“By the People,” the HBO documentary by Amy Rice and Alicia Sims, brought together top Obama campaign veterans and the press corps that followed them through the historic 2008 election for a backslapping, bear-hugging reunion at the newly renovated Motion Picture Association of America. HBO President Richard Plepler greeted top White House advisers Anita Dunn, Austan Goolsbee, Dan Pfeiffer, Sarah Feinberg, Bill Burton, Mike Blake, Dag Vega, and Washington’s newest Chicago import Susan Sher, the First Lady’s longtime friend and chief of staff.

The filmmakers’ Obama bus mates were well represented in the 80-plus crowd beginning with bestselling author Richard Wolffe, Obama “original” Juliana Goldman, Lynne Sweet, plus several campaign heavy hitters: Mike Allen, Mark Leibovitch, Jeff Zeleny, and David Jackson.

Representing the 2008 TV and pundit corps: Hilary Rosen, Jonathan Capehart, Betsy Fischer, and David Chalian.

The party went into overdrive when Reggie Love huddled with Richard Plepler; one line formed to take photos with Love and another to shake hands and schmooze with Plepler.

Washington’s elite came out to watch the HBO screening: Ben Bradlee, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, George and Liz Stevens, and Bob Barnett. And all eyes were on Barnett and the HBO chief, as they huddled over their upcoming projects.

Obama media man Jim Margolis and White House Communications Director Anita Dunn spoke after the screening, reminding the crowd that Rice and Sims joined the campaign in 2006.  And after an inspiring speech about the campaign, Margolis told how he meticulously prepared for commercial shoots at the critical campaign moment Rice and Sims were always present, whether it was around the campaign office or stepping in a the right moment to get the shot of the candidate who made history. Dunn said the film captured the special feeling of what it was like to work on the campaign and that “there will not be another campaign that was like the Obama 2008 campaign…people felt that they were a part of something much bigger than one individual.”

Reggie Love, who was always one step in front of or behind Obama in the film, attended the screening with two BlackBerry’s in hand, greeting many of those who spent hours covering the candidate or working on the campaign.  MSNBC’s Richard Wolffe, who made several appearances in the film, cheered and laughed along with his colleagues as the audience could see through the camera lens the sometimes quiet and sometimes frantic moments of the campaign.

For many it was a chance to relive the excitement of the campaign, for others it was to catch up with Obama people who are now running the country.

“By The People” premieres November 3rd at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO.

thaddad Event Coverage, News Media, Uncategorized, Washington Events, White House Staff Alicia Sims, Amy Rice, Anita Dunn, Austan Goolsbee, Ben Bradlee, Betsy Fischer, Bill Burton, Bob Barnett, Dag Vega, Dan Pfeiffer, David Chalian, David Jackson, George Stevens, Hilary Rosen, Jeff Zeleny, Jim Margolis, Jonathan Capehart, Juliana Goldman, Liz Stevens, Lynne Sweet, Mark Leibovitch, Mike Allen, Mike Blake, Reggie Love, Richard Holbrooke, Richard Plepler, Richard Wolffe, Sarah Feinberg, Susan Sher

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.

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

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

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.

dadler Uncategorized

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

Posted using ShareThis

dadler Uncategorized

Very Cool New Program That Allows You To See Who is Connected To Whom

dadler Uncategorized

"On the night of June 24, the media and government become one"

To check out the rest of the story on the Drudge Report, click HERE

gtruong Uncategorized

Internews Presents the 2009 Recipients of its Media Leadership Awards

by Mitchell Polman

While we were getting a glimpse into the activities of the new President in the NBC Special Inside the Obama White House, Internews, the non-profit headed by board chair Kathy Bushkin-Calvin, held its third annual Media Leadership Awards at the Washington offices of DLA Piper.

What makes this significant is that Internews trains journalists to and media professionals the traditions and advantages of having free press around the world.

