Clarence Thomas’s book party

Most Washington parties can be crashed with simple name-dropping or the flash of a powerful business card. Next week’s book party for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, however, is off-limits to intruders.

“If you don’t have an invite, don’t come,” said Armstrong Williams, who will host the party at his Northeast D.C. home. “And don’t bring guests who aren’t on the list.”

In what surely will come as a shock to some who saddle up to the bar next Wednesday, the party is alcohol-free. Not so shocking for Williams and Thomas — neither drinks.

Dissecting a D.C. party such as this one is a complicated affair. Plans must be made. Buzz must be created. Above all, an air of exclusivity must be close at hand.

Williams’s guest list includes jaw-dropping names, even by Washington standards. Thomas’s colleagues on the high court will be there, mingling with Hollywood celebrities, media superstars and powerful members of Congress.

To top it all off, there is strong speculation that Vice President Cheney and his wife, Lynne, will attend.

Like other hosts for exclusive parties in the nation’s capital, Williams — a former aide to Thomas — has not released his guest list.
But make no mistake, this party is strictly A-list. Actor Will Smith, White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, ABC newswoman Barbara Walters, CBS Sports’s James Brown, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, ex-NBA star Charles Barkley and Bob Jones of Bob Jones University are expected to celebrate Thomas’s tome, entitled My Grandfather’s Son. Washington Redskins and Wizards will also be in the house.

Steve Kroft of  “60 Minutes,” whose recent interview of Thomas is expected to air this Sunday, will be at the party next week.
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), whose aggressive questioning of Anita Hill during Thomas’s contentious confirmation hearings in 1991 attracted praise from the right and condemnation from the left, will also be in attendance, as have Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and other lawmakers.

Yet this book party is not a conservatives-only gathering. Civil rights activist and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton and NAACP President Julian Bond are expected to attend.

“This is an American event,” Williams said. “It’s not left or right.”

He added, “There’s a cross-section of media types who were invited, including some who unfairly criticized Justice Thomas. But that’s behind us. You can’t hold a grudge.”

Williams describes Thomas as his mentor. Their friendship has grown stronger over the years — they have been spotted dining at the Capital Grille, and Williams regularly drops by the high court to talk with his old boss.

Years ago, Williams said, Thomas told him that he was considering writing his memoirs. Having held functions for Thomas before, Williams said it was a given he would host the book party.

They have compared notes on what Williams describes as the “storms” in their lives. For Thomas, it was the contentious confirmation process. For Williams, it was his government contract promoting President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, which triggered a Justice Department investigation.

“That is a bond for us,” Williams said in an interview this week. “But what matters is we’re still standing and we have something to celebrate.”

Thomas, Williams says, is in a good place: “I’ve never seen him so upbeat.”

Since word got out on the party, Williams said, his office has fielded close to a thousand calls. Most have been turned away. Only about 250 VIPers will get in, though Williams noted that there are regular people on the list who are close to Thomas — Americans who won’t show up in People magazine.

The decision not to have alcohol at Williams’s home is undoubtedly unusual for Washington, and while it is certain to raise eyebrows, the cuisine is expected to win guests over. Haute on the Hill is catering the event, which will feature a Southern/East Coast cuisine, ranging from crab cakes to caviar.

Williams has a spacious home just three blocks from the Supreme Court.

The three-level house will be open to guests, as will the exquisite courtyard that has been compared to the Botanical Gardens.
Williams, a regular contributor to The Hill’s Pundits Blog, would not divulge how much the party will cost, saying only that he will be picking up the entire tab. “Whatever it is, it’s worth it,” he said.

Security is always tight at high-profile Washington, D.C., events, but “this one is off the charts,” Williams said, adding that Supreme Court Police, Secret Service and Capitol Police have been working with him on the event for the last three months.
Juleanna Glover Weiss, senior adviser at the Ashcroft Group, is known for throwing large, upscale parties in her Northwest home. Her parties, she said, don’t often require high security. They do, however, require thoughtful preparation.

“A good formula is one-third reporters, one-third political operatives and/or elected officials and one-third from the think tank community,” Glover said.

Glover’s best piece of advice in throwing a good D.C. party? “Strong personalities,” she said. “No shrinking violets. More loudmouths than shrinking violets.”

In mid-July, Arianna Huffington, creator of the popular Huffingtonpost.com website, hosted a party in her elegant Georgetown condo on the canal with a wraparound balcony. Guests comprised a range of social groups around town — everyone from Georgetown society woman Ann Hand to a lengthy list of media types, such as The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz, Time magazine’s Margaret Carlson and scribes from many other publications around town. A key guest who sprouted buzz in many a Washington gossip column was Amber Lee Ettinger, better known as Obama Girl, the model/actress who showed up in snug attire.
Not shocking enough? Just when everyone least expected it, a surprise guest — singer Pat Boone — showed up, well-tanned and full of stories with which to regal the guests. The crooner was in town from Beverly Hills to promote Christians for Israel. The party featured well-known guests, not to mention a spectacular spread that included lamb shank and grilled chicken kabobs and lots and lots of olives.

Jason Roe, former chief of staff to Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.), is a lobbyist for the Federal Strategy Group who attends a lot of parties around town. He’s picky when it comes to his taste in soirees.

“I definitely think that the air of exclusivity is a huge motivator on what makes a good party in Washington,” he said. “Who hosts the party is important. It’s usually an indicator of who will be attending.”

The guest list is vital, he said.

“You want to make sure you get people there that draw other people,” he said, citing the recent party GQ threw at Café Milano to promote its 50 Most Power People in Washington story. Only 20 “powerful people” showed up — some of whom were not A-listers — leaving Roe, among others guests, disappointed.

“We were led to believe there were going to be big names at the GQ party,” he said.

Being selective is important.

“You want to keep the third-tier people out of there,” Roe said. “The establishment figures don’t want a bunch of 20-something legislative assistants running around their house. They are certainly not who the other people there are going to see.”

“Invitations do say ‘non-transferable,’” said Glover Weiss. “It’s a polite way of saying, ‘We’re inviting you, not your deputy chief of staff.’”

The Bloomberg after-party to the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner is an annual gathering that most political insiders are dying to attend. Tickets are scarce. The buzz is high. Who doesn’t want to go to a party with ice sculptures and stars?
“You know that is where all the VIPs are going,” said Roe. “You also know it’s hard to get into.”

“One year I just walked in and I was amazed,” he said. “No one even stopped me. I was stunned to see who was there — Jenna Elfman, Paul Wolfowitz, Condi Rice.”

Even though many bold-faced names will be at his house next week, Williams said, “As far as I’m concerned, the only superstar at this party will be Justice Thomas.”