Tina Tchen and Valerie Jarrett

Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to the President and  Tina Tchen, FLOTUS Chief of Staff and head of the White House Council on Women and Girls, penned an editorial in the Washington Post promoting the President’s jobs initiative and the importance of his new partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF).  It detailed initiatives that will help bring a work-life balance to the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields that often see women drop out due to family responsibilities.  They say, “for many women who dream of becoming scientists and researchers, these kinds of simple, common-sense changes will make a world of difference. And our entire economy can benefit, because if more women have the chance to pursue STEM careers, it will lead to more innovation, entrepreneurship and growth.”

Read their entire editorial here.

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.

Guest mixologist Rachel Maddow serves David and Susan Axelrod

WHCInsider has the exclusive news: Party powerhouse MSNBC, coming off an already legendary 2009 Radio and TV Dinner after party, is taking on the Bloomberg | Vanity Fair juggernaut in 2010 for the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday, May 1.

The White House Correspondents weekend is a time for the networks and their print counterparts to entertain their clients, show celebrity muscle, and bring Washington elites together. There is no more competitive time slot that weekend than the Saturday after party sweepstakes, dominated for years by Bloomberg.

Jason Binn’s Capitol File magazine began their own after party in 2008 to much success. With a breathtaking cover featuring new D.C. residents—Obama’s Valerie Jarrett and Desiree Rogers—Binn gathered top politicos in 2009, after hitting the dance floor in 2008.

MSNBC, which has enjoyed much ratings success and made itself a primary player in the Washington political media culture, will give everyone a run for their money this year.

MSNBC’s party will be created by top event producer, Philip Dufour, mastermind of the Radio and Television after party. If you are one of the lucky few to receive an invitation, we’ll see you at the Mellon auditorium.

MSNBC President Phil Griffin and MSNBC Star Ed Schultz

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:

The MSNBC-thrown after-party, attended by Obama advisers David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, among others, had a different vibe than Fox’s fondly remembered 2004 disco affair: more cocktails and comfort-food. Contessa Brewer’s black dress, with its open back, was one of the more daring of the evening and drew admirers; her lengthy conversation with NBC News president Steve Capus had some guessing. The special drinks that Rachel Maddow was mixing up behind the bar — including her “signature cocktail” the Hearst (gin, sweet vermouth and bitters) — must have been potent: The last of the NBC junior staffers trickled out after 3 a.m.

Obama as Comedian-in-Chief

As for the dinner itself, the reviews are in: President Obama was pretty funny. Then again, it’s hard to know — it could be just another manifestation of that whole being-in-bed-with-the-press phenomenon that he poked fun at in his remarks last night. “Why bother hanging out with celebrities when I can spend time with people who make me one?” Obama said, comparing the RTCA event to the Hollywood celeb-studded White House Correspondents Association dinner in May.

Unlike the WHCD, there was no one line that everyone grabbed on to, but the papers, Twitterers and bloggers found plenty to like, although they appear to be tiring of his frequent jokes about chief of staff Rahm Emanuel’s colorful vocabulary. (Last night’s: “In Egypt, we had the opportunity to tour the pyramids. And by now, I’m sure you’ve all seen the pictures of Rahm on that camel. I admit, I was a little nervous about the whole situation. I said at the time, ‘This is a wild animal known to bite, kick and spit. And who knows what the camel could do.’ “)

He got pick up for his one about health-care reform, in which he noted that he had gained the American Medical Association’s support and then added: “It proves true the old expression that it’s easier to catch flies with honey. And if honey doesn’t work, feel free to use an open palm and a swift, downward wrist motion,” a reference to his fly-killing skills exhibited in a recent CNBC interview.

And they even repeated his joke at their expense:  ”But you probably wouldn’t understand the concept of troubled industries, working as you do in radio and television,” with the audience groans inspiring him to add: “What, I can’t joke about that?”

Ousted Miss California Carrie Prejean, a guest of Fox News, appeared to be the biggest celebrity in the Hollywood mold, along with Tate Donovan (“Damages,” “The O.C.”) But with no red carpet, it was hard for some to tell as they scanned the crowd.  Many attendees had a jury’s-still-out reaction to the move to the Convention Center, although the extra bathrooms and better Internet access, compared to the Hilton, were plusses for some.

