NBC’s “The Chris Matthews Show”: 2

Guests: John Heilemann, New York magazine; Howard Fineman, HuffPost; Kelly O’Donnell, NBC News; and Trish Regan, Bloomberg.

CBS’s “Face the Nation” With Bob Schieffer: 2 

Newt Gingrich, Michelle Rhee, Hedrick Smith, author, Bob Woodward, WaPo, Mark Zandi, economist. (Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) will be one of the main guests appearing on the program.)

CNN’s Reliable Sources With Howie Kurtz: 2

Ana Marie Cox, The Guardian, Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, Gregg Doyel, CBS Sports, Darrell Hammond, and Chrystia Freeland, Reuters.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” With David Gregory: 1

Ralph Reed, Chuck Todd, Katty Kay, BBC, Richard Engle, and Fmr. Gov. Ed Rendell.

ABC’s “This Week” With George Stephanopoulos: 2

Haley Barbour, Howard Dean, Donna Brazile, ABC News Contributor, Matthew Dowd, ABC News Political Analyst, and Politico‘s Maggie Haberman.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

1. What did you think about the president going on The View? Are the ladies smart enough to interview Obama and what show should he do next?

What do I think of it? I’m not surprised. The President has spent most of his campaign wrapped in Nerf, talking mainly to friendly media fielding softball questions. Why not do The View? Especially when the alternative is to, you know, do his job. I’d rather a president meet with allies who are interested in stopping Iran from developing a nuclear bomb, but I’m old fashioned like that. Why bother with Bibi Netanyahu when Whoopi Goldberg is available? They’re both Jews after all, right?

2. Should a State Dept. spox be able to tell a reporter to “fuck off” and get away with it or not?

I don’t want to live in a country where anyone can’t tell anyone else to “Fuck off!” and get away with it. That said, “fuck off” is much worse than telling reporters to “Kiss my ass!” yet that was a story reported endlessly when a Romney spokesman did it. And I’d really hate to have a country where a shitty video is blamed for riots and murders it had nothing to with and the man who made it ends up in prison on bullshit charges of probation violation because President Obama needs a scapegoat to distract from his national security failures. Wait, I guess we have a country like that right now. Oh well, fuck off!

3. Who’s the best interviewer among these three and why: The Daily Beast and CNN’s Howie Kurtz, CNN’s Piers Morgan or Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart?

Dear lord, that’s like picking the guy you want to rape you in the prison shower – it’s going to be a horrible experience any way you look at it. I guess I’d pick Jon Stewart, but only because it would remind me of the old SNL skit “The Chris Farley Show” where he knowingly asks uninformed questions and just rambles. Howie and Piers ask uninformed/stupid questions but think they’re smart, at least Stewart admits he’s a joke.

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Cox wouldn’t respond to us about it, but surely Howie can get something out of her, right?

But maybe not. Kurtz has something of a pattern of not asking the hard, timely questions — such as in the case of former Politico reporter Joe Williams, who pleaded guilty to assaulting his ex-wife back in May and is on probation until November. Just after the news of the assault broke, Kurtz had him on his program and not surprisingly skipped all questions about it entirely.

We’ll be watching Howie! Can’t wait!

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

MRC, a conservative media watchdog org, celebrated its 25th anniversary and presented its tongue-in-cheek Dishonors awards at the National Building Museum.

Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham presented the first two awards, one of which was the “Obamagasm” award. The nominees were MSNBC’s Chris Matthews (“Isn’t it a surprise when you see him talking about Obama and he still has his clothes on?” Ingraham said.), ABC’s Diane Sawyer (“of the perpetually heavy breathing voice”) and CNN’s Piers Morgan (“Britain’s own alien life form”). Matthews won for declaring in July that President Obama is “the perfect father, the perfect husband, the perfect American.”

The second award — the “Vast Right-Wing Knuckle-Draggers” award went to MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts, for saying in September 2011 that the GOP wants to build “a time machine, to go back in time…” Ingraham described Roberts as “Thomas no-one’s-ever-heard-of-me Roberts.”

Media bashing was given a rest for the William F. Buckley award for Media Excellence. It was presented by conservative columnist Cal Thomas as a tribute to Andrew Breitbart. The audience gave a standing ovation at the conclusion of Thomas’ remarks.

Two more anti-media awards were given out: The “Damn Those Conservatives to Hell” award (to NBC’s Ann Curry, for her interview with Republican V.P. candidate Paul Ryan in April) and the “Barbara Streisand Political I.Q. Award for Celebrity Vapidity” (to actor Sean Penn, for saying on CNN in October 2011 that the tea party wants to “lynch” Obama).

