NRO picks up the tidbit everyone told us was double super-secret: The Washington Post's current Hill reporter, former White House correspondent and unfailingly polite Mike Allen is in talks with TIME magazine to leave the Post for TIME's more luxurious lodgings over on 12th Street. He gave Eric Pfeiffer what can't even be called a non-denial denial, more like a non-confirmation confirmation: "Thank you for asking. I love The Washington Post and have not made a decision about any change."

If he makes the move, it'll be loss for the Post, though one we hope they blame themselves for. The official spin on Allen's early 2005 shift off of the WH beat was that it was a "lateral move;" his excellent way with sources, tireless reporting and dogged objectivity would actually get him somewhere on the Hill, whereas the WH was so constipated and suspicious of reporters -- especially the Post (Thanks, Dana!) -- Allen's assets weren't being put to their best use. This always struck us as utter bullshit.

As for what it would mean for TIME: They lost a good reporter and half their WH team when the also very polite John Dickerson, who never wrote anything anyway, went somewhere he'll have to: Slate (where no one will read it). The remaining half of the team -- Matt Cooper -- has been, well, compromised. Allen's borderline-insane work ethic (we have seen him pull out his laptop in the middle of a party) would give the magazine perhaps more input than their shrinking newshole can handle.

Heh-heh. Shrinking newshole.

Buzz hears...Rumours swirling about Mike Allen [Beltway Buzz]