National Press Club

William W. Broom, former president of the National Press Club and father of WMAR-TV reporter Scott Broom, died Monday of Parkinson's disease at Roland Park Place. He was 78. Born in Dieterich, Ill., he grew up in nearby Effingham, where he delivered newspapers during the Depression. Graduating from Effingham High School at age 16, he entered the University of Illinois. Two years later, he joined the Army - which proved to be a step toward a career in journalism. "The Army was training him to be a medical corpsman," his son said.

Two journalists from The Sun have won a national award from the Society of Professional Journalists for a series published last fall that focused on the plight of two homeless Baltimore teenagers. Reporter Liz Bowie and photographer AndrM-i F. Chung won the organization's Sigma Delta Chi Award for nondeadline reporting for newspapers with circulations of 100,000 or more. Their entry was the series "On Their Own," which documented the lives of Iven Bailey and Gary Sells as they struggled to complete their senior year at Lake Clifton-Eastern High School.

As Mayor Martin O'Malley has experienced over the past year, attaining a national profile - especially on the critical topic of homeland security - can cut both ways for a local politician with sights set on higher office. The mayor's opinions on how cities can best protect themselves against terrorism has landed O'Malley national speaking and leadership roles on the issue. But his frequent criticism of President Bush on the topic also has resulted in public relations debacles after he twice related Bush policies to the Sept.

As Mayor Martin O'Malley has experienced over the past year, attaining a national profile - especially on the critical topic of homeland security - can cut both ways for a local politician with sights set on higher office. The mayor's opinions on how cities can best protect themselves against terrorism has landed O'Malley national speaking and leadership roles on the issue. But his frequent criticism of President Bush on the topic also has resulted in public relations debacles after he twice related Bush policies to the Sept.

WASHINGTON -- It was nice to see Dale Earnhardt smile yesterday, even nervously.The Intimidator came here to address the National Press Club and said it was he, not club members, who was intimidated."

"IT'S INEVITABLE that when defeated Gov. Mario Cuomo of New York speaks at the National Press Club here on Friday, he'll be asked whether he's going to run for president in 1996." -- Jack Germond & Jules Witcover, The Sun, Dec. 13.Earth to National Press Club, Earth to National Press Club, we're losing you. Over. Over? Oh, no! It's finally happened! The Washington punditocracy has left orbit and is lost in space!How can anybody ask Mario Cuomo, with a straight face, if he is thinking of running for president in 1996?

Two journalists from The Sun have won a national award from the Society of Professional Journalists for a series published last fall that focused on the plight of two homeless Baltimore teenagers. Reporter Liz Bowie and photographer AndrM-i F. Chung won the organization's Sigma Delta Chi Award for nondeadline reporting for newspapers with circulations of 100,000 or more. Their entry was the series "On Their Own," which documented the lives of Iven Bailey and Gary Sells as they struggled to complete their senior year at Lake Clifton-Eastern High School.

WASHINGTON - Jeff Gannon, the former White House reporter for Talon News, a conservative online news outlet, has once again roiled the Washington journalism establishment. Gannon, whose actual name is James Dale Guckert, resigned two months ago after gaining notoriety for using a fake name while working as a reporter covering the White House. Though he had no journalism experience and previously worked as an escort, he managed to ask President Bush a question at a nationally televised news conference.

WASHINGTON - When actress Angelina Jolie appeared at the National Press Club yesterday, the capital press corps asked her the city's sexiest question: What does she think of Undersecretary of State John Bolton, the Bush official nominated this week as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations? Sorry to disappoint, but Washington insiders don't ask about Brad Pitt. At the event, they didn't make a peep about how Jolie was rumored to be a factor in Pitt's much-analyzed breakup with Jennifer Aniston.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Ted Kennedy, taking questions at the National Press Club the other day after calling for delays in future phases of President Bush's 10-year tax cut, was asked what he thought of the Republican tactic of branding his proposal a tax increase. Mr. Kennedy noted that it was an old political gambit in the Senate to take an opponent's position, misstate it, then argue against the misstatement. "It's very effective," he said, smiling wryly. "I've used it myself." But it's not a laughing matter for the Democrats to be labeled as tax-raisers in a congressional election year, when, barring further horrendous acts of terrorism, the critical issue in many campaigns will be the state of the struggling economy.

WASHINGTON - Jeff Gannon, the former White House reporter for Talon News, a conservative online news outlet, has once again roiled the Washington journalism establishment. Gannon, whose actual name is James Dale Guckert, resigned two months ago after gaining notoriety for using a fake name while working as a reporter covering the White House. Though he had no journalism experience and previously worked as an escort, he managed to ask President Bush a question at a nationally televised news conference.

