Kristina Schake

Even after Susan Sher left the White House last week to return to Chicago, we can welcome a new transplant to the Beltway: Kristina Schake, co-founder of communications firm Griffin|Schake, joins the administration as First Lady Michelle Obama’s communications director.

From a press release sent out this morning:

“I’m thrilled to welcome Kristina to the team.  Kristina brings a wealth of expertise that I know will make her a tremendous asset in the East Wing,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.  “Kristina has done extensive work throughout her career on child nutrition and community health issues, and that paired with her experience as part of a military family will bring invaluable insight to our work on childhood obesity and our efforts to support military families.  I look forward to working with Kristina on these efforts and more in the months and years ahead.”

Schake isn’t a stranger to working for powerful heads of state as she worked with former First Lady of California Maria Shriver among tackling obesity issues, “stem cell research and early childhood education a national priority and helped change California’s political landscape on renewable energy and civil rights.”

We can expect to see Schake around Capitol Hill starting in December.

photo via Griffin|Schake

ABC News’ The Note sees this as coming full circle since 2008:

In the course of one night, critical gains Democrats had made in Congress over the course of two years were erased as the party in control of the White House suffered a painful loss of nearly 60 seats. As of this morning there were still 15 seats that have not been called — all of them currently held by Democrats. The GOP is likely to pick up some of those, bringing the total number of seats gained by Republicans even higher.

Not to mention this election cycle proved the strength of the “angry vote” over the fabled “youth vote,” which was shockingly absent compared to 2008. CBS News reports that the kids weren’t all right at the polling place and voting was down 18 percent  among 18-to-29-year olds. This year? The “youth vote” comprised nine percent of total voting percentage.

The New York Times rings in with the basic question: was hoping for change too ambitious from a country that can’t wait?

The most pressing question as Mr. Obama picks through the results on Wednesday morning will be what lessons he takes from the electoral reversals. Was this the natural and unavoidable backlash in a time of historic economic distress, or was it a repudiation of a big-spending activist government? Was it primarily a failure of communications as the White House has suggested lately, or was it a fundamental disconnect with the values and priorities of the American public?

For a full list of the Senatorial, Gubernatorial and House races, ABC News has the voting results as they come in.

If you’re planning on watching the day’s coverage, TheWrap highlights every major network’s planned schedules–including the overtly confusing ABC/Breitbart kerfuffle.  Don’t want to wait? Nate Silver’s FiveThirtyEight claims a 54-55 seat gain in the House by GOP from yesterday–the GOP only need 39 to take control. But as Andrea Mitchell said today during an interview with Gov. Haley Barbour (R-Miss), it’s still a 34 percent pro-GOP vote and appears to be a “firing” election rather than “hiring.”

Likewise from the New York Times, a prediction this could be a rough election day:

More than 500 House, Senate and governor’s races will be decided, if not by the end of the night, then over the course of the nail-biting days ahead as write-in ballots are counted and recounts are requested.

The looming questions of whether or not election results will answer growing concerns about the economy, a healthcare system repaired that may be smashed by a new Republican congress or whether or not the Tea Party are remotely viable are the big trinity of questions this year before 2012 crystal balls can be unveiled. Regardless, President Obama announced that he will have a live post-mortem announcement tomorrow afternoon (an interview President Obama taped with Ryan Seacrest will air today.)

In New York, Gothamist has a list of how to prepare to vote and a reminder to “TURN YOUR BALLOT OVER”  to vote on politician’s terms of service.

Did you know Toy Story 3 is actually working hand-in-hand with election day and Obama caused a rise in sissydom? Mystery author Andrew Klavan explains how in a LA Times editorial:

Last summer’s Pixar blockbuster — one of the best American films in a decade — was a similar rebuke, not perhaps to the Obama White House specifically but to its underlying ideas. The fact that the film was such an immense hit, earning back over half its estimated $200-million budget in a single weekend, should have served as a warning that Americans, though they might like the president personally, do not share his agenda.

And if you were wondering, yes, Obama represents Lots-O-Huggin’ Bear. What does Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrich have to say about this groundbreakingly insane reading on a film about childhood dreams and friendship? On Twitter:

Really? REALLY? Please keep Toy Story 3 out of your politics.

I think Unkrich is right. In other Internet news, people are snapping pictures of their I Voted stickers on Twitter and earning badges on social networking check-in sites like Gowalla and Foursquare. Are you surprising #election is a trending topic on Twitter? Did you know it’s actually a sponsored trending topic?

