Fun at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner
This past Saturday was the last Saturday in April, the evening when the annual White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner is traditionally held. The WHCA is an organization of journalists who cover the White House and the President of the United States. This year, the WHCA welcomed The President and Mrs. Obama, marking the Association’s 98th year. This is a really fun event, a wonderful mix of politicians, celebrities, popular figures, and of course, media personalities. I have attended five previous dinners and this year I had the great pleasure of receiving an invitation from my host for the evening, David L. Hunke, the President and Publisher of USA Today. During the serious part of the dinner, scholarship awards were presented to outstanding students of journalism and journalism awards were presented for outstanding reporting. The press and the president were also given friendly appreciation. Things turned wildly funny when President Obama got up to speak followed by comedian Jimmy Kimmel. In a Tweet from the dinner I stated: A+ to President Obama and Jimmy Kimmel – great speeches, funny, smart, and just disrespectful enough.
1 Here I am all set to go wearing a lovely beaded dress by Marchesa and shoes by Manolo Blahnik.
2 Susan Magrino, my long time publicist, was also invited to the dinner.
3 Passing by the Washington Monument, which was damaged in a recent earthquake and is still closed to the public while repairs are made.
4 We were stopped by the traffic police and were unable to arrive at the Washington Hilton for several minutes.
5 Also waiting to pass was Savannah Guthrie of The Today Show.
6 As was Andrew Ross Sorkin, award-winning journalist and author of 'Too Big To Fail,' about the 2008 financial crisis and the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
7 With Kevin Plank, CEO and founder of Under Armour
8 The White House Correspondents' dinner was held at the International Ballroom in the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC. So many people were Tweeting away, including me!
9 President Obama and the Presentation of the Colors - United States Marine Band and Joint Armed Forces Color Guard
10 President Obama seated at the head table with Stephen Adler - journalist
11 Seated to Mrs. Obama's right was comedian Jimmy Kimmel, who made wisecracks about Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, Keith Olbermann, Rush Limbaugh and even President Barack Obama.
12 I was seated at table 94, the USA Today table.
13 The Salad Course - Black Lentil Terrine with lump Crabmeat, Tango Green and Red Artisan Greens, and Red and Yellow Tear Drop Tomatoes Drizzled with a Dill Vinaigrette
14 Harry Evans, husband of Tina Brown, is the author and editor of London Sunday Times. I honored him at the Second Annual Martha Stewart Center For Living Gala in 2009.
15 Colin Powell - retired four-star US Army general who was the 65th US Secretary of State
16 Georgina Chapman, half of the designing duo of Marchesa, who designed my dress
17 Here I am with Al Roker from The Today Show.
18 With Christopher Dodd, former US Senator from Connecticut
19 Michael Smith, interior designer and White House decorator
20 With singer John Legend
21 Christy Teigen and John Legend
22 With Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa
23 With Susan Magrino and Jason Binn of Du Jour Magazine
24 Ariana Huffington in a dress by Nanette Lapore
25 Tina Brown, (in dark blue) editor-in-chief of The Newsweek Daily Beast Company
26 Actor Daniel Day Lewis
27 There were more than 2,000 in attendance.
28 Fashion Designer Tory Burch
29 Actress Malin Ackerman, NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg, and singer Alicia Keys
30 With Susan Weiss - Executive Editor of USA Today and Cindy Clark - entertainment reporter of USA Today
31 A photo with the very talented Martin Short
32 I took many, many photos.
33 With Karen and Rick Santorum
34 With Willie Geist, a a co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe
35 Carl Quintanilla, Today Show correspondent
36 Political consultant David Axelrod, who guided President Obama to election victory in 2008
37 Anne Sweeney - Co-Chair of Disney Media Networks and President of Disney-ABC Television Group and Ross Levinsohn - Executive Vice President, Head of Global Media, Yahoo!
38 Alicia Keys - R & B singer/songwriter
39 Newt Gingrich and his wife, Calista
40 Ivanka Trump in Naeem Khan
41 Kevin Spacey speaking with Wolf Blitzer
42 My host for the evening was David L. Hunke, the President and Publisher of USA Today.
43 Kirk Kinsell - President of The Americas, InterContinental Hotels Group and host David Hunke
44 Saying 'hi' to George Clooney
45 With Chris Christie, the Governor of New Jersey
46 Mrs. Obama looked beautiful as always. She wore a dress by Naeem Khan.
47 John Huey, Editor-In-Chief of Time Inc
48 Time Inc. CEO Laura Lang
49 A nice shot of me and Richard Stengel, Time magazine's Managing Editor
50 With Lindsay Lohan
51 Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian
52 Posing with Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, and Wolf Blitzer of CNN
53 With Colin Powell
54 With Eva Longoria and Kate Hudson
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
Many of us do not support our president's policy of increasing debt but that does not mean that we are disrespectful. Thank you for these great photos of soiree of 2000 guests and the many others who helped make it possible. Your blog does much including ordinary people to learn LIVING in our great country. I have had ny picture taken with Santorum when he was in Dakota and was ao happy babypsitting Jax and Ken that I did not miss being invited to WHCA dinner.
