Say hello to Reason Magazine Associate Editor and TWT movie critic Peter Suderman. Born in Ohio, he and his family moved to North Carolina for a few years, then to the panhandle of Florida – a town called Niceville. Suderman has endured all the “nice” jokes a person can handle and says yes, indeed, it was a “nice” place to come of age, complete with manicured golf courses and palm trees. “It’s very nice,” he says. “Totally nice. You get a lot of Pleasantville references. But sure, it’s a nice place to grow up. It’s near the ocean.” Suderman himself is rather nice, polite — and jumpy. The latter may stem from the large carafe of coffee he consumes daily. He says he couldn’t function without it. On rare occasions that he has tried, he’s consumed by headaches and fatigue. So why try?

We met in Reason‘s gorgeous dimly lit loft-like space off Dupont Circle – we’re on display in a glass enclosed conference room that sits smack in the middle of the office. It’s warm — like an oven. And there are funky aluminum art pieces.

Conversation topics included video games and how he once occupied his time while out of work for three and a half months. Time off involved hours of video games and sometimes sleeping until noon. Favorite movies include Taxi Driver, Fight Club and Blade Runner. Suderman was a pretty serious music geek in high school, he says. Among the instruments he played: Guitar, bass, tuba, flute and baritone.

Prior to Washington, Sudmerman was an editor at the University of North Florida Spinnaker, where he wrote a column and movie reviews and compiled the local entertainment calendar. He spent a couple years writing record reviews for Skyscraper, a music zine for indie-rock obsessives. In 2005 he arrived in Washington — a city it seems he was destined to live — and went to work as Assistant Editorial Director at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. He began writing movie reviews for National Review Online. Soon he became NRO‘s Managing Editor, which involved briefly relocating to NYC.

He happily returned to Washington and hasn’t looked back. “You may not be rich,” he says of journalism, “but you can make a decent career of waking up everyday and reading and writing. I get paid to watch movies. This is not bad.”

If you were a carbonated beverage, which would you be? Ale 8, a difficult-to-find but uniquely tasty Kentucky ginger ale that is the best soda I’ve ever had.

How often do you Google yourself? Google alerts does it continuously for me.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to an editor/boss (or vice versa)? In general, I’m of the opinion that saying terrible things to bosses isn’t a good idea, so I haven’t done much of it. But during my college years, I briefly worked at a chain clothing store. It was tedious and terrible and they would promise to schedule employees one way—and then totally ignore those promises when the schedule was posted. Eventually, I got tired of it and told one of the assistant managers that I wouldn’t be coming in anymore, even though I was supposed to work several more shifts. The response wasn’t exactly friendly. I’ve given notice before quitting every other job I’ve ever worked. But in this case I recall saying something to effect of, “You guys have no respect for my schedule, so why should I have any respect for yours?”

Who is your favorite working journalist and why? It’s impossible to pick one. Obviously, I am a big fan of my wife, Megan McArdle, and all of my colleagues at Reason. But in no particular order, I am also a big fan of: Ross Douthat, Ezra Klein, Philip Klein, Tim Carney, Ryan Lizza, Jonathan Cohn, A.O. Scott, and Anthony Lane. This is an incomplete list, and I’ve surely forgotten to include important people.

What’s your dream job? Aqua Teen Hunger Force voice actor, maybe? Or editor at an awesome libertarian magazine.

Do you have a favorite word? Balderdash?

Top three life moments: Getting married. Meeting my wife for the first time. Making the cover of the local paper dressed up as Obi-Wan Kenobi after seeing Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

The Earth’s human population is dying out and you must save it. You will spend a romantic evening with either Sec. Janet Napolitano or former AG Janet Reno? Who will it be? (Neither is not an option.) If the fate of humanity hangs in the balance based on one’s commitment to a night between the sheets with one of the Janets, maybe we don’t deserve to survive. But if I can’t say “neither,” and we’re really in an end-times scenario, then I suppose I may as well go for both. Makes for a more entertaining story afterwards, and is probably more likely to accomplish the important productivity goals.

What swear word do you use most often? I mutter “Oh, for fuck’s fucking sake” at least a few times everyday.

To borrow from Politico’s “Answer This” (with a FishbowlDC twist): Picture someone in Washington who you’d like to strangle (if such a thing were legal). Without naming him or her, please describe them in the nude. Just kidding. Tell us what you think of them. I think this person is embarrassing [himself or herself], but it’s sure entertaining to watch.

