Liz McCarthy

Nancy Pelosi presser.

This is how my day starts. Pressers in the Capitol with a variety of folks — Pelosi, Boehner, etc.

Waiting in hallways

This is how my day progresses. Waiting in hallways through the Capitol, staking out meetings, caucuses, conferences, offices, votes, what have you.

It can get a little tiring standing in one place for what can be an hour just waiting for 5 minutes with a member.

Press gaggle

And this is how the day reaches a roaring hum. Press scrums, gaggles or whatever clever title you want for holding your arm over people to shove a recorder into a member’s face, or pushing ever so slightly so you can see, hear and ask a question (if you’re lucky).

Then the day ends hurrying to finish some kind of story that makes sense, fills in the holes and progresses the story. Said story has to have just the right amount of technical information and just the right amount of flair to make it somewhat interesting.

Reporting on Capitol Hill is quite exhausting. Especially when you’re running from end to end for eight-plus hours. But it’s so much better than the office.

Just for good newsiness, yes, both the House and Senate are going to vote on the payroll tax cut extension tomorrow.

And I’m out.