Quotes of the Day

“Smoke was coming out of my phone yesterday.” — NBC “TODAY” Show’s Savannah Guthrie on announcing her engagement to Michael Feldman Monday.

Editor wants to prank house sitter

“Friend stayed @ our house while we were away. Thinking of removing all furniture & taking photos, telling him, ‘You forgot to lock the door!’” — WaPo Book World Editor Ron Charles.

Postcard to DOJ

“Dear DOJ: my email password is “GoScrewYourselves’” — Daily Beast Contributor Justin Green in reaction to news that DOJ secretly obtained phone records of AP reporters and editors.

Important Q to Ponder: “Can’t we just ban talking points altogether? Or would that just confuse everyone?” – NYT‘s Mark Leibovich, who has a book coming out this summer that isn’t worrying anyone (wink wink).

Journo followed strange source rules

“In Belfast, had source who wouldn’t let me call or email. Ever. I had to go to house, but not park o/side. Got to know his wife & kids well.” — Toby Harnden, Washington Bureau Chief of The Sunday Times.

The Fashion Hound

“No one on television has better ties than Brian Williams. (And that’s what really counts.)” — Politico‘s Roger Simon.

WORST HEADLINE OF THE WEEK

By HuffPost‘s Jason Linkins

Paranoia Strikes

• “Someone walking n th bldg behind me who asked wt floor I live on last time. If they do it again I’m running down th hall yelling STRANGER!” — Editor of The DC Pundit Javonni Brustow.

• “Have never been this terrified of the sound of an approaching ice cream truck. Got the feeling it’s secretly a black helicopter.” — Justin Green.

Words to live by or casting call for Bad Girls Club?

“I love bad bitches.” — Meghan McCain.

World crumbles as reporter’s TV show is not on and, by far, the strangest news of the day concerning a Politico reporter.

Read more

Quotes of the Day

Fox News weather lady lets herself eat pie and whatever else she wants

“If it’s your birthday, nothing you eat should have calories. A rule made up by me just now…after eating too much pie.” — Janice Dean, senior meteorologist for Fox News. (Guess all those rotten rumors about FNC controlling what females wear on air and how they look are completely unfounded.)

Question to never ponder: “Does anyone actually like spearmint or do we all just tolerate it?” — Mediaite editor Noah Rothman.

And something to contemplate deeply: “Is Potsie from Happy Days on Twitter? Be cool if he would follow me.” — Breitbart News‘ John Nolte.

Reporter wants to be on Homeland

“I want to be on Homeland. Sorry I’m not sorry.” — Politico‘s Juana Summers, who links to this casting call for extras for guess which show?

Ouch!

“Does her Match.com profile mention her jail time for obstructing justice and lying to government investigators?” — CNN’s Jake Tapper on Martha Stewart and Match prospects.

Journo wants free booze

“But really, if you’re in DC and you don’t go to the BuzzfeedBrews events, why? Great interview, fun times, FREE BOOZE” — Daily Beast Contributor Justin Green.

Stress on the job

“This no coffee combined with my round the clock day has me this close to clawing the drywall.” — Javonni Brustow, Washington editor of TheDCPundit.

He said what?  

“Whoa whoa whoa. We’re not done yet Brian. While we’re talking, I got a few Q’s for you.” — Breitbart’s Matthew Boyle to former NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh, who now has his own consulting firm. In the course of a lengthy late-night argument involving the Tea Party, Walsh asked Boyle, “Honestly just asking aloud if you’re playing reporter or pundit on this one my friend? The line is very blurry.” Boyle replied, “You’re really going to ask me that? Hmmm. It’s pretty obviously reporter.”

AnonymASS Tipsters of the Week: “Gee, you got to say “poop” again in your latest post. Someone ought to do a monthly count on your fascination with a word most stopped giggling about at 12.” And this: “Crappy Poop Stories Return to Fishbowl” And this: “Also at Allbritton brunch: Laura McGann, Anna Palmer, Jen Epstein, Rachel Smolkin. Don’t forget the women!”

