In a Friday Washingtonpost.com chat, Terry Neal, the website’s chief political correspondent, was asked how the Post would be able to cover both the Roberts nomination hearings this week and the Hurricane Katrina aftermath:

Question: So is this New Orleans disaster gonna trump the coverage of Roberts confirmation hearing? Or can The Post walk and chew gum at the same time?

Terry Neal: Haha…I think so.

Now, though, the media will be dealing with an even bigger story. Hence a more apt question: Can the D.C. media walk, chew gum, and juggle flaming torches–all while listening to Hilary Duff on its iPod at the same time?

(ABOVE: The first network to break the news, CNN’s Carol Lin reports the death of the death of Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist last night at 11:05 p.m.)