WASHINGTON - When actress Angelina Jolie appeared at the National Press Club yesterday, the capital press corps asked her the city's sexiest question: What does she think of Undersecretary of State John Bolton, the Bush official nominated this week as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations? Sorry to disappoint, but Washington insiders don't ask about Brad Pitt. At the event, they didn't make a peep about how Jolie was rumored to be a factor in Pitt's much-analyzed breakup with Jennifer Aniston.

William W. Broom, former president of the National Press Club and father of WMAR-TV reporter Scott Broom, died Monday of Parkinson's disease at Roland Park Place. He was 78. Born in Dieterich, Ill., he grew up in nearby Effingham, where he delivered newspapers during the Depression. Graduating from Effingham High School at age 16, he entered the University of Illinois. Two years later, he joined the Army - which proved to be a step toward a career in journalism. "The Army was training him to be a medical corpsman," his son said.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Ted Kennedy, taking questions at the National Press Club the other day after calling for delays in future phases of President Bush's 10-year tax cut, was asked what he thought of the Republican tactic of branding his proposal a tax increase. Mr. Kennedy noted that it was an old political gambit in the Senate to take an opponent's position, misstate it, then argue against the misstatement. "It's very effective," he said, smiling wryly. "I've used it myself." But it's not a laughing matter for the Democrats to be labeled as tax-raisers in a congressional election year, when, barring further horrendous acts of terrorism, the critical issue in many campaigns will be the state of the struggling economy.

WASHINGTON -- It was nice to see Dale Earnhardt smile yesterday, even nervously.The Intimidator came here to address the National Press Club and said it was he, not club members, who was intimidated."

For 63 years, since Franklin Delano Roosevelt inaugurated the program in 1932, no luncheon speaker at the storied National Press Club has been introduced as being successful for not wearing skivvies.Until yesterday.Actress Sharon Stone, famed for her portrayal of the hedonistic, undergarment-impaired femme fatale in the movie "Basic Instinct," was presented to a sellout audience by club president Monroe Karmin as achieving fitness and health because "she never wears underwear."Clad in a silk pinstriped pantsuit and blinding white canvas Keds, a nonplused Ms. Stone said, "Frankly, I don't know what to say about that."

THERE WERE fighting words from George McGovern in his speech announcing his intentions for 1992, but perhaps because he had decided not to make the fight himself this time, his call to arms to his party lacked the fire that usually marks the kickoff of a presidential campaign.In announcing that he would not seek the Democratic nomination, McGovern hammered President Bush and the Republicans almost as if he were delivering an acceptance speech at a nominating convention, full of applause lines: "If you want a president who takes the low road to our highest office, George Bush is your man . . . If you want a president so careless that he keeps Dan Quayle one heartbeat from the presidency, George Bush is your man . . . If you want a president who built up Manuel Noriega and Saddam Hussein and then led the nation into destructive wars against the dictators he himself had helped to arm, then George Bush is your man. . . ."

Pandemonium at the Washington Journalism Conference meant 300 young reporters fighting to get the use of 50 typewriters.To 16-year-old Jennifer Zaniewski of Millersville, the frenzy was the closest thing to real-life journalism she'd encountered. She filed her story, then wandered through the National Press Club in Washington keeping an eye out for reporters from the Post or CNN.The young woman, a junior at Archbishop Spalding High School, returned last week from the conference. She was one of 300 high school students from across the country selected to attend the five-day event.

"IT'S INEVITABLE that when defeated Gov. Mario Cuomo of New York speaks at the National Press Club here on Friday, he'll be asked whether he's going to run for president in 1996." -- Jack Germond & Jules Witcover, The Sun, Dec. 13.Earth to National Press Club, Earth to National Press Club, we're losing you. Over. Over? Oh, no! It's finally happened! The Washington punditocracy has left orbit and is lost in space!How can anybody ask Mario Cuomo, with a straight face, if he is thinking of running for president in 1996?

Washington--It was only nine days after the elections and, frankly, Washington needed some light moments. Then Dave Barry stepped in.He was the guest speaker at a National Press Club luncheon last Thursday, drawing a well-dressed, in-the-know crowd -- or at lTC least one that fancied itself in the know. Usually, serious types hold forth at these lunches; recent guests were Texas Sen. Phil Gramm, one-time Democratic presidential hopeful Paul Tsongas and "suicide doctor" Jack Kevorkian.The import was not lost on Mr. Barry.