POLITICO Playbook: WHCA launches drive for more ‘open and transparent White House’

By Mike Allen (@mikeallen; [email protected]), and Daniel Lippman (@dlippman; [email protected])

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Good Wednesday morning, and happy Earth Day!

FIRST LOOK: White House Correspondents' Association Christi Parsons, Vice President Carol Lee and their board today will write their members, urging the press corps "to band together behind a comprehensive set of principles and practices we believe should be followed at the White House. Many of you have helped us draft a working version, ... whether you've been interviewed by a board member, taken part in a working group or emailed your thoughts to one of us. ... With this distribution today, we kick off a one-month comment period. ... Our end goal is a document we all support - a shared vision of an open and transparent White House."

--SEE THE DRAFTS: " Statement of Practice and Principles from the White House Press Corps: Affirming the Right to Gather News at the White House" https://bit.ly/1bimINE ... "Practices and Principles of Coverage Access for Independent White House Press" https://bit.ly/1ErxLkX

--PLAYBOOK FACTS OF LIFE: The question is how bold the press corps is willing to be. For instance, the proposed practices place a strong emphasis on the "full pool." The wires are very insistent that full pool is critical. (Any time the White House cuts the press down from a full pool on a foreign trip, the first three people lost are the wire writers.) But are the wires willing to direct their still photographers to boycott a stills-only pool event at the White House to enforce the standard?

DRIVING THE DAY -- MICHAEL GRUNWALD, "Could Obama's Everglades stop hurt the Everglades?": "This Earth Day afternoon, President Obama will visit Everglades National Park to use the iconic wetland as a symbol of the climate threat Clinton first flagged 15 years ago. ... Obama will argue that climate change threatens not only this unique natural jewel but also South Florida's lucrative ecotourism industry, as well as underground aquifers that provide drinking water for 7 million people. ... The fear for some activists is that by hitching the Everglades to the polarizing climate issue, he could end up making Republicans less Everglades-friendly rather than more climate-friendly." https://politi.co/1JaEGjB

MAUREEN DOWD INSPIRES HBO PILOT - Deadline's Nellie Andreeva: "HBO is teaming with actress-comedian-writer Whitney Cummings for a relationship comedy and a stand-up special ... has ordered a pilot for a half-hour comedy inspired by New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd's debate-stirring 2005 book 'Are Men Necessary? When Sexes Collide.' Cummings created, wrote and is starring in the project, described as a comedic portrait of modern relationships that ... [uses] documentary elements and appearances from experts to help the characters understand the biological basis of their behavior." https://bit.ly/1OE6b3b

WHCA FOILS PUBLICITY STUNT -- "How a magazine, a vodka company and an Obama impersonator ticked off the White House Correspondents' Association," by WashPost's Emily Heil: "It began with an e-mail from a Grey Goose publicist, boasting that the brand would be sponsoring two social media 'superstars' at the dinner who would be 'tweeting, taking photos, and creating video content' ... YouTubers Iman Crosson (he's an Obama impersonator who goes by the handle 'Alphacat') and Philip DeFranco would be 'reporting live from the front lines' of the dinner for Grey Goose. Grey Goose ... had 'partnered with' the Atlantic and obtained two tickets 'through that partnership.' ...

"[I]t definitely didn't sit well with Christi Parsons, the Los Angeles Times reporter who is president of the White House Correspondents' Association. 'Our group exists to argue strenuously for more openness and transparency from the White House, not to lend our name to corporate publicity stunts,' she said when we alerted her to the arrangement. ... 'We made a mistake in communicating to Grey Goose that they could share their dinner tickets with others,' Atlantic Media spokeswoman Emily Lenzner said. ... [T]he YouTubers are now uninvited." https://wapo.st/1DcxRFN

HOT IN HILLARYLAND --"Clinton memo details attack plan on new book," by Gabe Debenedetti in Manchester: "The Clinton campaign circulated a memo to its surrogates and allies ... that details talking points and responses to the soon-to-be-published book 'Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich,' by conservative author Peter Schweizer. 'The book was backed by a Koch Brothers-linked organization and a billionaire family that is bankrolling Ted Cruz's presidential campaign,' writes national press secretary Brian Fallon." https://wapo.st/1DcxRFN