Finally, MRC President Brent Bozell handed out one last award: “The Worst Reporter in the History of Man” award. This one was chosen by cheers from the audience. It was initially a tie between former CBS anchorman Dan Rather and ABC’s Katie Couric. After a second round of cheers, Couric was named the “winner.” An embarrassing photo of Couric dancing at a private party in 2006 was projected on banners hanging from the ceiling.

The banners were a fixture for awkward photos throughout the evening. To the right was the spaced-out image of RNC Committee Chairman Reince Priebus that displayed when he spoke on stage.

Notables: The Daily Caller‘s Neil Munro, The Heritage Foundation’s Lachlan Markay, Fox News contributor Steven Crowder, The Washington Examiner‘s Philip Klein and Charlie Spiering, Slates David Weigel, The National Review‘s Jonah Goldberg, The Weekly Standard‘s Stephen Hayes, GOP mega donor Foster Friess, WMAL’s Chris Plante and CRC publicists Ashley Morris and Kelley Hudak.

Quotable: “I better put this down.”– An MRC goer who was spotted drinking directly from a champagne bottle. She put the bottle down when she saw us attempting to snap a photo.

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This just in from CQ Roll Call‘s Susan Benkelman:

 ”In light of Scott’s departure, I’ve asked Randy Wynn to sit in the Roll Call editor’s chair on an interim basis. The Roll Call editor job has been posted, and candidates will be interviewed in the next couple weeks. We’ll close the posting on Oct. 5, and we want to have the editor in place well in advance of the launch of the redesigned paper on Nov. 13.”

Scott Montgomery recently resigned to go to work for NPR. Wynn is presently Deputy Executive Editor for News, CQ Roll Call.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

This is a baby name book. But, not just any baby name book. It goes beyond the traditional names like Hunter, Morgan and Tucker to bring us a world of alternative and bizarre names that will make the children’s grandparents recoil in horror. The book calls itself  the “ultimate guide for next-gen parents looking to find that distinctive name for their future indie rock star/ Def Jam poet/ abstract artist.” In other words, if you are a parent that worries more about picking a cool name than, you know, raising a healthy child, this book is PERFECT for you.

So, what kind of names are we talking about? Here are some of the actual chapters pulled from the pitch and our reaction:
•       “Names That Fit Into Skinny Jeans (Pimm, Vette, Sloane) No matter how styles shift over the years, a name that can pull off skinny pants will always be in vogue.”

They should call this chapter “Instant Regret.” No, skinny pants won’t always be “in vogue” and if you name your kid Pimm, you should go to jail. Forever. The thing about skinny jeans and hipster hats is that they are a trend. In other words, by the time your kid is old enough to walk, he’s the punchline of a joke.

•       “Names You Can Drink at the Bar (Jameson, Hennessy, Stella) This little adventure probably started out with some cans of PBR, and you remember someone ordering a round of Jameson , but then it gets a bit fuzzy, though you swear there was a condom present at some point.”

Because nothing says “I love my child” quite like hand delivering them a drinking problem before they are even born. Just ask my son, Creme de Cassis Ogburn.

You’ll want to read the end of this disastrous pitch…

continued…

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After a three-week hiatus, The restaurant’s bar reopened last night and members of the media were invited to see its new look and try the new happy hour specials. Two of the new menu items, the Capitol Dog and the Crab Cake BLT, are heavy on the bacon.

Along with new food and beers on the menu, the bar was gutted and revamped with new seats, TVs and light fixtures. Here’s how the night went:

We met Carl…

Sitting with the rest of the media who attended was Carl Pierre. He writes for InTheCapital.com, a startup about startups and the social scene in D.C. “You forget how much you actually use your phone until you don’t have one,” Pierre said unprompted as he watched another guest type on her phone. It turns out Pierre was without a phone last night because he had recently been robbed at H Street Country Club in NE, D.C. He had placed his wallet/phone holder on a table. Inside was $200 cash, his credit cards and his iPhone 4S. He turned away for a flash and it was gone. Pierre used a GPS app on his friend’s phone to locate his. He saw it moving and he followed it a few blocks before approaching “a bad neighborhood.” He gave up on the chase and has resigned to purchasing the iPhone 5.

More on the food, drinks and who showed up…

continued…

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“Thanks, everyone! I love my teeth, too! They’re gigantic, and they came from my parents, and my bros have ‘em, too,” Ham wrote her fans and critics on Twitter earlier in the week. She later explained, “Haters frequently like to pick on my teeth, which I take in stride. Why? Let’s just say I’ve heard it all before.”

Then she posted this childhood photo showing off those choppers. Fans seemed to like this, one remarking, “You grew into beauty like big dogs grow into their feet (if thats really you).”

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Bullfeathers restaurant, themed in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt, will hold a rally with Teddy of the Washington Nationals on October 2 at 12:30 p.m.   The restaurant has been engaged in a campaign called “Teddy Wins! at Bullfeathers” with staff wearing T-shirts with the slogan.

