* Reliable Source:

* Reliable Source: Bill Clinton and Alan Greenspan lunched at the Four Seasons. . . Mike McCurry admits apathy on the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes drama. [WP]
* Under the Dome: Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.) turns against his roommate, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), over stem cell legislation. . . Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) has heard every boner joke. . . Senators to star in “comedic whodunit” production for charity. [The Hill]
* Rush & Molloy: Cheney may have been trying to cover up the presence of Pamela Willeford, ambassador to Switzerland, at the hunt. [NYDN]

Reliable Source: Charity portrait of Alan Greenspan auctions for $150,400. [WP]
Inside the Beltway: Rep. Tom DeLay (Texas) faces challenger in the Republican primary. [WT]

* Reliable Source: Sen. Brownback (R-Kan.) says his comments about gay marriage and “fruits” were misinterpreted by Rolling Stone. . . Artist Erin Crowe, “cheerfully obsessed” with Alan Greenspan, paints his portrait on live on CNBC for charity auction. [WP]
* Inside the Beltway: Sen. Kerry (D-Mass.) says Democrats “didn’t bring out the [expletive] knives” on Samuel Alito. [WT]

* Senate votes 72 to 25 to hold roll call on Samuel Alito’s confirmation today; Sen. Kerry defends his filibuster attempt. [WP, NYT, LAT, WT, USAT]
* Bush will promote alternative fuels and nuclear power in tonight’s State of the Union. Senior official: “What’s interesting about this discussion is that he isn’t talking about oil exploration at home. Nobody wants to get bogged down in those arguments again.” [NYT, USAT]
* 76% of Americans deem health care “an absolute priority” for ‘06 and only 28% support maintaining the current force in Iraq, according to new WSJ-NBC poll. Bush’s approval rating is steady at 39% as leadership and honesty numbers have fallen over the past year; 63% say Democrats lack a “clear agenda.” [WSJ, MSNBC]
* Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) questions Attorney General Alberto Gonzales‘ statements on warrentless eavesdropping. During his confirmation, Gonzales said the practice was “not the policy of the agenda of this president” and offered to tell Congress if that changed. [WP]
* Administration official explains White House strategy on Alito: “Any time they are yelling, preaching, lecturing, and you are cool and calm and breathing deep, you are winning. What that means on television sets where the American people are watching this is, you look good and they look bad. It was the central operating premise.” [NYT]

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Tomorrow Alan Greenspan is scheduled to step down as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, a post he has held for 18 years. On Tuesday, in addition to voting on the far more contentious Alito nomination, the Senate will also vote to confirm Greenspan’s successor at the Fed, Ben S. Bernanke. MORE »

* House Republicans say corruption is a perceived-reality: “We must realize that the Majority we have all worked so hard for is in jeopardy.” Leadership race will likely become a “referendum on how seriously the party is taking” the scandal. [WP, NYT]
* Republican lawmakers call for White House to disclose records about Jack Abramoff; Abramoff met with Bush during at least six “social occasions.” Anonymous source: “The White House is making too much of a mystery out of this and needs to release the dates, times, details and photos of the visits. It’s not like [Abramoff and Mr. Bush] were plotting to overthrow Iraq.” [LAT, WT]
* Bush will use State of the Union to preview midterm campaign themes and paint optimistic portrait; speech avoids “ambitious” proposals. Senior administration official: “America ought to be leading the way, working to shape events. We’re always better when we’re out there shaping events, rather than being shaped by them.” [LAT, WT]
* Challenge of Bush’s State of the Union falls on William McGurn, the director of White House speechwriting. McGurn: “He seems in a good mood. Part of his good mood, we hope, is that we give him something good to read that reflects what he wants to do.” [NYT, USAT]
* Interior Department offered emergency services and personnel to FEMA in the “immediate aftermath” of Katrina but received a delayed response. [WP, NYT]
* Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.): “I think that the Democrats have to do a much better job in making their case on these issues. These last-minute efforts, using procedural maneuvers inside the Beltway, I think, has been the wrong way of going about it.” [WT]

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• Reliable Source: Cheney impersonator Darrell Hammond was invited to vice president’s Christmas party; other guests included Alan Greenspan, Andy Card, Newt Gingrich, Wolf Blitzer, John Roberts, Antonin Scalia. . . John Roberts and Clarence Thomas sat separately at the Capital Grille. Roberts had a cheeseburger and a Coke. [WP]
• Under the Dome: Band-members of the only congressional rock group, the Second Amendments, plan a short world tour for U.S. troops abroad. . . Lawmakers whip out purple ink pads to celebrate solidarity with Iraqi voters. [The Hill]
• Cindy Adams: Bush urged not to pardon Scooter Libby. . . Tom Kean Jr. has raised over $1m for N.J. senate race. [NYP]
• The Scoop: George Clooney: “I hate it when smart men and women are saying,

