While NBC’s Today and ABC’s Good Morning America ignored longtime Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthal testifying before the House Benghazi Committee on Tuesday, both morning shows eagerly touted a “celebrity-packed secret soiree” at the White House “with 500 guests, including a couple of music legends.”
On Today, co-host Carson Daly proclaimed: “Now to that secret soiree at the White House hosted by the President and First Lady, featuring Prince and Stevie Wonder. Not too shabby. It happened over the weekend.”
Moments later Daly revealed: “You know who was at this event? Our friend Al Roker.” News anchor Natalie Morales noted another NBC host at the exclusive presidential party: “And Tamron [Hall]. And Tamron was there.”
Roker gushed about the event: “Well, it was very nice, some lovely hors d’oeuvres. And got to watch the First Lady and the President get down. So it was – but to see Prince and then Stevie Wonder together performing was worth everything....it was unbelievable.”
Daly wondered: “How do you get on the list?...How did you get invited to this secret party at the White House?” Roker joked: “I don't know. I think it was a mistake. They actually wanted [my wife] Deborah and I had to come along.”
In reality, it was not the first time Roker attended a White House bash. In 2014, Roker could not contain his excitement while describing another party with the Obamas: “I actually got to boogie a little with the First Lady....Deborah and I were dancing and all of a sudden I turned around and there was Mrs. Obama....And I'm thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh, I'm dancing with the First Lady.’”
On Good Morning America, correspondent Jim Avila declared: “It's tough to keep a concert secret when the headliner is Prince, the accompanist is Stevie Wonder, the audience is the First Family, and the venue is the White House – especially in the age of social media.”
His report revealed that a certain MSNBC host was also in attendance: “Reverend Al Sharpton, not known for keeping anything quiet, tweeting, ‘Leaving the White House party w/POTUS and FLOTUS. Awesome to see Prince and Stevie Wonder on keyboards together.’”
Unlike Today, Avila did note controversy surrounding the event: “Later we learned that 500 guests filled the residence side of the White House and that the Obamas felt no obligation to advertise their fun. Their spokesman telling a frustrated White House Press Corps it was on their dime....So the big kefuffle here is about the fact that it was kept real quiet.”
CBS This Morning covered Blumenthal’s congressional testimony and skipped the White House celebration. However, that meant the morning show failed to mention that co-host Gayle King was among Obama’s party guests.
It’s fascinating to see how many members of the media get invited to secret White House events.
Here are transcripts of the June 16 reports on Today and GMA:
Today
7:23 AM ET TEASE:
MATT LAUER: And party at the White House. We’ll tell you about the celebrity-packed secret soiree.
8:25 AM ET SEGMENT:
CARSON DALY: Now to that secret soiree at the White House hosted by the President and First Lady, featuring Prince and Stevie Wonder. Not too shabby. It happened over the weekend. The White House tried to keep it on the DL, that didn't work. Why? Because, you know, social media, you got people humble bragging. People like Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, who put out on social media, “Dancing at the @WhiteHouse to Prince & Stevie Wonder w/my lady @Ciara. Thanks Mr. President & First Lady!”
The White House did say that the First Family paid for the event themselves.
You know who was at this event? Our friend Al Roker.
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: That’s right.
NATALIE MORALES: And Tamron [Hall]. And Tamron was there.
DALY: Al, in Houston, can you tell us more about the event at the White House?
AL ROKER: Well, it was very nice, some lovely hors d’oeuvres. And got to watch the First Lady and the President get down. So it was – but to see Prince and then Stevie Wonder together performing was worth everything.
DALY: Yeah, they did "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" together. That must have been amazing. How do you get on the list?
ROKER: Yeah, it was unbelievable.
DALY: How did you get invited to this secret party at the White House?
ROKER: I don't know. I think it was a mistake. They actually wanted Debra and I had to come along.
DALY: Alright. Thank you, Al.
GMA
7:14 AM ET
AMY ROBACH: Well, we all know it can be pretty hard to keep a secret in Washington and President Obama found that out once again this weekend. The First Family throwing a big party at the White House with 500 guests, including a couple of music legends. ABC's Jim Avila has the story.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The Obamas’ Secret Party; Host A-List Celebs at White House]
JIM AVILA: It's tough to keep a concert secret when the headliner is Prince, the accompanist is Stevie Wonder, the audience is the First Family, and the venue is the White House -- especially in the age of social media. The White House might have tried, but they failed. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson posting a picture of himself and his date, singer Ciara, dancing at the White House, “Thanks, Mr. President & First Lady!” Reverend Al Sharpton, not known for keeping anything quiet, tweeting, “Leaving the White House party w/POTUS and FLOTUS. Awesome to see Prince and Stevie Wonder on keyboards together.”
Later we learned that 500 guests filled the residence side of the White House and that the Obamas felt no obligation to advertise their fun. Their spokesman telling a frustrated White House Press Corps it was on their dime.
JOSH EARNEST [WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY]: The President and First Lady are going to reserve the right to host private parties at the White House.
AVILA: Stevie Wonder has performed for the Obamas several times, like at the 2009 inaugural ball. Prince had been in the area last week. But their White House appearances were not on the President's weekend schedule. No guest list was provided and no press allowed in to observe.
EARNEST: Nobody else in here was invited either, so.
AVILA: Well, the press – the pool parties or the private parties here are not new. In fact, they’re quite common. Remember President Reagan was famous for his Hollywood pals going behind closed doors, even people like Elizabeth Taylor and Clint Eastwood, and, of course, Sylvester Stallone. So the big kefuffle here is about the fact that it was kept real quiet. Amy?
ROBACH: Alright, until now. Jim Avila, thanks so much.