Posted by: ann | May 1st, 2012 at 6:26 am
You. Look. Amazing.
Posted by: Andrew Ritchie | May 1st, 2012 at 7:18 am
You looked great! Thanks for the picture of Rosario Dawson. I appreciate her work as part of the V-Day Board of Directors. They've set the audacious goal of trying to get one billion people all around the globe to dance on 2/14/2013 to change the worldwide paradigm about violence against women. Imagine, if the whole world decided at the same time it was no longer okay. Don't you just love women being that ambitious? They sound like you, Martha. #1billionrising
Posted by: Karen | May 1st, 2012 at 7:21 am
Martha,
You should really wear dresses more often. You looked fab!!! I love the dress!!!
Posted by: dididdle | May 1st, 2012 at 7:23 am
Hello Martha,
Your dress is beautiful and your hair, it looks like you changed it. Awesome. It looks like you had a fabulous time.
Karen
Posted by: Karen Tracy | May 1st, 2012 at 7:40 am
I saw cllips of Jimmy Kimmel and President Obama from the WHCA Dinner on the Today Show and I thought they were very funny. I love seeing events that bring together the different groups of celelbrities, politicians, media and pop culture personalities. If I'm not mistaken that looks like Amy Robach from The Weekend edition of the Today Show in pic #6 standing next to Savannah Guthrie. You couldn't have picked a more perfect outfit Martha. That lovely Marchesa dress compimented your complexion and figure so well and the Manolo Blahnik shoes were just right! Thanks for thinking of your fans and including us in your fun evening!
Posted by: Cindy F | May 1st, 2012 at 7:56 am
Martha, seeing you with such people as Lindsay Lohan and Kim Kardashian has me in stitches. You are so flawless. I'm glad you had a great time. Love, Jane
Posted by: Jane | May 1st, 2012 at 8:27 am
Martha,
You looked beautiful, love the dress! Thanks for sharing this blog.
Posted by: KLBrown | May 1st, 2012 at 9:17 am
Hi Martha, OMG! You certainly did have a fun, busy time from Friday to Monday traveling to Maine, Virginia, and Washington D.C.! I loved seeing all of your tweets and now seeing your delightful time at The Whitehouse Correspondents' Association Dinner with so many fabulous people who looked like they were having a terrific time! You looked so gorgeous in that special dress and shoes and you looked so happy and beautiful in every photo! All of these visual tours that you share with us are absolutely FANTASTIC! Can't wait to hear you and Alexis on Sirius Radio XM 110 on Ask Martha today-also FANTASTIC! Off to see The Daily Wag and am so sorry to see that both Francesca and Sharkey are wearing cones to protect their problem areas-Francesca's eye and Sharkey's foot! Glad to see that GK is watching over them! What a good buddy he is! I love your dogs! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | May 1st, 2012 at 9:31 am
Hi Martha,
Thanks for all of your great pictures. Everyone looked so nice! I think you and Lindsay Lohan looked the best though as well as the designer of your fabulous dress. I bet you looked even more stunning in person. You looked pretty stunning the time I saw you in Miami at the book fair.
~
I listened to both speeches by President Obama and Jimmy Kimmel online and thought they were pretty funny and like you said, ‘just disrespectful enough.’ The swipe at Hillary Clinton was really cute – the same kind of response you get to some of your tweets! haha Thanks for sharing – I’ll be sure to pin this. Trish
Posted by: Trish | May 1st, 2012 at 9:51 am
Martha, you look exquisite. I wish you had a closer picture of the beading work on your lovely dress. It looks very intricate. Thanks for sharing the experience with us.
Posted by: Bobby C | May 1st, 2012 at 10:32 am
I wish that the political climate would be as civil as this event. I spent Tuesday at the pollings stations of southeast PA. Not very civil! You look beautiful Martha. It dawned on me. The civility, intelligence and humor of your daily TV show is surely lacking in our culture. I sure do hope that you will find an outlet soon to return to daily TV. Otherwise I am hoping that you will continue to have the positive impact through as many multi-media outlets as possible. Very kind of you to be so civil to Ms. Guthrie. I can not say that she was civil to Jenn and Alexis. Great of you to rise above!
Posted by: E. Teresa Touey | May 1st, 2012 at 10:41 am
Love watching this event...so very fun! It was fun to see you in your beautiful attire mingling all around the room.