Who is your favorite Boybander and why? (Ezzy, Hazy, Weigel, Attackerman, Beutler) I like all of them because they’re good journalists and decent people. But I suppose if I have to pick one, I’ll go with Weigel, because I’ve known him almost since I moved to D.C.

When you pig out what do you eat? Tyson’s chicken tenders. (I also eat these when I’m not pigging out.)

What is your absolute favorite item of clothing in your closet? We want the fabric, the brand, the store and the price if possible. If it’s a certain kind of underwear we don’t want to know about it. My various clothing allegiances tend to shift quite a bit from year to year, but since moving to D.C., one constant in my life has been a tweed jacket I got from my dad. I have no idea what brand it is, or what it cost him. But it’s amazingly comfortable, and it kind of looks like an old English prof’s coat left over from his grad school days, likely because it is.

Pick one: Kim, Khloe, or Kourtney? It can’t be an accident that those initials spell K.K.K.

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Say hello to Yahoo! News’ Chris Moody. He’s a political reporter covering the 2012 presidential race. He has traveled to 20 countries, and before covering politics, he worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska. Moody is currently finishing his Master’s degree in Government at Johns Hopkins University and he lives in Washington, D.C.

Moody grew up in Southern California. He spent his childhood in LA and his teenage years in San Diego.

As he explains his adult life until now, “During and after college I spent a long time hitching/backpacking around Asia, parts of Central America, Europe and the Western US and then came to DC after I got my fill. Showed up in DC with a suitcase and slept on a friend’s couch while I looked for a job. Got some freelance work here and there and then was hired to run the social media program for a think tank. After two years, I got my chance at The Daily Caller covering Congress.”

We’ll share just one item from his bucket list: “There’s a trail through the jungle between Myanmar and Thailand that is known for smuggling refugees out of the totalitarian country. I’d like to spend some time with them.” Read on.

If you were a carbonated beverage which would you be? Any kind as long as it’s preceded by a mouthful of Pop Rocks.

How often do you Google yourself? Um, hello, I use Yahoo!, obviously…

Who is your favorite working journalist and why? So sorry, but I gotta divide this one up: For long-form features I think Reason’s Mike Riggs and National Review’s Bob Costa are doing sensational work. ABC’s Jake Tapper is reinventing what it means to be a national TV reporter in the new media environment, and Slate’s David Weigel deserves serious props for his ability to masterfully explain What It All Means on a consistent basis.

Do you have a favorite word? churlish.

What word or phrase do you overuse? I may have dropped “dude” outside the Senate chamber during interviews with members a few times.

Who would you rather have dinner with – CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, The Daily
Caller’s Michelle Fields or NBC’s Tom Brokaw. Tell us why. Brokaw. He’s been in the game the longest, and I think he would have some fascinating stories to tell.

What is the most interesting conversation you’ve had while on the campaign trail and who was it with? Well, RuPaul and I shared a moment in New Hampshire this week that was generally fabulous.

Tell us a funny story from the road. Can be long or short. After police kicked me out of a fancy hotel in Palm Beach for trying to cover Herman Cain a few months ago, I drove up to Orlando to try my luck there and spent a day at a place called The Holy Land Experience, where he was giving a speech. It’s near Disney World, and they re-enact the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ daily. Cain spoke immediately after Jesus returned to take back the faithful in a cloud of glory. It was, by far, the best campaign event of the cycle to date.

What’s the most revolting thing you’ve eaten in your campaign travels? And the best? The worst: Any time you’re scarfing down fast food at midnight because you haven’t eaten anything all day, you feel a pretty standard sense of shame. The best: On New Years Eve in Des Moines–that hotspot of revelry and bacchanalia–a bunch of reporters and I enjoyed some of the best steak I’ve ever had. It was pricey, but worth it.

Which candidate would you most like to fight with? Break bread with? Go jogging with? Fight: If I had to choose, I’d fight Buddy Roemer, but it would be a friendly match with the pretense of mutual respect. The guy’s intense. He could totally throw down and it would be awesome. Eat: I’d break bread with Gary Johnson, because it is assumed that our senses would be heightened at the time. Run: This is an easy one, but I’d jog with Rick Perry so we could shoot stuff with guns.

Based on what you know so far, who gets the nomination? The master overlords haven’t sent me my marching orders yet. But I should get them next Wednesday.

