An intimate group of media friends and pr colleagues raised their glasses to Kelley McCormick in celebration of her new role as partner and chief operating officer at Gibraltar Associates. Tammy Haddad and Betsy Fischer co-hosted the summer luncheon at the Jefferson Hotel.
Eric Bovim, GA’s CEO and co-founder, said McCormick’s tenacity and spirit were the perfect fit for taking the GA team to the next level. McCormick, who comes to GA from Qorvis Communications, welcomed everyone in the room by saying they represented the different aspects of her life thus far. Guests included: Mike Allen, Adam Sharp, Kimball Stroud, Tracy Sefl, Michael Clements, Emily Lenzner, Kate Bennett, ThinkFoodGroup’s Ann McCarthy, Karen Sommer-Shalett, Janet Donovan, Nikki Schwab, Susannah Shakow, Kiki Ryan, Matt Dornic, Holly Page, Marc Adelman, Maura Corbett, Amy Argetsinger, Halle Mayes, Tiffany Cross, Gretel Truong, David MacKay, Sarah Schaffer, Sophie Gilbert, Alicia Jennings, Ha Chan, Christina Wilkie, Elizabeth Thorp, Jennifer Nycz-Conner, Kate Ocyzypok, and Revamp.com’s Daniel Swartz.
Katie Couric at CURE Annual Chicago Benefit April 16, 2010
With her contract expiring at the end of May, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric has a big decision to make. But as David Bauder from the Associated Press reports, “her next choice is likely to be fraught with more risk, and may not truly be hers.”
Folks have been speculating for some time whether Couric would remain behind the anchor desk. But talk heated up last week when “60 Minutes” head Jeff Fager was named CBS News chairman with Bloomberg’sDavid Rhodes at his side. Deciding whether Couric remains after her current contract expires at the end of May will likely be their first point of business.
Couric, the first solo female anchor of a network evening newscast and veteran “Today” co-host does have options. Bauder writes: “Couric has discussed the syndicated talk show market with her good friend and former colleague, ex-NBC Universal chairman Jeff Zucker. A shorter-term extension with CBS to stay put, at least through the 2012 election, is possible, as is a move to cable where other big TV personalities have found homes, such as Oprah Winfrey, Conan O’Brien and Martha Stewart. Of course, the Web is yet another alternative for Couric in today’s marketplace.”
Bauder quotes WHC Insider‘s own Tammy Haddad:
“She’s got to find a place where her interview skills are used,” said Haddad, a veteran TV producer who worked with Couric in the 1990s. “She has that rare ability to make something happen every time she interviews somebody and every time she’s on-screen.”
Couric’s former “Today” partner, Bryant Gumbel, created his own niche with his well-respected “Real Sports” show on HBO, Haddad noted.
WHC Insider’sTammy Haddad sat down with Ron Reagan to discuss his new memoir “MY FATHER AT 100.” The youngest son of President Ronald and Nancy Reagan wrote the book to commemorate what would have been his father’s 100th birthday on February 6, 2011.
Reagan candidly offers new insights on his parents’ relationship and the Reagan family dynamic; he also sets the record straight on what he actually wrote about his father and glimmers that he was not always “completely 100 percent” while in the White House.
Never one to shy away from political opinion, Reagan responds to comparisons between his father andPresident Obama. And as for those rumors about Joe Scarborough, Reagan’s former co-host on an MSNBC after-hours show, making a possible run for president or vice-president in 2012? Reagan says, “He’d be the only Republican candidate not on FOX.”
As for Keith Olbermann’s recent departure from MSNBC, Reagan said “Keith was a remarkable figure there. In many ways I think he made that network what it is today.”
You can read more and watch the two-part interview on POLITICO and for more information on the book go to www.ronreagan100.com.
Don’t listen to the critics. If Larry King had given a thought to the naysayers back in 1985, he would have returned to radio after the first week. When we launched the show 25 years ago, no one liked the idea of an hour-long interview program.
Ted Turner figured out the advantage of television for long-form interviews. I remember the night Ted was our guest on the Larry King Radio Show, broadcast from the bowels of Mutual Radio headquarters in Crystal City, Virginia.
It was such a thrill to finally score the bigger-than-life media mogul and winner of America’s Cup. At the time, Larry King was an established radio host, but Turner saw the primetime potential.
The producers’ biggest fear switching to TV? How to go from three-hour interviews (one hour interview, two hours questions from listeners) to just one. Imagine that concept now? Good interviews don’t happen by accident, but are a complicated dance between interviewer and subject. The best interviews are ones where the audience doesn’t see the individual dance steps, but a sweeping verbal theater. You are the lead, the director and choreographer. You get people talking from their head and their heart.
