gtruong DC, Event Coverage, News, Washington Events Ashley Judd, Christy Turlington Burns, Hillary Clinton, Lisa Russell, Mary Olive Smith, Mary Robinson, Melinda Gates, Michelle Cachelet, Nan Strauss, Suellen Miller, Tammy Haddad

The 85-year old Mayflower Renaissance DC hotel has had it’s share of notable guests (remember Monica Lewinsky and Eliot Spitzer?). The list got longer Saturday night with more glamorous names like Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, Dennis Quaid, Tory Burch, Kim Kardashian, and Bobby Flay.

The Grand Ballroom was instantly transformed for the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner after party hosted by Capitol File magazine, Renaissance Hotels and Bing. Here’s a video provided by the Mayflower Renaissance DC about the makeover.

dadler Event Coverage, Late Night Ashley Judd, Bing, Bobby Flay, Capitol File, Dennis Quaid, Eliot Spitzer, Ewan McGregor, Kim Kardashian, Mayflower, Monica Lewinsky, Renaissance Hotels, Tory Burch, WHCA Dinner

C-SPAN will be streaming the red carpet arrivals for tonight’s WHCD. Check it out here. After the stars, Washington insiders, and journos walk in, you can also watch C-SPAN’s coverage of the dinner.

And, as always, WHC Insider will be tweeting from the red carpet. Follow us @WHCinsider.

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Vanity fair, co-host of the hottest party of the weekend has come with their own White House Correspondents Mad Lib. Bravo!

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There’s probably no tougher room to play for a comedian than the Washington Hilton where hundreds gather for the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, with the guest of honor – the President of the United States – seated at your side.

And this year there’s no tougher act to follow than his own for Jay Leno, just months into his second stint as the host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” after a much-publicized tussle between the peacock network, Leno and Conan O’Brien.

So The Hill gathered some advice for the funny man from some fellow comedians as he preps for his hosting duties.

jdonofrio DC, Event Coverage, Late Night, Washington Events Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno, The Hill, WHCA Dinner

Washington types have started warming up their party chops for the whirlwind weekend surrounding the WHCA Dinner. Quinn Gillespie & Associates and FD hosted a cocktail party Tuesday night at Public Bar. For more photos, check out The Washington Scene from The Hill.

Jack and Susanna Quinn
Photo: Neshan H. Naltchayan

CNN's Ed Henry
Photo: Neshan H. Naltchayan

Jack Quinn and FOX News' Bret Baier
Photo: Neshan H. Naltchayan

jdonofrio DC, Event Coverage, Washington Events Bret Baier, Ed Henry, FD, Jack Quinn, Quinn & Gillespie, Susanna Quinn, WHCA Dinner

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

After two weeks of snow and snow-related traffic headaches, Washington’s media and political elite showed up to honor one of their own, Betsy Fischer, executive producer of Meet the Press. Gold, green and purple Mardi Gras themed decorations adorned Jack and Susanna Quinn’s Foxhall home.

White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod made a guest appearance in a special birthday video and noted Fischer is one of only a few people who still work for their first employer. Fischer’s media colleagues roasted and toasted themselves and Fischer, on the video and in the room, including: Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Savannah Guthrie and Chuck Todd, Wolf Blitzer and Bret Baier, Mike Allen and Bob Schieffer, and 10,000 Women’s Dina Powell.

The biggest laugh came when Bloomberg’s Kevin Sheekey appeared in the video talking to someone off camera, asking help for advice on how to run for president.  The camera widened to reveal Al Sharpton suggesting Sheekey “call Betsy Fischer like I did or, more importantly, like Obama did.”

Obama notables Susan Sher and Dan Pfieffer, Sarah Feinberg, Stephanie Cutter, and Dag Vega all enjoyed Classic Catering’s jambalaya and Walter Issacson gave a thumbs up to the Louisiana food.

