The White House press room coffee machines

I read a lot of political news, it’s part of my day job. It helps me understand the landscape for the fate of policy proposals here in our nation’s capital. As a sometimes journalist I’m also tuned into bylines and the trials and tribulations of my fellow ink-stained wretches. I also have a bit of a coffee affliction.

Sometimes I get rewarded with a story that makes it all the more interesting. Today’s lead story in Politico’’s West Wing Playbook, “Tom Hanks, this coffee is too fancy” is just such a story and too good not to share.

Hanks, taking pity on White House reporters who were subsisting on coffee brewed by a vending machine, found such dire working conditions unacceptable. So, a few days later he donated a $1,000 Illy machine with directions: “Add water, insert pod, press button and report.” Simple enough.

Intrepid reporters being intrepid reporters rose to the challenge, sort of. The story tells of the evolution of coffee machines in the press area kitchenette.

But after countless hours spent hunkered down at the POLITICO White House desk (which just happens to be right next to the espresso machine), we realized we’d never actually seen anyone make an espresso. West Wing Playbook began to wonder: After all this time, has anyone learned how to use this thing?

Grab a cup of coffee and give “Tom Hanks, this coffee is too fancy” a read.