Campaign Season is Upon Us #KeepYourShirtOn

This ain’t right.  This ain’t right at all.

FamousDC Jim Billimoria

Roll Call’s photographer superstar Tom Williams snapped Jim Billimoria at the top of the Rotunda.

When Fantasy Football and the Iraq War Collide

Rick Klein

will be drafting fantasy FB while Tweeting Obama Iraq speech. if I draft David Petraeus, please excuse me in advance.

Brian Montopoli vs. Glenn Beck #CrowdWars

The CBS News vs. Fox News battle heats up as Brian Montopoli explains the science behind their Glenn Beck rally crowd calculations.

CBS News: Glenn Beck “Restoring Honor” Rally Crowd Estimate Explained

RGA Actors Just Miss Emmy Deadline

These two really gave it their all in what ends up being a superbly acted performance. Feel the passion, the energy, and the electricity as they rail against Ohio’s Ted Strickland. Count them as front runners for next year’s Emmy awards.

RGA TV Ad: Ohio – Ted Stirckland “Twice” from Republican Governors Association on Vimeo.

PS: Is that Ed Asner?
PPS: Is that supposed to be his daughter/wife/girlfriend?

Bipartisan Fish Story

Reeled in from Mike Allen’s Playbook:

THE BIPARTISAN ADVENTURES of the DNC communications director and Boehner’s new-media director — @woodhouseb: “With @nickschaper. Were fishing the mouth of the Chester tearing them up. Headed home and ran out of gas. Waiting now for tow boat us. … @nickschaper and I got back across the bay at around 10:30. Never like to be stranded on the water – but this wasn’t a bad night for it.”

Happy Monday Morning

Did you take a private jet to Las Vegas and get arrested for cocaine possession? [Paris Hilton]

Do you think John Mayer could take Ryan Grim? [full of sh*t]

“OMG, there are so many of them here …” [Journolist]

Happy Monday.

Let’s rock this week.

Famously Quoteworthy: Congressman Jokes that Pelosi Might Die

If there was a list of things you shouldn’t say while on the campaign trail, this would be #1: [Bobby Not-so-Bright]

Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL) dodged criticism about voting for Nancy Pelosi (D) as House Speaker by suggesting she might not be available for the job next year if Democrats retain control, the Montgomery Advertiser reports.

The freshman congressman joked that Pelosi “might lose her own election, decide not to run for the speaker’s job or otherwise not be available. He suggested, jokingly he insisted to his audience, that Pelosi could fall ill and die in coming months. That remark drew laughter from the crowd.”

h/t Political Wire

Things Escalated Quickly

Rantworthy: R.I.P. Tune Inn

Something on your mind? Need to Rant? Email famousdc@gmail.com

Tune Inn joins DC reality television craze, crushing hearts more than their mozzarella sticks

The successful opening of Chef Spike’s tourist-beloved We the Pizza and the Silk Road-length lines outside Georgetown Cupcake have proven that television celebrity can add cold hard cash to District businesses’ bottom lines in the otherwise unforgiving summer heat.

But one legendary Capitol Hill dive bar may have just eaten its own scrapple.

The Tune Inn, holder of the oldest liquor license in Washington, D.C. and celebrated for its gritty pretentiousness, recently re-branded itself after Food Network personality Guy Fieri following his April visit for the show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”

Menus, once crinkled and historied as a two dollar bill from your grandfather, now feature Fieri’s cartoon face recommending approved dishes of along with photos of him posing with staff and serving customers. The restaurant’s logo itself if now overlapped with a seal announcing that Fieri certifies these once hallowed walls as an “official dive.”

A giant poster of Fieri lurks outside of the bathrooms with an indignity that has made some regulars wish the urinals were relocated slightly below his trademark bleached blonde hair.

The move seems to contradict the image what one Yelp reviewer described as “a warm-welcomed refuge from the hectic, wannabe ‘trendiness’ of several other late night establishments in D.C.”

Ask the Tune Inn’s servers why the establishment re-branded from the unpretentious Capitol Hill watering hole where Congressmen sit in booths beside known vagrants in a mutual pursuit of a taste of home to a tourist-baiting trend based around one appearance by the winner of the “Next Food Network Star” show, and they seem perplexed themselves.

Once popularly known for walls covered in taxidermy animals, now the atmosphere is defined by the endorsement of a television personality who many current patrons would not have asked the opinion of in the first place.

Will Fieri’s endorsement lead to wrap-around lines of patrons waiting for ice cold cans of Natural Bohemian beer and scrapple hamburgers? How the change will affect the establishment’s regular clientele is yet to be determined, as the Tune Inn’s episode in “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” airs Sept. 16.

