Ex-Politico's Karin Tanabe: 'I was Terrified'

Ex-Politico staffer Karin Tanabe revealed last night that there will be a sequel to her fictional book The List. "There's got to be a sequel," she said at a party celebrating the publication of her first book. Though The List is a kind of fictional tell-all about Tanabe's tenure at Politico, several current staffers still showed up to offer congratulations. Former employees showed up as well, including Kendra Marr Chaikind, who was fired from the publication in 2011. "I wrote it really fast in secrecy," Tanabe said in a short speech to the room of 70-ish attendees. She started it in the summer of 2011 while still working at Politico. "I was terrified," she said. Tanabe acknowledged other Politico "survivors" in the room (some of whom could be heard trading jokes about Politico) and said her book is about "paying homage" to reporters working in today's new media environment. Of new media, she said, "It's easier to make your career but also break your career." At one point, what appeared to be the cast of D.C. Housewives swooped in and had their photo snapped by the photographer. Among the women (and wearing all sorts of furs and leathers) were... Susanna Quinn, wife of lobbyist Jack Quinn, and Amy Baier, wife of FNC's Bret Baier. "You have to write something about them," remarked one attendee in the lowest of whispers. The party was hosted at Contemporary Wing and Showroom, a venue for exorbitantly priced furniture and art. One couch looked just big enough to serve as a bed for one of Peter Ogburn's many cats. It was priced at $2,295. There were several types of wine to choose from and Grey Goose vodka, which Tanabe regularly urged her guests to drink. Notables: Politico's Eliza Krigman, Juana Summers, Megan Chan and Seung-Min Kim; NBC News' Kasie Hunt; Sirius/XM Radio's Julie Mason; Erika Compart of the Public Affairs Council; photographer Jay Westcott; NJ's Chris Frates; Lauren Pulte of Quinn Gillespie and Associates; The Hill's Amie Parnes and Judy Kurtz; WaPo's Jenna Johnson; Bloomberg's Stephanie Green; Washingtonian's Kate Bennett; Publicist and Hollywood on the Potomac's Janet Donovan; Washington Life's Alison McLaughlin and Kevin Chaffee; HyperVocal's Lee Brenner; Warren Bass, senior policy adviser to U.N. Amb. Susan Rice; Juleanna Glover of The Ashcroft Group; David Bass of Raptor Strategies; and former TIME reporter Tim Burger. Quotable: Attendee 1: "Did you get to look at the book before it was published?" Attendee 2: "Yes, I wanted to cut out all the sex scenes." Tanabe previously told FishbowlDC that the main character in her book "definitely has sex on the brain." Tanabe signing a book for a fan. Amy Baier (left) with Susanna Quinn (middle) and someone else. More of the venue. That expensive display couch.

Fishbowl

Ex-Politico's Karin Tanabe: 'I was Terrified'

Eddie Scarry

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Eddie Scarry