The changing landscape of political fund-raising was the focus of the inaugural BizBash Media Eye Opener Breakfast Series discussion. CBS News’ Nancy Cordes moderated the panel that included The Ashcroft Group’s Juleanna Glover, Hillary Clinton’s former National Finance Director Jonathan Mantz, Wiley Rein’s Jan Baran and Lisa Spies from The LS Group.

Stephen Geer, who successfully helped raise some $500 million online during the 2008 presidential campaign as Director of Email and Online Fund-Raising at Obama for America, says Twitter will be a powerful fund-raising tool in the future but will never replace email.

BizBash Media Eye Opener Breakfast: Political Fund-Raising from whcinsider on Vimeo.

jdonofrio DC, Washington Events BizBash, Jan Baran, Jonathan Mantz, Juleanna Glover, Lisa Spies, Nancy Cordes, Stephen Geer

Former Washingtonian and Washington Post reporter Lloyd Grove has picked up the attack against White House correspondents launched by Ana Marie Cox last year.  Ana Marie, did you spend anytime with Lloyd at Michael’s when you visited your new GQ editors in NYC? Grove’s Daily Beast blog recently harrumphed against the hardworking, hard tweeting members of the most exclusive club in Washington journalism – the ones who report to work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

While I enjoy Michael’s like the next media maven, what’s so wrong with covering the leader of the free world 30 feet from his office and home? Grove’s complaint about Robert Gibbs tweeting reminds of when we began putting Ross Perot and President Bush and a former governor by the name of Bill Clinton on Larry King Live in 1992.  Our newsroom colleagues lamented the end of journalism, but social media didn’t just start on the Internet; interactivity has always been an important part of journalism.

Ask Dan Pfeiffer, the president’s communications director, how much his press shop likes responding to the five reporters who call with follows on each White House reporters’ tweet.  Take a quick look at the stories and interviews done by NBC’s Chuck Todd and Savannah Guthrie as well as ABC’s Jake Tapper; you want them to pull back and tweet from Café Milano?

Tell WHC Insider what you think after reading Lloyd Grove’s column.

thaddad Correspondents, News Media Ana Marie Cox, Bill Clinton, Cafe Milano, Chuck Todd, Dan Pfeiffer, George H. W. Bush, Jake Tapper, lloyd grove, Michael's, Robert Gibbs, Ross Perot, Savannah Guthrie

Stills from the White House Easter Egg Roll. Check out photos of Justin Bieber, President Barack Obama, J.K. Rowling, Julianna Smoot, General Jim Jones, Susan Sher, and SpongeBob SquarePants!

Plouffe Works With His Kids On Egg Rolling Strategy

David Plouffe, President Obama’s chief strategist in 2008 who famously avoided public events and big crowds, waited with other parents for the First Family to begin the annual Easter Egg Roll.

Read more…

gtruong Event Coverage, Washington Events White House Easter Egg Roll

The cast of GLEE, Justin Bieber, Apolo Ohno, and a whole host of other stars are in Washington, D.C. for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll. Just this evening, performing artists such as Sara Bareilles and the GLEE cast are rehearsing on the White House lawn.

The cast of GLEE on the White House lawn rehearsing for the Easter Egg Roll

Be sure to stay tuned to WHC Insider TOMORROW to catch all of the action.
We will be LIVE broadcasting the events from the White House and tweeting the event away. Until then, follow our twitter feed of celebs tweeting while they are in town for the festivities. Check out some of their tweets below!

ApoloOhno: View from room..right downtown..DC is a special place! http://tweetphoto.com/17172065

MsLeaMichele: Here we are in DC at the White House! http://yfrog.com/6fez9j

ChrisColfer: At the White House!!! http://tweetphoto.com/17176837

MsAmberPRiley: I’ll be singing the national anthem on the balcony! I feel so blessed! Glory to God! http://tweetphoto.com/17182658

Frankenteen: at the white house! http://twitpic.com/1d9aw1

gtruong Washington Events Apolo Ohno, Glee, Justin Bieber, Sara Bareilles

If you think the first year of White House events was an all access pass watch, looking at this White House press release of this year’s Easter Egg Roll is a showstopper!  WHC Insider will be there for all the action.  Plus, we will provide a live stream from the South Lawn.

Here are some of the highlights from today’s White House release:

This year, new activities have been added to ‘egg roll classics’ in order to promote healthy and active living. Activities include:

• Sports Zones – Football, basketball, tennis, golf, softball and obstacle courses
• Rock ‘n’ Egg Roll Stage -Featuring live musical performances
• Storytime Stage
• Hop to it! – An instructional dance center on the South Lawn
• Play with your Food – Make-your-own Garden, Farmer’s Market, Buzzing about Bees, Fun Food Science and more led by the White House Chefs and celebrity guest chefs. This activity center is built around the White House Kitchen Garden
• Eggspress Yourself – Arts and crafts workshop
• Yoga Garden
• An Easter egg hunt & the traditional Easter egg roll

The White House is pleased to welcome the following performers and leaders in their field to participate in this year’s Easter Egg Roll:

• Sara Bareilles, Justin Bieber , the cast of the television show Glee, Yo Gabba Gabba, Sesame Street , and Little Beat, The #1 Chinchilla and DJ Willy Wow! will perform on the Rock ‘n’ Egg Roll Stage
  
  

  Cast of Glee

• J.K. Rowling, Reese Witherspoon, Apolo Ohno, Mariska Hargitay, Dylan and Cole Sprouse, Elmo and Maria of Sesame Street and Betty DeGeneres will read on the Storytime Stage
• Billy Jonas and Miss Amy will perform on the Ellipse
• Chef Art Smith, Chef José Andrés, Chef Cliff Wharton, Chef Nora Poullion, Chef Robert Wiedmaier, Chef Susan Limb, Chef Victor Albisu, and the White House Chefs will prepare healthy eating demonstrations in the Play with your Food station.
• Billie Jean King, Gigi Fernandez, Ilana Kloss, Delaney Rudd, Liezel Huber, Katrina Adams, Anna Rawson, Jane Geddes, Kris Tschetter, Martin Gramatica, Michele Smith, Al Bumbry and Earl Boykins will help organize games in the Sports Zones
• NFL players will lead children in healthy activities as a part of the NFL Play 60 Movement. Those participating include Washington Redskins players Kevin Barnes, Alvin Bowen, Derrick Dockery, Reed Doughty, Chris Horton, Marko Mitchell, Will Robinson, Casey Rabach, Justin Tryon, Edwin Williams, Anthony Montgomery, Lorenzo Alexander, H.B. (Horatio Benedict) Blades, Doug Dutch as well as, Baltimore Ravens players Matt Lawrence and Sam Koch
• The DC Youth Orchestra and the United States Marine Corps Band

gtruong Washington Events Al Bumbry, Alvin Bowen, Anna Rawson, Anthony Montgomery, Apolo Ohno, Betty DeGeneres, Billie Jean King, Casey Rabach, Chef Art Smith, Chef Cliff Wharton, Chef José Andrés, Chef Nora Poullion, Chef Robert Wiedmaier, Chef Susan Limb, Chef Victor Albisu, Chris Horton, Delaney Rudd, Derrick Dockery, Doug Dutch, Dylan and Cole Sprouse, Earl Boykins, Edwin Williams, Elmo, Gigi Fernandez, Glee, H.B. (Horatio Benedict) Blades, Ilana Kloss, J.K. Rowling, Jane Geddes, Justin Bieber, Justin Tryon, Katrina Adams, Kevin Barnes, Kris Tschetter, Liezel Huber, Lorenzo Alexander, Mariska Hargitay, Marko Mitchell, Martin Gramatica, Matt Lawrence, Michele Smith, Reed Doughty, Reese Witherspoon, Sam Koch, Sara Bareilles, Sesame Street, Will Robinson, Yo Gabba Gabba