Lame Kiffen Inspired by President Obama

We bet this ruined the day for Clay Travis.

Glenn Davis: Lane Kiffin: “My Model Was Obama” In Dealing With Crisis

Erin McPike’s Real Clear Politics

Congrats to Erin on her new gig with Real Clear Politics. Her first story showed up today.

Real Clear Politics: Portman Fine-Tunes Message in Key Senate Race

Alvin Greene Howling

This is offered with no additional comment.

h/t The Fix

Congrats to Marc Ambinder

Marc Ambinder: After November, I’ll be joining National Journal as White House correspondent. A little less blogging, a lot more reporting. Very excited.

VandeHarris vs. Justin Smith

Have the Rex Ryan pep talks on Hard Knocks fired up the Politico folks?

Playbook put on its big boy pants and spent the weekend jacking people up.

On Sunday Playbook ran an advertisement (with no sponsor attribution to parent company Albritton) to pop Comcast and NBC:

** ADVERTISEMENT: A vast army of lobbyists is pushing hard to rush through the largest media merger in American history. The Comcast/NBC monopoly would present serious problems for local news in communities across our country. Washington’s decision makers must take the necessary time to carefully review this controversial merger to protect the public interest. **

And on Saturday, Playbook took a sly shot at Justin Smith’s huge hires at The Atlantic by calling the 153-year-old magazine “Atlantico”

Saturday’s Playbook:

LATEST FROM ATLANTICO – Ron Fournier: “I’m pleased to announce two more additions to our soon-to-be unified newsroom: Sue Davis of the Wall Street Journal and Fawn Johnson of the Dow Jones Newswires/Wall Street Journal. Sue will be one of two Congressional Correspondents for the National Journal Group, writing for the website and our print publications. She comes to National Journal Group from The Wall Street Journal, where she is the lead writer for the popular political blog, ‘Washington Wire.’ … Fawn Johnson will be General Assignment Correspondent, covering a range of issues including transportation and education. Johnson comes to National Journal from Dow Jones Newswires and the Wall Street Journal, where she covered financial regulation and telecommunications.  This is a homecoming for both of our new colleagues. Earlier in her career, Fawn reported on health care, labor and immigration for CongressDaily. Sue previously worked for CongressDaily, covering the House, Senate, and campaign finance beats. Her first stint at National Journal Group began in the research department of the Almanac of American Politics. Please join me in welcoming them back.”

Get your popcorn.

Andrew Sullivan’s Great Poll Adventure

We report. You decide.

We thought about not posting this awful graph, but then figured it would make good afternoon conversation

Andrew Sullivan: Support For Marriage Equality Accelerating?

US House Reconvenes So Rangel Can Ramble

Rep. Charlie Rangel [D-Taxes] was just on the House floor speaking under a point of personal privilege.  [Note: That's fancy talk for "say whatever the f*ck you want to."]

Apparently Chuck went at it for several minutes, all the while stating his innocence.

If I can’t get my dignity back here, fire your best shot at getting rid of me by expulsion. [you go, boy]

Rangel concluded with this powerful statement:

“Thank you for your attention. Go home.”  [boom]

Word on the street is that this isn’t what Speaker Pelosi had in mind when she re-tweeted Congress back in session.

Reaction from the Twitterverse:

@KSpainNRCC RT @RussertXM_NBC One senior Dem aide to me re Rangel on the floor right now: “This is a trainwreck.”

@murphymike Rangel on House floor… Sounds exactly like Frank Pantageli in Godfather 2…

@markos Rangel, please resign.

@EmilyMillerDC MUST WATCH TV NOW — Charlie Rangel giving his defense on House floor. Already a political classic.

@pwire: Rangel: “If I was you I might want me to go away too.” – Thanks Cap’N’ Obvious

@andylevy How do you get back something you never had? #dignity #rangel

How Nancy Pelosi’s Tweet Ruined August Vacation By: @FamousDC and @JESS3

Tomorrow, the U.S. House of Representatives will reconvene because of one single tweet.

This 140 character message, not only ruined thousands of August vacations, but will cost staffers and members thousands of dollars when it’s all said and done.

With the help from FamousDC, the fine folks at JESS3 illustrated how this Tweet rocketed around the Interwebs.

Download the high resolution version.

Monica Hesse Deserves Pulitzer

Monica took what might have been a pretty ridiculous assignment and turned it into something wonderful.

She transformed a fringe Republican Gubernatorial candidacy into a 962-word think-piece on the intersection of politics, the Internet and Napoleon Dynamite.

WaPo: Basil Marceaux lost his race, but on Web he won place in public imagination

Bill Haslam, the current mayor of Knoxville, won Thursday’s Republican nomination for Tennessee governor. Marceaux will fade into the annals of Internet memes, leaving everyone to speculate just what he had against gold fringe. And to eagerly await the next vessel into which we may pour our collective ironic support.