They are rallying to support Teddy and the Washington Nationals during their playoff run. Fortunately this means prizes: They’ll be selling “Teddy Wins!” T-shirts at a discounted price starting Monday.  With each T-shirt, a raffle ticket will be given, and a drawing will be held at 3:30 p.m. that day with over 20 prizes that include: a grand prize of two tickets to one of the last home games, a happy hour for 15 at Bullfeathers, a dinner for two at Bullfeathers, and many more.

All are welcome.

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If watching evan thomas on morning joe do do do get his Ike book.It’s a fantastic read

— jmartpolitico (@jmartpolitico) September 26, 2012

Jonathan puts the “doo-doo” in that “do do do” tweet.  J-Mart tries to get me to buy a book and all I can think about is potty humor. But at least his spelling was correct. Don’t worry. He gets worse.  

Thot of day: Bavaria as Virginia, Oktoberfest as Shad Planking cc @larrysabato @jtuckermartin @rtdschapiro @moelleithee nytimes.com/2012/09/27/wor… — jmartpolitico (@jmartpolitico) September 27, 2012

THOT OF DAY! Not”Thought of THE day.” Just “THOT OF DAY.” So, he’s just going full-Caveman in his tweets.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Crashers may be picked on but they won’t likely be turned away.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Journo hangs loose

“I am now going to eat a comfort Toblerone and unbutton my pants on the couch. Or, as I call it, ‘debate prep.’” — Mother Jones Engagement Editor  and security reporter Adam Weinstein.

Uh oh.

“Apparently, my neighbor mistakenly ripped out my phone line when doing renovations.” — DoubleThinkOnline writer J.P. Freire.

Harrowing feat! Editor buys new sneakers

“So, @stevebuttry can face industry upheaval, find new jobs as old ones fold under him, but buying new sneakers? That stresses him out.” — Mimi Johnson, wife of Steve Buttry, former TBDer and Digital Transformation Editor at Journal Register Co. Buttry reasoned, “The new ones take weeks to mold to my feet.” We sure hope he didn’t buy this bad boys from Christian Louboutin.

VERY Important Question to Ponder: “Is nondairy creamer the worst product made in the world?” — The Guardian and Salon‘s Jim Newell.

The Observer

“I’m curiously bemused when I see “PR friendly” bloggers kvetching about being inundated with press releases and emails.” — NBC Washington cameraman Jim Long.

A few things on Washingtonian‘s mind…

• “Good news if you are or know a teenager: Researchers have discovered a virus that attacks the formation of zits”

• “For sore muscles, Icy Hot isn’t the only option. 4 natural pain-relieving creams to try…”

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In case you’re wondering, yes, she asked about the drugs, not crack specifically, but his addiction and his infamous line: “the bitch set me up.”  She brought up his marriage and his reported slur against Asian shopkeepers. She also inquired about a possible memoir that the 76-year-old pol may have in the works.

“It’s one chapter,” he said about the drug portion of his life. When she pushed him on it, he added, “Maybe two.”

While Barry and Joynt treated each other in what can be described as a polite, detached manner throughout the interview, things often grew heated.

The Drugs

Joynt really pressed him hard on whether anger is at the root of his addiction issues. “Addiction doesn’t have anything to do with anger, not for me,” Barry said, growing annoyed with her presumption. “It has to do with, we all want to feel good.” And with that he let out a big laugh.

Marriage

Asked if he’s married, Barry replied, “Technically, yes. Cora [Masters] and I are separated and anything else about that is personal.” He lives in a duplex. No pets.

The Media

Barry took more than a few jabs at the media. “Newspapers are supposed to report the news, not make the news,” Barry said. “Too many reporters are trying to make the front page.” Asked if Washington media gives him a fair shake, Barry replied, “No, and that’s wrong.” Joynt asked why. “That’s their nature,” he replied. After the interview, we pressed him further on his feelings about the media. He said emphatically, “I’m not down on anybody. The media is down on me.”

Asian Store Owner Slur

In April of this year, Barry apologized on Twitter for calling Asian businesses “dirty.” Asked about the alleged slur, he said, “I was quoted out of context.” Asked to explain himself, he reasoned, “I mixed up two ideas.” She asked if he had any Asians on his staff. No. Latinos? No. He said 90 percent of his staff is African American.

Barry’s thoughts on the election and which reporters showed up for lunch…

continued…

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First, she’s dealing with a class clown on Twitter who shares an identical username. The original Rubin Twitter handle is “JRubinBlogger.” The imposter is “JRubinBIogger.” The capital “i” in the imposter’s name is indiscernible in the font Twitter uses. The real Rubin tweeted this morning that she’s trying to have Twitter officials delete the fake account. “ICYMI There’s a fake JRubinBlogger (a cap i instead of L),” Rubin warned followers this morning. “Posts before 630pm Wed were fake so you can block/spam..working to remove him.” It’s unclear what posts Rubin was specifically referring to. The imposter has been active since at least late August. Rubin wouldn’t comment on the matter.

