Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks brought their new HBO mini-series, “The Pacific,” to the White House for a screening with President Obama. The mini-series begins this Sunday on HBO and tells the story of the Marines in the Pacific Theater during WWII.

Pete Souza took this shot of Obama, Spielberg, Hanks and other guests in the Family Theater in the White House.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

lrozett Washington Events HBO, President Obama, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks

The Beeb is stepping up its game in the former colonies by getting into the After Party sweepstakes in the Washington, D.C., dinner season. All the top radio and TV correspondents will gather on March 17 for the RTCA dinner; President Obama is a no-show, but Vice President Biden will appear and he’s always been a favorite of broadcasters for his commentary.

BBC has hired top party guru Philip Dufour to capture the media stars, their guests, and the accolades for 2010.

Dufour also worked on MSNBC’s 2009 after party. The event, held at the Washington Historical Society, was unforgettable. The evening included a Starbucks “Morning Joe” coffee bar and a celeb mixologist, Rachel Maddow.

Check out WHCInsider’s coverage of the 2009 party.

lrozett Washington Events, rtca dinner President Obama, Rachel Maddow, Vice President Biden

Word on the street has it that The New Yorker has entered the pre-party, post-party sweepstakes, with a bash before the White House Correspondents Dinner on Friday, April 30. Gawker reports the event, “to which you’re not invited,” will be on the rooftop of the W Hotel.

Washington media members cheered the news of new competition for high profile guests on a night traditionally “owned” by Time and People magazines. Bloomberg is the undisputed king of the after party on Saturday (and hosts a private dinner at Café Milano pre-WHCD). Will Time Warner challenge Conde Nast? We’ll investigate, but in the meantime, give us your tips on party plans and guest lists as they develop.

In the meantime, check out some photos from last year’s pre-dinner receptions.

lrozett DC, Washington Events Cafe Milano, Conde Nast, People, The New Yorker, TIme, W Hotel, White House Correspondents Dinner

WHCInsider favorite Kevin Sheekey announced he’s leaving Bloomberg politics and returning to Bloomberg business this spring, after serving as one of Mayor Bloomberg’s closest advisers for 13 years.

A Washington legend through his work as chief of staff to New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Sheekey played a critical role in the development of the super-select Bloomberg after party following the White House Correspondents Dinner.

Kevin Sheekey and Rev Al Sharpton spoof Meet the Press in the Betsy Fischer birthday video last week.

As the story goes, when Vanity Fair stepped down from hosting the exclusive after dinner party, Sheekey made the Russian Trade Ministry an offer they couldn’t refuse. And when the cast of NBC’s “West Wing” TV show arrived on candidate John McCain’s bus, the Straight Talk Express, a new Washington monument was born.

lrozett Schedules and Announcements John McCain, Kevin Sheekey, Mayor Bloomberg, Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan

After two weeks of snow and snow-related traffic headaches, Washington’s media and political elite showed up to honor one of their own, Betsy Fischer, executive producer of Meet the Press. Gold, green and purple Mardi Gras themed decorations adorned Jack and Susanna Quinn’s Foxhall home.

White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod made a guest appearance in a special birthday video and noted Fischer is one of only a few people who still work for their first employer. Fischer’s media colleagues roasted and toasted themselves and Fischer, on the video and in the room, including: Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Savannah Guthrie and Chuck Todd, Wolf Blitzer and Bret Baier, Mike Allen and Bob Schieffer, and 10,000 Women’s Dina Powell.

The biggest laugh came when Bloomberg’s Kevin Sheekey appeared in the video talking to someone off camera, asking help for advice on how to run for president.  The camera widened to reveal Al Sharpton suggesting Sheekey “call Betsy Fischer like I did or, more importantly, like Obama did.”

Obama notables Susan Sher and Dan Pfieffer, Sarah Feinberg, Stephanie Cutter, and Dag Vega all enjoyed Classic Catering’s jambalaya and Walter Issacson gave a thumbs up to the Louisiana food.

