Izzy Povich, Keith Olbermann’s longtime MSNBC producing partner, is moving over to helm the new Lawrence O’Donnell Show.  Povich, who spurned network offers to stay with Mr. Olbermann in 2006, will lead MSNBC’s battle to take back audience from Fox and CNN at 10pm.

Greta Van Susteren has dominated the 10pm audience since she arrived at Fox 8 1/2 years.  She recently signed a new contract with the cabler.

Here’s Izzy Povich at the 2007 White House Correspondents Brunch with MSNBC VP Bill Wolff and WHCInsider’s Tammy Haddad.

John Lichman Media Strategy, News Media Greta Van Susteren, Izzy Povich, Keith Olbermann, Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC

Don’t know what to watch at 10 p.m. for the next two years? Well breathe easy, because Greta Van Susteren’s going to get you through it.

When not keeping up with a Kardashian (left, at the White House Correspondents’ Brunch,) Van Susteren’s has lead Fox News’ coveted 10 p.m. slot since 2002 with On The Record. The New York Times reports the host is keeping her spot for “several more years,” which quashes rumors of a Glenn Beck bump up.

Though Van Susteren may soon find a rival in Lawrence O’Donnell, who will host an as-yet-untitled 10 p.m. show for MSNBC and complete the Keith Olbermann Show Factory moving along. We can’t wait for D.C. to take sides in the Team Susteren/Team O’Donnell wars, if only because things are so boring now that Leno and Conan stopped fighting.

John Lichman Correspondents, DC, News Media, WHCD 2010 Guests Fox News, Greta Van Susteren, Lawrence O'Donnell, MSNBC

WHC Insider presents the first annual WHC Weekend Insider Awards to highlight the great deeds of the famous and infamous who came to Washington to party, schmooze, and most importantly – be seen – at the events surrounding the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

It’s the biggest weekend in Washington, second only perhaps to Inauguration, which you clever kids know from civics class only comes once every four years (and without as many brunches).

So, here it is, the best of the fetes, as we scour the tables at the Washington Hilton to find someone not represented by Bob Barnett.

BEST OUTREACH BY A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL

Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. No one walks in LA, but apparently Hollywood hottie and “Entourage” star Adrian Grenier was making his way on foot to the Bloomberg/Vanity Fair after party when he was spotted by none other than Rahm Emanuel. The White House Chief of Staff’s brother, Ari Emanuel, was the inspiration for the high-strung, heavyweight agent portrayed by Jeremy Piven on the hit HBO show “Entourage.”

Rahm immediately had his motorcade pull over and Adrian hopped in. Now that’s taking it to the people!

Read more…

WHC Insider Awards Adrian Grenier, Anna Kendrick, Bloomberg, Bob Barnett, Boone Pickens, Bradley Cooper, Candice Crawford, Carol Blue, Carolyn Weyforth, Chace Crawford, Christopher Hitchens, Dan Pfeiffer, Elena Allbritton, Greta Van Susteren, Joe Mazzello, John Coale, Jon Meacham, Jonas Brothers, Katie Couric, Kim Kardashian, Matthew Morrison, Morgan Freeman, Politico, Rahm Emanuel, Robert Allbritton, Rosario Dawson, Sara Olson, Tony Romo, Vanity Fair, WHCA, WHCA Dinner, White House Correspondents Association Dinner

It’s still more than two months away, but the White House Correspondents Dinner scramble for the best guests has already started to heat up. The Washington rumor mill is whispering that that ABC News has grabbed a top prize: Senatorial newbie Scott Brown. Check out FishbowlDC’s “Who Will Take McDreamy McBrown to Prom?”

Who else will show up on May 1st? Other top gets would be Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, anyone from the cast of Fox’s hit TV show “Glee,” and of course Sarah Palin. Todd Palin was Greta Van Susteren’s guest last year, seen here at the annual White House Correspondents brunch.

Greta Van Susteren with Todd Palin at the 2009 WHCInsider Garden Brunch

lrozett News Media, WHCD 2010 Guests Bob McDonnell, Greta Van Susteren, Sarah Palin, Scott Brown, Todd Palin

Greta Van Susteren with Todd Palin at the 2009 WHCInsider Garden Brunch

She may be big in prime time at Fox News, but Greta Van Susteren began her Washington career as a Justice Department intern and CNN contributor. Today she celebrates her 8th anniversary as the host of “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.”

She is the only woman who has regularly delivered top ratings in primetime cable. She has traveled more miles and interviewed more newsmakers than her competition, while being the first prime time host to do a regular web show. Check out Fox’s full-page ad in today’s Wall Street Journal.

Before Rush Limbaugh became a Miss America judge, Van Susteren gained notoriety for making a pageant contestant pass out during her interview.

