West Wing Reportage

In a tweet earlier today, Fox News’ Chief White House Correspondent Ed Henry critiqued White House visitors who ran into first lady Michelle Obama. And while we really hate to be all Amie Parnes here about it, “Mrs. Obama” can wear whatever the hell she wants even if it is the White House — but so can guests who visit the White House.

“I realize these folks didn’t realize Mrs. Obama would greet them, but seriously — you wear sweats and a T-shirt — this is the White House!” — FNC’s Ed Henry

Note to Readers: We wrongly interpreted FNC Ed Henry’s tweet a little while ago and have altered the item to reflect it.

 

 

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The White House Soup of the Day, as reported by MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown” is…

Tuscan Chicken.

“Yes, Deep Broth is back,” said host Chuck Todd. “Tuscan Chicken.” LOOONG PAUSE. “It’s kinda like Tuscon and I’ll just throw out this…it’s the 100th birthday of the state of Arizona  as a state, so maybe it’s the White House way. We’ll call it Tuscon Chicken.” And then Todd thought better of it and anticipated online soup detractors, saying, “Don’t tweet me! I know what Tuscan really means.”

The White House Soup of the Day, as reported by MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown” is…

Chicken Noodle.

“I’m guessing this is what their serving up in Boston today,” remarked host Chuck Todd. “Chicken Noodle. Soup that you sort of need…to recover.”

The White House Soup of the Day, as reported by MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown” is…

Tomato.

“It’s Monday and leftovers, apparently. It’s tomato,” said an obviously forlorn host Chuck Todd, who was fresh out of tomato soup jokes months ago.

TIPS FROM THE POOL…INTO THE DEEP END

Late last night, Isaias Alvarado, a metro reporter for La Opinion Newspaper out of LA, offered this colorful FLOTUS Pool Report in which he says the crowd was “entranced” by her even though she gave the same speech she had given the day before. He counts the number of times the audience applauded her. He notes the racial differences of each event and the stars who attended.

“The First Lady’s speech today was basically the same one she gave yesterday in Beverly Hills. She’s highlighting the President’s accomplishments and planting hope for what the President could do if he’s elected for four more years. But today, the public is entranced by her message, her presence. Her comments have been interrupted by applause and cheers more than 30 different times. Among the notable guests are Samuel L. Jackson, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Cookie Johnson, Melanie Griffith, Eva Longoria, Angela Bassett, Courtney B. Vance, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Niecy Nash and Los Angeles Mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa. Today, a good part of the audience is African-American, which is different from last night’s event in Beverly Hills, where most of the attendees were white.”

The White House Soup of the Day, as reported by MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown” is…

Coconut Sweet Potato.

“At least it’s got an interesting name, I don’t know why anyone would want to eat this,” cracked host Chuck Todd with slight disgust.

A recent White House Press Briefing with Spokesman Jay Carney reveals more information on the pseudonym mystery of Mediaite‘s White House Correspondent Tommy Christopher. The caper was the subject of a story published this morning by The Daily Caller, questioning just what is Christopher’s real name and why does he use a pen name?

On January 10, 2012, the following exchange transpired between Christopher and Carney. Fellow reporters observed Carney referring to Christopher as “Neal.” Christopher also revealed himself as the questioner in this story.

12:28 P.M. EST

MR. CARNEY:  Neal, last one.

Q    Thanks, Jay.  I have just two quick questions.  First one, Mitt Romney told supporters at an event that he knows what it’s like to worry about getting pink-slipped, and the comment is getting a lot of attention.  I’m wondering if the President had any reaction to that, and if he’s ever had to worry about — had that sort of anxiety himself?  Do you know of a time when that happened?

MR. CARNEY:  I would point you to his memoir.  I’m not — I haven’t had that discussion with him, and I have not discussed those remarks with the President.

Q    And to follow on Chris’s question.  Over the weekend, Sarah Palin tweeted out something similar, but the language that she used was very specific.  She said, “The President position on the definition of marriage is the same as Santorum’s, Gingrich’s and Romney’s.”

MR. CARNEY:  Again, I would just point you to the answer I just gave.

Q    Would that be a true statement?

MR. CARNEY:  I will just point you to what the President has said and his record –

Q    But the President — he said before that he believed that marriage was between one man and one woman, years ago.  And now he says his position is evolving.  Would it be fair to say that that definition no longer exclusively –

MR. CARNEY:  Again, I don’t have anything — I don’t have anything new to give you on this.  I appreciate the question, but the President has spoken to it.  I’m sure he’ll be asked again about it.  But as of now, I have no –nothing new for you on it.

Thank you all very much.

The White House Soup of the Day, as reported by MSNBC’s “The Daily Rundown” in Florida today, is…

Roasted Fall Vegetable.

“Apparently someone needs a calendar,” snarked host Chuck Todd. “It’s Roasted Fall Vegetable. In the winter.”

The White House Press Office deserves a dunce cap for the most absurd notice we’ve seen in two years. On Saturday they sent a note to Poolers at 8:16:29 a.m. that read as follows: Updated pool call time 8:15 a.m. Considering that the email was sent a minute after the call time,  Financial Time‘s political correspondent Anna Fifield understandably missed the call time.

Here’s how Fifield handled it:

Pool Report #1: The president and first lady are at Sasha‘s basketball game at the Jackie Lawton community center in Bethesda. This information is kindly supplied by Bree Tracey of Fox News. Your pooler is not there — the call time was abruptly brought forward and I didn’t make it to the White House in time. Apologies.

Pool Report #2: Just a note in response to questions about my first pool report: I got an
email from the WH press office at 8:16, saying “Updated pool call time 815
am”. Jamie Smith explains: “The president decided to attend his daughter’s
basketball game. The pool was assembled as soon as possible to be there.”

Pool Report #3: Correction to first report: the place where Sasha played basketball was
the Jane Lawton, not Jackie Lawton, community center.

The White House Soup of the Day, as reported by MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown, is…

Wild Rice Vegetable.

“It sounds interesting,” remarked host Chuck Todd. “Wild Rice Vegetable. At least it has a little sustenance. It’s one of those if you just had the bowl of soup…may need a lot of flavoring though. Pass the salt.” (Midway through this explanation Todd nearly lost it and started laughing a little somewhere between “soup” and “flavoring.” As if to say, where the hell am I going with this?)