Astronauts may have first walked on the moon 40 years ago this July, but in Washington a lot of the chatter was about Chappaquiddick instead. The accident involving Sen. Ted Kennedy that killed Mary Jo Kopechne occurred on July 18, 1969 and the controversy slowly picked up steam. By August, according to Whispers, the scandal "almost eclipsed Apollo 11 in conversations in congressional cloakrooms" and left some unsure of Kennedy's political future.

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

It's hard to imagine a president who's been more written about, but that doesn't stop historians from researching and reviewing Abraham Lincoln's story—especially in this year that celebrates the bicentennial of his birth. Our friends at the White House Historical Association are contributing by producing two of their popular White House History journals devoted to the 16th president.

In the latest, editor William Seale tells of how Lincoln memorabilia are everywhere in Washington, even in "the Church of Presidents"—St. John's Episcopal, across the street from the White House. Pew 89 is in the last row in a corner next to the door. And that's where Lincoln normally sat (he often left before the end of Sunday services).

By Amanda Ruggeri, Washington Whispers

Being in Congress isn't such a swanky job. Just ask two-term Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Patrick Murphy. "I sleep in my office on a little air mattress, OK," he says. "I know that's not very glamorous." And he sleeps only four or five hours a night before hitting the House gym at the crack of dawn. "Don't worry—I shower," he adds.

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

The first beehive has finally produced some honey, and we hear it tastes and looks splendid. First beekeeper Charlie Brandts tells us that it has a hint of citrus, a sweet local trait, and that the first honey pull totaled 43 pounds. But don't look for it at the supermarket. Most will be used by the White House chefs, and some may go out as gifts.

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

Reporters have had it with officials abruptly going "off the record" at public events and conferences. Now some are calling for an end to it. "If you're giving a speech to the public, and especially if the organizers have made it open to the press, don't declare your comments to be off the record. That's silly," says Rick Blum, coordinator of the Sunshine in Government Initiative, which is asking media outfits to sign a letter urging an end to the widening practice.

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

Resigning Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's payday could top $2 million, says a publicist who knows her well. And that's just for speeches, not a book or TV gig. "She needs the cash, and by quitting now she can probably make a couple million in the next year," says the associate. "She wouldn't have been able to do that as governor, and who knows if everyone would have been as interested in her 18 months from now."

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's love-struck romp in Buenos Aires with his Argentine "soul mate" wasn't just a threat to his marriage, job, and presidential aspirations. It also jeopardizes his Department of Homeland Security clearance and raises new questions about his candor on the steamy affair. Didn't know the Republican had one? Well, as a chief of state and head of the South Carolina National Guard, Sanford has a top-secret security status that lets him in on classified information such as possible terrorist threats and emergency tips. But with that need to know come intelligence community rules of conduct, a key one being that relationships with foreigners must be revealed. The reason: Those in the know can leave themselves open to blackmail from rival intelligence services about a compromising dalliance.

Pollster John Zogby regularly updates our Obamameter. Each week, Zogby uses his polling, expert analysis, and interaction with major players to come up with a rating of between 1 and 100. The Obamameter, however, is not a poll-based job approval number. Instead, the Washington Whispers Obamameter is his judgment on the performance of the president once multiple factors are considered. In this week's Obamameter, Zogby sees Obama adoration chilling because of job losses, carping about slow stimulus spending, and the coup in Honduras.

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

There appears no end in sight for when Dick Cheney, a rare former vice president with Secret Service protection, will lose his security detail. Whispers has learned that the political battler's Secret Service protection has been extended, though there were no details on the length. We don't know why President Obama OK'd the extension, which must be approved by the commander in chief because former veeps typically don't get any Secret Service security after leaving office. But indications are that the threats against Cheney, who's working on his biography at his homes in Virginia and Maryland, haven't lessened since his term expired.

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

Sotomayor is coming; Sotomayor is coming. That's the warning message to senators and staffers in advance of next week's start of the hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonya Sotomayor. In a message to Senate offices and in posters on the Senate side, the sergeant at arms and Capitol Police are telling officials to expect a crush of crowds and unusual security during the two weeks of hearings.

But for the "historic week," the authorities say that they will take efforts to make it easy for lawmakers and their staffers to get to work. Below is the message sent to Senate offices this week:

By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers

It's been called an epidemic, but that doesn't mean the swine flu can't be funny. At least in the way directors of short videos might approach it. That's the message today from the Department of Health and Human Services as it seeks public videos on the flu that will encourage Americans to watch out for it in the upcoming flu season.