Sarah Feinberg, senior adviser to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and special assistant to President Barack Obama, is leaving the administration to join Bloomberg News.

Bloomberg announced Wednesday that Feinberg will come on as director of the news service's communication and business strategy efforts, with an added focus on expanding Bloomberg’s presence globally. Feinberg starts in June.

Bloomberg has been snapping up some of Washington's best-known journalists for the past six months in anticipation of the launch of its political news service early next year. But Feinberg (at left) is the company's biggest get so far.

In a statement issued Wednesday by Bloomberg, Feinberg said, "I'm thrilled to be joining Bloomberg at such an exciting time ... as it expands its presence in Washington and prepares to launch its government information division."

Feinberg has been one of Emanuel's closest aides since his time in the House, when she served as the communications director at the House Democratic Caucus.

Feinberg's move may fuel continuing speculation that Emanuel himself is preparing to leave his post at the White House.

Feinberg certainly has good sources: Her husband is Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director.

If you see a grisly-looking, bearded guy getting the VIP treatment on Capitol Hill Thursday, don't be alarmed: It's most likely actor Kevin Kline, who'll be lobbying on behalf of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Kline is scheduled to meet with Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

The typically clean-shaven actor is best known for playing a fictional president in the political comedy "Dave," but his latest Washington-themed flick required a different look altogether.  

Kline will appear on the big screen later this year as President Abraham Lincoln's Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton, in a film about Lincoln's assassination being directed by Robert Redford. Titled "The Conspirator," Kline stars alongside Robin Wright Penn and James McAvoy.

Two of America's best known type-A women got a chance to catch up Tuesday night at the Time 100 dinner in New York City.

Sarah Palin posed with domestic diva Martha Stewart, who posted the photo on her blog.

It might not seem obvious, but the two moms have plenty in common. Whether in government or gardening, they've both become first-name-only brands to their millions of fans through books, TV shows, speeches, and slogans (“Drill, baby, drill!” vs. “That's a good thing”).

Also in Martha's photo album from Tuesday night was an elegant-looking Demi Moore, who only hours before had been on Capitol Hill, lobbying for child trafficking legislation.


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Once one of the most prolific Twitter users in Congress, Rep. John Culberson's activity tailed off in the last few months.

President Barack Obama will address the graduating class of Kalamazoo Central High School (KCHS), the winner of the first-ever Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge.

Located in Kalamazoo, Mich., the school beat out more than 1,000 other entries in a contest to win the privilege of a presidential commencement address on June 10. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the winner on Tuesday, and his remarks were posted on the White House blog.

KCHS is best known as the home of the Kalamazoo Promise, an anonymously funded scholarship endowment that ensures every graduate of the city's public high schools receives a full scholarship to college. The program is unique in the United States.

Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), who represents Kalamazoo, congratulated the school in a statement Tuesday, saying, “Having visited K-Central again just last month, I continue to be impressed with the students’ passion to learn ... this is a great achievement for the students, parents and faculty."

The contest was held online between April 26 and April 29, and Duncan said that over 170,000 people voted on short videos by the six finalists. Of those six, the top three were presented to the president, who made the final selection.  

In recognition of their achievements, Duncan announced that the other five finalists will also receive a special graduation speaker: A member of Obama's Cabinet, or a senior official in the administration.

The runners up in the contest were Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kan., Clark Montessori in Cincinnati, Ohio, Denver School of Science and Technology in Denver, Colo., Environmental Charter High School in Lawndale, Calif., and MAST Academy in Miami, Fla.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) warned colleagues that the Senate might have to eat into its summer recess to deal with pressing issues.

Reid said Tuesday that he'd warned senators to not plan much vacationing during the first week in August, when Congress typically breaks for a monthlong district work period.

The top Senate Democrat's admonition comes as the Senate is working to finish its current legislative priority, Wall Street reform, as quickly as possible before a recess around Memorial Day.

This Congress has seen shifting deadlines in the Senate, especially on healthcare,  throughout the past year and a half, and lawmakers have worked long nights and weekends, especially close to holidays. The Senate, for instance, voted on Christmas Eve morning to pass its preliminary health reform bill. 

President Barack Obama had a rare private lunch Tuesday with a visitor to the White House: fellow Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel.

The pair dined together in the Private Dining Room at noon, and the event was closed to press.

Wiesel won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, largely for his Holocaust memoir, "Night," but also for his ensuing work on behalf of peace. Obama won the prize in 2009.

The president has seen Wiesel twice in the past year: In June, Obama asked Wiesel to accompany him on a visit to the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany. In February of this year, Wiesel was honored at the White House for his work promoting human rights.