Hill Hallways: Larry Craig on the subway
Walking the halls of the Congress, you never know who you might run into – and today it was a blast from the past.
I sat down in the subway that runs beneath the Capitol, and across from me was none other than former Senator Larry Craig.
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Hill Hallways: Another Arizonan for Kyl's seat?
Washington (CNN)-Arizona Rep. Trent Franks told CNN he was "seriously considering" running for retiring Senator Jon Kyl's Senate seat.
Asked if the decision by his House GOP colleague Rep. Jeff Flake to run would impact his decision on whether or not he would ultimately jump in the race, Franks responded, "Jeff is a decent man of the highest integrity." Franks then added, "of course" Flake's official announcement that's he's in would factor into his own decision on the race.
When pressed on a timetable for making an announcement Franks declined to give one.
Hill Hallways: House Democratic Leader has 'serious reservations' about tax deal
Washington (CNN) - Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a member of the House Democratic leadership, said Tuesday he has "serious reservations" about President Obama's tax cut agreement with Republicans.
Van Hollen, who represented House Democrats in tax cut talks with administration officials and Republicans, spoke to reporters as he headed into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office for an afternoon leadership meeting.
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Hill Hallways: Sen. Snowe Welcomes Tax Cut Agreement
Washington (CNN) - Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine said Tuesday the tax cut deal between President Obama and Republican leaders is an "outstanding way to move forward and welcome the bipartisanship that was evident."
When asked whether it changes the relationship between Republicans and Democrats in Congress, Snowe said, "hopefully it creates a new dynamic," adding that it could perhaps be a "template" for how to proceed on other issues.
This "demonstrated it's possible to achieve consensus" and "work across party lines," Snowe said.
Hill Hallways: Senate Democrats Openly Upset with Tax Cut Deal
Washington (CNN) – Senate Democrats are openly expressing their disappointment, and in some cases outrage, with the President Obama's tax cut deal.
And what is most striking walking the hallways and talking to senators is that the palpable frustration is coming not just from liberal Democrats, but moderates as well.
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Hill Hallways: Elevator inquiries
Washington (CNN) - Riding in the elevator on the Senate side of the Capitol, I stopped at the first floor, the doors opened and before me stood Massachusetts Republican Senator Scott Brown and Connecticut's independent Democrat Joe Lieberman, chatting as they waited for the "senators only" lift.
In the 15-seconds my elevator door was open, I saw Brown pat Lieberman on the arm and ask about his future electoral prospects.
"How are you going to work your magic this time? Run as an independent?" Brown asked Lieberman, who lost his Democratic primary in 2006, forcing him to run as an independent.
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Hill Hallways: It's 'Real World,' Congress for freshman Rep.
Washington (CNN) - Standing outside Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office in the Capitol waiting for a meeting to break up, I bumped into Wisconsin Republican Rep-elect Sean Duffy who was wandering around the second floor of the building on Monday giving himself his first tour of the Capitol.
Sunday was the first time the incoming freshman Republican set foot in the Capitol building and he was especially excited and surprised when House GOP Leader John Boehner took incoming freshmen on the House floor. Duffy told me "it was pretty awesome."
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Hill Hallways: Pelosi cat and mouse
Washington (CNN) - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her team just played an impressive game of cat and mouse to avoid those of us in the Capitol Hill press corps.
We knew she was scheduled for a 3 p.m. interview with Diane Sawyer down the hall and around the corner from her second floor Capitol Hill office.
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Castle write-in decision coming
(CNN) - Rep. Mike Castle just told CNN he will make a decision soon- as early as Wednesday- about whether to launch a write-in candidacy.
Castle has been contemplating the move since losing the GOP Senate primary in Delaware a few weeks ago.
But he told me he's also been leaning against it.
We spoke while walking outside of the House chamber:
No middle class tax cut vote before election
1:23 p.m. - It has been the worse kept secret in Washington, but now it's official: House Democrats plan to leave for a five-week recess without trying to take up an extension of the Bush era middle class tax cuts.
First, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer confirmed it.
Then, I ran into Speaker Pelosi. I told her what Hoyer said, and asked her to put in her own words why the vote would not be held. Here's what she said:
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