Swearing-in snapshots

On Thursday, Capitol Hill was like a high school graduation. People giddily buzzed around, dragging their families behind. Cameras snapped everywhere you looked. It was a time to honor achievements (the Democrats) and also a time to politely clap for the less fortunate (the Republicans).

A snapshot of the scenery from Thursday’s festivities:

» At the Capitol South Metro station, volunteers from the Credit Union National Association handed out buttons reading “The 110th Congress: Look Out for The Little Guy.” Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., took the advice literally: She walked to the U.S. Capitol with one of her “little guys” — we assume a grandson — proudly wearing the button.

» The Schakowskys sure love Tony. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., spotted crooner Tony Bennett as she walked past the visitor’s security line. She stopped dead in her tracks and went up to introduce herself. “I’m such a big fan,” she declared. And after she walked away, Schakowsky’s daughter also let Bennett know how much of a fan she was, too.

» Some things never change. With Thursday’s opening ceremonies starting more than a half-hour late, we can probably rule out the trains running on time in the 110th.

» In the House gallery, actor Richard Gere chatted with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, Alexandra, who’s no stranger to Hollywood herself: She directed the 2002 documentary “Journeys with George.”

» During a standing ovation for Pelosi, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., easily won the prize for “first Republican to sit back down.” Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-N.Y., took a close second.

» A bored Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., caught up on the day’s news by thumbing through the paper as the roll was called to determine the next speaker of the House.

» Clearly, an eagerness to take their rightful seats in the House chamber runs in the Pelosi family. As the speaker and her posse of grandchildren waited in the center aisle for her official introduction, one grandchild grew impatient and simply decided to take a seat right in the middle of the aisle.

» For Republican children, the action was above-ground. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., had to keep an eye on his adorable 26-month-old son, Charlie, who stood atop a desk toying with the microphone.

» Are Democrats already getting on each other’s nerves? Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., let out a dramatic sigh and gave an exaggerated eye roll when Democratic colleague Rep. Susan Davis, D-Calif., sharply bumped into Eshoo as she moved through the aisle.

Kneepads, not whips

According to Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., what the job really calls for is not a whip but “kneepads.”

“With these narrow majorities, you’re always asking the members,” he said at a press event on Thursday.

But former Rep. Bill Gray, D-Pa., who served as majority whip in the early ’90s, had a different analogy. He likened the speaker to Captain Kirk and the majority leader to Mr. Spock. The whip? He’s “Scottie down in the engineering” room.

Drunk on power

What exactly do Republicans think of the Democrats’ decision to limit the Republicans’ input during the first 100 hours?

For the most humorous explanation, we raise our glass to Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., who told us, “These guys are coming into power like a reformed alcoholic. It’s like, ‘Oh, I’ll just have a couple of drinks now, but then I’ll stop later.’ ”

Hoyer: Don’t think, just vote

It stands to reason that the congressional freshman sworn in on Thursday might be a little overwhelmed and confused when it comes to voting. But new Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., was taking no chances.

As part of his “Daily Leader” e-mail alert to members Thursday, Hoyer included what looked like a lesson from “Party Unity for Dummies.”

On the first vote they would likely face — a procedural matter — Hoyer instructed his flock that they should “vote yes.” If faced with a vote on the “previous question,” they should “vote yes” also. But if a “motion to commit” came up, they should “vote no.”

And on the Rules package for the 110th Congress, “yes” was the preferred vote on both Title I and Title II.

Williams mixing business and pleasure

Former Mayor Anthony Williams may have had more than champagne and revelry on his mind this past New Year’s Eve.

Yeas & Nays has learned that Williams and his wife, Diane, spent their New Year’s Eve at a table at Morton’s in Georgetown with two executives from Arlington-based investment bank Friedman Billings Ramsey.

No word on what Williams was discussing with Senior Managing Director James Neuhauser and Rock Tonkel, head of investment banking, but he’s has been rumored to be talking to FBR about post-mayoral employment for some time now.

An FBR spokeswoman could not provide a comment by press time.