A crowd of journalists, diplomats, government officials, and NGO workers gathered to hear the inspiring stories of this year’s honorees from Pakistan, Thailand, and Haiti, and photojournalist James Nachtwey. The event was chaired by Washington Capitals owner and former AOL executive Ted Leonsis. Radio broadcaster Bob Edwards was on hand as master of ceremonies. Read more…

dadler Uncategorized

Inside NBC at the White House from whcinsider on Vimeo.

dadler Uncategorized

Washington will be glued to their television sets on Tuesday and Wednesday nights for Brian William’s special, “Inside the Obama White House”. Tune in to NBC on June 2 and 3 at 9pm eastern. Access doesn’t get better than this.

dadler Uncategorized

For easier viewing link
BizBash’s Top 100 Annual Events in Washington DC 2009 –

dadler Uncategorized

Tim Geithner and Jon Meacham from whcinsider on Vimeo.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner seems to have gotten used to the slings and arrows of Congress, but Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham stopped Secretary Geithner in his tracks when he asked him about being included as one of People magazine’s 100 Most Beautiful People under the heading of  ”Barack’s Beauties” along with First Lady Michelle Obama, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers, and assistant White House Chef Sam Kass.

Here is the transcript:



MR. MEACHAM: People magazine has selected you as one of “Barack’s Beauties.” Would you phrase it that you’re–you were in close consultation?  How does that feel?


SECRETARY GEITHNER:  It doesn’t–[laughing]–it doesn’t feel particularly good, frankly.

[Laughter.]
 It doesn’t make up for the challenge of being away from my family and doing other things, but you’re so nice to bring it up, Jon.



MR. MEACHAM:  Well, you’re welcome.

I’d like the record to show that I think Alexander Hamilton blushed as well at various points with various folks.





Jon Meacham, the newly crowned Pulitzer prize winner can get a little history into anything.


gtruong Uncategorized, White House Staff Barack Obama, Jon Meacham, Michelle Obama, People magazine, Rahm Emanuel, Tim Geithner

Its only been 7 days since boldfaced names joined washington’s finest to enjoy a rare weekend together at the WHCD. The President rocked the room and Wanda Sykes rocked Rush Limbaugh and the political world has been debating both. While most WHCInsiders are now focused on the extraordinary war between Speaker Pelosi and the CIA, and the coverage of this war, we thought you would enjoy a digital journey back to what feels like a lifetime ago.

WHC Weekend Party Video from whcinsider on Vimeo.

gtruong Event Coverage, Uncategorized, WHCD 2009 Guests

Check out the New Newsweek cover..with President Obama VERY up close…
Editor Jon Meacham will interview Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner on Monday at the Naitonal Press Club
Sign up to watch it LIVE on Newsweek’s Facebook page at Newsweek.com.

dadler Uncategorized

 Sting’s eco-wacko wife charters private jet for flight to Obama dinner (The DM Headline)

Trudie flew her personal hairstylist from New York to Washington, DC for this? She could have gotten the same effect by sticking her head out the window of the cab on the way to the White House.
Our Green Hypocrite of the Week award goes to Trudie Styler, wife of rocker Sting.
Instead of flying commercial or taking the Amtrak Shuttle, she chartered a private jet to take her eight person entourage from New York to the White House Correspondents dinner in Washington, DC. Included in the entourage was Antonio Prieto, her personal hairstylist.

‘Yes, I do take planes,” Styler said haughtily. “My life is to travel and my life is also to speak out about the horrors of an environment that is being abused at the hands of oil companies.”

Sting and Trudie claim to be big proponents of saving the rainforests. She’s a co-founder of the Rainforest Foundation. In 2006, he organized a charity concert for the Foundation, but caught flak after donating a paltry 41% of the proceeds to rainforest programs.

But it’s tough to reconcile that concept with the fact that it’s been discovered that Mr & Mrs Sting “have a carbon footprint estimated at 30 times that of the average UK resident.”

Maybe this guy should change his name from Sting to Scam. Mr & Mrs Scam just seems so much more appropriate.

Source: DailyMail UK via Deceiver.com

dadler Event Coverage, Uncategorized