Fischer broke up the crowd when she called newly 40 Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham, “grandpa,” and David Gregory her “Irish twin.” Mike Feldman earned the accolade, Fischer’s “cool older brother with cute friends,” and Nicole Nason her “best friend.” Partygoer Hilary Rosen was the “cool cousin” and Carrie Stephenson, the “great sister-in-law.”

Media star sitings included Andrea Mitchell and Alan Greenspan, Jim and Autumn VandeHei, the Washington Post’s Dan Balz, Jonathan Capehart, and Ceci Connolly, as well as Evan Thomas, Ron Brownstein, Al Hunt and Judy Woodruff.

Clintonites Terry McAulliffe, Dee Dee Myers, and Steve McMahon rubbed shoulders with Republicans Ed Gillespie, Alex Castellanos, Matt Rhoades, Danny Diaz, Rob Collins and Barbara Comstock.

The dance floor remained packed all night and Winston Lord was later named hottest dancer.  Also spotted at the party: Ann Hand and Ambassador Lloyd Hand, Washington’s newest star and Miami import, Adrienne Arsht, Ambassador Capricia Marshall, Biz Bash David Adler, Kelly McCormick, Pam Stevens, Ann and Geoff Morrell, and Anita McBride.

The party was hosted by MTP anchor David Gregory and Beth Wilkinson, Newsweek’s Jon Meacham, Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Nicole and David Nason, Brunswick Group’s Hilary Rosen, Glover Park’s Mike Feldman, CNN’s Carrie Stevenson, and Haddad Media’s Tammy Haddad and Ted Greenberg.

Photos by Neshan Naltchayan

gtruong Event Coverage, News Media, Washington Events Betsy Fischer, Birthday, David Axelrod, David Gregory, Mardi Gras, Meet the Press, NBC

It’s still more than two months away, but the White House Correspondents Dinner scramble for the best guests has already started to heat up. The Washington rumor mill is whispering that that ABC News has grabbed a top prize: Senatorial newbie Scott Brown. Check out FishbowlDC’s “Who Will Take McDreamy McBrown to Prom?”

Who else will show up on May 1st? Other top gets would be Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, anyone from the cast of Fox’s hit TV show “Glee,” and of course Sarah Palin. Todd Palin was Greta Van Susteren’s guest last year, seen here at the annual White House Correspondents brunch.

Greta Van Susteren with Todd Palin at the 2009 WHCInsider Garden Brunch

lrozett News Media, WHCD 2010 Guests Bob McDonnell, Greta Van Susteren, Sarah Palin, Scott Brown, Todd Palin

President Obama’s use of new media and social networking was widely praised during the campaign. That same focus a year into his presidency has some in the White House press corps grumbling, according to Howard Kurtz in today’s Washington Post:

“President Obama hasn’t held a full-scale news conference since July. Instead, he answered a dozen people’s questions last week on YouTube, most of the easily finessed and — extra bonus! — no annoying follow-ups of the kind posed by real, live journalists.”

Watch the president’s YouTube interview below:

“It’s a source of great frustration here … It’s important for us to hold the president’s feet to the fire,” CBS White House correspondent Chip Reid told Kurtz.

Click here for the complete article.

lrozett News Media Chip Reid, Howard Kurtz, President Obama

Greta Van Susteren with Todd Palin at the 2009 WHCInsider Garden Brunch

She may be big in prime time at Fox News, but Greta Van Susteren began her Washington career as a Justice Department intern and CNN contributor. Today she celebrates her 8th anniversary as the host of “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.”

She is the only woman who has regularly delivered top ratings in primetime cable. She has traveled more miles and interviewed more newsmakers than her competition, while being the first prime time host to do a regular web show. Check out Fox’s full-page ad in today’s Wall Street Journal.

Before Rush Limbaugh became a Miss America judge, Van Susteren gained notoriety for making a pageant contestant pass out during her interview.

Click here for the video of Greta reflecting on some of her most memorable interviews.

lrozett News Media Greta Van Susteren, Rush Limbaugh

Obama supporters received an email from the president’s top campaign leader, David Plouffe, thanking them for their participation in a survey about what they want to the President to do in 2010.

The email linked to a web video of Plouffe explaining the survey results and inviting supporters to watch a live strategy update and Q&A session with President Obama on February 4, at 5:45 PM ET, called “A Conversation with the President.”