Which campaign staff has been the most pleasant to deal with? Newtmann Caingrich’s people are pretty chill.

Without naming names, tell us some shitty thing that has happened in the
course of your coverage. Every time you don’t call a reporter back, a beautiful fairy dies a horrible death. Just saying.

What’s the name of your cell phone ring? 4 minutes and 33 seconds, by John Cage.

It’s 3 a.m. and you get up to use the bathroom or get a drink of water. Do
you check your BlackBerry? Sadly, yes. (WHAT IF SOMEONE TWEETED TO ME???)

What word do you routinely misspell? teh.

What swear word do you use most often? After hanging out with Rick Santorum for a while, I’ve become partial to “horsey-assy,” although I’m still not sure if it’s meant as a cuss word.

Moody’s most embarrassing work experience involves Rep. Barney Frank. You don’t want to miss this one…
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Say hello to DCist’s new Associate Editor Benjamin Freed. He makes a point to tell me his byline is “Benjamin R. Freed.” Like we care? He says he has a good imitation of NBC’s Tom Brokaw. But then again he says a lot of things. We’re only kidding. Formerly an arts and entertainment writer for Washington City Paper, Freed, who hails from just outside Albany, N.Y., has been known to turn mouthy, get in the occasional Twitter fight and thinks death when it comes to the Kardashian sisters. His dirty little secret involves watching MSNBC’s Al Sharpton‘s show. This is his mug shot photograph on DCist — we’re far from photography experts, but we’d like to suggest that they snap his picture during the daytime or else turn on the flash button. For the past two years he has been a contributing writer to Washington City Paper. He has also been moonlighting as a copy editor for Congressional Quarterly — who knew?

If you were a carbonated beverage, which would you be? DIY Coke, wherein you have to mix cola concentrate with carbonated water.

How often do you Google yourself? Somewhere between obviously introverted and borderline self-obsessive.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to an editor/boss (or vice versa)? I can’t believe I took this stupid assignment.

Who is your favorite working journalist and why? In my age group, Amanda Hess. I can’t think of anyone who writes about personal identity or relationships in a more intelligent or engaging fashion. I’m also a big fan of C.J. Chivers. Read The Gun and you’ll understand why.

What is your dream job? I’d love to do just about anything at Wired.

How did you land the DCist gig? It was either me or Monkeyrotica.

Why journalism? Thought it would be fun to write for the paper at Brandeis, where I went to college. Then one day Tom Brokaw visited campus. He told me to “raise hell.” true story. Too bad this interview isn’t in person, my Brokaw voice is pretty good.

Do you have a favorite word? I used “cadaverous” in a pretty clever context a couple weeks ago.

Who would you rather have dinner with – WaPo’s Ezra Klein, Slate’s Dave Weigel or TPM’s Brian Beutler? Tell us why. Eh, I’d rather get a drink with Kriston Capps, who’s introduced me to all three of them at various points. Besides, I think I owe him a beer.

What swear word do you use most often? Fuck.

You’ve just been told the big news: You get to have your own Sunday morning talk show. Who will be on your roundtable? (Pick four journalists or pundits types.) God, what an awful question. OK, Jonathan L. Fischer, Ally Schweitzer, Aaron Leitko and Andrew Beaujon. We’re just going to talk about Fan Death and Future Times and we’ll be canceled in a week.

To borrow from Politico’s “Answer This” (with a FishbowlDC twist): Picture someone in Washington who you’d like to strangle (if such a thing were legal). Without naming him or her, please describe them in the nude. Just kidding. Tell us what you think of them. He recently topped an ignominious list at Salon, and Joe Scarborough thinks everything he says is pure gold. He also wouldn’t know how to use “ignominious” in a sentence. Not Willie Geist.

What TV show do you watch that you’d be embarrassed to admit to – and yes, we’re asking you to admit it. Politics Nation With Al Sharpton. Have you seen his MSNBC promo with the pie? I watch in hopes that he just spends an hour talking about pie.

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Say hello to WaPo‘s poverty and wealth reporter Annie Gowen. A few things to note about her: She’s a Bachelor junkie, as in the reality show starting back up again on Jan. 3. In addition, she’s got a screenplay about a cancer survivor that’s currently being shopped around Hollywood. It isn’t easy getting Annie to meet a FishbowlDC deadline — a little sharpness (on our part, not hers) shifted her into high gear and she got it done, with flying colors we might add. One more thing…we’re sure your big boss Steamed Marcus Brauchli won’t take offense that you ditched him for MSNBC’s Chris Matthews as a dinner companion. At least we hope not.