D.C. women shall wear beige pumps

“Beige pumps are like some kind of uniform here.” — BuzzFeed‘s Rosie Gray.

Politico Playbook Publish Time: 5:56 a.m.

For its White House Correspondents’ Dinner party, BuzzFeed brought its entire politics team to D.C., but one of its members was noticeably absent from the party.

Andrew Kaczynski, the prolific tweeter and Internet video resurfacer, skipped out. He was at the actual Dinner, the one BuzzFeed had failed to secure a table at. CSPAN brought him as a guest.

“It must be nice, right,” BuzzFeed Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith told FishbowlDC that night. “He’s like our celebrity.”

Even without their own version of a celebrity in attendance, the party was packed with hundreds of people, causing long waits at the bar, but even worse: Long lines outside to even get in. Senior Press Director Ashley McCollum manned the mess outside. At one point the general guest line stretched almost 100 people-deep.

For Dorsey Shaw, BuzzFeed‘s resident TV news watcher, it was his first time down from New York since the publication celebrated the launch of it’s Washington bureau in early August last year. He told us he was disappointed that he wouldn’t have time to see the monuments and other sights but that he’d make sure to schedule them in next time he’s in town. (He ended up being able to schedule in some time to see them Sunday, we hear.)

What and who else did we see? Read more

Quotes of the Day

MAKING AN ENTRANCE AND AN EXIT: Host of “CBS This Morning” Gayle King walked into the Washington Hilton on Saturday night in an eye-popping kelly green gown by Vicky Tiel. On Friday night, she was spotted leaving the Turkish Embassy residence where The Hill was hosting its pre-WHCD party.

“Don’t hurt yourself.” — A St. Regis employee to guests of Friday night’s TIME-People party at which partygoers, many of whom were White House correspondents, received gift bags so heavy they could give you a hernia. More on the contents later…

Humility is…

“I have been told many times I look like @MatthewPerry. I just saw him at #nerdprom. He is far better looking.” — The Hill’s Managing Editor Bob Cusack.

Editor wants WHCD weekend to be more substantive

“It kind of sickens me when you’re here for the White House Correspondents’ Weekend that there are not more substantive discussions.” — Steve Clemons, Editor-at-Large for The Atlantic, who hosted a discussion over the weekend with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and Sen. Joe Manchin (R-WVa.) at the Ritz. The banquet room was packed. Breakfast disappeared too fast. The discussion centered on American military power today. Attendees included BuzzFeed Washington Bureau Chief John Stanton, NJ‘s Brian Fung, Yahoo! News‘ Chris Moody, Newsweek-Daily Beast‘s Eli Lake and The Atlantic‘s Jay Lauf.

A plea for help

“Someone catch me up on the last 9 days of news.” — Politico White House Correspondent Byron Tau.

Important Q to Ponder: “In a cab going to the airport but our driver is sleepy so he has the window down – to freeze or get into an accident?” — Oversharing Sherri Shepherd, co-host of ABC’s “The View.”

HuffPost‘s Sam Stein “impressed” with Politico

ThinkProgress‘ Judd Legum: “Politico currently has 54 separate links to stories abt WHCA Dinner on its front page.”

Huffpost‘s Sam Stein: “I’m kind of impressed.”

And in Bob Schieffer, Claire Danes father-daughter news… 

“Someone asked Bob Schieffer if he was Claire Danes’ daddy.” — former White House reporter Myles Miller.

Some buzz on BuzzFeed Party

“CSPAN showing super long line for @BuzzFeed party. A lot of sad faces who can’t get in #buzzfeedbbq” — Washington Examiner‘s Charlie Spiering. And this from Roll Call HOH’s Warren Rojas: “Crowd in #BuzzFeedbbq just let out very self-satisfied collective whoop after @cspan live shot of line @JackRoseinDC #counterwhcd”

Psy or is it more like Sigh?