Click here for the video of Greta reflecting on some of her most memorable interviews.

lrozett News Media Greta Van Susteren, Rush Limbaugh

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

Mike Allen's Birthday Cake

Politico Playbook Editor Turns 45

Politico’s Mike Allen celebrated his birthday on Wednesday. The h/t goes to the 150+ people who turned out on a cold and damp evening for a man who is what Harry Truman called a rare Washington commodity: a friend.

The cake (candles lit by Austan Goolsbee) — and lapel pins — carried an image knocked off from another president, fitting for the editor of Politico’s Playbook.

Mike Allen Birthday Speech from whcinsider on Vimeo.

(Surprise) Birthday Invite

Hosts John Harris and Ann O’Hanlon, Jim and Autumn VandeHei, Mike Feldman, Betsy Fischer, Jonathan Karl, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale, Hilary Rosen, Jonathan Martin, and Tammy Haddad kept the birthday boy in the dark about the true reason for the party with an invite highlighting 160 days of media coverage.

Check out all the photos from Mike Allen’s birthday party:

Did too much birthday celebration interfere with Allen’s “Morning Joe” appearance the next day? No one’s telling.

Read more…

lrozett News Media, Washington Events Add new tag, Ann Compton, Ann O'Hanlon, Austan Goolsbee, Autumn VandeHei, Ben Bradlee, Betsy Fischer, Bill Burton, Bob Barnett, Bob Stevenson, Campbell Spender, Courtney Diesel, Debbie Dingell, Dee Dee Myers, Fred Hochberg, Geoff Morrell, Greta Van Susteren, Hilary Rosen, Jake Siewert, Jay Carson, Jim VandeHei, John Coale, John Feehery, John Harris, Jonathan Karl, Jonathan Martin, Juleanna Glover Weiss, Kim Kingsley, Laura Capps, Lois Romano, Maralee Schwartz, Marc Adelman, Margaret Carlson, Michael Allen, Mike Allen, Mike Feldman, Natalie Ravitz, Norah O'Donnell, Rita Braver, Rob Collins, Robert Allbritton, Ron Bonjean, Sally Quinn, Sam Feist, Sarah Feinberg, Savannah Guthrie, Stephanie Cutter, Steve Rattner, Tammy Haddad, Taylor Griffin, Todd Purdum

The reviews are in and the 2009 White House Correspondents Garden Brunch, dedicated to the Mothers Day Every Day Campaign, was a big hit.

See the pics …

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Flash video. 

… and read the write ups …

From Politico: “Biggest Year Yet … but at the end of the day, the relaxed party atmosphere still the same as at brunches past.”

From The Washington Post: “There were so many media figures, politicians and celebrities in the mix that famous faces became wallpaper.”

And Radar Online “caught up with primetime hunk Chace Crawford at … the garden brunch attended by the likes of Todd Palin and Greta Van Susteren.”

Read more…

lrozett Event Coverage, Uncategorized Chace Crawford, Greta Van Susteren, Todd Palin, White House Correspondents Dinner Garden Brunch

If there’s a single instance in the recent history that encapsulates what the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has become in staid, old Washington, it would have to be the “Ozzy moment.” The year was 2002 and the unified spirit that enveloped Washington in the wake of the 9/11 attacks still lingered as the elite masses gathered at the Washington Hilton hotel for the annual dinner. President Bush was on hand, riding a wave of political popularity. Cabinet members like Colin Powell were also present, as well as the upper echelons of official Washington.

Comedian Drew Carey was the featured entertainment (after the president, of course), and the requisite celebrities were on hand as well – Harrison Ford, Christie Brinkley, etc. But it was heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne (invited by Fox News host Greta Van Susteren) everyone was clamoring to see. His MTV reality show “The Osbournes” had become a cultural phenomenon and the muttering poster boy of rock ‘n roll excess was more famous than he had ever been in his head-banging heyday. Even the president couldn’t resist the pull of America’s sudden and most unlikely celebrity. “The thing about Ozzy is he’s made a lot of big hit recordings,” Bush said as he gave the singer a shout-out during his remarks. “’Party With Animals,’ ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,’ ‘Face in Hell,’ ‘Black Skies’ and ‘Bloodbath in Paradise’ … Ozzy, mom loves your stuff.” Osbourne responded by standing on his chair, arms raised and shouting as the audience howled and applauded.

Read more…

vververs Uncategorized Bill Clinton, Christie Brinkley, David Gregory, Dick Cheney, Don Imus, Greta Van Susteren, Harrison Ford, Helen Thomas, Karl Rove, Laura Bush, Lynne Cheney, Ozzy Osbourne, Rich Little, Stephen Colbert