The taping is set to begin at 10 a.m.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie leaves the Four Seasons Chicago Hotel en route to the studios of the Oprah Winfrey show to appear with Newark Mayor Cory Booker and Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. CHICAGO — Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the new and unexpected benefactor of the Newark schools system, just arrived at Oprah Winfrey's TV studio in Chicago in advance of the impending announcement that he will be donating $100M to reform the beleaguered school system.
Wearing a gray t-shirt and blue jeans, Zuckerberg stepped out of a black Lincoln SUV and moved quickly into side door at the headquarters of Winfrey's Harpo productions. A few minutes earlier, Gov. Chris Christie emerged from the Four Seasons Hotel a short distance from the studio, also on his way to the show. Newark Mayor Cory Booker is also planning to attend the announcement and was the contact who brought Winfrey into the mix.
Zuckerberg didn't say anything as Winfrey's security opened the door and let him in.
Winfrey, renowned for sometimes tough relations with the news media, had insisted that today's announcement be kept secret. But the Star-Ledger reported on Wednesday that Winfrey would host Zuckerberg and the two New Jersey politicians for the announcement of the gift.
Christie and Booker were to be in the building by 8:30 a.m. EDT for a 10 a.m taping. The show will be aired in New Jersey at 4 p.m. today.
Christie arrived by charter jet last night after making the first two stops on a month-long political tour around the country. He is stumping for Republican gubernatorial candidates and Thursday spent the afternoon doing a series of events for New Mexico candidate Susan Martinez.
Christie is to be joined for the Oprah show today by his wife, Mary Pat. He is returning to New Jersey for the weekend before heading back out on the stump Monday on behalf of Ohio gubernatorial candidate John Kasich.
Today's announcement is to be followed over the next three days by a series of events in New Jersey promoting the Newark project. Full details of those arrangements have not been announced.