It’s Fish Poll time.

When WaPo‘s Bob Woodward, a guy who has figured out how to bring out the toddler in Democrats and Republicans, claimed on Wednesday that he was threatened by the White House, a media debate started over what exactly constitutes a “threat.”

After Woodward said this week that it was the Obama administration which came up with the sequester idea, a White House official (Gene Sperling, Director of the White House Economic Council) emailed Woodward to say he’d “regret staking out that claim.”

In a subsequent interview with Politico, Woodward maintained that it was indeed a threat. “Come on,” he said. “I think if Obama himself saw the way they’re dealing with some of this, he would say, ‘Whoa, we don’t tell any reporter ‘you’re going to regret challenging us.’”

Some sided with Woodward. Others said the “regret” line was nothing, similar to telling someone he’d be proven wrong in time… Read more

Someone should get Bob Woodward some Preparation H because he’s acting all butthurt over a minor spat with the White House.

On Wednesday, Politico’s Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen put out this piece claiming the seasoned political reporter was “at war” with the White House. It all stems from Woodward’s recent piece alleging that the looming sequester cuts were all an idea that came from the Obama administration. Woodward tells of an angry phone conversation he had with an unidentified White House official and a follow up email that Woodward perceived as “a threat.” This led to conservatives rallying around Woodward for his calling out of the administration and pointing to their threatening tactics as a form of bullying. This made Twitter an unbelievably painful place to be on Wednesday evening.

It didn’t take long for Buzzfeed’s Ben Smith to report the White House official in question was none other than economic aide, Gene Sperling. Politico, sensing they had been scooped, confirmed that it was Sperling AND released the threatening email in question.

The only problem? It’s hardly a threat. Read more

Quotes of the Day

“Dude I don’t even know how to make a gif #buzzfeedconfession” — BuzzFeed‘s newest Washingtonian Rosie Gray.

THREATENED: Reporters react to Woodward’s claims

“I never took nasty emails as threats. I took them as a sign I was doing my job. Nothing to do with bravery.” — Matt Apuzzo, AP investigative reporter in reaction to WaPo Bob Woodward‘s claim that he was threatened by the White House, namely Director of the National Economic Counsel Gene Sperling. (Sperling scoop by BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith.)

“The flaks I know usually just call to yell at me. no email I hate more threatening than ‘Kate, do you have second to talk about this?’” — Politico‘s Kate Nocera.

“Think abt it: You’re a 22-year-old reporter and you see what happens to BOB WOODWARD. You may stay quiet about when a flack barks/pressures” — National Review‘s Robert Costa.

“Reminder of the night: Non-reporters don’t understand journo-source interactions.” — Politico‘s Kevin Robillard.

(From our favorite non-vacationer…) “I know I’m on vacation, but I’ve gotten threats from both Obamaland and Romneyland. ‘You’ll regret this’ is like a walk in the park.” — Former BuzzFeed scribe Zeke Miller.

Politico Playbook Publish Time: 9:09 a.m.

Journo marvels over price of smokes

“I just saw woman in NYC buy two packs of cigarettes for $31. Who can afford that habit here?” — TWT senior opinion writer Emily Miller.

Important Q to Ponder: “You think when Ben Smith was 8 & watching All The President’s Men for the first time, he knew that one day he’d #BenSmith that guy?” — Breitbart‘s John Nolte, official nemesis to BuzzFeed‘s Smith.

Watch out for reporter in PJ’s

“Dear DC: I’m about to wander you in my pajama pants and I’m feeling very Jay Cutler #DoonttttCarrrreeee-esque about it.” — Roll Call‘s Meredith Shiner.

More Woodward and what he’ll regret… Read more

BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith is a thief, a “jerk” and a “shill for right-wing smear merchants.” That’s according to the photographer whose picture Smith has used as his Twitter avatar for more than a year.