So Poynter discovered yesterday when the Washington Post ponied up the cash to make it so. What does it do?

“When users click on that topic, one of the Post’s tweets will appear above other tweets with the #Election hashtag — giving the Post prime real estate to promote its coverage and updates.” It’s in effect a genius sponsorship idea. Elsewhere online, Politico’s near-constant coverage for the House Races, Senate Races and Gubernatorial Races.

In case you missed it this weekend, a tiny rally was held on a tiny piece of land in downtown Washington, DC. And then The Rally To Restore Sanity And/Or Fear blew up in the faces of the very folks covering it, while those attending the event laughed and swayed as if at a revival.

The general air around the event, spanning the multitude of signs via DCist, was a mystery. People were unsure what they were exactly attending–until the Roots and John Legend took the stage to calm all 200,000 (or 210,000 or 215,000) attendees’ fears. While the event, co-hosted by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, played out as a “rally by the numbers” from a benediction to awards ceremony. But Stewart’s actual keynote (not the one involving John Oliver as Peter Pan) hit a rather sore spot for the media:

This wasn’t the message that most outlets were hoping for it seems as David Carr for the Times wrote:

It was a beautiful day on the Mall, and who doesn’t like kicking the press around, but speaking of ants, media bias and hyperbole seem like pretty small targets when unemployment is near 10 percent, vast amounts of unregulated cash are being spent in the election’s closing days, and no American governing institution — not the Senate, not the House of Representatives, not even the Supreme Court— seems to be above petty partisan bickering. Mr. Stewart couldn’t really go there and instead suggested it was those guys over there in the press tent who had the blood of democracy on their hands.

Yet in a mid-term election year that even Politico teases to be filled with jokers and clowns, how can the media not be held responsible? Judging by the turn-out that TBD cobbled together, it seems like the main reason that people are huffy about Stewart’s speech is his audience. Mainly because he had the entire audience in front of him plus through Comedy Central, Twitter and every other form of media consumption we have these days.

If not proved by the insane turnout at the Daily Show’s taping on Wednesday at the Harman Center in DC, maybe the Beltway Gang’s other favorite staple can prove it: polls! Over at DCI, Dan Meyers contemplates a recent Rock The Vote poll:

Let’s look at previous midterm elections and voters that were 18-24 years old.  In 1998 turnout among them was 18.5%.  In 2002 it dropped to about 17.2%.  And in 2006 it rose to 19.9% — up almost 3% points.  Participation is higher, as it is in most segments, in presidential election years.  In 2000, 36.1% turned out.  2004 came in at 41.9% and most recently, in 2008, a spike to 44.3%.  2008 was the highest turnout among 18-24 year old voters since 1972 – the Nixon landslide – with turnout at 48.3%.

This year’s estimate: 77 percent. Meyers goes on to couple this with emerging media trends in social networking and communities developed through meet-up culture, which encourages people to not simply say they’ll vote but make sure they will. The social check-in app Foursquare has created a new badge–”I Voted”–for election day so users can show off via Twitter or Facebook that they’ve checked into an election location and voted.

If the “youth vote” remains on a steady rise, then it almost becomes proof positive that voters will keep it up as they enter their next polling place demographics of “home owner,” “married” and “employed.”

Despite explaining health care reform, the economy and even a ceremonial mug presentation, the takeaway from President Obama on The Daily Show? Dude.

Jon Stewart’s moment of off-the-cuff reference to the commander-in-chief was just one of the great moments during the 31-minute interview that aired last night on Comedy Central as part of the Midterm Teapartyganza coverage that The Daily Show is providing live from DC this week.

After coming out to insane applause and presented “Mug Force One” by Stewart, the questions for the economy and midterms came out flying at Obama. Throughout the interview, the tone wildly shifts from Stewart’s own skepticism hidden as jokes to the types of blunt responses that the President has issued at previous Town Hall style debates since September.

And yet, this wasn’t the softball interview that a number of on air anchors claim it was.

Politico runs with Jon Stewart Getting Serious: “Stewart appeared set on proving his independence from Obama and the White House, choosing to advance the critique from the left that Obama — who appeared, at times, chastened — had been too cautious and moderate in advancing and selling his presidency.”

