Washington Whispers
'Passing the Bong' to Remake Politics
He is, we think, speaking figuratively when describing late-night "pass the bong" conversations with fellow former Washington Post reporter Jim VandeHei about building a new political journalism model on the Internet. But as Editor-in-Chief John Harris gets ready to debut a thrice-weekly paper and website called the Politico, he concedes that he, Executive Editor VandeHei, and the Allbritton Communications team aim to "provide a needle in the vein" to those hooked on politics, starting January 23. "We're political junkies," says Harris, a former Post editor and reporter, "and we're writing for political junkies." News sources are eager for change, too: Bush political adviser Karl Rove has even talked up the Politico to allies.
Leave the Post for the Web? They're not crazy, says former Minneapolis Star Tribune Editor Tim McGuire. Considering the mass layoffs at fading newspapers, he says, "this is a sanity test, and they are passing." The money is good, rumored at $250,000 for the two top editors and generous for the small staff of big names. But Harris says it's more than cash: The industry is changing, and now's the time to pounce since readers are more in tune with the Web. He and VandeHei are maybe on to something. Since raiding other publications for staff, competitors like the Post have stepped up Web operations and hiring. "We've shaken everybody by the lapels," says Harris.
Is the 'Governator'a 'Senatenator'?
There's growing buzz in Washington and California that just re-elected Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger likes this government stuff so much that he's got his eye on the Senate. Specifically, the seat held by Sen. Barbara Boxer, who's up for re-election in 2010 when the Terminator ends his second term.
The Speaker Gets the Symbolism
As the first-ever woman speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi understands the importance of symbols. And she was full of her trademark touches of style and substance last week as she took the gavel. Three examples: First, she's on a personal enviro-kick, asking her security detail to drive SUVs that run on E20, a mix of 20 percent ethanol and 80 percent gas, insiders tell us. While E10 is more common, E20 is a long-term goal, but associates say she wants to speed up the shift and to lead by example. Despite her victory, it is a compromise: She initially asked for a hybrid Chevy Suburban. Second, that wasn't Lenten purple Pelosi wore the day she was sworn in. It was the color of the original suffragettes. And finally, as simply a nice act, she gave ex-House Speaker Dennis Hastert one of those coveted secret "hideaways" in the Capitol to use as his retreat.
The Collapse of the CIA's 'Berlin Wall'
With the nation's spy agencies in full reform mode, the CIA has finally torn down its own version of the Berlin Wall. For years, its 24-hour operations center had a wall running down the middle, separating the agency's analysts from its ultrasecret clandestine spooks. Not only did CIA Director Gen. Michael Hayden remove the wall, but he invited in representatives from other intel agencies. The move kicks off a new four-year strategic plan for the CIA.
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