Vote for Pedro? Nay, Vote for Basil.

FamousDC salutes Monica Hesse and can’t wait for your next piece.

Her Arnold Schwarzenegger kicker:

He’ll be back, or someone like him — perhaps someone who has been groomed and stage-managed to precisely this level of outlandishness. The Web will be waiting with open arms.

Basil Marceaux will be back.

Closing Bell: This is not Saturday Night Live, Al

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton:McConnell scolds Franken for making faces from dais during his speech

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) scolded Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) on the Senate floor Thursday for allegedly mocking him while he delivered a solemn speech on Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.

Congressional Staff Making It Rain in the Blogosphere

POLITICO’s Gloria Park: Next D.C. Career: Blogger Relations

Michelle Malkin, a conservative blogger and author, credited staff at The Heritage Foundation, minority staff at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Senate Judiciary Committee and House Homeland Security Committee and staff in the offices of Rep. John Boehner and Sen. Tom Coburn with excellent blogger management.

“There are some staffers who make the mistake of spamming bloggers with press releases that are not blogworthy,” said Malkin. “What distinguishes the good outreach is having information that hasn’t already gone out to POLITICO, the wires and everybody else. They understand the power of the collective conservative blogosphere and target not just the highest-traffic bloggers but also the second- and third-tier bloggers.”

Rick Klein Takes His Coffee Famous

Mr. Rick Klein of ABC News is known to be quite the collector. Now he has a FamousDC mug to add to his impressive baseball card collection.

C-SPAN, Page Six JESS3, and now ABC News

Where will the next FamousDC mug show up?

PREVIOUS: Extreme Famous Morning Coffee

PREVIOUS: Page Six Famous Morning Coffee

PREVIOUS: Jess3 Takes Their Coffee Famous

Speaker of the House 2.0 @SpeakerPelosi

Just as the Founding Fathers imagined …

Speaker Pelosi just reconvened the U.S. House of Representatives via a Tweet.

Speaker Pelosi:

I will be calling the House back into session early next week to save teachers’ jobs and help seniors & children

Blackberry updates are ruining August vacations at beaches across the country.

And Biz Stone’s head is likely exploding.

UPDATE: Congressional Twitter Wars: Pelosi vs. Boehner

House Republican Leader Boehner Tweeted out his own version of the House’s Summer School Session.

GOP Leader:

It’s official: Dems to call House back on Tuesday to pass more “stimulus” spending, “paid for” with new job-killing tax on U.S. job creators

Screen on the Green season ends with a bang right through the heart

This final film of this year’s Screen on the Green season, Bonnie and Clyde, ended in a bloody hail of bullets that forever snuffed out the hopes and aspirations of a young couple finding happiness the only way they could during an economically depressed time.

Throughout the evening it was not difficult to imagine the audience’s own collective fantasies of teaming up with that charming new intern down the hallway for their own Metro line bandit spree, but like the aspirations of many in this our own economic depression HBO took this opportunity to remind us what our colleagues, parents and religious leaders have echoed for months: dream no farther or eat lead.

Each year the Screen on the Green season is awaited in rapt anticipation, the historic scene of hundreds of perfect first dates and hard-earned wine buzzes along the National Mall. And each year despite the valiant efforts of everyday heroes like Jesse Rauch the number of films decreases and fans are forced to realize that they are never as attractive in real life as they are Monday nights after dusk in the summertime.

Efforts are already underway the rescue the 2011 season, as to dream about the lineup of the next film series is not unlike our dreams for a better tomorrow for us all.

Perhaps we’ll enjoy The Muppet Movie and that new job.

Maybe we’ll find both Amelie on the schedule as well as a new love.

Or maybe things will just continue as they are, and the only film next year will also be the internal narrative of your daily commute, Michael Douglas’ Falling Down.

Fans can act now by visiting Save Screen on the Green and making a difference on Capitol Hill that truly matters.

@JESS3 Takes Their Coffee Famous

C-SPAN, Page Six and now JESS3.

Leslie Bradshaw:

Talking big things with THE @FamousDC. Look for @JESS3 partnership awesomeness soon. #fdc http://twitpic.com/2begp9

Where will the next FamousDC mug show up?

PREVIOUS: Extreme Famous Morning Coffee

PREVIOUS: Page Six Famous Morning Coffee

Need relationship advice? Call your…lawyer?

It isn’t like anyone was surprised when Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston decided to call it dunzo. Fortunately for Levi, his attorney Rex Butler has already figured out how this relationship is going to turn out…just fine.