People don’t just want to hear what their favorite stars have to say; they want to watch them squirm, fidget, freeze… and yes, sometimes cry. In your first week, you have shown your star guests to be real and relatable, abrupt and self satisfied, and sometimes fragile. I learned something about each one.
Ignore the critics who are stuck on the fact that you’re taping the interviews. The additional research, the ability to pluck out the most interesting bits, to weave together the complete package, is invaluable. You’re right to put your viewer’s interests first.
And for those that think the interviews should be shorter: Ross Perot didn’t announce he was running for president on Larry King Live until about 35 minutes into the show — and he changed an election.
Piers, thanks for crossing “the pond” to get some really big stars and headline newsmakers back on TV with all their foibles and follies. We are watching, tweeting and laughing along with you and the critics.
Tammy Haddad is President of Haddad Media and was one of the creators and executive producer of Larry King Live, and MSNBC’s former Washington VP.
Gordon Brown, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and wife Sarah, were in Washington this weekend to launch his U.S. book tour. The Browns were greeted by top politicos, global financial leaders and media types at a stately affair held at the Jefferson Hotel. The party was co-hosted by long-time friends Connie Milstein, owner of the Jefferson Hotel and her husband, J.C. de La Haye St. Hilaire, and Ted Greenberg & Tammy Haddad.
Brown charmed the A-plus crowd, including the Obama Administration’s David and Susan Axelrod, Austan and Robin Goolsbee, Ambassador Elizabeth Bagley, Bill Burton andLaura Burton Capps, Stephanie Cutter, Bruce Reed, Eric Lesser and Katie McCormick Lelyveld, as he had a little fun describing his post PM life as well as giving his assessment of the global economy.
Here are Brown’s comments as reported by Politics Daily on AOL –
“In brief remarks, Brown — among the first world leaders to rescue troubled banks at home in 2008 — warned that “for the time in 200 years, America and Europe are being out-produced, out-invested, out-traded and out-exported” by other nations, and that the solution to the global crisis was to tap into a billion middle class consumers in Asia who in 10 years will have twice the buying power as Americans.”
Brown repeated that same message on ABC News “This Week with Christiane Amanpour” saying that while Asia and China had to consume more, “Europe’s got to reform its markets. America is prepared to invest in the future, while doing its fiscal consolidation. And that would mean, in my view, that you would have this exit strategy from a crisis based on high growth and high employment and not low growth and what I fear is high unemployment for a decade.”
The former prime minister — who earlier in his career spent a decade as finance minister — warned that the immediate danger “is that people cut back in education, which is vital for the future, that people cut back on their international contacts, because they think the solutions lie in national answers to their problems, when they lie in global cooperation. And I think the danger is, you have a ’30s-style protectionism where people relapse into currency wars, as we’re seeing, or trade wars or banning takeovers that have got cross-border ramifications, or simply a protectionism in of the mind, where anti-immigrant sentiment gets to the point that we’re not really talking to each other in a way that means that we have a coordinated world.”
A crowd formed around media celebrities including new CNN host Piers Morgan and his wife Celia Walden, Arianna Huffington and Glee’s Matthew Morrison.
Notables in the crowd: Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Managing Director of World Bank; Ambassador Capricia Marshall; Alan Greenspan and Andrea Mitchell; Terry McAuliffe; Rima al Sabah, Bob Barnett and Rita Braver; Bruce and Bonnie Reed; Robert and Ellen Bennett; Hilary Rosen and Kate Harold; Sam and Danielle Feist; Dan and Rhoda Glickman; Shelby Coffey; Anita McBride; Sally Quinn; NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, and the BBC’s Rome and Amy Hartman.
“Beyond the Crash” is published by Free Press/Simon & Schuster.
Watch the Gordon Brown US Book Premiere Party hosted at historic Jefferson Hotel
Gordon Brown, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, is celebrating the publication of his new book, “Beyond the Crash: Overcoming the First Crisis of Globalization” at an exclusive party this evening in D.C., with remarks expected by Gordon Brown, as well as co-hosts Tammy Haddad & Ted Greenberg and Connie Milstein & J.C. de La Haye St. Hilaire.
WHC Insiders can watch the event starting at 5:30pm and see Gordon Brown’s remarks here on WHC Insider at approximately 6:00pm.
Update: If you missed the LIVE feed check out the video below:
Hundreds gathered at the Newseum Wednesday evening to recognize the scientific work of CURE Epilepsy, raise awareness, and to honor 2010 Friend of CURE Awardee, longtime television producer and WHCInsider’s own Tammy Haddad.