--"David Brock goes on the warpath against anti-Clinton book," by Nick Gass: "David Brock on Tuesdayslammed media coverage of a forthcoming book detailing foreign donations made to the Clinton Foundation ... 'I think this is a political put-up job, and I can smell it from a mile away,' Brock said during an interview on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe.'" https://politi.co/1HsEHNy

--"Clinton Campaign Aims To Raise $100 Million For Primary," by HuffPost's Amanda Terkel: "Top officials ... sat down with prospective donors in a private strategy session in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, urging them to help Clinton meet a goal of raising at least $100 million for the Democratic primary race. ... The Clinton campaign is trying to recruit 'Hillstarters,' who will need to raise $2,700 each from 10 people. In return, they'll get an invite to a summit with Clinton in May." https://huff.to/1bsDNF8

--"Clinton Flies First Class Back to Washington," by WSJ's Natalie Andrews: From Boston to DCA, "sitting in row one of the U.S. Airways' first-class section. ... Huma Abedin ... sat next to her. ... [S]ome [of her Secret Service agents] were sitting in coach ... Clinton walked through [DCA] with a small police escort in addition to ... Secret Service ... She pulled her own luggage and stopped and smiled for a few selfies ... She ... complimented a woman's briefcase." With pic by Natalie of Clinton wheeling her suitcase through Reagan https://on.wsj.com/1G5lm0O

--"Clinton to campaign in South Carolina in May," by Charleston Post and Courier's Schuyler Kropf: "The most likely stops would be key Democratic turnout counties, with the heaviest probability being Charleston, Columbia, Orangeburg or other sites that are part of the state's traditional Democratic voting bloc." https://bit.ly/1K3zCLk

MICHAEL KRUSE in Portsmouth, N.H., "The woman who made Hillary Clinton cry" -- Marianne Pernold Young, who asked her the question in the coffee shop seven years ago: "She's smiling more ... She seems softer. She seems more approachable. ... I'd like her to be my friend, whereas before I couldn't have cared less. ... She's a true megalomaniac. Power hungry. To put up with her husband's infidelities? She knew what she wanted, and she went after it. ... She stayed with him. Because I think she had an agenda. She wanted to be president." https://politi.co/1bsG9E9

FIRST LOOK -- JP Morgan Chase's Peter Scher, head of corporate responsibility and chairman of the Washington region, speaks today at the Global Cities Initiative event in Detroit. From his prepared remarks: '[The] private sector...cannot sit on the sidelines expecting the government or non-profit sector to address the challenges of today's economy while they reap the benefits. ... Our future is inextricably linked with the fiscal health of our communities and the financial well being of the families who live in them. In fact, one could argue that no bank or business can succeed if our urban areas fail.' https://bit.ly/1ErrB4c

NYC BOOK PARTY FOR KELLEY PAUL: Sen. Rand Paul, Sara Story and Kenneth Garschina hosted a book party at the National Arts Club Grand Gallery in Gramercy Park for the new book by the senator's wife, "True and Constant Friends." SPOTTED: Rupert Murdoch, Eric Bolling, Judge Andrew Napolitano, Katie Couric, Sergio Gor, Doug Stafford, Marta Fernandez Holamn, Kasie Hunt, Eleanor May, Andrew Kirell, Dana Bash, Virginia Grace, Betsy Morgan, Mike Hogan, Elise Jordan, Chris Wirth, Nick Spanos, Amir Sharif-Emami, Peter Schiff. A silent art auction was hosted benefiting HomeFront, a N.J. homeless shelter. $15 on Amazon https://amzn.to/1yRyYQc

** A message from Americans for Fair Skies: As the Senate Finance Committee considers TPA legislation today, it is imperative that the U.S. government take action to stop Qatar and the United Arab Emirates' subsidization of their airlines in violation of Open Skies agreements they signed with the U.S. - the largest trade violation in history. Learn more at https://bit.ly/1GT9sJG. **

LATE NIGHT BEST: JON STEWART announces date of last "Daily Show," Aug. 6. https://read.bi/1yNQepg

--"Stewart Rips GOP over Gay Wedding Answers, 'How Angry' They Get" - video: https://bit.ly/1Jsl5rC