If you were a carbonated beverage which would you be? Diet Dr. Pepper – the ultimate Midwestern drink.

How often do you Google yourself? Hardly ever, but I check Google “Images” sometimes to make sure it looks like I’m behaving in party pix.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to an editor (or vice versa)? “You’re throwing me under the bus!”

Describe the unforgettable story of your career. Troop drawdown in Iraq, Summer of 2011

Who is your favorite working journalist and why? George Packer of The New Yorker. He writes with an eye toward history in unbelievably lean and muscular sentences.

Do you have a favorite word? Hmmm..that’s a toughie. Sometimes I say “Hi Foxy” to my female friends.

What word or phrase do you overuse? See above.

Who would you rather have dinner with –  MSNBC’s Chris Matthews, FNC’s Chris Wallace or WaPo’s Marcus Brauchli? Since I see MB at the office, I’d have to say Chris Matthews, because we’ve never met and I’m a fan.

You are ordered to go on a road trip to an undisclosed location. You can go with White House Spokesman Jay Carney or Bo, the President’s Portuguese Water Dog. No ones feelings will be hurt. Who do you take? Jay.

What’s the name of your cell phone ring? Beyonce’s “Irreplaceable”.

It’s 3 a.m. and you get up to use the bathroom or get a drink of water. Do you check your BlackBerry? Yes, alas.

What word do you routinely misspell? Attach…always seems like there should be an extra “t.”  Is there?

What swear word do you use most often? The S word.

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Whether he’s getting his entire head eaten by actress Gabby Sidibe at a TIME/PEOPLE party at the St. Regis, or hunting down Washington D.C.’s Clark Rockefeller (the Bahamian Ambassador Nelson Lewis), Matt Dornic has been an unforgettable force at FishbowlDC for the past three years. Sadly, we say goodbye as he moves on to a new adventure at CNN. What some may not know is how adept Matt is at smoothing things over, whether it’s alleviating Ed Henry’s overreaction to me making fun of then-CNN staffers helping him into his blazer or dealing with HuffPost’s resident genius Jason Linkins telling us to die in a fire.  He also knows how to stir the pot – take his recent impromptu moment with Jack Abramoff on a couch at Daily Caller Editor-in-Chief Tucker Carlson’s home when he told the convicted felon that he was dating TWT’s Emily Miller. He explained how rough the past few years have been (Miller served as a witness against ex fiancé Michael Scanlon who was enveloped in the Abramoff scandal.) People often ask, what’s it like in the Fishbowl – do you two get along? We’ve spent many hours brainstorming features – some panned out, some did not. Au De Weigel perfume never made the cut but we spent days crying laughing as we came up with names for perfumes and aftershaves for various journalists around town, describing in excruciating detail what they’d smell like. That isn’t to say we don’t ever disagree — tension escalated during a recent war of words involving the Friday penis picture. In the end we came to a happy, framed conclusion. Dealing with Matt often means the unexpected – he’s sweating at Tammy Haddad’s famous brunch, he’s stuck in an elevator, he’s locked inside QGA, a life size George Bush cutout left leaning outside his door makes him scream like a schoolgirl, and a bird produces a shitstorm on his car. Matt – you will be missed. I speak for many FBDC friends and readers, we wish you well. Enjoy!

The infamous question you created that has tortured many a journalist in this town:  If you were a carbonated beverage, which would you be?

Ginger ale.  I’m generally sweet with a strong ginger spice flavor* (see: Jackie Kucinich).  A classic, natural beverage with European roots.  And I mix well with bourbon.

Who would you rather have dinner with – WaPo’s Ezra Klein, Michaele and Tareq Salahi or Nelson Lewis? Tell us why.

Nelson Lewis, without a doubt…especially if I could persuade Kate Michael and Ebong Eka to join us for a very special edition of the District Dish.  Why?  He’s the rarest and most exquisite creature Washington has ever produced.  It’s not every day you get a chance to dine with a congressman turned Rolling Stone writer turned Bahamian ambassador. That kid has lived.

What swear word do you use most often?

F*ck.  But I plan to tone that down for my new job.