Some of you wonder why the Wonk’d famous-for-DC posts don’t appear with more frequency. The sad truth is that people don’t send us much. Perhaps you don’t understand: The bar is VERY LOW. Matt Cooper in line in at Starbucks? Counts. Margaret Carlson picking up her dry cleaning? Totally. Matthew Yglesias looking lost on M Street? That too. You want more Wonk’d? Send us more sightings: . Come on, you can’t walk a block in this town without tripping over George Stephanopolous and he counts, too! In this issue: Bennett, Kidman (of course), Jenna and Barbara Bush, Scalia, Stein, Carter, Alito (8″ thick! Not the way you think.), Chalabi at Kiehls, Greenspan, Bradgalina, and, yes, Stephanopolous. After the jump.

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• Reliable Source: “Military Idol” takes off. . . Ludacris skips the Howard University Homecoming. . . Philanthropist Jim Kimsey “toasted and roasted” at Kennedy Center. . . At Sunday’s game, Andrea Mitchell kissed Alan Greenspan whenever the Redskins scored. . . Diane Keaton spotted at Starbucks; Nicole Kidman seen near K Street. . . Van Susteren sells her house. [WP]
• Under the Dome: U.N. interns blanket Capitol Hill with blue rubber bracelets to celebrate its 60th anniversary. . . Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) mingles with famed winemakers in his office. [The Hill]
• Liz Smith: Maureen Dowd’s next book is titled “Are Men Necessary?” [NYP]
• Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: Alec Baldwin critiques Hutchison: “Why are contemporary Republicans so full of shit?” Replies her flack, “We take criticism from Alec Baldwin about as seriously as advice from Michael Moore.” [NYDN]
• Rush & Molloy: Clinton autographs $11,000 lunch-box to auction it again. [NYDN] MORE »

• Cheney was first to tell Libby about Plame, but not necessarily by name; notes taken by Libby contradict his own testimony. Cheney’s information came from Tenet; it’s unclear whether Cheney or Libby knew of Plame’s undercover status. [NYT]
• White House advisors use lessons learned by Reagan and Clinton to survive the “darkest days of the Bush presidency”; Bush will reiterate the necessity of staying on the offensive in Iraq and will urge fiscal discipline at home. [WP]
• Ben Bernanke, senior White House advisor and renowned economist, nominated to succeed Greenspan; noted as “the economic equivalent” of John Roberts. [WP, NYT, LAT, USAT]
• Bernanke has “unassailable credentials and enough distance from the White House to blunt charges of cronyism or ideological motivations.” [WP, LAT]
• Bush will not release documents related to Miers‘ White House work. Bush: “It’s a red line I’m not willing to cross.” [NYT, LAT, WT]
• Coalition of conservative groups calls for Miers to withdraw in a “dramatic escalation in the battle over her nomination.” [WP, WSJ, WT]
• Iraq approves draft constitution; American death toll reaches 1,999. [WP, WP]
• Frist “has also been deeply involved in legislation affecting his family’s business” since arriving on Capitol Hill. [NYT]
• Parties ready talking points for possible indictments. [WSJ, WT]
• CIA leak scandal is rooted in disagreements over Iraq between administration officials and the “permanent bureaucracy of Washington”; Brent Snowcroft and Lawrence Wilkerson provide details of administration’s decision-making process. [WP]

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We understand that Bush is announcing Alan Greenspan’s successor at 1PM. Barney’s working on an acceptance speech, but you know how hard Laura has been pushing Miss Beazley. MORE »

• Reliable Source: Andrea Mitchell, Alan Greenspan win Porsche Boxster in raffle but can’t accept because of regulations. . . Dean dined with Mick Jagger at Cafe Milano. . . Ashcroft received additional security search at Reagan Airport. [WP]
• Inside the Beltway: Hillary and Landrieu cancel appearances at roast of Barbara Walters. . . Kerry, Edwards tied for second place behind Hillary in ‘08 poll. [WT]
• Cindy Adams: It’s “being said is that [the Miers] nomination came about because of Judith Miller. That the investigation and possible conspiracy charge against Cheney and Rove over this CIA agent Valerie Plame leak is one more thing Bush doesn’t need to handle. . . The president picked her because he cannot step in more doo doo.” [NYP]
• Liz Smith: Red Cross benefit emceed by Jon Stewart will honor Bill Clinton. [NYP]