HOT ONLINE: "Here's What a 'Quadruple Rainbow' Looks Like" https://ti.me/1EqECuJ

TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING-"Top Christie ally defects to Bush," by WashPost's Robert Costa: "New Jersey state Sen. Joseph M. Kyrillos, who chaired Christie's 2009 gubernatorial campaign and ushered his agenda through a Democratic-controlled legislature, is backing former Florida governor Jeb Bush's all-but-certain presidential bid. Tim Miller, a Bush spokesman, confirmed Kyrillos's support Monday as well as a $10,000 donation Kyrillos made in March to Bush's political-action committee. ... Bush political intimates said Monday that he has wooed Kyrillos particularly hard, knowing that the state senator's break would rattle Christie, who is one of Bush's rivals for dollars and momentum within the Republican establishment." https://wapo.st/1G5dcFE

2016 PLAYERS --"Jeb Bush's Likely Campaign Starts to Take Shape," by NYT's Maggie Haberman: " The super PAC and the campaign will each have their own media and polling teams, as well as analytics groups and direct mail vendors ... They will essentially be parallel structures that cannot coordinate directly, but will have strategies and operations that were developed by the same people. ... The group is expected to be led by Mr. Bush's longtime strategist, Mike Murphy, along with his media firm, and Larry McCarthy, a Republican advertising strategist. Mr. Murphy's move toward the super PAC creates a hole in the master strategist role for the campaign itself. As of now, it's expected to be led by both David Kochel, a veteran Iowa strategist, and Sally Bradshaw, Mr. Bush's former chief-of-staff. ...

"Andy Barkett ... will be involved in a personalized 'data trust' that sells information to both Mr. Bush's campaign and his super PAC. ... Liesl Hickey ... will be a top adviser with the super PAC ... The super PAC's communications efforts will be handled by Paul Lindsay, [formerly] Crossroads GPS ... Cesar Martinez, whose firm did Hispanic-targeted advertising for the McCain-Palin team in 2008, is also expected to play a role on the campaign media team ... led by Jon Downs of FP1 Strategies ... Alex Lundry, a Republican pollster who has recently worked with the Freedom to Marry coalition, ... is expected to handle analytics ... political director is likely to be Scott Jennings ... pollsters will likely include David Hill and Brenda Wigger Gianiny." https://nyti.ms/1GgLj02

--"Struggling to remember the name of Jeb Bush's super PAC?" by Reuters' Emily Flitter: "The bland sameness of [all the super PAC] names means that tens of millions of Americans may not realize who funded the television advert they just watched denigrating or trumpeting a particular candidate. A few blinks, and the names all run together - just as they're supposed to." With a Carl Forti cameo: https://reut.rs/1OcXkdS

TRAIL MIX -- "Scott Walker's foreign-policy adventure," by James Hohmann in Derry, N.H.: "Walker - the Wisconsin governor who just two months ago suggested his experience dealing with organized labor prepared him to take on ISIS - has been boning up on foreign policy, and he wants you to know it. ... If it all sounded a bit over-eager, well, he has a fair amount of ground to make up. ... Recognizing this was perhaps his greatest challenge, Walker has climbed back with a new team of advisers and a willingness to wax philosophical about foreign-policy matters while on the campaign trail." https://politi.co/1K4lzFk

--RICK PERRY video, "Where I Come From" https://bit.ly/1yQDAG9

TOP-ED - PAUL RYAN and TED CRUZ in WSJ, "Putting Congress in Charge on Trade": "[B]efore the U.S. can complete the agreements, Congress needs to strengthen the country's bargaining position by establishing trade-promotion authority, also known as TPA, which is an arrangement between Congress and the president for negotiating and considering trade agreements. In short, TPA is what U.S. negotiators need to win a fair deal for the American worker." https://on.wsj.com/1aQILKB

WHAT SILICON VALLEY IS READING -- "Amazon Travel Launches New Brand, Amazon Destinations," by Skift's Dennis Schaal: "Amazon pulled the trigger and has quietly launched its much-awaited new hotel product and brand, Amazon Destinations. ... Amazon's new homepage for travel - which is currently part of Amazon Local but could eventually reside elsewhere - now features hotels in the Pacific Northwest, Southern California and the Northeast." https://bit.ly/1FcTpIp

--"Homeland Security to Open Office in Silicon Valley," by The Daily Beast's Shane Harris: "will work with tech companies to improve cyber security and recruit people to work for the government." https://thebea.st/1yQDMW3