You’re walking down a dark alley and you run into DCRTV Dave. What do you do? What do you say? And do you activate your mace?

I’d be relieved.  Dark alleys are dangerous, you know.  And despite his outward hatred for FishbowlDC I’m fairly certain he’s in love with us. So I’d probably ask to see his lower back, where I’ve heard he has my initials tattooed. And then I’d braid his beard.

When you pig out what do you eat?

Rarebit from Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown.  It’s essentially beer-doused Velveeta with white toast but the fancy name makes it okay.

Now for a really serious moment: What will you miss most and least about writing for FishbowlDC?

Fishbowl has served as my personal Prozac for almost three years.  Sure, there have been side effects but the daily dose of laughter and smiles gained through working with some truly incredible sources, co-editors and friends have made it worth the trouble.  And I’ll miss the hilarious and sometimes nonsensical email exchanges between Betsy and me. The anonymASS tipsters who cowardly use the tips box to trash FBDC’s writers will not be missed.

How did you come up with the ingenious phrase, “Sox News?” Any parting words for the glamour gals over in Sox News PR?

“I wish them well.”  They’ll know what I mean.

What is your absolute favorite item of clothing in your closet? We want the fabric, the brand, the store and the price if possible. If it’s a certain kind of underwear we don’t want to know about it.

A pair of brass-studded Fiorentini + Baker motorcycle boots I purchased at Barney’s for an obscene amount of money last year (see attached photo).  I rarely wear them because they make me feel a little “Adam Glambert” but I like the possibilities they represent….plus they keep all my driving loafers in check.

Pick one: Kim, Khloe, or Kourtney?

Despite her Chewbacca-like physique, Khloe is my favorite Kartrashian.  Sense of humor trumps appearance every time.

Have you ever had a tarot card reading?

Yes, the same night Kiki Ryan, Christine Delargy and I ordered a pizza to Martin’s Tavern (the kitchen was closed…).

Favorite item in the TIME/People WHCA Dinner gift bag:

The Bosch Tassimo coffee maker.  I use it every day. But I thought the bizarre baby-teething necklace was a solid addition this year.

On a serious note for a moment, what is your favorite Wendy Gordon photograph?

I studied French in high school and college so I’m a sucker for Wendy’s french maid/baguette photo.  C’est magnifique!

What scares you?

Pleated pants, the dark and pleated pants in the dark.

When and why did you last lose your temper?

The last time (and every time) I was in a cab.

Do you have a me-wall? If so, who’s on it?

No, I don’t really like pictures of “me” so I usually contribute to friends and family members’ me-walls by snapping the photos.

Tell us a secret not many people know about you.

Because I received so many questions after you outed me about Dawson’s, I’ll admit that I used to have acting aspirations.  Throughout college I worked on a number of film and television productions as a day player, extra, and actor – Dawson’s Creek, Summer Catch, Stateside, A Walk to Remember, and Black Knight to name a few.  And I did a national “back to school” ad campaign for American Eagle Outfitters.  It’s funny now but it sure beat slinging lattes at Starbucks. 

Sometime during the holidays, Carl Hoffman will take off to New Guinea to investigate the disappearance of Michael Rockefeller for a new book, Somewhere in Eden, set to publish in 2013. Authorities declared Michael (son of Nelson) dead in 1963. He either drowned or was killed by locals, Hoffman explains on a cold, rainy morning at Tryst cafe this week. Most days National Geographic Traveler and Wired’s Contributing Editor can be found in faded Diesel jeans on a faded couch there or down U Street at Big Bear. Born and raised in Washington, he graduated from University of Massachusetts/Amherst where he majored in Social Thought and Political Economy. He’s always lived in Washington minus his studies at U. Mass, traveling post college and a year as a ski bum in Vail. “Do you want a bio or something?” he asks helpfully. “I could send you a lot of shit.” Thank you, Carl. We appreciate shit and a lot of it. Hoffman’s bio says he has driven the Baja 1,000, ridden reindeer in Siberia, sailed an open dinghy 250 miles, and traveled to 65 countries. It also says his three children make fun of him often. He recently memorialized his father, Burt Hoffman, who he deems his greatest writing mentor. And rightfully so — his father, who died of lung cancer in Chiang Mai, Thailand, was Editor of the Washington Star and National Journal. Though Hoffman’s clearly at home in Washington, he says it might soon be time to leave. “Might be time to go live in a crowded, exotic, dirty city far away for a little while,” he muses aloud.