Johnston’s lawyer told us he doubts the couple is truly broken up for good. “These young folk have a lot of pressure on them right now,” said Rex Butler. “All you have to do is watch that show ‘Bridezillas’ — it’s on and off, on and off, depending on the pressures.”

“Bristol, if she’s going to be honest, she doesn’t want him in Hollywood ….. She wants him to sort of be like Todd Palin in the background while she does the running around. Levi on the other hand is not ready to settle into that role while he has other options.”

Wyclef Jean: Gone til November

It is expected that ex-Fugee Wyclef Jean will announce that he plans on running for President of Haiti.

Can’t say we didn’t see this coming. According to Jean, his presidency is going to have a rough start.

Birthday Reminder: Barack’s Telepromter

Be sure to wish Barack’s Telepromter a Happy Birthday tomorrow.

According to one tipster’s FB feed, BT turns 49 on Wednesday.

Election Season is Here @NRCC

Do you think this caused any heartache between Jennifer Crider and Ken Spain?

Shira Toeplitz on Fire

Election season is heating up and the hill journos are in high demand.

Shira Toeplitz:

After my WJLA hit at 11pm, I will have done TV hits on 3 networks/ affiliates today: WJLA-ABC, MSNBC and CBS. Welcome to campaign season!

We  wanted to give Shira some positive coverage before the NFL season starts. It must be tough to be a Steelers fan these days.

Christiane Amanpour’s ABC Debut @RickKlein & Top Line

Roll Call Crushing On Patrick O’Connor

Roll Call has the former Hill & Politico reporter – and current Bloomberg News reporter – front and center on RollCall.com

Mediaite Doesn’t Miss a Trick #SnookiGate

NOT THE ONION: John McCain tweets to Snooki and later President Obama says he doesn’t know her … during an interview with The View.

Steven Jessop: Snooki-Gate? Obama Tells The View “He Has No Idea” Who Snooki Is, After Joking About Her At White House Correspondents Dinner

Kevin Durant to Likely Suffer Season-Ending Injury Tomorrow on Capitol Hill

Kevin Durant is stopping by Capitol Hill tomorrow and we’re wishing him all the best.

Seriously.

If he slips on some Congressional testimony and misses the season, don’t blame us.

We love injury-prone Texas Longhorn basketball superstars.

Here’s the Dear Colleague circulating Capitol Hill:

Join NBA Star Kevin Durant and the Gatorade Company for a Briefing on Sports Nutrition!

Dear Colleagues,

The Congressional Fitness Caucus is pleased to invite you and your staff to a discussion and briefing on sports nutrition with Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder, The Gatorade Company, and scientists from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.  Durant, the NBA’s 2010 regular season leading scorer, will discuss the importance of good nutrition and the NBA’s FIT program.  Kevin Durant will also share some tips for being physically active.

The event will also feature a session with the scientists who will perform exercise testing, similar to the testing conducted with athletes like Dwight Howard and Tim Tebow, in a mobile lab on a high school athlete highlighting the energy requirements teen athletes need while training and competing.

You will have a photo and autograph opportunity with Kevin Durant at the conclusion of the event.

Location:    Ways and Means Committee Room
Longworth House Office Building
Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20515

Date:           Thursday, July 29

Time:           3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Capitol Hill: Hot in Herre

Strasburg didn’t pitch last night and thousands of fans were disappointed. And then today The Hill’s 50 Most Beautiful People is released.

Peaks and valleys, man. Peaks and valleys.

Yes, the only power list in Washington that puts staff assistants ahead of Members of Congress and Chiefs of Staff is here.

So let’s all review today’s conversation starter that just made a 24-year old staff assistant from Huntsville, Alabama, Alexis Latifi, FamousDC.

The Hill: 50 Most Beautiful People

Speaking of Alabama, FishbowlDC’s Betsy Rothestein noted yesterday (“Alabama Hot“) that much like college football, the southern state dominated.

1. Alexis Latifi, a rare gem

5. Ben Duham, Almost Famous

6. Nichelle Williams, Sweet home Alabama

Take us to the list Nelly!

Rick Astley Makes Campaign Commercial

And we still don’t have hoverboards

Dollar Dollar Bills Y’all

Page Six: Frank causes scene demanding discount

So Ambitious: Meet JESS3

Are we still on for coffee Mr. Thomas?

Mashable: Inside the Mind of One of the Web’s Hottest Designers [INTERVIEW]

So ambitious …

Just in time for The Hill’s 50 Most Beautiful

Erin Andrews is heading to Capitol Hill

Boyz 2 Men: FEC

Throw your campaign finance reports …. on the floor.

Shira Toeplitz:

They play smooth R&B when they put you on hold at the FEC #thingsyouneverwantedtoknow

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