Press Briefing Room

Briefing room is due to be unveiled today. Pete points out that around 8:00 AM "people may want to try to tune in to CNN or something like that to see George and Laura host the unveiling ceremony." I'll post updates during the day as better pics become available. I expect Time's WH Photo of the Day to have a good one early.

UPDATES:
WH release
WH fact sheet

ABC/AP story, with gut-wrenching "President Bush is a real cut-up" lede.
Examiner/AP story, same writer, leaving the excrutiating turns of phrase to the president.

FLASH: Hou Chron's Julie Mason rocks the inside scoop--pool pics!

President Bloomberg's White House

Weird article on how Michael Bloomberg might alter the West Wing... if he wanted to make it like his current offices.... if he were to become president... if he were to run....

Press Briefing Room

Still awaiting decent pictures of the new Press Briefing Room and Press Offices.... Here is another article, with images that will make any photographer wince. Why pay professionals handsome salaries if you're only going to display their pictures 274 pixels across?

The article says they haven't enlarged it at all and have even kept the pool—the pool that's been covered and unused for fully half its existence.

UPDATE: Added pics to the Press Briefing Room and Press Offices pages, including a mind-blowing photo of the brand-new Nixon briefing/tea party room from a great article passed along by both Robert and Pete.

Ford auction

Jack M passed along the details of the Guernsey's Gerald R Ford auction being held this weekend. The catalog (PDF) consists of 45 pages of items from the Ford home in Beaver Creek, Colorado, including engraved gives from Lucille Ball, golf memorabilia, and several elephant collectibles.

Thanks, Jack!

Guernsey's is also separately selling a genuine JFK rocking chair.

Happy Independence Day

Today--more or less--marks the first anniversary of the White House Museum grand opening. There was a "soft opening" in June, but that was mainly to make sure the pH balance in the fountain was right and the security system was working. Over time, we've overcome the serious setback of being robbed by Danny Ocean and are ready for what the next year brings.

A dip in the press pool

Julie Mason of the Houston Chronicle has indeed come thru with pics of the new press area! I didn't realize it at first because the Chron bloggers moved to a new site.

I also missed the tee-ball coverage.

New front page: Bush 2 Lincoln Bedroom

I changed the front page to one of the new Lincoln Bedroom. The WHHA seems to be holding off on a new An Historic Guide until the Bush renovations are complete, but that may be January 2009....

Interesting shot of the gold chairs in, I think, the East Room.

Also: congratulations to Mimlog on a, uh, Minilog.