Yesterday Daniel Sieradski, a self-employed photographer in New York, went after Smith on Twitter. “I would really like Smith to clarify his relationship to the Washington Free Beacon, Emergency Committee for Israel and Josh Block,” Sieradski said. “He obviously works for them.” The common link is a pro-Israel cause. The Emergency Committee for Israel is a pro-Israel political group, led by The Weekly Standard‘s William Kristol. Block is president of The Israel Project, also a pro-Israel political group. And The Free Beacon was founded in part by Michael Goldfarb, a well-known pro-Israel political activist.

Smith has reported on or published reports on these groups in the past and has paid loose compliment to Goldbarb in the NYT. For those six-degrees-of-separation connections, Sieradski believes Smith is “a shill for right-wing smear merchants.”

And for that, Sieradski, a self-described “left-wing supporter of a progressive Israel,” wants Smith to stop using the photograph he took. He tweeted at Smith: “I would still also really like [him] to cease and desist from using my copyrighted photograph as his avatar without my consent.” Sieradski also linked to his personal Flickr account that contained the original photo, taken at the American Jewish Press Association 2008 Annual Conference.

“About time to change the avatar anyway,” Smith replied. Read more

One door closes, another bursts open.

As BuzzFeed‘s Zeke Miller departs, they’ve pulled in Evan McMorris-Santoro from Talking Points Memo. McMorris-Santoro, yet another in a long line of complex names at BuzzFeed, will be their White House reporter.

Miller and McMorris-Santoro behaved like utmost grownups on Twitter. “It’s a tough assignment to follow in @ZekeJMiller’s footsteps,” McSanta (we’ve shortened his obscenely long name) wrote. “Can’t wait to see what he does next.”

TPM recently promoted McSanta to national politics reporter.

Asked to describe the idea behind “BuzzFeed Brews,” John Stanton says, “It’s like a first date. Get them a little drunk and relaxed so they can talk about things people don’t normally hear them talk about.”

Stanton is the Washington Bureau Chief for BuzzFeed and last night was the launch of the website’s new series wherein newsmakers are invited to sit before an audience and answer questions. And there’s free beer.

It’s essentially the same thing as Politico‘s Playbook Breakfast, “minus the stale bagels, plus the beer,” cracked BuzzFeed‘s Politics Editor McKay Coppins to FishbowlDC. (The site’s publicist Ashley McCollum boasts that she came up with that description.)

The first guest: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). For roughly 45 minutes Rubio answered questions from BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith about immigration, gay marriage and the future of the Republican Party. Of course, lengthy segments here and there were spent on why Rubio prefers Tupac over Biggie Smalls (“His lyrics are more insightful in my opinion.”) and whether he had to “think long and hard” before letting his son play recreational football. Stanton said that’s another thing distinguishing the Brews series from Playbook Breakfast, whose audience may not be interested in those things. Read more

BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith interviewed Sen. Marco Rubio at their first ever “BuzzFeed Brews” last night in Washington at The 201 Bar. They’ve released a GIF of bad boy Smith allegedly playing his own drinking game mid-interview. Smith appeared on Current TV’s “Full Court Press” this morning.

Quotes of the Day

“Dog park at dusk.” — Syndicated lefty columnist and Bullfight Strategies’ Karl Frisch. With accompanying photograph.

The Observer

“Softball-sized grapefruits are a satisfying reminder that winter is not a permanent state.” — NPR’s Ari Shapiro.

Editor has quite an imagination

“Starting a band called Beyonce’s Child where Beyonce adopts me and we get matching hairdos” — WaPo editor Lindsay Applebaum.

Politico reporter urges coworker to run for office

“Now getting campaign emails from reporters for the Senate Periodical Press Gallery Executive Committee election. Where’re [sic] yours @mkraju [Politico's Manu Raju]?” — Politico transportation reporter Burgess Everett. Raju’s title is Senior Congressional Reporter.

Journo Love from Ann Coulter

“@EmilyMiller of the Wash Times was just interviewed on Fox News. She’s a better spokesman for gun rights than Wayne LaPierre.” — Conservative commentator and author Ann Coulter.

