Lone Survivor.”

You can watch the day’s panels live here:

Kevin Spacey Foundation A Highlight Over the Weekend

By

Kevin Spacey

Kevin Spacey at the 2013 White House Correspondents Brunch

Before government shut down today, Washington at least had a good Saturday night with the arts. Specifically Kevin Spacey, the actor/producer beloved for his role by Beltway folks for “House of Cards,” who came to town for the initial gala for the Kevin Spacey Foundation.

Bloomberg Muse was there and made note of the room’s “twist of Lemmon,” a nod to Spacey’s mentor and honoree for the evening, the late Jack Lemmon.

“The room was decorated with posters from the films of Jack Lemmon, who inspired Spacey to help young people with his motto that if you do well in life ‘you should send the elevator back down.’ Spacey will travel the world for his Elevator Initiative, choosing and molding aspiring actors.”

Spacey also spoke to Mike Allen, providing the insight “I know that I wouldn’t have a career if it weren’t for a NUMBER of particular individuals through my life who took a chance on me, who believed in me, who said just the right thing to me at just the right moment — particularly when I was quite young — who gave me a job or an opportunity. ”

As Variety reported beforehand, Spacey took the stage that night to bring back his love for Bobby Darin among a crowd consisting of the stars from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner’s “House of Nerds” including Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, Ed Henry and Spacey’s “House of Cards” co-star Michael Kelly.

Also in attendance were Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Andrea Mitchell–who took in a $10,000 tennis match with Spacey–Christine Taylor, Capitol File’s Elizabeth Thorp and Ron Klain.

White House Continues Trend of Referencing Mean Girls

By

Once again, it seems like the White House made a Mean Girls reference.

The 2004 comedy staring Lindsay Lohan, who we’re aware is something of a Washington sparklie, is ripe for referencing inside the Beltway. In a tweet sent out by the official White House account, Bo is the culprit in this recent attempt to reference the lack of fetch ever happening. But who’s the real culprit?

Mean Girls has been a subtle staple inside the Obama media team since the 2012 re-election campaign. A gif here, a(n unofficial) quickmeme template there and a random Ann Coulter reference that makes us think she’s never seen the film. But Mean Girls is essential when dissecting Washington, especially in gif form. Could this be a sign of DoJ fighting the American Airlines/U.S. Airways merger? Proof of Cronut coming to D.C.? Or worse–nothing at all except a brief tweet on a Tuesday?

No word when the administration will start using The Canyons as a talking point.

Washington Sees Off Leslie Dach

By

Leslie Dach Reception

When Tony Podesta sends an invitation, smart people always say yes. But an invite from Tony and Walmart’s Senior Director of Federal Government Ivan Zapien to fete the outgoing Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs Leslie Dach has all the smart people accepting.

Tosca’s front room was packed with Washington’s finest to take a moment away from big issues to celebrate a Big Man on the Washington Campus (Leslie, of course). After leading their Washington office for seven years, he’s leaving behind all the good works of the corporate affairs office to a new role as consultant to the company. Leslie with his wife Mary and their daughter hugged and chatted with friends as yummy hors d’oeuvres were passed around the early-evening crowd.

Guests included Sylvia Matthews, former director of OMB, who Leslie recruited to Walmart to run their philanthropy, Washington Super-Lawyer Bob Barnett, Martha’s Table CEO/President and Philanthropist Patty Stonesifer, Mary Tydings Smith and The New Yorker’s Jane Mayer. Other guests included Ron Brownstein and Eileen McMenamin, Amy Weiss and Peter Kadzik, Ann Walker Marchant, Melissa Moss and John Podesta.

Global Virus Network Party Hosted by Cafe Milano’s Franco Nuschese

By

Only Franco Nuschese could bring together such an esteemed crowd to talk about global health concerns. At his fabulous home in Northwest Washington he brought together top scientists and advocates at a reception for the Global Virus Network. Dr. Robert Gallo, who co-discovered the AIDS virus and is also the co-founder and scientific director of the GVN, gave remarks to help the crowd understand the importance of the GVN and its funding.

In welcoming the group, Dr. Sharon Hrynkow, President of GVN, noted that “the toll of viral diseases goes beyond human health, making enormous impacts on economies, as in the case of SARS and HIV/AIDS as only two examples, and in national security, when put in terms of military preparedness. We cannot think of viral disease only with respect to the health sector.”

Surrounded by GVN Board Chairman Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and new board members including Dr. William Haseltine, Dr. Zaid Al Siksek and Gina Adams among other members of the board. Dr. Gallo warned the crowd of the importantance of having a non-governmental private network of scientist who can coordinate a Response to viruses as they come up.

Recommending “centers of excellence” with top virologists to immediately respond and coordinate information for viral threats. Kennedy Townsend related the importance of giving to a group like the GVN. “It is a global network,” she told the crowd. “These scientists talk to one another and learn form one another.” She recalled at a GVN event when scientists from Michigan met a group from Japan and learned of the similarities between two viruses each team thought were one-of-a-kind.