Posted by: Sherey | May 1st, 2012 at 10:47 am
Martha, you look beautiful!!! LOVE the whole look! I can't wait to buy your new book! I hope Chicago is on your book tour!! It's about time I meet my hero
Posted by: Maya Spinner | May 1st, 2012 at 10:48 am
You look stunning Martha, love love your dress I love Marchesa couture brand. The evening looks amazing
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | May 1st, 2012 at 10:57 am
Hi Martha! Thank you for sharing your photos. Can you share with us what type of camera you use for your personal photos?
By the way, the dress looked amazing on you! Great choice!
Posted by: Angela | May 1st, 2012 at 11:41 am
Thank you for the great pictures. You look lovely Martha - as always. Love the dress and those shoes! Wish I could have been there to share in the festivities. If ever you want to hand down some of your shoes, here's a Jersey Girl that would love them! haha. One other question; why does George Clooney always look so good?
Posted by: Mary | May 1st, 2012 at 12:58 pm
Hi Martha! You looked fabulous! Thanks for sharing your photos. Did you get to meet The President and Mrs. Obama? I know you've wanted to meet him for a long time!
Posted by: Tyler | May 1st, 2012 at 2:46 pm
So you left Costco in Leesburg and made your way to the White House Correspondents' dinner. Wow. We met you at the signing at Costco, stopped at Target and then drove back to Maryland. (We were the ones at the table when we couldn't figure out who was getting which copy of the book signed and how many copies there were and blah, blah. I brought my copy of Entertaining II and you were kind enough to sign it.) We had fun meeting you.
Posted by: John N | May 1st, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Hi, Martha,
Must agree with everyone else ~ you look perfectly beautiful! I love your dress and accessories. They were a nice departure ~ lighter and more uplifting.
I really like how you shared pictures with us of a real variety of politicians and celebraties. That was very enjoyable..and they all seemed to be behaving themselves.
Thank you!
Posted by: Bobbie | May 1st, 2012 at 5:49 pm
You look stunning and love all the photos. I was crushed to learn today that you are no longer on the Hallmark channel. I saw that you are looking for a new studio location that's not so expensive. I must say that your shows these last few months have been right on the money and such quality. Please hurry back!!!! I've been so thrilled with the shows
Posted by: Gretchen | May 1st, 2012 at 7:23 pm
I love the neutral color palette...the metallic clutch is gorgeous! You look fab!
Posted by: nantucket Daffodil | May 1st, 2012 at 7:50 pm
I Love all the beautiful portraits....Martha, You just glowed all evening, and everyone is so Beautiful. You are Loved. Blessings on you.
Deborah ~
Posted by: Deborah Roy | May 1st, 2012 at 8:17 pm
Thank you for sharing your pictures with us! Even more, thank you for confirming that I will be alright to take pictures at a D.C. black tie event I will be attending soon. I just couldn't imagine going to such an incredible event and not being able to capture those memories.
Posted by: Julie | May 1st, 2012 at 8:54 pm
I love your pics you post..! Looks like a fun time had by all..! Thanks for sharing...K
Posted by: Kathleen | May 1st, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Martha, you are one beautiful woman. A mentor!
Posted by: Heather Ragold | May 1st, 2012 at 9:38 pm
Wow!! that must have been an amazing evening. I'm star struck just seeing Mr. Clooney in your photos... so handsome. Everyone looked great. Bet it was a great night. You've shared several pics lately wearing beautiful dresses... love to see that. You look amazing all glammed up for these beautiful parties.
Posted by: Debbie Panton | May 1st, 2012 at 10:30 pm
Wow, a lot of people,...Your dress and shoes are lovely. I must say I think another type neckline would even flatter you more. Thank you for sharing the crowd and telling us who they were, most interesting. YES, FABULOUS is the word to describe this event.
Posted by: AnnaMC | May 2nd, 2012 at 12:32 am
My favorite picture is the one of you and Ariana Huffington - you both look like you walked off the set of Mad Men. Gorgeous.
Posted by: Abi | May 2nd, 2012 at 1:09 am
Martha, you looked wonderful! I love the dress! You look like you were having a blast! Come back to DC soon!
Posted by: This Farming Man | May 2nd, 2012 at 12:53 pm
What a fun event, full of stuff to talk and laugh about later, the kind of party that lasts for days! Your dress & shoes were gorgeous. Oh, was that a mohawk that Daniel Day Lewis sported, quite amusing! I have to say that the salad did not look very appetizing, something about the combo of black lentils & white crabmeat with two tomatoes and a piece of bushy green thrown on the plate...I dunno, Martha, some of the newer food presentations resemble the most puzzling abstract art and do little to stimulate the salivary glands so to speak.
Posted by: Penny | May 2nd, 2012 at 12:56 pm
Beautiful dress! Marchesa looks great on you along with the shimmery silver shoes!
Posted by: Edwina | May 5th, 2012 at 7:39 pm