Well, that was odd. Cockburn spent Saturday evening at the Substack party, hosted at the Renwick Gallery next door to the White House. Non-alcoholic cocktails were handed out upon arrival. Great.
Leading lights of the “alternative” (read: once mainstream) media were dotted throughout the room. Cockburn spotted Jim Acosta and Michael Tracey before their now infamous clash over Tracey’s haranguing of investigative Epstein journalist Julie K. Brown. Things appeared to be shaping up for a salient White House Correspondents’ Dinner, with President Trump in attendance across town at the Washington Hilton with 2,600 journalists.
A gunman had other ideas. The Vice President, President and other top government officials were whisked away. Journalists and their guests hit the deck – and started recording. The dinner did not resume.
At the Substack party, Steve Clemons seemed to be the first to get the news. Chatter and rumors spread throughout the room. CEO Chris Best got on the microphone to tell the guests what had happened, to assure us that we were safe in the gallery and to say that no one was allowed to leave or enter. Our best course of action, he advised, was to “continue the party.” Most attendees obliged. A few took part in a macabre Cupid Shuffle in the center of the hall. Various journalists around the room were on their phones – texting friends in the Hilton, filing, editing, pretending that they had some valuable role to play.
Cockburn inadvertently walked into the back of the Daily Wire’s livestream while finding a quiet area. Then came the announcement that the President would give remarks from the White House Briefing Room, while Substack tried to impose their lockdown on the building. One magazine reporter tried to leave. “You work for Substack, not the Secret Service, let me out,” he said to the door attendants, who relented.
In attendance: Michael Chiklis, Alex DeGrasse, Marcus Epstein, Olivia Julianna, Jamie Kirchick and Josef Palermo, Nomiki Konst, Liz Landers, Jon Levine, Taylor Lorenz, Hugo Lowell, Peter Rothpletz, Tim Rice, Julio Rosas, Steve Schmidt, Robby Soave, Peter Suderman and Rick Wilson.
Cockburn’s niece was stranded outside. “The scene behind caution tape across the street from the Renwick was: journalists in black tie – including one woman with a yellow dress and a bedazzled scooter for her leg cast – periodically getting yelled at by federal police with AR-15s for over an hour,” she said. “Fun to see the motorcade whipping the President to safety. But we were delusional to think we would ever get near that party. Fashionably stupid!”
Finally freed, Cockburn trudged up Connecticut Avenue and slipped into MS NOW’s afterparty at Dupont Underground. The newly rebranded network had gone all out: guests were given Champagne and Lululemon fanny packs as they descended into the venue.
A red carpet curved around the whole space, ending at a vacant dancefloor. “This is all hallway,” one attendee mused. Perhaps, but there were three bars along it, all of which made excellent dirty martinis, as well as trolley-service Casa Azul tequila. The Washington Post’s Carine Najjar was spotted charming Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Cockburn had a brief word with Congressman Gabe Amo, a Democrat from Rhode Island. “Come visit, spend money,” the congressman told Cockburn.
In attendance: Lillian Barkley, Alex Berenson, Kaitlan Collins, Michael Grynbaum, Antonia Hitchens, Natalie Korach, Damir Marusic, Aidan McLaughlin, Jésus Rodriguez, Mychael Schnell and Kara Voght.
Friday
Friday’s pre-parties were free of the emotional baggage. Cockburn’s highlight was the Vanity Fair-CAA party at the Belgian Ambassador’s gorgeous residence. Editorial director Mark Guiducci greeted guests with a warm handshake. The central bar was rammed, dishing out punchy cocktails. In a side room, guests could sample 8 percent Belgian beer. Out back, the New York Times’s Shawn McCreesh was chatting to his former colleague Bari Weiss. Governor Gavin Newsom was mobbed in the entrance hall.
In attendance: Wolf Blitzer, Josh Dawsey, Maureen Dowd, Freddie Hayward, John Hudson, Charlotte Klein, Jim Sciutto and Kara Voght.
Beforehand Cockburn stopped by the happy hour run by Beehiiv and Shinola at the watchmaker’s 14th Street NW store. The shop was crammed with TV talent, sampling sparkling wine and hors d’oeuvres.
In attendance: Dana Bash, Corbin Bolies, Ameshia Cross, Daniella Diaz, Andrew Feinberg, Sumi Somaskanda, Brian Stelter, Kara Swisher, Alex Thompson, and Al and Anne Weaver.
Cockburn then headed off to the British Embassy for the Brunswick and Daily Mail bash. The rain subsided as guests spilled out into the venue’s illustrious gardens and swilled English sparkling wine from Berry Bros and Rudd.
Spotted: Kate Andrews, Katy Balls, Katie Davies, Keith Edwards, Harris Faulkner, Mark Halperin, Mitchell Jackson, Scott Jennings, Phillip Nieto, Dr. Oz, Wills Robinson, James Roscoe and Allison Schuster.
Sunday
The British Embassy also hosted a Sunday brunch with CNN. Ambassador Christian Turner gave impromptu remarks to praise the “extraordinary professionalism” of the Secret Service and journalists in the ballroom the previous night. The brunch offered the best hors d’oeuvres of the weekend – Cockburn was particularly fond of the shrimp skewers – as well as an indoor Bloody Mary bar, where your correspondent spent most of the afternoon.
Spotted: Kara Kennedy Clairmont and Nick Clairmont, Laura Coates, Harry Cole, Rob Crilly, Hogan Gidley, J.P. Freire, Jacob Frey, Raheem Kassam, Ken Martin, Dr. Oz, Allison Schuster and Garrett Wade, James Roscoe, Sean Spicer, Connor Stringer, Jake Tapper, David Urban and Ambassador Mike Waltz.
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