Guests included Ambassador Louis Moreno, Ambassador Mauro Vieira, Daryl Edwards on behalf of the Australian Ambassador along with Washington media types like Steve Clemons, Jim Pinkerton, Janet Donovan and Tammy Haddad enjoying a reception buffet with Mary Katherine Steel, Ellie Schafer, Heather Rothenberg and Heather Baker.

You can watch select parts of the program below:

You can learn more about GVN here.

Miss America Announces STEM Scholarship at Capitol Hill Briefing

By

Miss America on Capitol Hill

Sam Haskell, Chairman and CEO of the Miss America Organization, annnounced that on September 15th the 93rd Annual Miss America pageant on ABC-TV would present a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Scholarship to one of the 53 contestants. As the historic event returns to Atlantic City, New Jersey in three months, Haskell spoke along with the current Miss America–and Miss New York–Mallory Hagan about the importance of education and funding for those that need it.

In a packed room at the Capitol Building, Miss America Mallory Hagan, applauded the decision telling her story of a lack of resources and emphasis on STEM when she was growing up.

Tammy Haddad, White House Correspondents Insider founder and editor-in-chief, was named President of the Miss America Foundation Development to engage a larger audience in the scholarship opportunities with the Miss America programs.

Senator Roger Wicker and Rep. Alan Nunnelee shook hands with guests and took pictures with Miss America. Former Miss America Judge Greta Van Susteren and husband John Coale, joined House top aides Doug Heye and Michael Steel, DCI Group’s Tom Synhorst and Dan Meyers, AHA’s Robyn Bash, and Miss America board member Regina Hopper. Longtime women’s advocate Anita McBride and Josh Randle from the Duke of Edinburgh Award as well as Third Way educational staff also were in attendance.

Christie Names Interim NJ Senator

By

Seems like a Jersey Boy picked a Chiesa boy when it comes to Frank Lautenberg’s seat. Chiesa, the current New Jersey attorney general, was announced by Gov. Chris Christie to act as interim senator according to the New York Times.

This comes days after Newark Governor Cory Booker announced his own attempt to explore a Senate run before October 16th’s special election. This means all of the 2014 pundits desperate for a red-meat race will get their meal early this year in a race that’ll go through a Dem and GOP primary before the big show.

Best of all, this brings up the chance to do it all over again in 2014. Suddenly all the Hardballs, Newshours and New Days have a vested interest in the Garden State.

John Dingle on the last 57 Years in Washington

By

This week Rep. John Dingle celebrates 57 years on Capitol Hill, going over 30 terms and 11 different presidents. In the interview with the New York Times, Dingle reflects on the changes in policy and a greatest hits of what’s happened in Washington. Choice quotes include:

  • “Nixon was, according to Eisenhower, a great bad man.”
  • “Obama…has probably got the smallest rolodex of anybody in this town.”
  • “I never wanted to be president. You’re never a human being after that.”
    It’s a quick runthrough of Dingle’s greatest hits without his wife Debbie or children. No sign of Michigan’s newfound holiday, “John Dingle Day,” in 2009 or the time he read a poem responding to Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly’s “War on Christmas” speech. Instead Dingle’s reflections go over the many presidents that came and went, while leaving the survivor of three redistricting in Michigan in office for half a century.

    • Celebrating 20 Years: 2011 Garden Brunch

    By

    David and Susan Axelrod (middle) and Rupert Murdoch (right)

    2011 represented a remarkable year of change for the Garden Brunch. The event moved from its historic location in the Palisades of Washington, D.C. to a new location: the historic Georgetown Beall-Washington House, the residence of Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham. Co-presented by the residence’s current owner, Mark Ein, the Garden Brunch spread itself out into yet another staple of Washington’s architectural history.

    Hollywood guests included Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black, “Glee” star Matthew Morrison, “Gossip Girl’s” Chase Crawford, The Social Network’s Joe Mazzello, Jeremy Piven and Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Also representing the entertainment industry were Joan Rivers, Morgan Fairchild and Rosario Dawson among others.

    Attending their first Brunch, Sarah and Todd Palin made a huge impression. Seen mingling with President Obama’s political strategist David Axelrod, CURE epilepsy’s Susan Axelrod and many other Washington correspondents–both White House and political.

    Olympic snowboarder phenom Shaun White was visible among the crowd, as were media moguls like Sean Parker, David Carr and Twitter co-founder Evan Williams.

    The brunch happeneda week before Mother’s Day, which let co-chairs Wendi Murdoch and Susan Axelrod take the opportunity to honor all mothers by honoring The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood and CURE: Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy at the reception. Take a look at the video below:

    2011 White House Correspondents’ Garden Brunch from whcinsider on Vimeo.