A few tweets from the fake Rubin:

• “#ImwithMitt because it’s time a rich white man gets a shot at running things.”
• “Mitt has vetoed all MSNBC reporters from the debates, but he’ll totally stand up to Vladimir Putin.”
• “Can Romney win California and New York? Tune in to Larry Kudlow on CNBC at 730 pm ET to find out.”

Rubin’s bad day continued as she sent out a message on Twitter that wasn’t meant for Twitter. “You forgot your band forms- I will bring to band room – what time??” she wrote. The tweet has since been deleted. FishbowlDC asked Rubin if the tweet was a mistake. “Yes,” she said, adding nothing further.

Finally, Rubin was running late on posting this morning. On most days, Rubin runs a steady feature she calls “Morning Bits,” a roundup of news links. Typically it runs at 7:45 a.m. Today, it went up almost two hours late. “Our web site is not publishing, so regrets that Morning Bits is late,” she said in an email, unprompted.

We hope the coffee machine didn’t break down, too.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

(A Sprinkling of Things we Think you Ought to Know…)

Is John King disappearing?!– Two days in a row now CNN’s John King is missing from our Google alerts. Typically the real John King appears in at least one of the results. Instead, here are the “John King”s who have turned up and we’ll be honest, they’re not all sounding so hot.

1. Former Director of Jail Authority Operations John King of Charleston, W.Va: This King was arrested Tuesday night on suspicions of drunk driving. It marked his third arrest related to driving while intoxicated within the last two years. In April 2011, King was found parked in his driveway with his car still running. His blood alcohol content level was .239. In February, he was arrested after almost driving into several parked cars. His BAC was .191. It’s illegal to operate a vehicle in any states with a BAC of .08.

2. Aviation educator John King: This King has been selected by the National Aeronautic Association to receive the Brewer Trophy for Aviation Education this fall. The award is meant to acknowledge the “passion and dedication in making aviation knowledge more accessible to pilots worldwide by combining elegant technology with clear, fun teaching featuring courseware that simplifies complex concepts for students,” according to a really poorly written NAA release.

3. School Board candidate John King of Indiana: This King is running to unseat an incumbent on the school board in Jasper, Ind. But it turns out he might be a white supremacist. King was once involved with a website called savewhitepeople.com and even cut a video for them. From TriStateHomepage.com:

The video begins with an introduction from King. “I’m John King from the White Voice at savewhitepeople.com. I’m here to talk to you on the subject of global white genocide.” Following King’s opening dialogue, the video transitions into photos, some gruesome, of Caucasian people who King claims were injured by people of different races. Then he goes through graphs and numbers explaining why he believes the white race is rapidly declining and at risk of extinction.

“I am not against anybody. I’m just talking about a ecological scientific problem that exists worldwide,” says King, who compares white genocide to whales in danger of extinction.

Nate Silver shares his media diet– In an interview with AdWeek Nate Silver, who runs NYT‘s “FiveThirtyEight” election blog, said he consumes a wide variety of news sources. “If you’re keeping yourself in the bubble and only looking at your own data or only watching the TV that fits your agenda then it gets boring,” he said. “I think reading broadly, but skeptically. That’s key. You have to try to avoid the temptation to jump on the bandwagon with political news, especially on Twitter where things go viral every couple of hours. In a campaign you don’t have game-changing events every single day. Most of these small viral things burn out. So it’s kind of about waiting those things out but not blinding yourself to the news.”

“Leave Britney Alone” guy visits D.C.– Back in 2007 Chris Crocker gained a little notoriety when a YouTube video he created went viral. In the video, Crocker, eyes smeared with black makeup, hysterically cries to the camera, “LEAVE BRITNEY [SPEARS] ALONE!” It came at a time when Spears having something of a public meltdown. We found Crocker was in Washington at a bar in Dupont Circle. Earlier in the day he had visited the White House. Crocker wouldn’t let us question him at the bar. The gentleman who was with him (he identified himself as Crocker’s manager) said it would be best for Crocker to do the interview when he hasn’t been drinking. So we caught up him today and learned more. He’s in town promoting a documentary about himself, titled “Me @ the Zoo.” The Hirschhorn museum is hosting a public showing of the film tonight at 7:45 p.m. Below is a picture Crocker tweeted yesterday: “In the White House briefing room,” he wrote. Crocker told FBDC that he went on a private tour of the White House and described it as “surreal.” Asked about his D.C. experience as a whole, he said, “It’s a beautiful city.” But he didn’t know what to expect considering what he’d heard. “I actually used to have a tranny friend who lived in D.C. and she used to tell me how the park had needles,” he said, referring to McPherson Square.

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