SPOTTED: Washington Post’s Ezra Klein shows up in the 6 p.m. yoga class
Unless he has an amazing twin running around town posing at him, a keen tipster tells me WaPo‘s (and reportedly soon-to-be-ex-WaPo) Wonkblog proprietor Ezra Klein was in a Power Yoga class in Adams Morgan at Stroga Tuesday night. He was apparently pretty good at most of the poses but appeared to be a little shaky on flip dog (a version of downward dog but flipped out) and his shoulders appeared to be stiff in a black T-shirt. He wasn’t a pro, but he wasn’t completely uncoordinated or falling over, either. He put in good effort. Considering his career appears to be unsettled these days as he figures out what’s next, he looked very Zen and sort of smiley. He wore his glasses the entire time. Other Yogis didn’t appear to know who he was and did not crowd him for autographs. Later that evening he fell back into Washington mode and appeared on MSNBC’s “The Last Word” with Lawrence O’Donnell.
Preaching to the choir on Christopher Hitchens
“Just a hunch, but I think Hitchens would hate being on Upworthy” — Josh Greenman, New York Daily News opinion editor. See the feature here.
OOPS! Journo puts phone on mute by accident
“That thing where you forget that you have your phone on mute during a press call and miss your window.” — Hayes Brown, national security reporter at ThinkProgress.
Reporter has witnessed stoners with the munchies at 7-Eleven
“I start work at 3am & have witnessed many stoned folks scarfing 7-11 junk food after consuming. More high stupid people on the roads. Great!” — WMAL morning show co-host Brian Wilson.
Reporter faces Obamacare website nightmare of epic proportions
Ex-Politico scribe, freelance journalist and former Obamacare supporter Steve Friess writes a first-person account of his horrible journey through the Affordable Care Act website. The Mirror has no idea how Friess has either not committed a crime or otherwise had a breakdown dealing with this. In the process of trying to obtain healthcare for his husband, Miles, Friess learned that being a reporter in this kind of situation doesn’t mean a whole lot. Especially when dealing with the “Phone People.” Read the full story published in The Daily Caller earlier this week. The lede is perfectly ominous: “As we hoisted champagne flutes in the first seconds of 2014, my partner and I toasted all the usual things people do as they look ahead to the coming year. Health. Happiness. Love. Optimism. Hope.”
Stop the Presses: MSNBC’s Touré has a book recommendation
“It’s come to my attention that some young journos haven’t read Greg Tate’s Flyboy In The Buttermilk. It’s the zenith of music journalism.” — Touré.
Sexy Howard Coble shows up in politico’s dream
“Disturbed by the fact that reading Buzzfeed’s sexiest bachelors in Congress piece yesterday caused me to dream of Howard Coble.” — Liz Mair, former online communications strategist to Sen. Paul, Govs Walker & Perry & Carly Fiorina.
All positive book reviews. What’s next: No insults? No critiques?
“Not going to name the story (or link to it) that today fails even to include the name of the congressman it is discussing.” — BuzzFeed Legal Editor Chris Geidner.
Team Marisa Schultz! The reasonable blonde who wants to help you in the Daily Press Gallery
“Hi Colleagues, Friendly reminder that voting for the Standing Committee is happening today in the House Press Gallery until 5:30 p.m. Thanks to those of you who sent kind words and suggestions. I appreciate your interest and hope all of you can cast your votes today. Thanks! Marisa” — The Detroit News’ Marisa Schultz in a last plug for herself in the race for the Standing Committee of Correspondents, the body in charge of press creds on Capitol Hill. Unlike Bloomberg‘s Kate Hunter and CQ Roll Call‘s Emily Ethridge, Schultz’ platform doesn’t rest on trying to eliminate so-called advocacy media press from obtaining credentials. Don’t worry HuffPost and Talking Points Memo reporters — you guys should be fine.