If you were a carbonated beverage which would you be? Grapefruit soda.

How often do you Google yourself? I don’t. I have a Google alert.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to an editor (or vice versa)? You’re retarded. How’d that go over? Not well. I come from a long line of burn bridgers.

Who is your favorite working journalist and why? I love C.J. Chivers and Anthony Shadid at the NYT. Both are amazing.

Do you have a favorite word? Why.

What word or phrase do you overuse? Why.

Who would you rather have dinner with – ABC’s Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s Candy Crowley or NBC’s Andrea Mitchell? Tell us why. I guess I’d want to have dinner with Christiane Amanpour because she’s been a lot places and she’s seen a lot of things. She must have a lot of curiosity of the nooks and crannies of the world. Definitely not Andrea Mitchell.

You are ordered to go on a road trip to an undisclosed location. You can go with White House Spokesman Jay Carney or Bo, the President’s Portuguese Water Dog. No ones feelings will be hurt. Who do you take? Honestly it’s really hard to travel with a dog, especially the places I go. I’d probably pick neither. It’s much better to travel alone – always more interesting. Although the dog, if you got hungry you could always eat.

What’s the name of your cell phone ring? It’s silent.

It’s 3 a.m. and you get up to use the bathroom or get a drink of water. Do you check your BlackBerry or iPhone? Absolutely.

What word do you routinely misspell? There’s so many. Every word with an i and an e. Handwriting spelling I always got D’s in. Actually, now I’m a pretty good speller because of spell check.

What swear word do you use most often? Definitely fuck.

Find out why Hoffman gets weepy often…

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Say hello to Politico‘s newly relaunched blogger Ben Smith. Raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan by a lawyer (now judge) for a father and a writer/learning specialist mother, Smith says he’s not sure what specifically drew him to journalism other than a stint at the Jewish Forward. While there he covered a drama-filled state senate race and uncovered news of a candidate taking contributions from a Saudi prince through a shell corporation. That candidate is now New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. “I’m basically kind of shy,” Smith said in a phone interview. “I think it’s true of a lot of reporters that it’s an excuse to go out and ask questions you’re interested in.” This week his blog got a makeover as he officially added media to his beat. He says he has always viewed media as part of the political beat. “It seemed like a logical effort,” he said. “I picked it up at the New York Observer that they were part of the same fabric.” Asked if he’s recognized on the street at this point,” he says “never.” Asked what he thinks it means to be successful and he sounds tough on himself. “I tend to be pretty neurotic and basically think I’m as successful as my last story,” he said. “Professional hazard.” Does Smith speak any foreign languages? “I speak a bunch of foreign languages really badly,” he said. “I studied French and I speak some Czech, Russian, Latvian and Spanish. I can read a newspaper in most of those but not conduct an interview at this point.” Does he prefer climbing a mountain or taking a long walk on a beach? “I’m more a mountain person,” he said, remaining calm as I see how many goofy questions it will take to get him riled. By the way, Ben, we’re shipping a few crates of tangerines to your house for your 2-year-old. Enjoy!

If you were a carbonated beverage which would you be? I guess Coca Cola, but I don’t really drink carbonated beverages.

How often do you Google yourself? Once every few months; I have to admit it’s kind of satisfying to have clawed my way to the top of the “Ben Smith” Google rankings, which wasn’t easy. I’m competing with a musician and a handful of athletes with that name, but benefit from the fact that football, hockey, and soccer careers seem to be shorter than journalists’.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to an editor (or vice versa)? The best worst thing an editor every said to me was in my first political reporting job, as City Hall guy for the New York Sun. In the third of fourth story after an expose, I’d gone easy on the target. The editor in chief, Seth Lipsky, said with total disgust, “You’ve got an instinct for the capillaries.”

Who is your favorite working journalist and why? I’m not sure I’m allowed, or required, to go with colleagues, but Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Martin are two of the best political reporters I’ve ever encountered. They both have savant-ish, gut understanding of how politics works, and the kind of honesty that compels sources and readers.

Do you have a favorite word? No.

Who would you rather have dinner with – Politico’s Jim VandeHei, Politico’s John Harris or Robert Allbritton? Tell us why. And no, they may not all attend. I’ll go with Harris. He’s the one that brung me.