Obama addresses RTCA dinner

The paucity of non-D.C. boldface names and the dinner’s first appearance on a Friday night made for less frenzy and a more laid-back clubby affair. “PC” guy John Hodgman from the Mac ads got mostly raves from the Twitterati (with a few dissenters) for getting Obama to flash the “live long and prosper” Vulcan salute, in his why-Obama-is-the-”first nerd President of the modern era” speech that marked a decided detour from traditional comedian topical humor fare.

Maddow to Bartend at MSNBC After-Party

Fox News set the bar for RTCA after-parties with its disco extravaganza in 2004, and this year, MSNBC will try to top it with Rachel Maddow, who will be mixing cocktails behind the bar. If that’s not enough, there will also be a chocolate fountain.

More than 400 guests are expected to cross the street from the Convention Center when the dinner ends to an MSNBC logo-swathed Washington Historical Society, at 801 K Street.

Maddow won’t be at the dinner; she’ll head to the party after doing her show; her “special cocktail” is being kept a tightly guarded secret. But an insider reveals the rest of the menu will include mini-milkshakes, ice cream bar, the chocolate fountain and breakfast, for those who stay to the bitter end. And a Starbucks Coffee Bar, in honor of the new “Morning Joe” sponsor. There won’t be a band, just a DJ.

MSNBC muscled in on the party after Fox News backed out. MSNBC was initially told Fox had locked up the Historical Society, the only party venue around in that part of town, and ”It was this space or nothing,” said an insider. No official word on why Fox may have changed its mind but someone in the know said it was due to the ever-changing dinner date, from April 2 to June 4 to June 19, a Friday-and Father’s Day weekend, no less. (Many on-air talent types at all the networks are begging off this year because of the timing.)

NBC is going all-out with dinner tables, too, purchasing 13, which will seat administration guests including Attorney General Eric Holder; David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, senior advisers to President Obama; White House economic adviser Larry Summers; Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. Congressional guests include Sen. Susan Collins, R.-Maine, and Rep. David Obey, D.-Wisc.

NBC’s lengthy list of on-air talent attending includes: Chris Matthews, Pete Williams, Andrea Mitchell, Chuck Todd, Tom Costello, Savannah Guthrie, Jim Miklaszewski, Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, John Harwood, David Schuster, Carlos Watson, Tamron Hall, Contessa Brewer, Monica Novotny, Alex Witt, Ed Schultz, Norah O’Donnell, Dylan Ratigan, Willie Geist, Kelly O’Donnell and Luke Russert, as well as a number of commentators and analysts (Lawrence O’Donnell, Ana Marie Cox, Michelle Bernard, Eugene Robinson and Richard Wolffe.)

Execs include NBC News President Steve Capus, MSNBC President Phil Griffin, SVP and Washington bureau chief Mark Whitaker, and Betsy Fischer, the longtime exec producer of “Meet the Press.”

“This is our year, this is our time. We’re the place for politics and we really wanted to make a big splash in D.C. at this dinner,” said spokesman Jeremy Gaines.

Obama Walks to Oval Office -- courtesy Antoine Sanfuentes

Mark Lukasiewicz (a.k.a. “Luk”) is one of the biggest names in TV news, yet he operates behind the cameras and lights — and notoriety — as a Vice President of NBC News.

He has been leading NBC News’ digital efforts and on the side (ahem) over the years he has created and produced some of NBC News biggest events, the most recent: NBC’s “Inside the Obama White House, Brian Williams Reports.” With amazing access and resources, he and his team shot 150 hours of tape and created two primetime network hours, which also appeared on NBC’s cable channel MSNBC.

WHCInsider talked to Luk about the two-night special report, both of which captured a “top 10″ TV ranking for that week. about how the NBC the program came together.

Linda Rozett: Did you plan what everybody would be shooting beforehand, or did you just show up with lots of people and start shooting … and sort it out in the edit room?

Mark Lukasiewicz: The White House puts out a public schedule each day, so we certainly knew in advance some of what would be on President Obama’s schedule.  But in terms of exactly how it would unfold, there’s no way to know that.  You just roll with it. In the end, the broadcast included an entire chapter on how the White House managed the Sonia Sotomayor story — and that episode completely unfolded before our eyes. No one could have predicted it.

Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest and NBC News VP Mark Lukasiewicz on the South Lawn of the White House, consider camera locations for "Inside the Obama White House: Brian Williams Reports" – courtesy Subrata De

In the process we followed, every producer submitted an outline of their best material, what they saw what was noteworthy, what unfolded. Each submitted the outline by midnight on Friday, a few hours after they left the White House.

Before leaving the White House Brian, Subrata De and I were also able to compare notes — and overnight I put together a 12-act outline of the two hours incorporating all the best material from the producers, and laying it out and structuring it into a rough narrative.

By noon Saturday everyone was back in New York and the entire team went to work on that 11-page outline, in a two-hour meeting.  We moved some things around, added some things, took some others out.  And at the end of that meeting, a producer/editor team was assigned to begin producing each act.

Sunday was another full day in a “war room” on the 5^th floor of 30 Rock, where Brian worked with each producer/editor team and scripted each act in sequence.  Brian recorded his scripts for those acts Sunday evening.  By Monday morning, we were screening a largely completed version of the two-hour special.  It was an incredible process.

In addition to the NBC Special, didn’t you have time on MSNBC?

On NBC, we had one hour on Tuesday, June 2, and one hour Wednesday, June 3.  We combined those into a single, two-hour program on Friday, which also ran on MSNBC on the weekend.  And very soon, it will be a DVD.

And had our own website for the broadcast: www.whitehouse.msnbc.com.  Pieces of video that we let run longer and stuff that didn’t make the broadcast, we put that on the website. We also had web-exclusive elements — our web producers were involved from day one; and msnbc.com had its own editorial team with us at the White House.  They had access to everything.  The website also has the full two-hour video, as well as all the previous “Inside the White House” broadcasts going back several years

With that much material, you must have had some good stuff that got left on the cutting room floor … what were your favorites that just didn’t quite make the cut?

There is. We had 150 hours of material. One thing we couldn’t get into the Monday, Tuesday broadcasts, but got in on Friday was a section about White House photographer Pete Souza. The producer who shot that material made the case for a great segment; a lovely and fascinating little glimpse of how the White House photographer works, how he works with the President. The segment told the story behind a particular photo, hanging in the West Wing, of a young boy in the Oval Office. The picture shows a 4-year old standing in front of the President’s desk and Obama is leaving over so the young boy can touch his hair. Souza told us the little boy had recently had his hair cut and wondered if their heads felt the same. In the photo, Obama is leaning over so the boy can feel his head.

How would you describe Obama’s comfort level with cameras following him that closely for an extended period?

I can’t speak for the President on this, but it appeared that he was very comfortable. We certainly had extraordinary access to him all day long in different settings: casual interactions with immediate staff members, casual interactions with the First Lady, walking from place to place, backstage, meetings in the Oval Office, in the Roosevelt Room, in the limousine, getting off the elevator in the morning and getting on the elevator in the evening. He seemed very comfortable.

Any surprises during shooting?

Preparing NBC Nightly News June 2, 2009 in the East Room -- the first ever evening newscast to originate from the East Room. Left to Right: Subrata De, Megan Marcus, Brian Williams, Dan Linden – courtesy Antoine Sanfuentes

The rain was an unfortunate surprise. I mentioned earlier how we really used every part of the NBC organization — well one relatively new part of NBC is the Weather Channel and we even relied on them!  When it became clear that weather was going to be a concern, we got hourly, White House specific weather forecasts to help us figure out whether we were going to be able to be outside at specific points.  An excursion to the vegetable garden with First Lady Michelle Obama got rained out.

Another interesting surprise was this:  on Friday the 29th, when we interviewed the President, Brian Williams asked him about his basketball/worklife balance. And President Obama described a plan to paint lines for a basketball court on top of the tennis courts. So the following Tuesday, on our day of air, I sent a crew to get pictures of the tennis court.  And just as they arrived, a work crew was beginning to paint the basketball lines.

Any unexpected stars?

I don’t think so. We knew who would be prominent. It’s not terribly difficult to figure out who the key players are in the White House. But what was fascinating was to see them in their work environment, sleeves rolled up, jackets off.  The degree to which some of the people opened up about their families and the impact of their jobs, for example,  as surprising; David Axelrod describing the separation from his daughter in Chicago and Rahm Emanuel from his family in Chicago. That was a little surprising and a real insight I thought. As Brian pointed out in the script, people burn out of these jobs, it’s very intense.

You produced “Inside the White House” during President Bush’s administration in 2002. Did you notice any differences between the two administrations?