Fischer broke up the crowd when she called newly 40 Newsweek Editor Jon Meacham, “grandpa,” and David Gregory her “Irish twin.” Mike Feldman earned the accolade, Fischer’s “cool older brother with cute friends,” and Nicole Nason her “best friend.” Partygoer Hilary Rosen was the “cool cousin” and Carrie Stephenson, the “great sister-in-law.”

Media star sitings included Andrea Mitchell and Alan Greenspan, Jim and Autumn VandeHei, the Washington Post’s Dan Balz, Jonathan Capehart, and Ceci Connolly, as well as Evan Thomas, Ron Brownstein, Al Hunt and Judy Woodruff.

Clintonites Terry McAulliffe, Dee Dee Myers, and Steve McMahon rubbed shoulders with Republicans Ed Gillespie, Alex Castellanos, Matt Rhoades, Danny Diaz, Rob Collins and Barbara Comstock.

The dance floor remained packed all night and Winston Lord was later named hottest dancer.  Also spotted at the party: Ann Hand and Ambassador Lloyd Hand, Washington’s newest star and Miami import, Adrienne Arsht, Ambassador Capricia Marshall, Biz Bash David Adler, Kelly McCormick, Pam Stevens, Ann and Geoff Morrell, and Anita McBride.

The party was hosted by MTP anchor David Gregory and Beth Wilkinson, Newsweek’s Jon Meacham, Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Nicole and David Nason, Brunswick Group’s Hilary Rosen, Glover Park’s Mike Feldman, CNN’s Carrie Stevenson, and Haddad Media’s Tammy Haddad and Ted Greenberg.

Photos by Neshan Naltchayan

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Twitteratti Gather at Number 10 for Million Mums

One of the most compelling users of Twitter has been Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown; she’s been tweeting to raise awareness of the global campaign for maternal health as the Global Ambassador for The White Ribbon Alliance. The WRA for Safe Motherhood is uniting people in 142 countries to demand government action to end the unnecessary deaths of women during pregnancy and childbirth through the Million Mums Campaign.

Downing Tweet from whcinsider on Vimeo.

On Friday night Sarah Brown, who passed the million followers mark over the weekend, hosted a Tweetup (a gathering of Twitter friends) at Number 10 Downing Street. The invited guests originally had been surprised by a tweet from Brown, asking for a mailing address; some thought her account had been hacked or speculated a Christmas card was coming. But an invitation to a Number 10 Tweetup for the Million Mums Campaign caught everyone by surprise. Read more…

gtruong Event Coverage, Foreign Travel sarah brown, Twitter, White Ribbon Alliance

“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

The Important Dinner for Women isn’t important because of the women who are there (though there were lots of important women there: Queen Rania, Indra Nooyi, Sarah Brown, Ann Curry, Susan Axelrod, Naomi Campbell, Wendi Murdoch, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, Tyra Banks … the list goes on), but because of the important cause that brings them together.

Cindy Adams quotes Sarah Brown in her NY Post article:

“Women are more likely to die giving birth than to go to school. Women are considered zero. A woman’s only asset is her body. And each year half a million die in childbirth.”

Read the rest of Cindy’s article here: “Lovely ladies spotlight female mortality rate”

And check out some of the photos from the event:

thaddad Event Coverage Ann Curry, Cindy Adams, Indra Nooyi, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman, Queen Rania, sarah brown, tyra banks, Wendi Murdoch

Release Party for the Beatles Rock Band

The Obama campaign team famously hung together in Chicago and reportedly spent what little “down time” there was available playing Rock Band.

Tuesday night looked like a campaign reunion with Katie McCormick Lelyveld on drums, Jon Favreau on bass, Jenny Cizner and Adam Frankel on vocals, and Katie Johnson on guitar at the Entertainment Software Association’s release party for the Beatles Rock Band video game.

At Gibson Guitar’s showroom in downtown D.C., politicos joined media mavens living the dream on the video game stage. The floor rocked when Viacom’s DeDe Lea (who revealed she was born 9 months after the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan show) and Senator Jim Webb’s Kim Hunter were joined by White House Visitors Office Director Ellie Schafer, Craig Hagen, Director of Governmentt Affairs, Electronic Arts and Rich Taylor from ESA. (And yes, he really did reenact Kanye West’s MTV awards show contretemps to the roar of the crowd.)