Of course, as avid watchers of The Daily Show know, Stewart isn’t a softball interview when he wants to be. He famously demolished MSNBC’s Chris Matthews during an otherwise mundane book tour and was responsible for ending CNN’s 23-year old debate show Crossfire in 2005.

The infamous “Dude” remark came after President Obama remarked “Larry Summers did a heck of a job,” citing an unintentional cultural reference to George W. Bush’s infamous praise for former FEMA Deputy Director Michael “Brownie” Brown’s handling of Hurricane Katrina.

But much like anything that comes to DC, it’s all about how the political wonks and needy are treated. Case in point: the weather was awful yesterday and (as is customary, even at their New York studio) people were kept in line outside of American University’s Harman Center. This lead to groundbreaking and enterprising reporting from the crew at Fishbowl DC, including the birth of a new hashtag: #dailyshownightmare.

If you ever wondered why people in the Beltway can’t have nice things, it’s primarily due to having to wait. No one in DC can ever wait or turn off their Blackberries without casually mentioning who they work for, who they are or complain about not being given access they so deserve. Cases in point.

Let’s forget the Midterm and focus on the more important news: National Journal’s relaunched itself today. The gist of Atlantic Media’s relaunch? Unified newsrooms!

Yes, NJ has combined CongressDaily and The Hotline into itself to form another political media hydra to wage war (and share links with) Politico, CQ-Roll Call and The Hill. But there’s also focus on original video content, faster web production and the new new cover story interview with President Obama 2.0.

The full release is after the jump.

Washington, D.C. (October 25, 2010) The new National Journal is here.

Today, National Journal Group launches its new online presence, redesigned publications, and expanded content with a special edition of National Journal magazine and the relaunch of NationalJournal.com.

In a now-unified newsroom, National Journal brings together the intelligence, insight, and depth of Washington’s most trusted brands – National Journal, CongressDaily, and The Hotline – and infuses them with the speed, currency, and agility of a new digital-first platform.

“At the new National Journal, we don’t accept the notion that speed and depth are mutually exclusive,” said National Journal Group Editor-in-Chief Ron Fournier. “With a unified newsroom, more than 40 new topflight journalists, and redesigned products from top to bottom, we’re going to deliver the high-quality information our audience needs to know, whenever, wherever, and however they need it.”

So what’s new?  Below are some highlights.

• A completely relaunched online news site providing free, 24/7 high-quality coverage of the politics, policy, and people who make Washington tick, aimed at a national audience of political news consumers.
• A daily “Top 10″ Need to Know Memo, highlighting the day’s most essential pieces of need-to-know information across the policy and political spheres.
• The Need to Know Video , an exclusive video regularly updated with interviews and reporting from National Journal’s newsroom on the storylines Washington leaders need to follow.
• The Daily Fray, a regularly updated aggregation of the “best of the rest” – political stories from across the web, powered by the popular Atlantic Wire site.
• Crisply redesigned online and mobile sites providing rapid, intuitive access to National Journal content however, whenever, and wherever users seek it.
  

• A dramatically enhanced subscriber experience online, maintaining all the content, context, and utility that National Journal has always provided, now expanded with richer, deeper, and more constantly updated coverage of five “vertical” issue areas – Health Care, Energy & Environment, Economics, Budget & Taxes, and National Security – and three “horizontal” beats – White House, Congress and Politics.
• Reporting and analysis on these and other critical issues from one of the largest and most talented newsrooms in Washington, including Major Garrett, Beth Reinhard, Michael Hirsh, Marc Ambinder, Yochi Dreazen, Susan Davis, Jim Tankersley, and Ronald Brownstein.
• A daily Need to Know Memo for each “vertical” and “horizontal,” cutting through the clutter to provide subscribers with only the most essential information and analysis for their targeted issues in the coming day.
• Up to 80 original reported stories and analysis pieces per day.
• A muscular search function providing access to decades of National Journal content.
  

• A vividly redesigned magazine written and organized to deliver both comprehensive coverage and distinctive insights on Washington’s most pressing issues.
• A revamped “Inside Washington” at the front of the book, including the Digest (a two-page review of the week in politics and policy) the Political Insiders Poll, and weekly columns from Ron Brownstein, Matthew Dowd, and rotating voices from the experienced National Journal newsroom.
• Deep, timely, and thought-provoking full-length features that will shape the long-term trajectory of the Washington conversation.
• A comprehensive new back-of-the-book “Need to Know” section, featuring tightly written, forward-looking briefings across each of the major issue areas and institutions of Washington life.
  

