Michael Collins, USA Today/Gannett White House correspondent, spoke with the PebbleCreek Democratic Club on April 7.
Alisa Moore
The April meeting of the PebbleCreek Democratic Club was a busy one! The club’s speaker was Michael Collins, a White House correspondent with the USA Today/Gannett Washington Bureau, who has covered both the Trump and the Biden administrations. He primarily covers economic issues but is tapped as needed to cover breaking news depending on the situation.
Recently inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, Mr. Collins served as state bureau chief at The Cincinnati Post for five years and night city editor at the Kentucky Post prior to his Washington assignment. He earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism from Western Kentucky University. His work appears in print, digitally, and on social media, and his appearances on C-Span are available in their video library.
He discussed the way the White House daily briefings process works, what pool reporting is, and what it is like to travel with the president on Air Force One. He also answered questions from the Zoom attendees, ranging from the biggest stories he has covered, to the stories he is most proud of, to the differences between the two administrations and the two presidents. He noted that his work over these past couple of years has shown him how fragile democracy is and how important the role of a free and independent press is in protecting it.
In other club news, the club’s support of Agua Fria Food and Clothing Bank continues at a tremendous pace. Our March contributions totaled 397 pounds of food and clothing and $2,190 in cash, including $2,000 raised at an Easter event held by friends of the Community Benefits Committee chair, Judy Hart, to support the food bank. Agua Fria’s greatest needs are non-perishable food, clothing and shoes (especially for men), plastic bags from stores, and self-care items. Brian Cudmore will take over the collection and delivery of contributions on May 1.
Upcoming social events include trivia night on April 23, the return of game night on April 21, Mexican Train night on May 2, and in person men’s breakfasts and Saturday morning breakfasts. In an additional charitable undertaking, the club is collecting books and magazines for men, women, and juveniles in the Maricopa County jail. Jan Race is in charge of the collection, and the first pickup was April 13.
The club’s next meeting is May 5 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The speaker will be Adrian Fontes, former Maricopa County Recorder and member of The NewDEAL (newdealleaders.org), a national network of rising state and local elected leaders who are pro-growth progressives, who are championing ideas to grow the economy, expand opportunity for all, and make government work better. All are welcome. Visit pcdemclub.org for more information.