From yesterday’s Note:

“Thus: We finally figured out why superscribe Ron Fournier left the Associated Press. We can’t say as much as we know, but we can say this: Fournier… has teamed up with political strategists from both sides of the fence and leaders from the Internet industry to create the next big thing in communications and community.

Leaders from “the Internet industry”: Joe Lockhart, Mark McKinnon.
The Next Big Thing in Communications and Community: a bipartisan blog. About “soup kitchen volunteers and little league coaches. With “interactive message boards.” And “discussions of books and perhaps movies.” And unpaid contributors.

Should be as Earth-shattering as Swords Crossed (NOTE: LINK DOES NOT GO TO GAY PORN).

What’s Fournier’s Next Move? [FishbowlDC]
Online Venture Seeks to Elevate the Debate [WP]

Ron Fournier, the Associated Press’ chief political writer, announced today that he was stepping down to do some crazy internet thing instead (new Fishbowl editor?). We wish him the best, as he’s obviously one of the very best in the business. That does not excuse today’s Note.

The departure of Fournier — father, husband, Michigander-by-way-of-Arkansas, FOB, FOH, FOG, author, Applebee’s expert, Rush Limbaugh punching bag, and a writer as brilliant as he is fair and fast — will change the contours of the 2006 and 2008 American elections in ways that can now be only dimly understood, even by the Board of Directors of the Gang.

Dear ABC News Political Unit,

Have you guys been outside lately? Not necessarily today, but maybe at any point since you became a member of a “political unit?” And again, not even necessarily that far outside, not like out to the “heartland” or “outside the beltway” or something, just anywhere outside the ABC News offices? It doesn’t count if you went there with the rest of the ABC Political Unit, by the way.

Anyway, good luck, Ron. Your new job will surely alter the very fabric of time and space, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

The Note