Click HERE to watch Plouffe’s video message.

lrozett White House Staff David Plouffe, President Obama

As Republicans wonder whether allowing Obama’s exchange with GOP lawmakers to be televised was a wise political move, a campaign has started to demand more opportunities for the right and the left to ask some questions.

“[A] bipartisan group of bloggers, commentators, politicos, and Internet advocates—with a combined readership in the millions—has launched an online campaign urging President Obama, GOP House leader John Boehner and Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell to make Question Time—televised and webcasted—a regular feature of American democracy. You can join this call at DemandQuestionTime.com,” writes David Corn (@DavidCornDC) in an article in today’s Mother Jones.

Evidently, interest was overwhelming: the campaign website was down this morning.

Watch the video of the President’s appearance at the House GOP Issues Conference in Baltimore.

lrozett News Media David Corn, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell, President Obama

The White House announced in a blog post this morning that President Obama will “take questions from YouTube users next Wednesday at a live White House event,” according to Talking Points Memo. Christina Bellantoni reports the project, which was not announced through the usual press channels, is “another example of the Obama team circumventing the Washington establishment to communicate more directly with voters.”

There’s already a free White House iPhone app that will live stream the president’s State of the Union address tomorrow night.

Click here for the rest of Bellantoni’s article.

lrozett Media Strategy, News Media Christina Bellantoni, President Obama, State of the Union

Jay Leno’s back at the Tonight Show (in March) and back at the WHCD (in May), a venue he “headlined in 2004, 2000 and 1987,” according to Ed Henry’s report this morning at CNN.

The WH Correspondents Association, which hosts the annual dinner to raise money for college scholarships and journalism prizes, invited the comic weeks ago when “he was simply the host of a prime-time show that was failing five nights a week. But when he appears at the [dinner] … Leno will be the guy who pushed aside Conan O’Brien,” writes Lisa de Moraes in today’s Washington Post.

Click here for Lisa’s write up.

lrozett DC, News Media, Washington Events Conan O'Brien, Ed Henry, Jay Leno, Lisa de Moraes, White House Correspondents Association

Newly-elected Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown not only got more votes than Martha Coakley on Election Day, he had more Twitter followers (10,76 to 3,657), more Facebook friends (83,535 to 15,573), a bigger YouTube channel (675,208 views to 76,805).

Coakley’s campaign neglected to tweet details of President Obama’s Saturday rally to supporters, according to an article in Advertising Age.

“It was all old-school ways of getting people to spread the word. It felt like they were trying to win Ted Kennedy’s seat using Ted Kennedy’s techniques,” according to David Meerman Scott, a Coakley supporter and author of “The New Rules of Marketing and PR.”

lrozett Media Strategy David Meerman Scott, Martha Coakley, President Obama, Scott Brown, Ted Kennedy

400 Visitors Meet FLOTUS as White House Visitors Office Celebrates Successful Year

White House visitors enjoyed a special welcome yesterday – First Lady Michelle Obama and First Dog Bo in the Blue Room. It was the one-year anniversary of the Obama presidency, which began with President Obama promising “To open the White House to more visitors.”

Associated Press reports more than 614,000 guests visited the White House last year.

CLICK HERE for the AP story.

Check out the White House video of the event.

lrozett White House Staff Michelle Obama, President Obama

Visitors have commented on the lack of personal touches to the Oval Office and the absence of family photos. The spartan look was on dramatic display during NBC News’ unprecedented two-hour, behind-the-scenes special with President Obama in the White House.

Even President Obama’s Air Force One office has a noticeable lack of “stuff.”

But Obama has finally put his own touch on the Oval Office: fresh fruit has replaced cut flowers, family photos are now on display along with Native American pottery and some small technological devices from the mid-19th century on loan from the National Museum of American History’s patent collection.

He’s even added some tchotchkes, including a penholder that was a gift from Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Check out the photos and article by Erin Loechner of “Design for Mankind” on AOL’s ShelterPop blog by clicking here.

lrozett White House History, White House Staff Air Force One, Erinloechner, President Obama