• George Allen and Jim Webb “meet” Tim Russert. Divided on Iraq policy and footwear choice, they share hatred of French, love of chaw. [WP, NYT]

• Project “BioShield” supposed to build stockpiles of vaccines, so far has only made headaches. [NYT]
• National security adviser Stephen Hadley spent Sunday answering questions on TV, admitted, “Nobody knows what humiliating treatment is.” [USAT]
• DHS soliciting proposals for technology based border security solutions, everything short of “giant death-ray” being considered. [WP]
• Pope puts 14th-century Byzantine emperor’s foot in his mouth, issues “my bad” to Islamic world. [WP, WP]
• Sweden votes out Socialist government, elects new center-right prime minister, who would still be considered far-left in US. [NYT]

But you didn’t need to change your lead photo on our account: MORE »

Nice job with photo selection, though; Pope Benedict looks great with that butterfly sleeve. MORE »

* Reliable Source: Sen. Barack Obama on winning his Grammy: “I’m going for an Emmy next year, best supporting actor in a drama starring John McCain.”. . . Richie Sambora was partying with Mike McCurry as news of his divorce from Heather Locklear was breaking. . . John Roberts has friendly run in with Carol Channing at GWU. . . Fictional black president in “24″ receives warm welcome in D.C. [WP]
* Rush & Molloy: Ann Compton and Mike Allen scuffle with one of the Pope’s nuns. [NYDN]
* Cindy Adams: Fictional, “nasty” love affair is written about Bush and Martha Stewart. [NYP]

* Reliable Source: Laura and Barbara Bush travel to Rome to visit with the Pope and Silvio Berlusconi before attending the Olympics; Jenna is staying home to teach. . . Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich booed at basketball game. . . Reese Witherspoon stops by Burger King near the White House. [WP]
* Under the Dome: Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) is popular among “jocks-turned-GOP pols”. . . Tony Blair blames troubles on “The West Wing.” [The Hill]
* Inside the Beltway: King Abdullah II “likes to walk around” the Georgetown Safeway. [WT]
* Rush & Molloy: McCain flack complains director of “Why We Fight” documentary “intentionally twisted” the senator’s quotes about Cheney. . . McCain and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) lunch and laugh with Richard Gere. [NYDN]
* Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: Bill Weld lunches with John Ashcroft. . . Nora Ephron: “[Chris Matthews] is a perfect example - although obviously exaggerated - of what happens to men in the presence of Senator McCain. They lose their minds. They suck up. They turn absolutely giddy. They ask questions they don’t care about the answers to. It’s Valentine’s Day.” [NYDN]