Susan Axelrod, Chair and founding member of Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy, was on hand to mark the special occasion. Axelrod and Connie Milstein, CURE supporter and noted philanthropist, co-hosted the event.
Connie Milstein, a CURE board member, announced the Axelrod Milstein Challenge Grant. It is a $500,000 two-year program. CURE Challenge Grants are CURE’s most prestigious, and fuel the much needed research to find the key to the cure of this dreaded disease.
“Susan works tirelessly to find a cure for epilepsy and seizure disorders. Like many families across the world, the Axelrods live with this disease every day, but their work, their strength, and their optimism give hope to so many, as they fight and live for a cure,” said Milstein.
Susan Axelrod described the lack of progress and the difficult research road ahead: “With so many troops returning from war with traumatic brain injuries and epilepsy, the need is more urgent now.”
Axelrod, along with her husband David, was desperate to find answers when their own daughter Lauren was diagnosed with uncontrollable epilepsy at 7 months old. Twelve years ago, CURE was founded by Axelrod and two other mothers around a kitchen table. Many members of the CURE family were on hand last night and gathered on stage for a group photo and greeted with a round of applause.
The room was a living tribute to CURE and Ms. Haddad, as devoted friends from both sides of the aisle raised a glass to what many have called a “force.” Haddad used her annual White House Correspondents Weekend Brunch to raise awareness for CURE after seeing Susan and Lauren Axelrod on the cover of PARADE magazine, and later on NBC’s The Today Show.
“I chased her down for weeks to get her to host the Correspondents Brunch because I wanted to help. Here was a chance to use a HUGE platform for an important message,” said Haddad. “What did she tell us? No parent, no child, no family — no person should have to suffer and experience the pain of epilepsy. That is her goal…and since she is unstoppable we know she will reach that goal.”
Cabinet appearances by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Dr. Howard Koh, NIH’s Story Landis and Dr. Tony Fauci.
The audience roared as a video roast of Haddad began with David Gregory anchoring a “Meet The Press” open lamenting the lack of agreement on anything in Washington except in friendship and respect for Haddad. Also in the video: ABC’s Jake Tapper from the White House, Greta Van Susteren and John Coale. Jon Meacham roasted the longtime network and cable news producer by reminding the audience that Christopher Buckley put her in his novel “Thank You for Smoking.” Haddad’s former MSNBC’s colleagues, the “Morning Joe” team – Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, Willie Geist, Mark Halperin and Harold Ford taking turns trying to figure out what award Haddad hadn’t won yet while praising her work for CURE.
The surprise ending was a song written and performed for Haddad by Glee superstars Matthew Morrison and Jane Lynch.
Among those there to help celebrate: Rima al Sabah, the Kuwaiti Ambassador’s wife; British Ambassador to the US Nigel and Julia Sheinwald; AFT President Randi Weingarten; Tom Oliphant, Mary Louise Oates and Robert Shrum.
Politicos aplenty including Bloomberg’s Kevin Sheekey, Joel and Lisa Benenson, Jim Margolis, Susan Sher, Stephanie Cutter, Julianna Smoot, Dan Pfieffer, Eric Lesser and Jen Psaki.
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard fresh from a Supreme Court appearance, along with crowd favorite Terry McAuliffe; Tony and Heather Podesta; Podesta Group CEO Kimberly Fritts and hubby, Marion Turner; Holly Page; Bruce Reed and Bonnie LePard.
Media biggies included Wolf Blitzer, Howard Fineman and Amy Nathan, Lynn Sweet, Betsy Fischer (producer of the surprise video), Andrea Mitchell, Gloria Borger, Roger Simon, Annie Groer and Hilary Rosen.
Both republican and democratic political operatives included Bob Stevenson, Jane Oates, Dan Meyers, Erica Elliot, Rich Galen and Tom Synhorst.
Designed by Jacquie Bloom, the Newseum’s Knight Center was aglow in CURE red. Guests enjoyed the pomegranate martini ice luge and the ice cream sundae bar.
CURE is in the middle of their Every Dollar Counts Every seizure Matters campaign. To donate CLICK on CUREEpilepsy.org.
For the second time in a week, author Graham Moore graciously thanked his supportive mother, Susan Sher – soon departing the East Wing as the First Lady’s Chief of Staff – while celebrating the publication of his first novel “The Sherlockian,” a new take on the characters of Sherlock Holmes.