MEDIAWATCH -- "Gannett to name broadcast, digital unit Tegna amid spinoff," by USA Today's Roger Yu:"Gannett, the media company that is spinning off its publishing business, said ... it'll run its broadcasting and digital units under the new corporate name Tegna. 'Tegna is a nod to the more than 100-year-old history of Gannett,' Gracia Martore, Gannett's CEO, said ... Tegna will operate 46 stations Gannett currently owns or provides services to, as well as its digital unit." https://usat.ly/1zJYVvP

FIRST LOOK -- GABE SHERMAN named national affairs editor at 'New York' Magazine - Forthcoming release: "New York editor-in-chief Adam Moss announced today that Gabriel Sherman is joining the magazine's staff as national affairs editor, effective May 1. Sherman has been on contract with New York as a contributing editor since 2008, covering the media business, real estate, and Wall Street, among other topics. In his role as national affairs editor, his beat will expand to include politics and business. In addition to writing features, he will write a regular column for the print magazine, as well as a weekly web column and digital news stories."

TRANSITIONS -- OBAMA ALUMNI - "Former USAID Administrator Raj Shah will be joining Premise's Board of Advisors ... He'll be adding invaluable horsepower as [mobile information network] Premise continues advancing its engagements with international financial institutions, governments and global companies. He joins existing advisors Alan Krueger and Google Chief Economist Hal Varian."

--"Former USAID senior Advisor Nicole Schiegg [has been hired to] build out Fenton's global health and development practice. At USAID Nicole advised former Administrator Raj Shah on press and engagement, notably around child survival."

--Seth Stein has joined the League of Conservation Voters as our new National Press Secretary, replacing Jeff Gohringer as primary contact for press.

--"Aaron Keyak, most recently Communications Director and Middle East Policy Advisor for Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), has launched a new strategic communications and media relations firm Bluelight Strategies, with seasoned Washington political operative Steve Rabinowitz. The firm's clients include leading non-profit, pro-Israel, progressive and religious organizations and individuals."

SPORTS BLINK - "Steelers-Patriots to open 2015 [NFL] schedule on a Thursday night," by AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner: "New England and Pittsburgh will begin the NFL season on ... Sept. 10 ... Other prime-time matchups on opening weekend will have the New York Giants at Dallas on Sunday, Sept. 13; Philadelphia at Atlanta, followed by Minnesota at San Francisco in a Monday night doubleheader. [Thanksgiving] evening ... is a renewal of the NFL's longest-running rivalry, with Chicago at Green Bay. The Packers ... will retire Brett Favre's jersey that night."

OUT AND ABOUT : Guests gathered at the Kennedy Center in honor of the work of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas. Norah O'Donnell emceed, and Bob Schieffer moderated a conversation between President Clinton and Colin Powell, followed by a dinner on the terrace floor of the Kennedy Center. SPOTTED:Barby Albritton, Tom and Edwina Johnson, Lucy Baines Johnson and Lynda Bird Johnson, and Chuck Robb, Nancy Pelosi, Mack McClarty, Judge William Webster, Capricia Marshall, Cheryl Mills, Kris Balderston, Ashley and Ben Chang, Billy Kreisberg, Emily Benovitz, Sandra Lynne Fryhofer, 'Chef' Geoff Tracy, Brooke Shields.

FOUR of the five cover stars attended last night's TIME 100 Gala in NYC, at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

--SPOTTED : Bradley Cooper, Julianne Moore, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian West, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Lee Daniels, Seth Meyers, Emma Watson, Julianna Margulies, Lorne Michaels, Elon Musk, Amy Schumer, Ehud Barak, Rupert Murdoch, Christopher Nolan, Samantha Power, Misty Copeland, John Oliver, Adam Silver, Karlie Kloss, Laverne Cox, Jorge Ramos, Diane von Furstenberg, Matt Lauer, Naomi Campbell, Gabrielle Giffords, Mark Kelly, Martha Stewart, Marine Le Pen, Misty Copeland, Harvey Weinstein, Matthew Weiner, Mia Farrow, Lindsey Vonn, Abby Wambach, Brian Chesky, Gayle King, Padma Lakshmi, Jenna Lyons, Jeffrey Tambor, Mellody Hobson, George Lucas, Katie Couric, Arianna Huffington, Charlie Rose, Jill Soloway, Megyn Kelly, Barbara Walters, Sarah Koenig, David Muir, Chris Matthews, Cecile Richards, Bill O'Reilly, Diane Paulus, David Koch, Thomas Frieden, Chanda Kochhar, Pete Cashmore, Elizabeth Holmes, John Green, Bryan Stevenson, Rosemary Nyirumbe, Hosain Rahman.

