D.C. Notes: Swearing In Week is Like Spring Break for Power Players

I arrived in Washington last night for the swearing in of the 110th Congress -- and the multitude of events scheduled to coincide with the official handoff of power to the Democrats.

There are well over a hundred parties, gatherings, celebrations, dinners, fundraisers, and thank-you-meet-and-greets planned for the next three days, ranging from the lavish (a $1,000 per person DCCC fundraiser featuring musical performances by Jimmy Buffett, Carole King, and Wyclef Jean) to the low-key (a one-hour open house in Sen. Jim Webb's new office featuring "cookies, coffee & company").

D.C. is teeming with elected officials, donors, performers, lobbyists, wide-eyed newcomers and wizened old pros -- all mingling, and networking, and feeling each other out. It's a little like Spring Break for power players -- only with fewer wet T-shirt contests.

My morning kicked off with breakfast at the Four Seasons with Atlantic publisher David Bradley and HuffPost's new political editor, Melinda Henneberger. The restaurant looked like the green room at CNN. The only things missing were Wolf Blitzer and the bad coffee. Among those seated near our table were Ken Mehlman, Madeleine Albright, and uber-lawyer-turned EU Ambassador Boyden Gray. On his way out, Mehlman stopped by to say hello.

Unable to resist (addictions are hard to break), I asked whether, since he's about to relinquish his RNC job, he would blog on HuffPost. He smiled and offered a half-hearted, "We'll see."

Far less gracious was GOP consultant Mike Murphy, who, though it's still only Wednesday, has already all-but-locked down the week's Most Churlish Quote award with his dyspeptic reaction to the series of events planned to celebrate Nancy Pelosi's ascension to Speaker of the House, including a Mass at her alma mater, an afternoon tea that will include a tribute to the memory of Ann Richards, a prayer service at St. Peter's church, and a dinner at the Italian Embassy where Tony Bennett will honor her home district by singing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."

Calling the round of celebrations "excessive," Murphy unloaded his bile to the Washington Post, saying "What no fireworks? I'm glad they canceled the tickertape parade. They probably couldn't find biodegradable tickertape and a hybrid convertible... Sounds to me like there's nobody at the meetings saying, 'Maybe that's a little too much.' She needs a deputy chief of staff from the 'It's Not About You' department."

Hmm... sounds to me like Murphy is ticked he's on the wrong side of the changing of the guard. Or maybe he's just upset about missing out on Tony Bennett. That can really bring out the cattiness in a guy, can't it, Mike?

From breakfast off to the Hill to meet with Jack Murtha, without whose leadership on Iraq, let's not forget, there would be nothing for Democrats to celebrate this week.

Check back for more on-the-scene blogging as the day progresses...