Moore was surrounded by friends during the relaxed evening at the home of Hilary Rosen. The party was thrown by his “other mother” Valerie Jarrett who in true mother form told the crowd how Moore had a wild streak growing up. The other “mother” co-hosts were Anita McBride, Tammy Haddad, Rhoda Glickman, Anne Fleming and Anita Dunn.
There to wish the young novelist well and have a few books signed were US Ambassador to Israel Michael Oren and wife Sally, Tom Oliphant, Wolf Blitzer, Sally Quinn, Winston Lord, Lynne Wasserman, John Coale, Mark Leibovich, Jodi Kantor and Mark Ein. Most of the East Wing staff took photos with proud mama and son.
W:WIE hosts Donna Karan, Sarah Brown, and Arianna Huffington
WHC Insider exclusive coverage of the Arianna Huffington book party to celebrate her new book Third World America: How Our Politicians Are Abandoning The Middle Class and Betraying The American Dream, co-presented by Greta Van Susteren and John Coale; Anita Dunn, Sally Susman, Alex Slater, Franco Nuschese, Ted Greenberg and Tammy Haddad. MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan will MC the program, which will include special guest Seth Reams, founder of WeveGotTimeToHelp.org.
Don’t wait for the C-SPAN book party coverage when you can watch it live with us tonight starting at 6:30 pm.
Tammy Haddad interviewed at the 2010 White House Correspondents Garden Brunch.
Confused as to why everyone around the Beltway aren’t complaining about why it’s almost 100 degrees? Because they’re going over Politico’s 50 Politicos To Watch.
As Bill Nichols explains, “we bring you a snapshot of the politicians, bureaucrats, administration officials, campaign gurus, military brass, fixers and party hounds you need to keep an eye on in the weeks and months ahead.” Among other influential D.C. staples are the restaurants and bars that run the town’s after-hour salons.
Of course, in a point of full disclosure: White House Correspondents Insider’s own co-founder and editor-in-chief Tammy Haddad is one of Politico’s Scenemakers to Watch.
Larry King announced on Tuesday that he will step away from his CNN chair in the fall after a remarkable 25 years on the air, earning the Guinness Book of World Records title for the longest running show with the same host in the same time slot on the same network.
“It’s time to hang up the nightly suspenders,” he told viewers, confirming what his Twitter followers learned just before showtime. As the host of the first-ever worldwide phone-in TV talk show, the breaking news reached the realm of new media as “Larry King” quickly became a trend in the social web.
While King, 76, will no longer be hosting his nightly program Larry King Live, he has signed a contract with CNN to do specials for the cable network. King hopes the new schedule will allow “more time for my wife and I to get to the kids’ Little League games.”
There will be plenty of time to head down memory lane; it’s estimated King has done about 50,000 interviews. Tammy Haddad, Larry King Live Executive Producer from 1985-1993, told NBC’s Today Show that King’s secret to success was that “people would get so comforable with him they would say things they didn’t plan on saying…he engaged them at such a level.”
The months ahead are also sure to be full of speculation over who will fill King’s seat. Rumors hint at British talk show host Piers Morgan, but King disclosed on Tuesday’s broadcast that American Idol host Ryan Seacrest would be his choice.
Leaders from 140 countries will gather in Washington, D.C., for the next three days to discuss one of the most important Millennium Development Goals: maternal health and empowering women. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to address 3,500 participants by video today and Melinda Gates, wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, will announce major funding for new initiatives.
Actress and advocate Ashley Judd will speak today along with former president of Chile Michelle Bachelet and former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson.
Christy Turlington Burns will screen her new documentary, No Woman, No Cry later this evening which will be followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Suellen Miller, Nan Strauss, Lisa Russell, and Mary Olive Smith, moderated by Tammy Haddad.
Watch the live stream above and check out other upcoming speakers and events here.
ABC News’ Jake Tapper has plenty to smile about at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.
Aside from snagging the “it” political guest – Scott Brown, the new Senator from Massachusetts – Tapper will be going home with the Merriman Smith Award for presidential coverage under deadline pressure in the broadcast category.
Tapper spoke with WHC Insider’s Tammy Haddad at the White House about his penchant for Twitter, and keeping his prestigious journalism award out of the reach of his two young children.
WHC Insider’s Tammy Haddad sat down with ABC News’ David Chalian and Rick Klein on the ABCNews.com show “Top Line” to chat about the evolution of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner into an all-out weekend event – including the annual brunch she co-hosts on Saturday morning.
In a town where politicians and notable folks tend to avoid the press, it’s one of the few times when the invitation bearing, ticket holding, media is suddenly in demand:
“This is the only time they call us and beg…. This is the only time where everyone has to stand in line together.”
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