Also stepping up to the microphone: Representatives Jesse Jackson, Jr., and Joe Crowley, who won rave reviews for their performance of Beatles favorites.

Rock Lighter ruled and there was no mention of health care.

Check out the rest of the photos here!

thaddad Event Coverage, Washington Events Adam Frankel, Craig Hagen, DeDe Lea, Ellie Schafer, Jenny Cizner, Jesse Jackson Jr, Jon Favreau, Katie Johnson, Katie McCormick Lelyveld, Kim Hunter, Rich Taylor, Rock Band

Valerie Jarrett, Desiree Rogers Offer Support

Capricia Marshall and family with Sec. Hillary Clinton

The Ben Franklin Room of the State Department was filled with stars and stargazers, as well as family and friends, as Secretary Hillary Clinton presided over the swearing-in ceremony for her longest-serving aide, Capricia Penivac Marshall, as chief of protocol.

Marshall, the former Clinton White House social secretary and campaign veteran, came to Washington with the Clintons in 1992. Secretary Clinton shared a hilarious Inauguration story about Marshall being stuck outside the White House gate.

It wasn’t just Clinton friends. Top Obama pals Valerie Jarrett, Desiree Rogers, and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff Susan Sher, were there to pay tribute to the newest executive in charge of diplomatic activities for President Obama. Roger’s deputies Ebs Burnough and Joe Reinstein had a crowd of admirers lined up to say hello.

CLICK here to see Marshall’s official list of duties.

Marshall’s protocol team includes some Washington’s savviest veterans, including deputies Lee Satterfield and Dennis Cheng. Her team debuts on the world stage this month with one of the biggest diplomatic gatherings of the year: the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh.

Obama State Department Ambassadors Elizabeth Bagley (Global Partnerships) and Melanne Verveer (Global Women’s Issues) added their shine to the large crowd. Clinton family members, from mom Dorothy to daughter Chelsea, cheered for their close friend. Marshall’s 9-year old son Cole mugged and husband Rob Marshall looked shocked by Clinton’s shout out to him as “the best cardiologist in the world.”

Parents Frank and Mary Penavic beamed and assorted cousins from her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, watched the ceremony.

Former protocol ambassadors Lucky Roosevelt, Lloyd Hand, Lea Berman, Evan and Kit Dobelle joined former White House Social Secretary Ann Stock and veterans of other administrations in their own mini-reunion

Celebrity guests included: Greta Van Susteren and her husband John Coale, Mandy Grunwald, Janet Howard, Ann Orr, Claire Shipman, Michael Feldman, Melissa Moss and her husband Jonathan Silver.

Pam Stevens, once Condoleezza Rice’s press secretary and now press adviser to Ambassador Nancy Brinker and Race for the Cure, caught up with old friends as Betsy Fischer and other media types worked the room. New York’s fabulous event planner, and Marshall pal, Bronson Van Wyck drew his own crowd.

Terry McAuliffe had a double-barreled receiving line around him; no surprise there. He also hosted a Friday night gathering at his McLean home.

Check out the photo gallery:

thaddad Event Coverage, Washington Events, White House Staff Ann Orr, Ann Stock, Betsy Fischer, Bronson Van Wyck, Capricia Marshall, Claire Shipman, Dennis Cheng, Desiree Rogers, Ebs Burnough, Elizabeth Bagley, Evan Dobelle, Greta Van Susteren, Hillary Clinton, Janet Howard, Joe Reinstein, John Coale, Jonathan Silver, Kit Dobelle, Lea Berman, Lee Satterfield, Lloyd Hand, Lucky Roosevelt, Mandy Grunwald, Melanne Verveer, Melissa Moss, Michael Feldman, Pam Stevens, Susan Sher, Terry McAuliffe, Valerie Jarrett

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.

lrozett Event Coverage, Washington Events, rtca dinner John Hodgman, President Obama