It’s the end of the summer, back to school and back to work. But here’s a look back at one of the fun summer nights — the Radio Television Correspondents Dinner and MSNBC After-Party.
RTCA from whcinsider on Vimeo.
David Axelrod
President Obama will be the only non-family member to offer a eulogy at Senator Edward Kennedy’s funeral Mass on Saturday in Boston. Obama adviser David Axelrod told USA Today it would be “about Ted Kennedy the man … the president was so fond of him as a person.” Kennedy’s endorsement of Obama was a game changing moment in the campaign; “a passing of the torch of leadership,” Axelrod said.
Check out the USA Today article here.
And watch the video of Kennedy’s endorsement remarks in our previous post below.
The game changing moment in the election was Senator Ted Kennedy’s endorsement of Barack Obama on Jan. 28. For those in the room, and those who watched on television, it was an electrifying Kennedy moment.
We wanted to remind the Senator’s fans of his eloquence and vision with this clip from his speech at American University.
Ted Kennedy Endorses Barack Obama from whcinsider on Vimeo.
Wanda Sykes was back in town recently and performed at the Warner Theater.
She joked that she “got into a little trouble” after her WHCA performance in May, but said she was actually “holding back” at the time. “Tonight, I’m not holding back.”
Meet the Press has a great, previously unseen, video clip from the 60th Anniversary show of Robert Novak and David Broder’s first appearances on the NBC’s Sunday program. Novak (and Broder) confess to being “terrified” during the first time.
Watch the young Novak and Broder in action here.
Kate Walsh and Sean Smith relax at the Bloomberg Vanity Fair After Party
Private Practice star Kate Walsh told Capitol File she loved President Obama’s comedic shtick at the White House Correspondents Dinner:
“I thought the president’s speech was fantastic. I appreciated his self-deprecating humor. And Wanda Sykes was hilarious. It was great to get to meet (and geek out over) so many of the Washington press and politicians, too.”
And, possibly for the first time, Washington was called a “very exciting, sexy place.”
Click here for the rest of the article.
President Barack Obama awarded 16 Presidential Medals of Freedom, America’s highest medal awarded to civilians. The recipients included Nancy Goodman Brinker, Pedro José Greer, Jr., Jack Kemp, Sen. Ted Kennedy, Stephen Hawking, Billie Jean King, Rev. Joseph Lowery, Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow, Harvey Milk, Sandra Day O’Connor, Sidney Poitier, Chita Rivera, Dr. Janet Davison Rowley, Mary Robinson, Desmond Tutu, and Muhammad Yunus.
Check out the full White House report HERE.
Eleven-year old student reporter Damon Weaver got a scoop during his interview with President Obama yesterday (h/t Mike Allen of Politico). The President told Weaver that he will deliver a “back to school address directly to students across the country about the importance of persisting and succeeding in school.”
Billy O'Reilly
Keith Olbermann
The so-called cease-fire between Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly and
MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann has ended … it may have been the shortest and least observed cease-fire in history.
According to a New York Times article, parent CEO’s Roger Ailes and Jeff Immelt got the pair to tone down their attacks. At least they had until the Times pointed it out, which has set off a new round of hostilities. Olbermann denied any deal to play nice and launched a new segment — “The Worst Persons in the World” — which was topped by O’Reilly and Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch.
O’Reilly, who refuses to mention Olbermann by name on his show, put Jeff Immelt and GE’s Securities and Exchange Commission fine back in his sights.
So, was there a cease-fire? Will there be another brokered peace? Howard Kurtz’s article in the Washington Post today cites Ailes as saying he could control his nutcases, but Immelt couldn’t control his.
President Obama stressed bi-partisanship on health care legislation in his interview with NBC’s Chuck Todd yesterday, but also … perhaps … maybe hinted at a deadline for the Senate Finance Committee negotiations.
Not according to Robert Gibbs’ morning gaggle with reporters today. Politico reports “Gibbs said there’s no ‘firm’ date … and dodged a question on the public option.”
Paul McCartney at FedEx Field -- photo courtesy jackbyte.net
Paul McCartney took the stage at FedEx field on August 1, to the delight of tens of thousands of fans lucky enough to have tickets. D.C. is one of only a handful cities to host one of McCartney’s limited tour dates this year.
Taking the stage first was Thievery Corporation, a D.C.-based DJ duo who set the mood for an eclectic night of music.
McCartney’s grand entrance? He simply walked on stage. No big entrance — just McCartney with his guitar. Even the stage design was elegantly simple: to large vertical monitors and one large screen at the back, displaying a mix of stills and video to compliment the song.
And rockin’ to the music were two generations: Baby Boomers and their kids. In the Beatles’ heyday, the Boomers would scream so loudly Paul complained, “you couldn’t hear yourself sing.” The Boomers’ kids (I counted four mother/daughter pairs on my row alone), who grew up listening to their parents’ music, may know McCartney’s songs from movies, like “Across the Universe,” or from animated iPod commercials.
McCartney’s even got a role in one of the most popular interactive music videogames; his avatar rocks some of the Beatles’ playlist on Rock Band. Click here to watch a clip from the game.
During the concert, the avatar played along behind McCartney on the big screens.
McCartney Performing in Washington -- photo courtesy jackbyte.net
It’s hard to argue the timelessness of McCartney; he’s inspired every generation since the ’50s. McCartney’s acoustic rendition of Blackbird was particularly touching — and may have even drawn a tear or two. But it’s amazing to see everyone on their feet rocking along with this 67-year old man and his guitar. His lyrics transcend every trend in the music business, something he displayed for a full two and a half-hours.
And being in Washington, McCartney added a special song to the set list: he said it was “something Barack might want to sing … to someone in his house,” leading into Michelle. He finished the song saying, “That one’s for you Mr. President.” In a later song, Barack Obama even appeared in bursting red and white pixels on the big screen.
McCartney continued to roll between piano-laced ballads like, “Let it Be,” to the pyrotechnic-filled “Live and Let Die.” It was an impressive show that only scratched the surface of his catalogue of music over the years.
I only hope I’m that cool when I’m 67 … or, if I’m lucky, animated like this.
Obama and Thomas Celebrate Their Birthdays
President Obama and Hearst White House Reporter Helen Thomas celebrated their birthdays in the White House briefing room this afternoon: he’s 48 today, she’s 89.
The Washington Post’s horoscope pegged it perfectly today:
LEO: You’ll be among serious people. This is your opportunity to show off. Everyone will be entertained by your spontaneous sense of fun.
Obama surprised the reporters with his unannounced visit. He came in singing “Happy Birthday” to Thomas, according to the AP story.
A tour group of school children tried to get Obama’s attention with their own rousing rendition of the birthday song on the North Portico steps.
Click here for the rest of the article.
And check out the video here.
Alan Krueger and Billie Jean King
The Washington Kastles held their first annual celebrity tennis match to benefit the American Red Cross on the final night of the Washington Kastles season … and crowned Obama’s Assistant Treasury Secretary MVP. Alan Krueger joined media and political celebrities — Sen. Evan Bayh, Fox’s Bret Baier, CNN’s Ed Henry and ABC’s Jonathan Karl — coaching on the sidelines: Billie Jean King and the GEICO Caveman.
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).
Celebrity Tennis in Washington from whcinsider on Vimeo.
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