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  May 7, 2013, 2:11 pm

Obama says daughters taught him 'a pretty good Gangnam Style'

By Justin Sink

President Obama admitted during a joint press conference with South Korean President Park Geun-hye Tuesday at the White House that his daughters had "taught me a pretty good Gangnam Style." 

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  May 7, 2013, 1:43 pm

Poll: Obama trails Alex Trebek, Ellen DeGeneres in trustworthiness

By Judy Kurtz

More people trust “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek, comedian Ellen DeGeneres and celebrity chef Rachael Ray more than President Obama, according to a new poll from Reader’s Digest magazine.

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  May 7, 2013, 12:46 pm

Michelle Obama: Buy my book for Mother's Day

By Emily Goodin

Michelle Obama joked that her book would make a great Mother's Day present.

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  May 7, 2013, 12:45 pm

Lawmakers hit the stage in 'Will on the Hill' benefit

By Noura Aldafl-Andreasson

For any constituents wondering 'wherefore art thou' members of Congress, many of them on Monday were delivering their best Bard-inspired performances at the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s annual “Will on the Hill” benefit.

Ex-Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.) was just one of a bevy of current and former lawmakers to show off their Shakespearean and comedic chops. Harman warmed up the audience at the Washington tradition like a seasoned pro. 

“It’s good to see so many members of Congress here tonight – we all know how they hate events sponsored by lobbyists,” Harman said dryly to the packed crowd at Sidney Harman Hall in downtown D.C.

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  May 7, 2013, 12:30 pm

Rep. Roe tells fourth-graders: I like to play my guitar at work

By Judy Kurtz

It took a group of fourth-graders to get Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) to let the cat out of the bag: he loves to sneak in some jam sessions in his Capitol Hill office.

While speaking to a group of Tennessee school kids Friday, Roe said he likes to pick up his guitar and play some tunes in the Rayburn House Office Building when no one’s around.

ITK hears the congressman, 67, has been strumming a guitar since before he was in medical school at the University of Tennessee, more than 40 years ago. When he was in med school, he even cut a record with his band, called "Pony Express." Roe’s office keeps a copy of the record handy for those who want to listen.

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  May 7, 2013, 10:22 am

Congressman earns ‘Deadeye’ nickname on the shooting range

By Judy Kurtz

Rep. Steve Daines has a new, tough-sounding nickname as he returns to Capitol Hill this week — “Deadeye Daines.”

The moniker was bestowed upon the Montana Republican recently as lawmakers headed home for a district work week.

The congressman, who is considering a Senate bid, got tagged with the new title last week while taking in a little target practice during a trip to a shooting range in the Treasure State.

His communications director, Alee Lockman, explained to ITK, “He apparently did a very, very good job.”

So good, in fact, that a local TV reporter covering “Deadeye Daines’s” visit gave him the sharpshooting name.

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  May 6, 2013, 3:38 pm

PETA goes after Christie for killing a spider

By Judy Kurtz

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is crying foul after an itsy bitsy spider climbed up the governor’s desk — and wound up squished to smithereens.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) handed down a death sentence on one of the eight-legged creatures Friday, while speaking before a group of students.

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  May 6, 2013, 3:30 pm

Canadian band writes song about ex-staffer who appeared on 'Jeopardy!'

By Judy Kurtz

Abra Belke appeared on “Jeopardy!” while working for former Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) in 2009. She didn’t win — but apparently the members of a Canadian group called Tooth-Gnasher Superflash must’ve caught a rerun of her appearance.

The band was so inspired by what they saw, they created a song called “Buzz In (Abra Belke).” In a YouTube video of the song posted last week, the band’s lead singer explains, “You’ll find when you watch ‘Jeopardy!’ a large percentage of the people are, you know, smart-looking, not extremely attractive. This lady was smokin’!”

Some sample lyrics from the banjo-filled tune: “Make some good money, take me home, honey. Abra Belke, buzz in.”

Belke, the 30-year-old blogger behind Capitol Hill Style who now lobbies for the National Rifle Association, tells ITK she was beyond surprised to learn on Twitter about the song. She had some trusted friends listen to it before her to make sure it was “safe” before clicking “play” on her computer.

She explains, “It’s one of those things where it could either be super creepy or really flattering ... I’m pretty flattered and I think it’s hysterical.”

Belke, who says she doesn’t know and has never talked to the band, says one of the problems for her now is having the catchy eponymous chorus stuck in her head. “I’m not sure what happens when you have a song that’s written about you stuck in your head, but I’m pretty sure it’s the end of the world,” she cracked.

She only has one issue with the ode to her “Jeopardy!” showing: “I guess my only complaint is that [the singer] mispronounces my name through the whole song,” she said with a laugh. He pronounces it as “Ah-bra,” but it’s actually “Aw-bra.”

“After 30 years of having a weird name, I’m mostly immune to it, until someone says it in the middle of a song,” Belke said.

After learning of the video, some of Belke’s friends tried to contact the group because they had information to share: after Belke’s “Jeopardy!” appearance, she competed on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and won quite a bit of moolah.

She says a friend exclaimed, “We should send them the DVD of your ‘Millionaire’ appearance and they can write a sequel!”

But Belke’s good with only one ballad based on her: “I said, ‘That might be pushing it.’ I’m fine with just one song about me.”

Fortunately for Belke, her friends weren’t able to get in contact with the group.

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  May 6, 2013, 1:09 pm

First lady to fundraise with Jason Collins

By Jonathan Easley

The May 29 fundraiser will be held in New York City for the Democratic National Committee and will honor the LGBT community.

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  May 6, 2013, 12:38 pm

Obama hits the links with GOP senators

By Justin Sink and Daniel Strauss

President Obama is playing golf Monday with Republican Sens. Bob Corker and Saxby Chambliss, and Democratic Sen. Mark Udall.

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