Does Ben Smith have a middle name? What is it? Eli

You are ordered to go on a road trip to an undisclosed location. You can go with White House Spokesman Jay Carney or Bo, the President’s Portuguese Water Dog. No ones feelings will be hurt. Who do you take? I don’t know Carney well, but we’ve always gotten along. We both have red-headed sons named Hugo.

What’s the name of your cell phone ring? I usually have it on vibrate.

How do you balance your job with being a family man? I operate under the belief, or fantasy, that my core readers arrive at work at nine and clock out at five, and I try to get most of my reporting into their reading time. I also have some office space about 10 minutes walk from my house, where I work when I can.

It’s 3 a.m. and you get up to use the bathroom or get a drink of water. Do you check your BlackBerry or iPhone? No.

What word do you routinely misspell? Judgment. Really.

Find out what scares Ben Smith after the jump…And no, it’s not Jim VandeHei.

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Working with TPM‘s Evan McMorris-Santoro this week has been a trying but endearing experience. Nailing down a deadline for Evan is much like trying to force feed apple strudel to FishbowlMatt: Not appetizing. He told me, “Sorry — you now officially know what it’s like to be any of my editors.” But in the end he came through with flying colors and sometimes that’s all that matters. Born and raised in Chapel Hill, NC, McMorris-Santoro has covered politics for TPM since 2009. Before that, he was a reporter at NJ‘s “The Hotline” covering the 2008 election. He started his career covering local politics at newspapers in Tennessee and his native North Carolina. I asked him to tell me something weird about his childhood. His reply: “I went to Space Camp. Or maybe that’s not so weird.” Evan, while we only wish that you told us Slate‘s Dave Weigel was your bunkmate at Space Camp, this more than suffices.

If you were a carbonated beverage which would you be? Bourbon and soda

How often do you Google yourself? Who still Googles himself? With a name like mine, those Google Alerts catch everything.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to an editor (or vice versa)? Same answer for both: ‘The browser crashed and I lost it.’

Who is your favorite working journalist and why? Blatant attempt at a raise alert: I have to shoutout all my colleagues at TPM. They’re some of the hardest-working and smartest in the biz, and I appear better than I am because my work shares the page with theirs. Also ex-TPMer Christina Bellantoni, who taught me everything I need to know about finding food on the road.

Do you have a favorite word? You can’t work with Brian Beutler for two years without developing a healthy respect/fear for “fail.”

What word or phrase do you overuse? “It’s worth noting…” It’s worth noting that, although contextualizing things is a noble goal, I need to find a better way to start those sentences.

Who would you rather have dinner with – ABC’s Christiane Amanpour, CNN’s Candy Crowley or NBC’s Andrea Mitchell? Tell us why. Amanpour, because like all DC political reporters, I don’t know enough about world affairs and I secretly wish I was a war corespondent.

You are ordered to go on a road trip to an undisclosed location. You can go with White House Spokesman Jay Carney or Bo, the President’s Portuguese Water Dog. No ones feelings will be hurt. Who do you take? Comes down to which one is paper-trained.

What’s the name of your cell phone ring? ‘Standard.’

It’s 3 a.m. and you get up to use the bathroom or get a drink of water. Do you check your BlackBerry? It’s a Droid thank you very much and yes, definitely.

Whats your favorite swear word? Oh fuck.

Find out what Evan eats when he pigs out…
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It’s hard for TMZ’s founder Harvey Levin to chill and stop working. At the National Press Club today to keynote a luncheon, he sat in a tan leather chair upstairs to prepare his speech and do this interview. He’s intense, but polite, friendly and not a big shot Hollywood figure who can’t be bothered. He wants to be bothered — within reason. He also wants to get his thoughts together and use the men’s room before his speech because “it would be bad form to pee in my pants,” he says, laughing. Something else that immediately jumps out: He’s smaller than he appears on TV. Throughout the day it will be the first observation people make. He’s svelte and proportional and has expensive-looking black sneakers with no laces and fashionable holes. “Are those Crocs?” asks American Urban Radio’s White House Correspondent April Ryan out of earshot at a VIP reception before the luncheon. Random but noteworthy: He’s newly vegetarian and no longer wears leather. He skips the juicy steak swimming in gravy and potatoes lunch and doesn’t opt for the vegetarian alternative — a mushroom with a thick, bubbling layer of cheese. Instead, he sips ice water. On the show, Levin stands and hangs over a newsroom wall, making it harder to tell how tall or short he is. He’s 5’7,” at least according to the driver’s license he pulled out to show me when I asked.

