Quotes of the Day

West Wing Sophia: Sophia Nelson, columnist for the theGrio.com and Essence, visited the White House last week and snapped a few pictures.

“This stage [is] always available to you if you ever want to finish that Al Green song,” — David Rubenstein, Chairman of the Kennedy Center to President Obama last night at the Kennedy Center Honors. Quote taken from a White House Pool Report by The Hill’s Eric Wasson, who referred to Alec Baldwin as “Alex” Baldwin and corrected himself in the next Pool Report.

German ex-journo predicts punch in the groin

“Today has been an utterly horrible day. I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody punched me in the groin on the way home.” — Klaus Marre, formerly of The Hill and The Daily Caller, in a Facebook update. (We hear he has left journalism and wants to start his own business.)

Travel Bitches

• “The flight to North Dakota, already held up an hour, is being delayed further because “the flight attendant left her manual at the gate and we have to retireve [sic] it.” Sometimes, Delta, you’re better off lying.” — Bloomberg News‘ Alan Bjerga.

• “Attendant on my Delta flight from Boston delays boarding by jetway full of coach passengers to take drink orders, hang coats of 1st class.”  — CNBC and NYT‘s John Harwood.

• “Amtrak WiFi. An utter exercise in frustration. That is all.” — Yahoo! News senior editor for politics and news Beth Fouhy.

Just in case you wanted to know where Jake Tapper was this weekend…

“Reminder to Fort Hood area tweeps: from 11AM to 1PM CST I’ll be signing books at the FORT HOOD EXCHANGE Building 50004, Clear Creek Road.” — ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper. That would be for Tapper’s book Outpost if you haven’t heard of it (but we’re sure you’ve heard about it in a few thousand of Tapper’s tweets as of late).

Confessional

“I delete so many tweets, you people have no idea. I’m the Dr. Kavorkian of inappropriate 140 character utterances.” – BuzzFeed Washington Bureau Chief John Stanton.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

“You spew such bullshit…I now know why you are rarely on CNN anymore. Your act is tired.” — ClearChannel‘s Colby Hall to CNN Contributor Roland Martin. (The pair were engaging in a lot of sports trash talk this weekend. We suspect their friendship will survive it.)

Being a real reporter is when this happens

“There’s nothing that makes me feel more like a real reporter than getting kicked out of someplace I’m writing about.” — Mother Jones D.C.-based reporter Stephanie Mencimer.

The Fashion Critic

“Geithner rocking the Ironman watch on all the Sunday shows. I like it.” — Politico congressional reporter and fashion expert Jake Sherman.

Peter Ogburn contributed to this report.

Politico’s Ginger Gibson has a “serious” question and an anonymous tipster reveals a few things about her colleague, Tim Grieve. Also: find out why a NBC News desk assistant was feeling semi-violent over the weekend… Read more