Lawmakers mingled with newsers at the CBS News White House Correspondents’ pre-Dinner reception at the Washington Hilton this evening.
The courtyard at the Hilton was jammed, and the alcohol was flowing.
Attendees included members of the Trump administration, including Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley, as well as former White House press secretary Sean Spicer.
U.S. deputy AG Rod Rosenstein was also in attendance, and his presence elicited the most whispers amongst the partygoers.
The CBS Newsers were out in full force, including news division president David Rhodes, CBS This Morning ep Ryan Kadro, D.C. bureau chief Chris Isham, Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan, 48 Hours ep Susan Zirinsky, and correspondents Chip Reid, Major Garrett, who recorded a special edition of his Takeout podcast, CBSN anchors Elaine Quijano and Vlad Duthiers, Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner, CNN host Brian Stelter. We also spotted Omarosa Manigault, and Stormy Daniels’s attorney Michael Avenatti, who has been a fixture at seemingly every party this weekend.
We chatted with CBS Evening News anchor Jeff Glor, who is pleased with how the Evening News is progressing, but seemed more eager to show off photos of his young daughter, and chat about the Buffalo Bills’ draft picks. He was joined by his wife Nicole, a self-proclaimed Eagles fan.
We also chatted with CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta, who remains displeased about how comments he made in a Variety interview about people who threaten journalists have been interpreted.
In the interview, Acosta said those who threaten journalists “don’t have all their faculties in some cases, their elevator might not hit all floors,” and some feel he was directly targeting Trump supporters. He told us he disagrees with that interpretation. Despite that brief moment of frustration, Acosta seemed to be in good spirits before walking into the Dinner.
Lawmakers and politicos who stopped by the CBS/Atlantic party included Ohio Gov. John Kasich, Rep. Trey Gowdy, Rep. Darrell Issa, New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu, DNC chairman Tom Perez, and Rep. Joe Crowley.
Then, there was Playboy’s first-ever White House Correspondents’ Dinner after-party. More on that later.