Making "government cool again"

Well, Obama said that public service would be exciting, at least to the young, and that campaign promise is being fulfilled by what one hopes is the new "civic generation."

Politico reports that the new spirit of service has inspired thousands more to serve in Washington:

Every summer, about 20,000 college students descend upon Washington for internships; roughly 6,000 of them occupy posts on Capitol Hill. But forces have coalesced this year to make for an intern summer like no other.

Hill offices, federal agencies and political organizations across the spectrum of Washington report a surge in applicants and the numbers of interns they've taken on this summer. Not only that, but eager up-and-comers are increasingly willing to ply the dark, obscure corners of the federal government for summer employment.

A recent poll of interns conducted by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars credits Obama for much of this: 65 percent of intern respondents were more interested in entering government this year because of him.

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