The National Journal sent out the following announcement yesterday about Alexis Simendinger :

Folks: Alexis learned today that she is the winner of the White House
Correspondent Association's Aldo Beckman award, and will receive the
honor at the April 26 big bash at the Washington Hilton.

She had tough competition-- the 2007 work of CNN's Suzanne Malveaux;
ABC's Martha Raddatz; the Post's Peter Baker; the Post's Michael
Abramowitz; U.S. News' Ken Walsh; and The Atlantic's Josh Green.

We salute her long, distinguished, and distinctive work here at NJ
covering 1600.

Here's the dope on the award's criteria:

The Aldo Beckman Memorial Award for presidential news coverage
recognizes a correspondent who personifies journalistic excellence as
well as the personal qualities exemplified by Aldo Beckman, the
award-winning correspondent of the Chicago Tribune and former WHCA
president.

There is a prize of $1000, and it will be presented at the annual
dinner of the Association at the Washington Hilton Hotel on Saturday, April 26, 2008.

The award will be based on a correspondent's reportage during the year ending Dec. 31, 2007. Journalistic excellence will be the primary criterion. However, the judges may wish to honor an outstanding young reporter, a reporter who has demonstrated repeated excellence in White House coverage over a long period, or a reporter who personifies the human qualities exemplified by Aldo Beckman. Judges may also choose to make no award in a given year.

Hats off to Alexis.