“Psy just walked by me. I feel somehow cooler. Or at least more relevant.” — WaPo‘s Chris Cillizza. Good thing Cillizza didn’t actually try to communicate with Psy.

Starting new pub is stressful

“Rare has oped from Jeb Bush today so big relief we can get the big names when so new. I’m on pins and needles every day.” — Rare Editor-in-Chief Brett Decker. See here. Will Jeb run or won’t he? Who knows, but his last graph sounds rather presidential. He writes, “American greatness comes from the power of individuals – not the government – to create wealth and opportunity through competition, innovation and empowerment. Not only must we pursue reform, we must do a much better job communicating how these reforms protect and promote the genius of America.”

More WHCD fallout…

Read more

Quotes of the Day

“You really shouldn’t sleep this week. Professionally, it’s unadvisable.” — Matt Spence of The Times of London.

Kudos to Boston Globe

“Great work all night by #bostonglobe team covering Watertown/MIT mayhem.” — WaPo Executive Editor Marty Baron, who has to be kicking himself right now for leaving the Boston Globe late last year to come to Washington.

A Social Media editor learns lessons

“I think I learned my lesson to wait for confirmation about what network/cable reporters say their ‘sources’ tell them.” — Reuters Social Media Editor Anthony De Rosa.

Huh?

“‘I don’t know if that’s a fashion statement or what.’–guy on CNN, inspecting sunglasses on face of Boston suspect.#seriously” — HuffPost‘s Jennifer Bendery.

Up all night with Jake Tapper

“When Jake Tapper is at the helm at CNN, CNN is what it’s supposed to be.” — Former White House Speechwriter Jon Lovett.

“God love @jaketapper: Almost everything he says begins with ‘Here’s what we don’t know…’ #JohnKingLesson” — Don Van Natta Jr., Senior Writer for ESPN.

“Hmm. @Jaketapper is really good in this sort of situation. Calm solid presence.” — Daily Caller columnist Mickey Kaus.

Network redemption plan

“CNN took ton of heat earlier, but props tonite-only news net going live w nu photo+MIT shooting. Isn’t that what news net is supposed to do?“– NYT TV Industry reporter Bill Carter.

“CNN should replay the interview with Dr. David Schoenfeld for laughs. Every A: “I can’t tell you that.” WHY ARE YOU ON THE PHONE W/CNN?” — Conservative commentator Ann Coulter, who also wrote this morning: “It’s too bad Suspect #1 won’t be able to be legalized by Marco Rubio, now.”

A word of advice: “I don’t actually recommend going back to sleep, just did it, had bad nightmares.” — Dave Stroup, digital director for Aneesh Chopra for Va. Lt. Gov. 

The Observers

“One thing I learned serving in Lebanon is that young men & boys  with guns/bombs can be deadliest as they’ve yet to appreciate value of life.” — Peter Daou, political blogger and advisor.

“If these two are actually foreign trained terrorists, then this is the event we’ve been fearing; small-scale attacks on the softest targets.” — The Atlantic‘s Jeffrey Goldberg.

In awe of NBC’s Pete Williams (who broke the names of the Boston Bombing suspects)

“Pete Williams is a machine.” — BuzzFeed‘s Rosie Gray.

“Journalism professors take note: @PeteWilliamsNBC has put on a free journalism clinic all week.” — Chris Donovan, producer, NBC News/”MTP.”

“Pete Williams is dominating all the “social media experts” on Twitter by… reporting.” — Andrew Golis, Boston-based director of digital and senior editor at PBS’s “Frontline.”

“Yay Pete.” — PBS’ Gwen Ifill. She later added, “FYI for all new @PeteWilliamsNBC fans, he’s been on this beat for bout 20 years #ExperienceMatters”

“How does @PeteWilliamsNC not have 100K Twitter followers? (Hint, Peter, start tweeting).” — Justin Green, contributor to The Daily Beast.

