Politico typically tries to hire up. They snag reporters from the aggressive media mindset of Manhattan. They steal people who haven’t been places long — such as the recent hire of Lois Romano from The Daily Beast. She’d been there under a year and at WaPo for nearly three decades.

But now they’re setting their sights lower and perhaps just nearby at TBD.

Ryan Kearney, who has written for a site that prides itself on writing about cupcakes and weird rubber dolls they send to the private homes of Washington reporters, is on his way out of the long failing TBD and is now interviewing at Politico. He has great experience interviewing cardboard stars like Natalie Portman and James Franco — really poorly done interviews he does (we think they are supposed to be funny) with life size cardboard versions. Is this what Politico wants? Watch out Alex Trowbridge, you could have some heavy (eye roll) competition headed your way. Whether he’ll land the job is anyone’s guess. If they’re planning to invent a new beat called “FishbowlDC” he’s a shoo in. If not, well, then they’re on their own. Maybe CLICK could use his expertise.