BIRTHWEEK (was Mon.): Lee Moak, co-founder & CEO of The Moak Group (h/t Michael Robbins) ... (was last Fri.)Jonathan Brodo, future D.C. insider/lobbyist, graduating Tulane in a month

BIRTHDAYS : Joe Pounder ... Don Graham ... James Kvaal ... Politico's Matthew Korade and Elana Schor ... Anastasia Dellaccio of the UN Foundation ... Josh Dorner, ex-CAP, of SKDKnickerbocker (h/t N2, DJW) ... Helene Cooper, NYT Pentagon reporter, who just received the very best b'day present: a Pulitzer. Originally from Liberia, she shared the International Reporting prize with six colleagues for Ebola coverage (h/t sister Marlene Cooper Vasilic) ... ABC News' Arlette Saenz ... WJLA's Jummy Olabanji (h/ts Olivia Petersen) ... Stars and Stripes' Bob Reid, an AP alum ... Slate's Dahlia Lithwick ... Ed Walsh ... WashPost's Sari Horwitz ... Larry Brady ... DCCC's Krista Jenusaitis ... Democratic digital guru Kombiz Lavasany, formerly DNC and New Partners, now at the AFT ... Patrick Rucker of Reuters ... Daniel Malloy, Washington correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution ... Matt Moore, S.C. director for Sen. Tim Scott, former S.C. GOP executive director ... Allie Medack, chief of staff for global public policy at General Motors and House Foreign Affairs alum New Hampshire's Maureen Mooney ...

... McCain veteran Mark Braden ... Britt Cocanour ... David Barrett ... Andrea LaRue ... Will Winter ... Logan Peyton-Massara ... Chung Seto ... Doug Lowenstein of DSL Strategies and former president of the Private Equity Growth Capital Council ... Elisabeth Goodridge, deputy metro editor of the N.Y. Times ... Andrea Clarke ... Adele M. Stan of the American Prospect ... Walter Fields ... Evan Dobelle ... Lisa Davis Allison ... NYC State Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr. ... Cision's Kyle Osborne ... Yasmina Vinci ... Glen Campbell is 79 ... Jack Nicholson is 78 ... Mel Carter is 72 ... author Janet Evanovich is 72 ... movie director John Waters is 69 ... Peter Frampton is 65 ... Cleveland Indian manager Terry Francona is 56 ... actress Amber Heard is 29 (h/ts AP)

FRIDAY: Bruce Taylor turns 75.

DESSERT -- "They Will Be Back: Sequels multiply in summer movie season," by AP's Jake Coyle: "The sequel expansion ... runs in all directions, stretching into prequels, second-try reboots, spinoffs and franchises that are less linear, roman-numeral progressions than (as in the brimming Marvel world) whole universes of overlapping characters: fantasy realms to visit, not just stories to follow. ... 10 of this summer's most anticipated blockbusters have origins dating back more than three decades, including 'Fantastic Four,' 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,' 'Mad Max: Fury Road' and 'Terminator: Genisys.'" https://yhoo.it/1OcY9Dq

** A message from Americans for Fair Skies: Today in the Senate Finance Committee, it will be argued that TPA is required before any future trade deals are finalized. However, it is also critical that Congress and the Administration act to reform two existing aviation trade agreements, called Open Skies, which are not being honored by Qatar and United Arab Emirates. These two Middle Eastern nations are subsidizing their airlines with over $42 billion - in direct violation of the Open Skies agreements they signed with the U.S.

The U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, and Transportation have taken a critical first step by looking into the subsidies Qatar and United Arab Emirates are providing their airlines. However, while this step is important, our government must do more to level the playing field and safeguard U.S. jobs by freezing new routes for these airlines into the U.S. until consultations have occurred and a resolution is found. Learn more at https://bit.ly/1GT9sJG. **

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