The Reliable Source column in the Sept. 15 Style section misidentified a man who was talking to Karen Hughes at an anniversary party for "The Chris Matthews Show." He was Newsweek political correspondent Howard Fineman, not Sidney Blumenthal.
Wonks, Yes; Flacks or Hacks, No
Friday, September 15, 2006; Page C03
Everyone in Washington likes anniversary parties, so we dropped by last night's event celebrating "five great seasons" of "The Chris Matthews Show." Wait a minute -- the show debuted on Sept. 22, 2002, which means four years . . .
"It did occur to me that time sure flies," said a grinning Clarence Page, one of the show regulars.
  Chris Matthews, right, marks his show's anniversary (but which one?) with Tim Russert, left, and wife Kathleen. (Roxanne Roberts -- The Washington Post) Save & Share |
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Whatever. We grabbed a free crab cake and jostled through the crowd on the rooftop of the Hay-Adams Hotel. There were Sens. John McCain and George Allen , Reps. Jane Harman and Ed Markey -- and Karen Hughes and Sid Blumenthal in a deep discussion, but no finger-pointing. There were dozens of media types -- Tim Russert, Chris Hitchens, Andrew Sullivan and Ben Bradlee , many who've done a stint on the show's panel -- and the host's better half, Kathleen Matthews. Her ebullient husband greeted guests like a big old Saint Bernard.
Spirits were high: The nationally syndicated show has the cushy spot on NBC next to "Meet the Press" and ranks No. 2 in Washington and New York in the Sunday morning wonk wars. Matthews credits its success to having reporters ("not flacks or hacks") who argue facts but listen to each other (imagine that). Our take? Maybe it's because he's a little less loud than he is on "Hardball."
McCain's take? "He always has several attractive women on his show." Pause. " Articulate , attractive women."
Speeches? Mercifully short. Drink? Plentiful. View? Fittingly, overlooking the White House. Allen arrived just in time for the party's straw poll for the 2008 Dem and GOP presidential candidates: Hillary Clinton and McCain. Don't worry, George. Everyone knows Chris can't count.
For D.C. Kids, Close Encounters With the 'Trace' Star, and With Books
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| Eric Close, getting kids to read -- or at least smell -- their books.(Rachel Beckman - The Washington Post) |
"He tries to save people," the 9-year-old said yesterday of the hunky star of CBS's missing-persons drama "Without a Trace" who at that moment was dazzling her Birney Elementary classmates at a literacy-charity photo-op. Isn't that show on kinda late for you? Said Brianna a little boastfully: "I go to bed at 8 o'clock." (It airs at 10.)
Close, 39, flew in for one of those ceremonies featuring big cardboard checks -- $95,000, presented by Verizon Yellow Pages to the charity First Book, plus HarperCollins giving 30,000 books to needy kids -- and students came downtown from their Southeast Washington school to watch it all at the Charles Sumner School Museum. Our colleague Rachel Beckman reports that at least one knew the dimply, blue-eyed actor (dashing in a black suit and a spray of freckles across his perfect nose). As a presenter ran down Close's bio -- "he's been married for 11 years . . . " -- Kyara Ch ase , 12, shouted from the front row: "And he has two kids!"
A story reading promised in the news release never happened; instead, the actor sold the students on another keen pleasure of literature.
"On the count of three, smell your book!" And they all smashed the pages of their new books ("Warriors: Into the Wild") against their noses.
LOVE, ETC.
· Confessing: In his tell-all book and interview with Oprah , former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey says he began his affair with Golan Cipel -- the male aide whose accusations forced him from office -- while his wife was recovering from childbirth. "I was totally in love with this man," the ex-gov, who stepped down in 2004, writes in a new memoir, according to the New York Daily News, which obtained a copy days before its release. In the "Oprah" episode airing next week, McGreevey appears with his new boyfriend, Aussie financial adviser Mark O'Donnell .
· Splitting: Irrepressible stockholder activist/gadfly Evelyn Y. Davis , 77, from retired agricultural affairs officer Jim Patterson , 51. The two wed (fourth for her, second for him) in a civil ceremony on Sept. 14 last year and were granted their "amicable" divorce yesterday, according to a news release from Davis. Some first anniversary, huh? "A complete coincidence!" said Davis.
Bringing Down the (White) House
The White House was jamming last night, thanks to musicians Anita Baker, Herbie Hancock, Nnenna Freelon, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter , Bobby Watson and Lisa Henry. The president and first lady kicked off this weekend's 20th-anniversary celebration of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz with a black-tie dinner for about 130 guests and a performance afterward. The concert, emceed by Barbara Walters , was taped for PBS's "In Performance at the White House."