In terms of our planning, from an outside observers’ view, the President’s day in the George W. Bush administration seemed to be more regimented and more planned down to moment than Obama’s day. I say this in full awareness that each administration, when they allow us to come in, they know that we’re going to be there, and they make sure the President’s schedule is reflective of what they want to reflect.  But of course they can’t control everything, like the weather or the news cycle, like the Sotomayor story.

It seemed to me we saw a President here that spends more of his day than his predecessor in unscheduled ways. Like walking down the hall to find someone when there’s something he wants to talk about.   In the Bush administration we saw the President’s staff ushering people in and out of the Oval Office while the President was inside.   In the Obama administration, more often we saw the President himself come out to see who was waiting for him and deciding who was next up.

The time rhythm of this White House is also very different from the Bush White House. Bush was a notoriously early riser and also early to bed. Obama is very clear that he’s more of a night owl. His day starts a little later, and he reserves a significant chunk of work for late in the evening. He described his office on the second floor, where he does a lot of his thinking and his reading.

We pointed out in the broadcast, and it was noticeable, the Oval Office looks a little sparse. Presidents have tended to change the Oval Office to reflect their interests, tchotchkies, art work, carpets, and even which desk they choose.  President Obama uses the Oval Office for official business, for meetings. When he’s working on his own, he tends to work in the private study off the Oval office or upstairs. Not a lot of tchotchkies on the desk in the Oval Office.

Take a virtual tour of the White House and check out the panoramic photo of the Oval Office.

Are you pleased with the way it turned out? Any disappointments?

Yes, very pleased. It was great to work with such a team — and to have Brian Williams taking the ball and running with it.  Brian was a White House correspondent, and he’s as well-read as anyone I know on Presidential and White House history.   There wasn’t an office he was in or a corner he turned that didn’t have some great history attached to it, and he had it in his head.  I was also pleased because it’s the first time we’ve done one of these programs in high definition; every frame was HD. I can’t swear to this, but it was probably the most extensive filming ever done in the White House in HD. As a producer, it’s fun to work with material that had that kind of quality. Extraordinary access to the President himself — behind the podium, talking to Brian about the issues of the day, about his life in the White House and his family — and I think we got to see different sides of a lot of people around him and a real glimpse of how he works, how he solicits advice. Very revealing.

Was Brian Williams with the President all day?  How did that work?

Brian Williams, Subrata De, Mark Lukasiewicz after Brian’s interview with President Obama – courtesy Antoine Sanfuentes

Brian and his senior producer, Subrata De, were on the move from very early in the morning until the President went upstairs to end his day.   Much of that time was spent with the President — including a formal sit-down interview in the Blue Room and a trip to “Five Guys” in the President’s limousine, as well as numerous walks back and forth from place to place. But Brian also spent a lot of time in the “Outer Oval,” where top administration officials and Cabinet members congregate when they’re waiting to go in to see the President.  And he also had a slew of interviews to do, not just the President, but the First Lady, as well as all the key officials — Biden, Emanuel, Axelrod, Jarrett, Gibbs, General Jones — and some of the young staff members who are also key players:  Reggie Love and “KJ,” the President’s secretary.

Any feedback from the White House?

The White House is fairly mum, but I think they were thought we were fair and representative.  I worked very closely with Robert Gibb’s staff on the logistics of this program and I think they did a great job.  On the day we were at the White House, there were dozens of small and large problems they had to help us solve and I think we ran some of them off their feet.  If I had to guess, I’m not sure they loved the section of the program that dealt with the Sotomayor controversy — after all, it started with a couple of the press staff telling Gibbs it wouldn’t be a big story that day, and it was — but they had a good sense of humor about it.  I don’t think they regret having invited us in to do the program.

Tomorrow, we’ll share Luk’s stories from behind the scenes, as the cameras rolled.

ABC News will have its share of political and entertainment stars at its tables:

David Axelrod, White House senior advisor, and his wife Susan Axelrod
Rahm Emanuel, White House Chief of Staff
Peter Orszag, Director, Office of Management and Budget
Valerie Jarrett, senior presidential advisor
Jackie Norris, First Lady’s Chief of Staff
Leon Panetta, CIA Director
Susan Rice, UN Ambassador
Justice Antonin Scalia
Meghan McCain
Jon and Dorothea Bon Jovi
Kate Walsh
Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel