The Weekly Standard/Daily Caller Matt Labash's book, Fly Fishing With Darth Vader: And Other Adventures With Evangelical Wrestlers, Political Hitmen, And Jewish Cowboys came to life Thursday night as characters from his anthology filed in one by one to the beautiful home of Daily Caller Editor-in-Chief Tucker Carlson and his wife, Susie. The evening was one of fun, frolic and, of course, drinking, as the Distilled Spirits Council sponsored the party with a well-stocked Scotch-filled bar.

Characters from the book who showed up to the festivities included Democratic political strategist and former campaign aide to Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) David "Mudcat" Saunders, Vanity Fair's Christopher Hitchens and GOP consultant Roger Stone, who famously taught Labash how to properly tie a tie (he claims Labash still needs help). Stone (in photograph above with Labash) explained that he was leaving later to catch a train to Manhattan - his policy is to never stay overnight in D.C. as the town is too awful a place to remain too long. "I hate it," he said. "People are phony." (Stone splits his time between New York City and Miami.)

Soon the party turned into a roast.

"Nice house, not waspy enough," Stone cracked. "I appreciate the enormous role I have played in making Matt Labash." Stone joked that people always ask of Labash: 'What's with all the Hitler memorabilia?'

Saunders, to whom Labash devoted an entire chapter, said the author was much more than a writer but a life confidant whom he still phones for advice. "He knows enough about me to get me arrested," he said. Initially, Saunders said, he feared a story about him appearing in The Weekly Standard: "I'm a Democrat. The Weekly Standard ain't a damn Democrat publication."

The party was the scene of scenes for D.C. journalists. Faces in the crowd included conservative radio personality Laura Ingraham, The Weekly Standard's Stephen Hayes and Andy Ferguson, Politico's Anne Schroeder Mullins, Patrick Gavin, Kiki Ryan, Michael Calderone and Pia Catton. Politico's Jonathan Martin and NBC "Meet the Press" Executive Producer Betsy Fischer arrived simultaneously. The Daily Caller was represented well with opinion editor Moira Bagley, publisher Neil Patel, V.P. of sales Alex Treadway and congressional reporter Gautham Nagesh as well as Sean "Jim Treacher" Medlock on crutches. Others in attendance: The Hill's A.B. Stoddard, the New York Post's Charlie Hurt, Reason's Michael Moynihan, Edelman's Exec. V.P. Tony Blankley, National Review's Jonah Goldberg, D.C. media consultant David Bass, former Time scribe Tim Burger and Slate's Editor David Plotz. The Atlantic's Josh Green was there and spoke of the story he has been living as of late - that of Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) and the old Navy buddies who told him, among other sordid details, about the ex-congressman's infamous Massa massage and now compelling "snorkeling". Green joked, "I feel dirty talking about it." More seriously, he called Massa the "Andy Dick of Congress."

Lightening struck when former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry arrived. Late and decked out in a suit and cherry-colored tie, Barry stole the show. And for a good while, it was all guests could do but stare and snap cell phone pictures.

"It took me an hour to find this place," Barry told the awed crowd, explaining his tardiness. "I wandered here and there and everywhere."

Initially Labash had no idea that Barry that arrived. "No, no, I don't publicly speak!" the author was imploring guests, unaware that his most striking character was about to weigh in.

Carlson explained to guests that The Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol was sorry he couldn't attend - he was in Manhattan hanging out with former N.Y. Gov. Eliot Spitzer and Massa (everyone laughed). Carlson read a note from Kristol that said, in part, "When we hired Labash, we had hoped he'd become a star - we're still hoping."

Carlson, who wrote the introduction to Labash's book, had solemn praise for Labash with a twist. "Matt doesn't simply write about people," said Carlson. "He takes them as lifelong friends - almost in a proctological way." He said when subjects first read the stories Labash has written about them their first response is "horror."

Then they realize that what Labash has written is true, that the author has maybe captured them more deeply than anyone ever has.

More party pictures after the jump...

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Quote of the Day

"Go back to your drinks, I'm not going to be speaking."
--The Weekly Standard's/Daily Caller's Matt Labash at his book party Thursday night at the home of Tucker and Susie Carlson.

Each day, Ashley Estill surfs your sites for the most popular stories of the day. Here are the top headlines for March 11, 2010:

Washington Post: Natalie Randolph to coach Coolidge High School football team

Washington Times: Gov't workers feel no economic pain

Washington Examiner: Hundreds of DC area restaurants violate health codes

USA Today: New York Post: Tiger returning in two weeks

CQ Politics: Pennsylvania: Burns Wins GOP Nod for Murtha Special

The Hill: Obama won't promise immigration reform

Politico: Karl Rove has 'sympathy' for David Axelrod, Rahm Emanue

ABC News: Yemen Holds NJ Man After Al-Qaida Sweep, Shootout

CBS News: Roethlisberger Admits Sexual "Contact"

Fox News: Sex Offender Suspected in California Teen's Murder Broke Parole

MSNBC News: Deal reached on ground zero health claims

CNN: 11 things George Clooney might've been upset about at the Oscars

Wall Street Journal: Can Nancy Pelosi Get the Votes?

NPR: Half-Rooster/Half-Hen Helps Unlock Sex Mystery

Roll Call: GOP Adopts Sweeping Earmark Ban

National Journal: Corker: Health Care Fight Shut Down Financial Talks

Bloomberg News: Yellen Said to Be Obama's Pick for Fed Vice Chairman

Gallup.Com: Conservatives' Doubts About Global Warming Grow

Talking Points Memo: Public Option's Fate Foretold In Sputtering Campaign To Get Senators On Board

Politics Daily: Move to Kill Filibuster Gaining Steam Among Democrats

Reuters: NEWSMAKER-World's richest man, Slim, a born wheeler-dealer

The New Republic: Washington Diarist: Into Reverse

NBC Nightly News Anchor Brian Williams was in Washington Wednesday night to honor Andeisha Farid, who founded the orphanage in Afghanistan that the program profiled on it's most recent trip. The segment aired on Oct. 30 and can be watched here.

When the segment aired, viewers were so moved that they donated over $50K before the show even returned from Afghanistan. To date, Andeisha has been able to open up four homes for orphans because of funds raised.

Andeisha was honored by Vital Voices at their Global Leadership Awards last night, which honor and celebrate women working to strengthen democracy, increase economic opportunity, and protect human rights. Williams was there to present the award to Andeisha.

"As I left the orphanage in Kabul that day, I told them all I had very generous friends back home in the U.S.," Williams told the crowd Wednesday night. "I was talking about our viewers. And they donated a fortune."

Among those on stage with Williams were Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, actress Reese Witherspoon and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas).

In case you were curious about Bill Maher of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" and his comments on MSNBC Wednesday, here they are.

Maher's remarks fantastically encompass Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.), health care and President Obama's smoking.

"Thank God you are here," remarked host Lawrence O'Donnell.

Then O'Donnell asked: "Are you gay?"
"If I was, I would be better looking," Maher replied.

In the course of the interview, O'Donnell asks Maher about snorkeling in the Navy. Maher wasn't in the Navy,he explained. "I've never heard of snorkeling," the comedian said. .."It does sound dirty."

This tweet just in from NBC's Luke Russert regarding Politico's Patrick Gavin Game Changer challenge to Russert to go curling with him:

@pwgavin Curling is so last season. How about 2 on 2 volleyball? Myself & @NorahODonnell vs you and @keeekster this spring? (Russert's referring to NBC's Norah O'Donnell and Politico's Kiki Ryan.)

Gavin's response: @RussertXM_NBC It's on! (Cc:@keeekster @norahodonnell). I'm off to get in Tom Cruise/Top Gun shape until then...

Can Gavin even play volleyball?

FNC's Glenn Beck has upset the Sojourners. They are angered by his recent comments that "communists are on the left, and the Nazis are on the right" but that "both subscribe to one philosophy ... social justice." (Some may note that Beck, on the day after his "I wasted your time" interview with Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.), referred to himself as "fatty fat fat" and ate his favorite fried apple pie on air. He was hilariously venting about a proposal to ban salt from New York restaurants and anyone otherwise telling him what he should eat).

Be that as it may, Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners, a vocal network of progressive Christians in the U.S., is calling on Christians to stop watching the show and send their petition directly to Beck.

Watch Beck's remarks here to see what set the group off.

Forget about Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) no longer being a member of Congress. Journalists covering him can get elated that the story is not dying anytime soon. The House has voted for the Ethics Committee to open a new investigation.

As one D.C. political journalist remarked, "Journos and snorkeling aficionados now have one thing in common: The Massa story."

Another scribe on Capitol Hill surmised, "I think there's a sense that the Massa story is a nice little diversion right before some seriously hard work, and some seriously long nights, on the health care end game."

Seriously.

Read the Roll Call report on the legislation regarding a new Massa investigation here.

Alexandra Nicholson, who's been on USA Today's communications and media relations team for several years, announced today that she is joining the paper's Digital Marketing team. Nicholson's new role is Manager, Social Media Strategist. In an email to colleagues today, Alex said:

"This move is part of a larger development of social media efforts for USA TODAY and I am thrilled to be working with Brian Dresher, Manager, Social Media and Digital Partnerships on this. You can also stay up to date with everything we're doing in social media, and other corporate and marketing news, at social.usatoday.com or by following @USATMediaLounge on Twitter."

Why is Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) leaving Congress?

WaPo's Philip Rucker writes about it this afternoon in this well worthy of your time profile.

The gist? He seeks a "fuller life" outside of Congress, one that presumably doesn't include the national press.

An excerpt:
Teddy Kennedy's youngest child entered the family business at 21, the youngest member of the sprawling political clan ever to win elected office. Now he's leaving, and he wants to talk about how he anguished over this decision.

"As exciting and as meaningful as work is and as my career is, ultimately something clicked inside of me that there was something that was missing," Kennedy says. "I want a fuller life."

Alone with a reporter, the congressman seems liberated. He talks for nearly three hours about the great blessings and heavy burdens of being a Kennedy and losing the desire for politics after his father's death.

Kate Hunter is moving from CQ over to Roll Call to take Jen Bendery's old beat on the House leadership team. Bendery recently took the RC's spot at the White House.

Tickets go on sale today for the April 8th for the charitable journo stand-up contest known formally as "Commedia del Media". In addition to competitive comedy and a judge's panel of snarky commentary, the evening includes a Michelle Obama impersonator.

The event takes place in the National Press Club ballroom.

Tickets on sale at http://www.press.org/comedy/.

More details after the jump, including who's participating!

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