D.C. may be looking for a new slogan, but it’s already got one great selling point — Miss D.C. Kate Michael. 

In his Washington Post K Street column today, Jeffrey Birnbaum drops her name:

Miss District of Columbia Kate Michael, a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University and a former research assistant at the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, who is looking for work as a trade association lobbyist.

Dig a bit more and you’ll discover that Kate Michael actually has a pretty good blog/online diary going (click here).

One great entry excerpts an interview she had with the online issue of Pageant.com (alas, we can’t say we get that mag here at Extreme Mortman’s glass-enclosed nerve center)

You’re probably wondering whether Ms. Michael will run for office someday. Maybe so, maybe not, but she will be part of the process around the U.S. Capitol. She plans to become “not a lobbyist exactly, but an advocate.” She wants to influence the kinds of laws that Congress passes, because she wants to make a difference in people’s live.

And her nickname — “Legs” — that’s short for “legislation,” right? No. Ms. Michael is a tall dancer with a showgirl’s body (we got her to admit it) and there’s nothing short about those legs. To use the lingo of D.C., they’re monumental.

From today’s White House press briefing with Dana Perino:

Q When you say that the Congress has no oversight over the White House — Republican Senator Chuck Hagel is saying in Esquire Magazine this month that the President –
MS. PERINO: Quoting Esquire Magazine.
Q Well, a Republican Senator is quoted in there saying that, in fact, the President does not believe that — Chuck Hagel believes the President doesn’t think he needs to be held accountable, and that he drops the word “impeachment,” that perhaps others — he’s not saying himself — but Hagel says, others may want to bring up the word, impeachment, but –
MS. PERINO: I’m not going to comment on something as ridiculous as that.

Gotta love it when a no comment includes the word “ridiculous.”

Breaking Jim Webb news from NBC4  (via Wonkette, and also Instapundit):

An aide to U.S. Sen. Jim Webb was arrested Monday after a loaded handgun allegedly was found in his possession, authorities said.
Capitol police said the aide was arrested during a security check upon entering the Russell Senate Office building at about 10:50 a.m. The gun was detected by an X-ray machine.
It was determined that the man did not have a license to carry the gun in D.C., according to Capitol police. It is illegal to carry handguns in D.C.
The aide was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition.

Now before drawing too many snarky conclusions about this incident, let’s consult the Nov. 24, 2006 Richmond Times-Dispatch:

Departing U.S. Sen. George Allen, honoring a campaign pledge, has quietly introduced a bill that would let visitors carry a concealed firearm into a national park. …
In a twist, an Oct. 30 campaign letter by Jim Webb — the Democrat who narrowly defeated Allen — shows that he promised to introduce similar legislation.
“And I intend to get it to the floor for a vote,” added Webb, who also noted his possession for many years of a concealed-carry permit and his regular shooting activity.

Because an aide carried the gun, not Webb, this incident today isn’t the one to settle things.  So the question remains: Does Webb and/or his concealed-carry permit trump D.C. law making handgun posession illegal in DC?  Can he simply walk through the building with his weapon?

Media Bistro’s Fishbowl DC runs this memo from a LIFE Magazine exec:

I regret to inform you that we will no longer be producing LIFE magazine, effective with the April 20th 2007 issue. We remain committed to the LIFE brand, and will be concentrating on expanding the title’s other businesses, including a new photographic portal making millions of LIFE photos available to the public.

So LIFE is dead — again.  Perhaps it’s the wrong time to bring up the imagery of this one in a million LIFE photo.

Warning to the rest of America: This week leading to Saturday’s Final Four game pitting Georgetown against Ohio State just might be the most insufferable week you’ve ever experienced in this country.  America is being led by Georgetown Hoya fans and loyalists — and their voices are far more powerful than yours.

We’re not talking ZOG-type conspiracy paranoia.  This is real.  The list of Georgetown alumni who run or influence our country — Hillary Clinton’s husband for starters — is stunningly long.  Wikipedia has names here.

This isn’t merely the inside the Beltway crowd.  This is inside MacArthur Boulevard.

Flee now.

The Washington Post reports that Washington, DC tourism officials “are hiring marketers, conducting surveys and convening focus groups in search of a few words or images that capture Washington’s essence.”

DC needs a slogan that captures our essence?  I’ll start the recommendation process:

Visit The Nation’s Capital: We’ll Give You The Kilo To The City

Any other thoughts?

Imagine our excitement to see the huge spread on Kazakhstan in the March 26 Business Week.  Yes, it’s an ad, but still — 8 pages!  That’s wonderful.

Surely they’d plug Borat, right?

Sadly, no.  No mention of the only reason we really care about Kazakhstan these days.

And to top off the disappointment, no broken English to make fun of.  Seems like everything got run through the glorious grammar check.  Great success.

Although we did a kick out of the ad for the Rixos President Hotel Astana:

“presents numerous luxurious facilities for the business world, such as free wireless internet and a well equipped business center”

A well equipped business center? As Borat would say: sexy time.

The Boston Globe’s Susan Milligan gives good treatment to the blogosphere’s outpouring of support and suspension of cynicism for John Edwards and his family.  With quotes from Dean Barnett, a Freeper, a RedStater — and yours truly.  Click here to read.

Floss up on philosophy … put down your Playdough and grab your Plato … for today’s White House news briefing:

Q But, Tony, the idea of minutes goes back to the beginning of Western thought. Plato kept minutes on Socrates. What does Karl Rove have on Socrates? (Laughter.)
TONY SNOW: Plato kept — was that the case, or was it Aristotle who kept notes on Plato?
Q Well, Plato also – 
TONY SNOW: Inquiring minds want to know. This is Maimonides. Let’s just start dropping philosophers’ names.

Now we know why Maimonides wrote a Guide for the Perplexed.  He meant the White House press corps!

Maryland’s oldest maximum-security prison, the Maryland House of Correction in Jessup, has closed.

Extreme Mortman reader RichardA, a veteran of Maryland and Maryland-related politics, wonders the fate of the prison’s most famous political prisoner, Willie Horton.

Horton was transferred there on April 18, 1996, no thanks to Michael Dukakis.

No word on Horton’s whereabouts since.  Please remain calm but vigiliant, be on the lookout — and report to your local law enforcement authorities any suspicious looking negative ads.