Before the FishbowlDC interview gets underway, first, a phone call to the office to check in. “Hey it’s me,” he says into his BlackBerry. “Are they still in the meeting? Anything I need to know? We have to talk about Scarlett Johansson. It’s the weirdest thing…” (A producer was in Paris recently and had an inappropriate interaction with Johansson, something that will not run on air. Levin’s producer tells me Harvey’s just having fun and giving the producer as hard a time as possible.)

On starting TMZ in Washington: “Yes, it’s just an issue of time. It will happen. I just need time to do it right. This is going to require me to be here for awhile.” Favorite politicians? “Not really. Therein lies the problem.” Does he support President Obama’s reelection? “Not going to say.”

Let’s begin.

Which GOP presidential contender is the most TMZ-worthy? Too soon to tell. (His producer chimes in, “Rick Perry. He’s bound to do the dumbest thing.” Levin’s not necessarily convinced.)

If you were a carbonated beverage which would you be? Orange crush.

What is the one question you get asked most frequently? What’s in your cup?

How often do you Google yourself? Almost never.

Who is your favorite working journalist and why? Anderson Cooper, because he’s honest.

What word or phrase do you overuse? “Here’s the thing.”

What’s the worst thing a stranger/heckler ever said to him? Find out…
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Say hello to The Root‘s Publisher Donna Byrd. Prior to her present post, Byrd was CEO of Black America Web, where she worked with national radio personality Tom Joyner to launch three African-American news and lifestyle websites. Byrd has sold toilet paper for Procter & Gamble; she’s quick on her feet — she once sang a jingle during a Coca-Cola presentation when technology broke down. “I remember being bright red,” she told FBDC in a phone interview, explaining that she cannot carry a tune. “I remember my face burning the entire time.” Schooling: Byrd has a B.A. in American Government from UVA and an MBA from Duke Business School.  Byrd was a military brat — she graduated from high school in Germany and has lived up and down the East Coast, North Carolina and five different places in Virginia growing up. She has traveled to 41 countries. Capetown, South Africa is the favorite. By the way, cabbies, if you want a tip don’t chatter away on your cell phone and put Byrd’s safety in jeopardy. It tends to get under her skin. Enjoy!

If you were a carbonated beverage which would you be? IZZE pomegranate flavor.

How often do you Google yourself? Rarely.

What’s the worst thing you’ve ever said to an editor (or vice versa)? Who wrote this?

Do you have a favorite word? Wow.

Who would you rather have dinner with –  MSNBC’s Chris Matthews or FNC’s Chris Wallace? Chris Matthews. It seems like he has evolved as a journalist and reporter over the years. I’d be interested in hearing his perspective on a lot of issues, particularly social issues. 

Who is your favorite working journalist? CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. I don’t always agree with him, but I always think his opinions are thoughtful, smart and provocative.

You are ordered to go on a road trip to an undisclosed location. You can go with White House Spokesman Jay Carney or Bo, the President’s Portuguese Water Dog. No ones feelings will be hurt. Who do you take? Jay Carney, unless the location is in a deserted area with water, in which case I’d roll with Bo.

What’s the name of your cell phone ring? Old phone.

It’s 3 a.m. and you get up to use the bathroom or get a drink of water. Do you check your BlackBerry? Yep.

What swear word do you use most often? The one when you string them all together.

If you weren’t a journalist what would you be? If I weren’t a publisher, I’d travel the world as a relief worker.

You’ve just been told the big news: You get to have your own Sunday morning talk show. Who will be on your roundtable? (Pick four journalists or pundits types.) Shannon Reeves, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Melissa Harris-Perry, Cynthia Gordy and I’d add a wildcard guest, Dave Chappelle.

When you pig out what do you eat? Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

When did you last cry and why? Four weeks ago when my dad passed away.

What TV show is your guilty pleasure? HBO’s “True Blood.”

What is the best vacation you’ve ever taken? A land and water safari in South Africa.

What is your absolute favorite item of clothing in your closet? We want the fabric, the brand, the store and the price if possible. My cotton UVA sweatshirt. I think I bought it for $40 in college.

Pick one: Will Ferrell’s Bush impersonation or Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin? Tina Fey, hands down.

Find out what Byrd hates after the jump…

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