Rose Garden Beer Summit

Harvard professor Henry Gates, Jr. and Cambridge police officer James Crowley “did not apologize” to each other, but “agreed to disagree,” says USA Today about last night’s Rose Garden Beer Summit.

Click here for the rest of the USA Today article.

Few questions were answered, besides who had what to drink: President Obama, a Bud Light — Gates, a Sam Adams Light — Crowley, a Blue Moon — and VP Joe Biden, a Buckler.

A number of new polls show Obama’s approval ratings have fallen over his comments that the Cambridge police “acted stupidly,” particularly among working-class whites.

Click here for the Pew Research Center poll, which found 41% disapproved of Obama’s handling of the incident, compared to 29% who approved.

And click here for Rasmussen’s poll, which found 44% of Americans believe Obama has done poorly in dealing with the situation.

gtruong Uncategorized Henry Gates, James Crowley, President Obama, Vice President Biden

After starting off the season 0-4, the Washington Kastles were a long shot for the World Team Tennis Championship. But with a late season surge, the Kastles won the Eastern Conference to face the Springfield Lasers in the WTT Championship this Sunday evening, playing to a home-court crowd.

Scott “Boom Boom” Oudesma gave the Kastles an early lead, winning Men’s Singles, and — with team mate Leander Paes — won Men’s Doubles. The Kastles led the first half 15-11 over the Lasers.

Half time got the crowd on their feet with DJ Kool hittin’ the mic with “Let Me Clear My Throat.” That had everyone, including the National’s Teddy, the GEICO Caveman, and Coach Murphy, moving to the beat.

Just when you thought the night couldn’t get more exciting (a marriage proposal for one of the Kastles cheerleaders); the Lasers tied the match during Women’s Singles. With Murphy leaping to his feet on every point, crowd favorite Olga Puchkova held off three match points from the Laser’s number one player: Vaina King. Puchkova went on to defeat King and give the Kastles the championship 23-20. Oudesma was named MVP and Puchkova was carried off on her teammates’ shoulders as “We Are the Champions” played over the stadium loudspeakers.

Kastles owner Mark Ein, WTT founder Billie Jean King, and fans celebrated the underdog’s unexpected victory on the court.

Check out the video here.

Washington Kastles Win WTT Championship from whcinsider on Vimeo.

And check out all the pictures here.

gtruong Washington Events Billie Jean King, DJ Cool, Leander Paes, Mark Ein, Olga Puchkova, Scot Oudesma, Vaina King

For the 6th month anniversary of the Obama presidency, Michelle Obama will not get another fabulous date night. Instead the president is spending the weekend bringing together all his 22 cabinet members for what some are calling a “bonding” session.

CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller has more — Click Here.

gtruong White House Staff Mark Knoller, Michelle Obama, President Obama

No, not what they’ll talk about … what they’ll drink. On Air Force One this afternoon Press Secretary Robert Gibbs ended the speculation over the beer selection for tomorrow’s meeting:

From Time magazine’s political blog:

“The President will drink Bud Light. As I understand it — I have not heard this, I’ve read this, so I’ll just repeat what I’ve read, that Professor Gates said he liked Red Stripe, and I believe Sergeant Crowley mentioned to the President that he liked Blue Moon.”

Click here for the rest of the story from the Swampland.

It’s still unclear whether Gibbs will be making the beer run, as he suggested in Monday’s daily press briefing.

gtruong News Media Henry "Skip" Gates, James Crowley, President Obama, Robert Gibbs

With Congress pushing health care reforms until the fall, President Obama hit the road today — with town hall meetings in North Carolina and Virginia.

His new message: “We have a system today that works well for the insurance industry, but it doesn’t always work for you.”

Read the rest of Liz Sidoti’s AP article here.

The health insurance industry has their own new message today: 75% of Americans are “either very or somewhat satisfied with their personal health insurance coverage.”

This according to their new poll. Click here for the complete results.

Or watch their newest ad below.

gtruong News Media Liz Sidoti, President Obama

Alan Krueger

With Redskins superstar Darrell Green and tennis great Ilana Kloss, it was hard to imagine that a former Princeton economics professor would be the breakout star of the first annual celebrity tennis match to benefit the American Red Cross on the final night of the Washington Kastles season.

Alan Krueger, Assistant Treasury Secretary for Economic Policy, impressed his team and his media/political opponents — including Senator Evan Bayh, Fox’s Brett Baier, CNN’s Ed Henry and ABC’s Jonathan Karl. Coaching on the sidelines: Billie Jean King and the GEICO Caveman.

GEICO Caveman with Darrell Green

Bloomberg’s Al Hunt and Margaret Carlson called the game in a Washington version of the Wimbledon voice over. Celebrity ball kids included Patrick Henry (8), David (8) and Rachel (10) Greenberg, Betsy Fischer’s daughter Ella (8), and Jonathan Karl’s girls Anna (9) and Emily (12).

Insiders were disappointed that Washington fav Gene Sperling had to cancel his appearance due to meetings, but Kreuger was the tournament’s MVP. Kastles owner Mark Ein has expanded the reach of the franchise, only in their second year, and with this first-ever charity celeb match has created a new Washington tradition.

Check out all the photos …

and check back later for video highlights.

thaddad Washington Events Al Hunt, Alan Krueger, Billie Jean King, Brett Baier, Darrell Green, Ed Henry, Evan Bayh, GEICO Caveman, Ilana Kloss, Jonathan Karl, Margaret Carlson, Mark Ein

The Post’s TV critic Tom Shales praised the President for his directness at last night’s press conference and saved his criticism for the journalists, for hewing to White House rules too closely.

