2009 White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

On Saturday night, May 9th, President Obama took the stage at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. “Tonight, I’m going to speak from the heart, and speak off the cuff …” Obama said, as a teleprompter rose into place.

Newscom/PHL

Michelle Obama wore a sleeveless Michael Kors shift dress. From Obama’s opening remarks: “[Michelle] has helped to bridge the differences that have divided us for so long because no matter which party you belong to, we can all agree that Michelle has the right to bare arms.” (h/t NY Mag)

Newscom/UPI

“Michael Steele is in the house tonight,” the president said in his opening remarks, “Or as he would say, ‘In the heezy.'”

Newscom/KRT

The black tie dinner was attended by a mix of politicians, journalists and celebrities. Pictured here: former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Newscom/UPI

Michelle Obama gives a congratulatory fist bump to a scholarship award winner.

Newscom/UPI

President Obama with Jennifer Loven, President of the White House Correspondents Association.

Newscom/PHL

Newscom/UPI

Comedian Wanda Sykes gave the keynote address.

Newscom/Sipa

Bill O’Reilly.

Newscom/CNP

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

Newscom/CNP

From left to right: CNN’s Ed Henry, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, President Obama, and NBC’s Brian Williams.

Newscom/PHL

Gov. Sarah Palin withdrew from the dinner at the last minute, and her husband Todd “First Dude” Palin went in her place (with Greta Van Susteren of Fox News). During the keynote address, Wanda joked: “You know, somebody should tell her [Palin] that’s not how you really practice abstinence.”

Newscom/SPN

Newscom/PHL

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Newscom/UPI

Colin Powell.

Newscom/SPN

Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag.

Newscom/CNP

The New Republic literary editor Leon Wieseltier (left) and Larry Summers, Director of the National Economic Council.

Newscom/CNP

Meghan McCain.

Newscom/SPN

Will Arnett and Amy Poehler.

Newscom/SPN

Alan Greenspan and wife Andrea Mitchell.

Newscom/CNP

Michael Bloomberg.

Newscom/CNP

Steve Forbes.

Newscom/CNP

Paul Volcker.

Newscom/CNP

James Franco

Newscom/SPN

Joe Klein and Colin Powell.

Newscom/CNP

Barbara Walters.

Newscom/SPN

George Lucas and Samuel L. Jackson.

Newscom/SPN

David Axelrod (left) and Wolf Blitzer (right).

Newscom/CNP

Al Sharpton.

Newscom/SPN

Kyle MacLachlan and Dana Delany of “Desperate Housewives.”

Newscom/UPI

Newt and Callista Gingrich.

Newscom/SPN

Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, and Wolf Blitzer.

Newscom/SPN

Latest News
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: