••• ••
Melinda Bates
Assistant to the President and Director, White House Visitors Office 1993-2001
619-365-4802 • melindabates@gmail.com

Click Here for Melinda's One Sheet

Dear Radio and Television Hosts, News Directors and Producers,
Dear Features Writers and Editors.

The White House is the most powerful icon in America – not just the home of Presidents and their families, but the symbol of our democracy, an historic living museum, and the setting for Washington’s most glittering and exclusive social events. American and international audiences want to know what life is REALLY like in the White House for the new family living there and the new staff getting to know their high-stakes jobs in an environment with zero tolerance for error. And, then there are the celebrities who come through every day with the same sense of wonder as every tourist – yes, EVERYONE is interested in the White House!

As the only person in history to run the White House Visitors Office and be a Special Assistant to the President for all eight years of an administration, I know everything your audience wants to know and even more of what they need to know.

And I wasn’t just staff, working away in my East Wing office. My personal, lifelong friendship with Bill and Hillary Clinton afforded me a level of access restricted from most staff – organizing and attending state dinners, receptions, bill signings, press conferences and every kind of White House event. Among the biggest challenges was organizing the annual Easter Egg Roll – a huge public event for more than 30,000 people on the South Lawn.

In fact, I represented the President and First Lady in countless television and radio interviews discussing all kinds of White House events, tours and celebrations. But what your audience or readers really love are the inside tidbits about the celebrities, from Darryl Waltrip to Barbara Walters, Oprah to Jewel, Tom Selleck to Dr. Ruth, rustic to royalty – I spent time with dozens and dozens of the most fascinating people from all walks of life and have more fun stories than there is time on-air to tell them. Just take a look at the photos on this site to get an idea of how much fun we had, and who came to visit.

As a daily witness to history, I love telling stories about how it’s still being made in America's House directly to the people who own it – your viewers, listeners and readers. I’m available for radio, television and print interviews.

Just give me a call.

Cordially,

Melinda Bates
619-365-4802

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