Reminder: BuzzFeed Brews, the new interview series, begins tonight at The 201 Bar on Capitol Hill. Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith, the interviewer, may or may not let you in. Not to worry, Washington Bureau Chief and tonight’s emcee, John Stanton, will sneak you in the back door. Beware of publicist Ashley McCollum, who likes to stir up trouble. Festivities kick off at 7 p.m.

Convo Between Two Journos concerns Bloomberg‘s snack prowess. Read more

On Tuesday night at a Capitol Hill bar, BuzzFeed will make its first foray into the world of the newsmaker speakers series. Their first victim: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith will swoop in from Manhattan to conduct the interview: Washington Bureau Chief John Stanton will emcee the event.

Most importantly, everyone will be offered beer. Hence the name of the event, “BuzzFeed Brews.”

Asked if he’ll be more of a Maury Povich, Oprah or Chris Christie style emcee, Stanton told FishbowlDC,  “Think Rakim meets ODB, but with better teeth.” Is the beer a good enough lure? “The beer is clearly not a lure,” said Stanton. “I like to think of it as more of a ‘Good Job Coming To The Function Advertising Free Beer’ prize. Because if you did that and then didn’t actually produce the beer, you’d be a monster.”

Most importantly, does Stanton think the barroom setting will make for a better interview? “I think the relaxed atmosphere will definitely mean a better interview,” he said. “Do I think our subjects are going to get drunk and spill their dirtiest secrets? No. But do I think that by making it a little less formal and far more conversational that we can get into some interesting subjects and maybe shed a human light on these people
while making some news? Yes, absolutely.”

BuzzFeed will livestream the event on YouTube. Attendees are encouraged to live Tweet the interview and ask questions via the hashtag #buzzfeedbrews.

See details on the venue, address and RSVP… Read more

Quotes of the Day

BIRTHDAY WISHES: “Happy Birthday to the love of my life.” — Chef Geoff Tracy, a.k.a. Mr. Norah O’Donnell, husband of the CBS morning show anchor. Tracy included the above photograph, that we can assume is youthful Norah.

TV reporter fails to get beach condo because of dog

“Bought furniture for new beach condo. Then board rejects me cuz of dog. Now delivery guy wants to know where to take it… depressing.” — ABC7′s Stephen Tschida.

Breitbart V. BuzzFeed: “journalisty” warfare

“Over 5 mos I have never seen @BuzzFeedBen do a single journalisty thing to dig for more answers on Libya. Only block. Amazing achievement.”  — Breitbart.com Editor John Nolte, who always has a harsh thing or two to say about BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith.

Journo spills coffee on Bill Press’ carpet

“Always fun to chat with Bill Press on his @bpshow. WWR apologizes for spilling his coffee on the carpet.” — Paul Brandus, an independent White House reporter who writes West Wing Reports.

More Beyoncé fallout

“Rep Greg Walden told me yesterday he asked Beyonce why she took out her earpiece. “It was all static,” she told him. True story.” — Gerrit Lansing, Digital Director at the NRCC, former flack to Reps. Peter Roskam and Paul Ryan.

“Good news – if the voice continues to malfunction, Beyonce’s offered to lip-sync for me tonight. #CNN” — CNN’s Piers Morgan.

“I just don’t know what’s real anymore. #beyoncegate” — Washington Examiner gossip scribe Nicki Schwab.

Editor sees brighter side of frigid temps

“In this weather I could win Olympic gold in speed-walking.” — Katie Kovach, Copy and Production Editor for CQ Roll Call. But more importantly, she writes, “Figures that right when I get home a neighbor starts playing a musical instrument and two dogs howl along.”

Blogger out of sorts

“JESUS. Someone bring me a latte. I was NOT prepared for all this today.” — Washingtonian‘s Javonni Brustow, who is editor of TheDCPundit.com and a blogger for PopGlitz.

Miguel Bloombito likes Justice Scalia’s hat…

Read more