Lerer is the fifth scribe to leave Politico in recent weeks. The list includes: Patrick O’Conner (Bloomberg News), Victoria McGrane (Dow Jones Newswires), Pia Catton (WSJ) and Michael Calderone (Yahoo News).

(In case anyone thinks I’m joking, it’s April 2, so April Fools’ Day is over.)

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Congratulations to Calderone!

The scribe had no comment for FishbowlDC by press time, but if he weighs is on the matter, we’ll be sure to bring it to you.

“He is expected to leave Politico within a matter of weeks to join Yahoo News’ original content project, overseen by blogging editor Andrew Golis,” the site reports. “Chris Lehmann and “Cajun Boy” Brett Michael Dykes also recently joined the project. Calderone, who joined Politico from the New York Observer, has the rare distinction of being named both one of Keith Olbermann’s “Worst
Persons in the World” and one of Bill O’Reilly’s “pinheads.”

Calderone is among a number of journalists leaving the publication as of late that includes Pia Catton, Patrick O’Connor and Victoria McGrane.

Read the full story here.

UPDATE See internal memo from VandeHarris after the jump…

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“I’m extremely grateful to Politico for showing me what speed and tenacity really mean,” she told FishbowlDC. “To apply that to the art world – and to do so with the Wall Street Journal’s metro team – is the opportunity of a lifetime. ”

Catton, who lived in NYC for 11 years, is excited for her return to the bigger city. She told FishbowlDC that she’s such a New Yorker that when she came to Washington she formed a New Yorker’s support group that held two meetings at the Russia House.

Previously, she worked for the New York Sun and the NYP and got her start at The Weekly Standard.

In other Catton news, she’s got a “killer” D.C. apartment that she needs to get off her hands.

THE DESCRIPTION: West End – Sunny, west-facing 1 bedroom on top floor with the works: enclosed balcony, washer/dryer, four closets, huge kitchen, free indoor pool and gym, parking space to rent. Blue Duck and west end bistro are your neighborhood eats. 5 min walk to dupont 8 min to G-town. Under $2K. No pets and no bad credit.

Interested in the apartment? Write bethriftynotcheapATgmail.com.

News of Pia’s departure was first reported by Michael Calderone in Politico.

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Those at the filmed meeting included: John Harris; Jim VandeHei wanted everything tightly focused on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.): “If we can really rope it around her and around the final 72 hours…” he said, noting that WaPo would be thinking much more broadly on coverage; Craig Gordon, the editor in charge of White House coverage, weighed in; Jonathan Martin suggested a story on “Dead Men Walking,” those lawmakers who would effectively be signing death papers by voting for the bill; Eamon Javers appeared to be amused by others remarks, but never spoke during the segment.

Something viewers may not know: Participants in the brainstorming meeting change from meeting to meeting. The meeting happens every few weeks and is a mix of top editors and selected reporters.

Something else viewers may not know: CNN chose not to show the other side of the table or any of the comments that came from that side of the room. Those journos included: Danielle Jones, Managing Editor, Online; Erika Compart, Deputy Managing Editor; Pia Catton, Features Editor; and Carol Lee, White House Correspondent.

“Some of those stories were very solid,” assessed Kurtz after the meeting. “But they also offered an embarrassment” this week. Kurtz explained that Politico posted a leaked memo on health care and didn’t say it came from Republican sources. They took it down. He scolded, “A better rule of thumb would have been to verify it first before publishing.”

An armchair suggestion: Story meeting participants may want to get all itches and scratches out before they go on film. While some slouched (perfectly fitting for such a meeting) some scratched too much as cameras rolled up close.

Next week: More Politico as Kurtz interviews VandeHarris.

Come to your own conclusions. Watch CNN’s video here. Please note, the picture (above) is a depiction and not the actual room where the Politico meeting transpired.

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Just after BBC News correspondent Lyse Doucet was awarded the prestigious David Bloom Award, Doucet, Katy Kay and the rest of the BBC team held court at the Historical Society of Washington DC, following last night’s annual Radio Television Correspondents Association (RTCA) dinner. Celebs, politicos and hoards of journos packed the glam fete.

Spotted in the crowd were Tara Palmeri of the Washington Examiner, Luke Russert and Chuck Todd from NBC, MSNBC’s Domenico Montanaro, Fox News’ Griff Jenkins and Wes Goler, NYT’s Jeff Zeleny, TVNewser’s Kevin Allocca, The Hill’s Sam Youngman, Capitol News Connection radio scribe Matt Laslo, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Dana Bash, John King, Roland Martin, Meryl Conant, Meghan Grant and Edie Emery, WaPo’s Amy Argetsinger, Politico’s Andy Barr, Pia Catton, Michael Calderone, Jonathan Martin and MTP EP Betsy Fischer.

Other guests included QGA Chairman Jack Quinn with wife Susanna, media maven Tammy Haddad and Brian Walsh.

More pics after the jump.

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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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Please add FishbowlDC to your press list. Remember us? The site that writes about you and your industry all day, every day? Doesn’t ring a bell? Ask Patrick Gavin.

1) When you launch new sites (see Politico Click), we’d like to know. Since I covered USA Today’s Wine Club today, chances are you would have gotten a post.

2) If you hire the gossip columnist from the Examiner… The second, in a year…(see Patrick Gavin again). That’s big news too. “Kiki Ryan to Politico” as a subject line would have gotten our attention…

But instead, you buried the lead in your “Politico Click” press release that I got from someone at WaPo (Solid!):

CLICK editors and reporters – Katherine Lehr, Pia Catton, Anne Schroeder Mullins, Patrick Gavin, Amie Parnes and Kiki Ryan – will provide the best behind-the-scenes coverage and take-you-there reporting from all the fetes, the openings, launch parties, embassy dinners, museum exhibits and more.

Anyhow, good luck with your paper, website and Kiki.

Love,

FishbowlDC

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