Julia Louis-Dreyfus has a message for politicians who want to make a cameo on HBO’s “Veep” series: It’s not going to happen.

The actress, who portrays a fictional vice president in the show, last week had lunch with the very real Vice President Biden at the White House. A photo released by Biden’s office shows a smiling Louis-Dreyfus sitting at his desk.

But just because they have broken bread does not mean Biden will be getting an invitation to appear on the hit show.

“I’m afraid not. I’m so sorry, but we really can’t,” Louis-Dreyfus says she would tell Biden.

A former congresswoman says she crossed the Boston Marathon finish line just minutes before two explosions killed at least three victims and left more than 130 people injured.

Former Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) told Cincinnati’s WCPO-TV, “I finished it 13 minutes before it happened.”

The ex-lawmaker, who served four terms before being defeated in last year’s GOP primary by now-Rep. Brad Wenstrup, says she was waiting for her twin sister to finish the race when the blasts ripped through the area.

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Sen. Claire McCaskill’s gone country — at least on her Spotify playlist.

The Missouri Democrat recently revealed some of her top country music tunes on the music streaming service, with an extensive list of both modern and old school country picks.

McCaskill wrote on her Facebook page Sunday, “From Tennessee Ernie Ford to Jason Aldean, ‘it’s all good.’ ”

Some of the lawmaker’s fave foot-tappers include: “Hey, Good Lookin’ ” by Hank Williams, Martina McBride’s “This One’s for the Girls” and the payback-to-a-no-good-guy-filled Reba McEntire hit “Turn on the Radio.” Read more...

SPOTTED: Former “Ugly Betty” star America Ferrera lending her voice to the “I’m Ready for Immigration Reform” press conference outside the Capitol hosted by Voto Lation and other organizations.

“That 70’s Show” alum Wilmer Valderamma — sporting a serious set of shades — was also eyed shaking hands with Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.).

Photos: Greg Nash Read more...

Miami-born rapper Pitbull is the latest to weigh in on the controversy surrounding Jay-Z and Beyonce’s trip last week to Cuba, defending the couple from their lawmaking critics.

The hip-hop duo spent their fifth wedding anniversary on the communist island nation, where travel by American tourists is restricted by U.S. law.

While he’s been a tireless advocate for animals for years, there’s one thing Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) won’t do with his beloved pooches: walk a runway.

“I would not willingly walk down with my dog,” Moran, 67, said with a smile. “The dog would be fine, but I’m a little self-conscious.”

Canines (and humans) strutted their stuff Saturday as they modeled the latest in doggie duds at the seventh annual Fashion for Paws runway show at the National Building Museum. Proceeds from the stylish soiree benefited the Washington Humane Society. Read more...

Former Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), the former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will be knighted Tuesday in recognition of his leadership on foreign affairs and his efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. 

Lugar will become an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire during a ceremony Tuesday at the British Embassy, the Lugar Center announced Monday. The 36-year senator launched the bipartisan nonprofit organization that focuses on non-proliferation, food security and foreign-aid reform earlier this month.

Long considered the Republican foreign-policy dean on Capitol Hill, Lugar is best remembered for co-authoring the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program that helped secure and eliminate 7,600 nuclear warheads in the former Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War. He also led U.S. efforts to bring new members into the NATO alliance and has long worked closely with the British.

Lugar was defeated in last year's Senate Republican primary by Tea Party-backed State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who lost in  turn to former Rep. Joe Donnelly in the general election. He joins a handful of Americans – including presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush – who have received the honor.

Former President George W. Bush is now a grandfather.

The ex-president’s daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, gave birth on Saturday to a daughter.

"Veep" star Julia Louis-Dreyfus had lunch on Friday with her real-life counterpart: Vice President Biden.