“Among the many excellent things about @PeteWilliamsNBC this week: Very clear about what he doesn’t know, or is unsure of.”– The Hill‘s Niall Stanage.

“NBC’s Pete Williams proving that reporters don’t always have to be on the ground to get all the scoops and get them right.” — ThinkProgress‘ Igor Volsky.

Meanwhile, Oversharing Sherri goes to Boot Camp

“Going 2 my 2nd #bootcamp session-anything called “bootcamp” scares me to death, but I must put fear of going over the fear of dying #health” — ABC “The View’s” Sherri Shepherd at 7:30 a.m. this morning as news of the bombers dominated the news cycle.

And NBC Matt Lauer’s bad luck streak continues…

“Meanwhile Matt Lauer is shown live in West, Texas – doesn’t look very happy.” – Washington Examiner‘s Charlie Spiering.

Howard Kurtz’s brilliant morning sentiment

“Wish I hadn’t gone to sleep and missed all the action in Boston. Hope that manhunt ends soon.” — CNN, The Daily Beast-Newsweek‘s Howard Kurtz. (Photo credit: Politico)

At least Weingarten was joking: “You people really should have woken me up last night.” — WaPo’s Gene Weingarten. Read more

Quotes of the Day

Oh boy! POTUS might have worn a windbreaker?

“Your pooler only caught the slightest glimpse, but it looked like POTUS was wearing a windbreaker,” wrote Matt Viser of The Boston Globe in a strangely thorough weekend Pool Report full of mindless facts it appears he went to great lengths to obtain. “Pennsylvania Ave was shut down, with yellow tape holding back scores of onlookers in Lafayette Park. Some of those onlookers smiled and took photos. Others were protesters, shouting something your pooler couldn’t decipher (but thanks to the long lens of a pool photographer, it was possible to make out an anti-drone banner that depicted a drone striking a little family).”

In a later report… Viser went on (and on) about the various things he could do while holding at the Food Court in the Base Exchange. “Pool never spotted POTUS during the golf outing. For the duration, the pool held in the food court at the Base Exchange, which has a GameStop, GMC, as well as a busy barber shop and beauty salon. The BX also features a mall-like kiosk selling a range of different framed pictures, including many of POTUS and FLOTUS, starting at $55. They’re all $10 off, but that doesn’t seem an indication of demand; almost all the pictures for sale were $10 off.”

Finally by dinner time… a slice of news seemed to be of slight importance (or at least interesting) in his final report from Saturday: “The 30-minute motorcade ride was relatively uneventful. But as the motorcade worked its way by the Washington Monument, a police car abruptly cut off a bicyclist who apparently got too close to the motorcade (she seemed unharmed; her nerves did not).”

Lazy take on spring flowers

“I know that I will enjoy the flowers once they are in, but don’t feel like going to buy them and plant them. Want to do it for me?” — GOProud co-founder Jimmy LaSalvia.

Journo wants Bieber out of USA

“I think we can all agree on the need to deport Justin Bieber.” — David Frum blog Editor Justin Green.

OTR

“‘This all off the record’ how friends turn on you when you become a reporter.” — National Review‘s Katrina Trinko. To which Politico‘s Ken Vogel remarked, “& it’s usually super lame stuff you’d never cover.”

A nod to print journalism

“As he was leaving WH this morning, he had a print newspaper under his arm, unclear which one. (Yay print)” — CSM’s Linda Feldman in a Sunday morning Pool Report who was of course writing about POTUS.

Politico Playbook Publish Time: 7:43 a.m.

Ouch!

“Drilled my finger yesterday. Got it wrapped in duct tape. Smell funny. That’s a good sign, tho, right?” –Breitbart News Editor John Nolte.

Self-appointed media critic 

“From the level of coverage, the press has apparently mistaken Tiger Woods’ dropped ball for a Martian invasion.” — TV political analyst, Yahoo! News columnist Jeff Greenfield.

