ABC News' Marc Ambinder, one of the driving forces behind The Note, announced to friends this morning that he'll be leaving DeSales Street this month to move down to the Watergate and join Chuck Todd at the National Journal's The Hotline.

"More details later, but I plan a mix of political reporting, writing, and special-projects-type trouble-making," he wrote. "I've chosen to leave ABC News, but I am profoundly grateful for the opportunities afforded to me over the past four years."

(Ambinder's new gig has nothing to do with Vaughn Ververs' earlier announced departure from Hotline.)

Ambinder has been associated with the Political Unit longer than anyone except the Guru Mark Halperin himself--beginning in the pre-2000 election days of Clinton's second term while just a wee reporter on the Crimson and a Fishbowl mentor. In fact, Ambinder predates The Note's creation, and has been closely identified with it since its genesis out of the Unit's internal planning emails of the 2000 campaign.

His not-really-a-surprise announcement might explain why ABC posted his job earlier this week: "The Political Unit has an opening for a DC Based Field Producer. Candidates must have extensive national political reporting experience, television and radio production and field experience. Strong writing skills required. Please send resumes to Mark Halperin, Political Director."

Of course, there's the added question of whether without Ambinder, the Note is working at anymore...