I want the night to also reflect on members.
I want them to see themselves in the evening.
I wanted to also feel like its about the story of the press corps and why our work matters.
White House Correspondents' Association president Kelly O’Donnell of NBC NewsNBC News
We know its the backdrop of when we come together.
That is the case this year as well.
How will you address that?
Do it at your local level.
Do it with a subscription to your local paper.
DEADLINE:How did you come to select Colin Jost as the featured entertainer for the dinner?
He is a writer first, and all of our members can relate to that.
He had been a reporter very early on as a student journalist.
He gets it, and writing is the foundation of his whole entertainment career.
So the thing I am most confident about in all of the planning is that he will be terrific.
DEADLINE:That it is a tough gig for an entertainer because you are following the president.
And so he recognized that there is a challenge and all of that.
Comedians who come to the dinner always do.
Its not an easy room.
What has been the most challenging aspect of this?
Can we get our press corps in to see the president sign a critical bill?
And for the American press corps to get to question them is a rare thing.
For us, it is not press for press sake.
Its press for the public record, for the American people so they have transparency.
Often that seems to mean non-traditional media.
If you go to an entertainers podcast, there isnt anybody fact checking that… Its a different animal.
The work we do comes with all of the rigors of good journalism.
So we are fighting for that access.
We have no problem with any outreach to different audiences.
Theres value in that for them.
DEADLINE:Do you have any indication of whether there might be another formal press conference coming up?
ODONNELL:We advocate for that on a regular basis.
We believe there should be more press conferences.
He can say it any way he wishes.
He can answer any way he chooses.
We would prefer more formal opportunities than shouting questions at the end of an unrelated event.
We do that because we would like more access to the president.
Theres a direct correlation between shouted questions and limited access.
The more access you have, the less need there is to shout questions.
DEADLINE:Could you explain to people what the laveteria is?
So there is a section attached to the West Wing that is a combination break room and bathrooms.
So people have their lunch, right where others are stopping in to make a visit.
Its a very, very tight space.
So its a combination of lavatory and cafeteria.