• CongressDaily is now National Journal Daily, taking on a new name, a new look, and an expanded mission, adding broader political coverage and analysis without losing an iota of the policy utility on which its subscribers depend.
• Critical granular reporting within topic areas featuring the detailed policy content and utility prized by Daily subscribers.
• Broader, cross-cutting analysis to identify trends, “connect the dots” and examine the overall direction of Congress and the legislative outlook.
• Expanded political coverage, including the plugged-in insights of the National Journal Hotline team.
• Expanded people coverage, providing daily insight into the leaders and decision-makers who set the course in Washington.
  

• Streamlined access to Hotline’s expansive news, tools, and commentary for political professionals.
• A brand-new look for Hotline On Call, the indispensable source for up-to-the-minute political reporting and evolving wisdom for the permanent campaign.
• The Independent Expenditure Tracker follows the political money to show where parties and outside groups are placing their priorities.
• The Political Calendar brings a comprehensive daily look at what’s happening on the campaign trail.
  

The new National Journal is live now at NationalJournal.com.

The special relaunch edition of National Journal magazine is released today, featuring an exclusive interview with President Obama, a provocative portrait of Vice President Biden’s role in the administration, and a candid conversation about the future of the Republican caucus with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.  The issue also includes sharp briefings on issues ranging from negotiations with the Taliban to the reluctant economic rescuers at the Federal Reserve, from the looming battle over a national ocean policy to another over legislative redistricting, and much more.

“The relaunch of National Journal is an exciting day for Atlantic Media,” said Atlantic Media President Justin B. Smith.   ”We look forward to hearing all our reader feedback and continuing to build our digital-first operation.”

Jon Meacham

The collective shout of joy from political reporters around the Beltway is well deserved: Jon Meacham’s an editor once again.

The ex-Newsweek editor joins Random House as Executive Vice President and Executive Editor according to a press release published today via the AP. Mike Allen fleshed it out a bit more in his Playbook citing the new role will start in 2011. More important?

Washington now has a powerful new friend in New York publishing. Meacham will have a big checkbook and a huge appetite for great political books, but with high standard (will only take on three or so books a year, which means lots of retail attention to the authors he chooses to work with). A longtime observer of the New York/Washington literary world, when he heard the announcement: “Meacham just became arguably the most influential nonfiction editor in American letters.”

Meacham’s own catalog at Random House includes American Lion on the life of President Andrew Jackson, which also took the Pulitzer Prize.

Yesterday marked the end of Howard Kurtz’ tenure at the Washington Post and his The Daily Beast debut.

At the end of his final Media Notes, Kurtz writes, “I confess that I enjoyed David Carr’s New York Times line about my job switch prompting the most gasps since Dylan went electric in 1965. But that ain’t me, babe. While I would not have made such a leap even two years ago, it is an evolutionary move, not a revolutionary one, as we all grasp for ways to sustain and reinvent journalism.”

Kurtz will remain in the hosting reigns for CNN’s Reliable Sources, so this is more like when Dylan found out he could publish instantly on a blog rather than plugging into an amp. At Tina Brown’s Beast, which has now publicly announced an end to a proposed merger with Newsweek according to the Wall Street Journal, Kurtz will take on the newly minted Washington Bureau Chief role.

Fittingly Kurtz ran his first Beast article yesterday with a topic he has experience in: How The Media Blew The Midterms. The lede?

“The media narrative by now is set in concrete: The voters are teed off, rising up, mad as hell and ready to wreak havoc.”

Already Kurtz is out to flex his claws into something a bit more fierce–shall we say, “talons”–when it comes to his new home.
photo: NBC/Meet The Press

The ins and outs of President Obama’s televised town hall meeting are as confusing as the impatience in the crowd. Sponsored by Georgetown University and filmed at the BET Studios in Washington, DC, this Conversation with the President kept the same on-edge tone that his previous town hall last month on the economy.

The New York Times cites Obama as being on the “defensive” while essentially bullet pointing the major questions of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal, the economy and immigration. The town hall began on the nature of health care and leapt from point to point as the crowd gathered seemed almost giddy with demanding impossibly fast responses to issues spanning the last decade.

Politico runs the age card with their coverage citing poll numbers: