#WHCD Weekend Wrap Up : Thomson Reuters McLaughlin Brunch

Let’s just say we are closing the gap. We wrote of Thursday night and Friday day and evening which are the #WHCD activities leading up to the big night on Saturday, but let’s skip for a moment if you will, the rainy blustery, chilly black tie evening and head into calmer, sunnier skies aka “The Brunches”.

music to our ears

just a small sampling of the extensive spread found at this brunch

First, we return to the beautiful, luxurious and stately Hay-Adams rooftop, walking in right at 1030am on the dot, as the early bird gets the best views and a spot at a high boy table.  We are welcomed at the entrance with smiling young ladies who pleasantly check off our names and direct us on to enjoy ourselves. As we pass through, we cannot help but graciously take a mimosa from the butler held tray.  After all, one does need her vitamin C after such a long activity-filled weekend.  The entire space is utilized in a comfortable, civilized setting, naturally lit with the morning sun via the open doors leading out to the balcony.  Jason and I look at each other. This is more like it, we nod in agreement.

Julie Chen and husband Les Moonves greet a friend

Rebecca Cooper, Susan Ferrechio and Doug McKelway

Pat Buchanan

Soon, the guests, dressed in appropriate Sunday #WHCD weekend brunch attire float in, glancing around for Mr. John McLaughlin of The McLaughlin Group and Mr. Stephen Adler, Editor in Chief of Reuters News, our hosts for the day.  Knowing there will be other VIPs mixing and mingling among the approximately 600 guests that will walk in and out during the course of 5 1/2 hours, we keep a keen eye out for a glimpse of those invited like Piers Morgan, Wolf Blitzer (anchor of CNN’s “The Situation Room”), Christiane Amanpour of ABC News, Eliot Spitzer (host of “Viewpoint”), Arianna Huffington, Senator Roy Blunt, Ron Kaufman (Mitt Romney adviser), Ronald Kirk (U.S. Trade Representative), Lieutenant General Douglas Lute (Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser for Iraq and Afghanistan), and Darren Star creator of “Sex and the City”.  After all, Reuters White House correspondent Caren Bohan is the White House Correspondents’ Association President, so we know there will be plenty of heavy hitters.

guests, including Tony Podesta, enjoy the warm sunny weather and views from the Hay-Adams

Quickly the room fills up and we spot FNC’s Doug McKelway, WJLA’s Rebecca Cooper, Pat Buchanan, media mogul Mort Zuckerman, art collectors/lobbyists husband and wife Tony and Heather Podesta, Julie Chen of CBS’s “The Talk” with husband head of CBS Les Moonves, and more.  Mr. McLaughlin himself enters smiling and donning a sporty look in a brown leather jacket.  He and Mr. Adler converse with attendees and kindly allow for photo opps.

Mr. John McLaughlin talks with guests

sweets for the sweet

Known as a venue to put on your “wish list” as a guest post-Dinner for years and years and years, this “morning after” event was as always, a pleasant, low-key way to spend the day amongst friends, good food and drink and a few of the most powerful people in media and business.