20 Questions

David Baldacci has mastered the political thriller. Several of his 20 books take readers into the White House, Congress, CIA headquarters and other Washington power spots. His new book, True Blue, once again uses Washington as a backdrop. But this time he looks into local Washington and what it takes to be a police officer in the nation’s capital.

Earlier this year, Washington native and professional actor Rickie Peete decided to write an audition monologue inspired by President Barack Obama’s election.

Long after finding fame at age 11 as Wednesday Addams in the film version of “The Addams Family,” Christina Ricci has found her voice in public policy. After playing a victim of sexual abuse in “Black Snake Moan,” Ricci, 29, was asked to become the spokeswoman for the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN). Last week she zigzagged around Capitol Hill to ask lawmakers for their support for legislation relating to rape and sexual abuse.

Jeremy Renner may not yet be a household name, but the 38-year-old California actor is winning accolades for his starring role in the Iraq war movie “The Hurt Locker.” Renner — who has built a cult following for his work in acclaimed independent movies and commercial flicks such as “SWAT” and “28 Weeks Later” — recently sat down with The Hill to talk about his latest role as a bomb-disabling technician in Iraq. With a tall cup of coffee (he did not sleep the night before) and a pack of cigarettes next to him, Renner talked about his aspirations in Washington and a political encounter he would not pass up.

Much before Shannon Bream became Fox News’s Supreme Court correspondent, she was Miss Virginia 1990. As she prepares for what could be one of the bigger stories of her career — the Senate confirmation hearings of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor — Bream reflects on what she has learned since her crown-wearing days.

What got you interested in being a radio host?

Famed talk show host Montel Williams recently landed a radio show on Air America. He lives in New York City and fishes in Tennessee. One day, he insists, he will “definitely” run for office. In the meantime, you can catch his show between 9 a.m. and noon EST each day.

Alexandra Wentworth, wife of ABC “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos, isn’t the namedropping kind. Oh, but she could be.

TV producer and philanthropist Norman Lear says his father reminds him of Archie Bunker, the character he created in the show he produced in the ’70s, “All in the Family.” But these days Lear is going after a more inclusive message with a new, non-racial initiative and corresponding website that urges Americans to get involved. The initiative urges people to become “their country’s keeper.” For more information, visit www.bornagainamerican.com.

What’s conservative pundit Ann Coulter guilty of these days?