From the article:

As usual, Obama turned in an admirably effective performance at the news conference, even if it did seem a little too tidy — and even rehearsed — for nearly all the reporters to fall in line and stick with the matter at hand rather than pursue their own little butterflies as in many administrations past.

Click here to read Shales’ entire article.

gtruong News Media President Obama, Tom Shales

President Obama has had his face and words on almost every magazine cover and newspaper in the world but can he sway health care votes IN 140 CHARACTERS OR LESS?

Wednesday, he will be the first President to have his presidential news conference tweeted to the world. Will he change his style of speaking? Will reporters tweet questions in earlier in the day? Don’t miss Robert Gibbs briefing LIVE on WHCInsider.com and get an advance TWEET!

The Press Conference will now be at 8 PM EST.

Read the whole story on FishBowlDC

gtruong Uncategorized Obama, Press Conference, Twitter

Washington has an unlikely night spot: team tennis in downtown D.C. Kastles CEO Mark Ein hosts tennis great Billie Jean King during Serena Williams debut match while some of Washington’s power players – Larry Summers, Judy Woodruff, Al Hunt, Luke Russert, Michelle Fenty, Debra Lee, and Ray and Nina Benton – look on.

Washington Kastles Tennis Match from whcinsider on Vimeo.

thaddad Event Coverage, Washington Events Al Hunt, Billie Jean King, Debra Lee, Judy Woodruff, Larry Summers, Luke Russert, Mark Ein, Michelle Fenty, Ray Benton, Serena Williams

Jim Lehrer of PBS' "NewsHour"

President Obama’s rounds of the evening news shows takes him to The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer on Monday, July 20. According to the press release, the extended interview will cover healthcare reform, the economy, and the war in Afghanistan. The interview will be taped Monday afternoon and air on PBS that evening.

gtruong News Media Jim Lehrer, President Obama

Serena Williams played for the Washington Kastles last night, after after spending the afternoon at the White House.

She wowed the crowed, which included: NBC’s Betsy Fischer and Luke Russert, Bloomberg’s Al Hunt and Margaret Carlson, Newshour’s Judy Woodruff, Larry Summers from the White House NEC, and venture capitalist and Kastles’ co-founder Mark Ein (those are the Fenty boys next to Mark).

And Serena showed everyone what they came to see — some great tennis. Serena won her Singles match 5-2 (against Marie Eve-Pelletier), she and Rennae Stubbs won their Doubles match 5-1, and Serena and Leander Paes ran away with the Mixed Doubles match 5-0.

thaddad Event Coverage, Washington Events Al Hunt, Betsy Fischer, Judy Woodruff, Larry Summers, Luke Russert, Margaret Carlson, Mark Ein, Serena Williams

Sonia Sotomayor

President Obama called Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor yesterday to wish her luck at her confirmation hearings, which begin today.

The left and the right are lining up their talking points–from this morning’s AP article:

“I think philosophically her statements indicate an approach to judging that is outside the mainstream,” Sen. Jeff Sessions, senior Judiciary Committee Republican, said in a nationally broadcast interview. Appearing on another news show, Democrat Chuck Schumer declared: “She’s not far left. She’s not far right. She’s mainstream.”

Check out the seating chart here.

gtruong Washington Events Chuck Schumer, Jeff Sessions, President Obama, Sonia Sotomayor

Michael Beschloss

Before heading to Europe for the G-8 Summit, President Obama held a private dinner with nine historians, a dinner described by one participant as a “history book club,” according to an article in U.S. News and World Report.

Dinner guests included Michael Beschloss, H.W. Brands, Douglas Brinkley, Robert Dallek, and Doris Kearns Goodwin, whose book on Lincoln’s cabinet, “A Team of Rivals,” has often been used to describe Obama’s own administration.

The discussion included whether Obama was trying to do too much too soon and if health care reform was too big to tackle successfully. The consensus: no and he’s going to try regardless.

Read the rest of the article here.

gtruong Washington Events, White House Books Doris Kearns Goodwin, Douglas Brinkley, H.W. Brands, Michael Beschloss, President Obama, Roert Dallek

Thursday morning: L’Aquila July 9, 2009 Gordon is off for his first breakfast meeting early, but I get an extra hour as we wait for the other spouses to arrive at the earthquake-hit town of L’Aquila. I did not know what to expect from the police barracks allocated for our accommodation but actually it is all very comfortable and all mod cons in full working order. All apart from one incident with a stuck lift for the events team (and a rapid response from the super efficient Italian staff), which has motivated us to be super-healthy and use the stairs. Once the rest of the spouses have arrived we are treated to coffee and pastries.

Everyone looks well-rested after a good night’s sleep. We are all assigned to buses for our journey to the area worst hit by the earthquake in April – I’m with my good friend Margarita Zavala from Mexico who remembers her country’s own devastating earthquake of 1985 We travel to the Piazza Duomo in the old town of L’Aquila. The full scale of the devastation really hits you when you see such beautiful buildings full of cracks and surrounded by crumbling stones. A glimpse inside a church revealed nothing but piles of rubble waiting to be sifted through during the coming months, to enable the restoration. We are then taken to the centre of the devastation where so many lost their lives and everybody lost their homes.

The emptiness of all the buildings was striking and you wonder how everyone is coping now with their displaced lives. The Director in charge of L’Aquila’s restoration explained that rebuilding the town will take many years. Michelle Obama and I are taken across to meet the emergency service team who have all been working so hard on the restoration. I know this is true of emergency services everywhere, especially in Britain

We are taken back to the G8 compound and run into Gordon and his team walking between meetings. We take the chance to make a call home and speak to our youngest son. Gordon goes off to his next session and now I head off to rejoin the spouses for a nice Italian lunch.

David Adler Uncategorized

Michelle Obama and the girls tour Italy — Foxnews.com Row 2, Seat 4

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David Adler Uncategorized