You need keen eyes to spot celebrities in this town — unless, of course, they herald their own presence, as did Bill Cosby and Thomas Friedman this week. It’s also hard to keep a low profile if you’re sporting a shock of silver hair, like Anderson Cooper, or have a nuclear-family-sized security squad, like Anthony Williams.

George Stephanopoulos must have a fetish for being Wonk’d, because he can’t seem to stay hidden. But even discretion doesn’t work all the time, as Condi Rice found out. It’s also totally impossible to be inconspicuous if you’re 7′2″ — and Dikembe Mutombo doesn’t even try.

We all know they’re dying to be seen, so just help feed their celebrit-ego by sending us all your sightings, by email, with “Wonk’d” or “Sighting” in the subject line (along with of the name of the spotted celeb). On behalf of all the dying-for-attention famous people out there, we thank you.

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The Week in Review section from this Sunday’s Times contains an interesting article about congressional staffers who have made the “lucrative leap” from Capitol Hill to K Street. And “lucrative” is right: MORE »

Real Wonkette operatives eat quiche. And then they come back from their Charlie Cook brunches and deliver the second-hand wisdom of Washington’s foremost political prognosticator. Highlights:

• Of all the current scandals, Abramoff might hurt the worst, “Hanging around the Louisiana delegation, I’ve even known a scumbag or two in my time,” but even he was taken aback by how Abramoff conducted business. 

• How can Republicans get back on track?   Cook said that he would turn the White House upside-down and shake things up.  “These people are absolutely fried.”

• Dems 2008: Warner, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and Indiana Senator Evan Bayh. As for John Edwards, his biggest problem continues to be his lack of experience. However, he is a good campaigner and his economic message has gotten even stronger and is delivered better today.

• GOP 2008 The only way that Cook felt that McCain might be the nominee is if Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton were the Democratic nominee and if Republicans felt that only McCain could stop her.  Under those circumstances, he would unify the party. Otherwise, the Republicans need a “bridge candidate,” like VA Senator George Allen.

Highly-compensated dish, for free, after the jump.

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• Judith Miller recalls June 23, 2003 conversation with “Scooter” Libby about Joseph Wilson during her last day of testimony in the leak investigation; contempt-of-court threat is lifted. Attorneys believe Patrick Fitzgerald “is looking into a broad conspiracy charge against a group of administration officials or into charging one or more officials with easier-to-prove crimes such as disclosing classified material, making false statements or perjury.” [WP, WSJ, NYT]
• NBC/WSJ poll: 27% support Miers while 51% don’t know enough to venture an opinion; approval of Bush rests at 39% and only 28% of Americans believe the country is heading in the right direction — a ten year low. [WSJ]
• SEC subpoenas Frist for personal documents related to sale of health care stock; he is expected to testify under oath. [WP, NYT, WSJ]
• Bush defends use of religion to sell Miers: “[P]art of Harriet Miers’s life is her religion.” Alberto Gonzales: “I believe that she is pro-life.” [WP, NYT, WT, USAT]
• Democrats are hopeful about their political opportunities in 2006. Charlie Cook: “Right now, if I had to bet would the Democrats take the House and Senate back, I’d say no. But are the odds a heck of a lot better than they were three months ago or six months ago? Heck, yes.” [NYT]

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