Convo between Leibovich, Weingarten and an ex-congressman is speaking where? Read more

In a Monday story that’ll make you actually want to hit somebody, Yahoo! News‘s Chris Moody recounted an incident at CPAC wherein former child conservative star Jonathan Krohn, now 18, is borderline bullied by a gaggle of right-wing bloggers.

One of the bloggers challenged the report as inaccurate, but Moody, having recorded the whole thing, was able to prove his story is straighter than a game of beer pong in a frat house.

On the second day of CPAC Krohn, who was attending as a freelancer for Salon, was cornered in a hallway after attending a panel discussion on Islam. He was chatting with The Daily Caller‘s Jamie Weinstein when 10 or so other CPAC attendees and bloggers approached. Among them, Townhall‘s Editor Katie Pavlich (Mean Girl 1) and Misfit Politics Editor-In-Chief Leah Sargent (Mean Girl 2).

“It was pretty rude,” Krohn told FishbowlDC. “I don’t want to make all this a point of controversy, but I know all three of us that were surrounded (Weinstein, Moody and myself) felt the set-up was intimidating.”

Moody wouldn’t comment on the record for this post, but his story describes the scene like this… Read more

Quotes of the Day

SO FORGET ABOUT INTERVIEWING BOB WOODWARD? “I’ve never really understood the people who get a nasty phone call and get on TV and talk about it. It’s part of the job. You do a story that they don’t like, you’re going to get yelled at, you listen to them or you yell back and then you move on.” — CNN’s Jake Tapper, whose show, “The Lead,” debuts today at 4 p.m.

Journalist encounters swarm of ladybugs

“I like/admire ladybugs, but why do I suddenly have 500 of them swarming inside one of my windows? One use for a leafblower: shoo ‘em out.” — The Atlantic‘s James Fallows.

Liberal profanity at CPAC

“CPAC 2013 Unfiltered: ‘what a piece of shit’; ‘he’s a douche’; ‘she can blow me’; ‘no fucking way’ #liberaluseofprofanity” — Roll Call HOH writer Warren Rojas.

Journo watchdog complains about CPAC shuttle

“How many people have been stranded by the horrid CPAC 2013 shuttle service? Must have been set up by a liberal.” — Accuracy in Media’s Don Irvine.

Martin strikes out at Levin over Lil Wayne

“I see TMZ’s Harvey Levin deleted his tweet saying Lil Wayne was being given his ‘last rites.’ Talk about poor sourcing. Unbelievable!” — CNN and Washington Watch’s Roland Martin.

And a WaPo Express columnist defends TMZ

“Anyways, I hope Wayne is fine, obviously. But acting like TMZ doesn’t break news with regularity is pretty illogical.” — WaPo Express‘ Clinton Yates.

The Observer

“Interesting what the CPAC pols are getting defensive about: being crazy, being bigoted, being out of touch. Too close to home?” — Marketing writer Deborah Brody.

Oversharing Sherri

“Was so excited to get a great bra fit from Molly Hopkins & Cynthia Richards of @DoubleDivasTV that I went & ordered 6 bras 38Fheaven” — ABC “The View’s” Sherri Shepherd.

News after our own hearts

“Good news: Fish populations in the U.S. have been rebounding since 1996.” — WaPo‘s Brad Plumer with a link to this story.

“Just got news that my brother-in-law changed his name to Goldfish. GOLDFISH.” — @mastodfow.

Important Q to Ponder: “OK all you Rhodes scholars, I get it. I misspelled CYPRUS. Should I gouge out my eyeballs?” — Politico‘s Ben White.  Please, Ben, no. This is disturbing.

And speaking of gouged eyeballs… “Actual thing said at Saturday night party: ‘That was so kind of you to like my picture on Facebook.’ – Politico‘s Patrick Gavin.

High hopes

“Reactions to learning of tonight’s dinner plans: 1. I should wear some real clothes. 2. I should comb my hair.” — Vintage blogger Lisa Rowan.

Try to wrap your head around this… Read more

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

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