Palin, the outspoken 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, will be the Republican speaker at the Dec. 5 gathering; the equally outspoken Frank, the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee is the Democratic speaker. A just published biography of Frank is titled, Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman

The Gridiron Club is an invitation-only association of Washington journalists whose active membership is limited to 65. The winter dinner is a small affair; each spring the club sponsors a white-tie dinner attended by the who's who of Washington.

"As some of you might have heard, there has been a tragic shooting at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas. We don't yet know all the details at this moment; we will share them as we get them. What we do know is that a number of American soldiers have been killed, and even more have been wounded in a horrific outburst of violence.

"My immediate thoughts and prayers are with the wounded and with the families of the fallen, and with those who live and serve at Fort Hood. These are men and women who have made the selfless and courageous decision to risk and at times give their lives to protect the rest of us on a daily basis. It's difficult enough when we lose these brave Americans in battles overseas. It is horrifying that they should come under fire at an Army base on American soil."

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Mark Kirk, who casts himself as a moderate, on Monday dodged questions about whether he wanted help from conservative former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in his race for Senate -- only to have the truth surface Wednesday. He is indeed soliciting her support -- when she hits Chicago later this month to appear on the "Oprah Winfrey Show."

WASHINGTON--Gov. Quinn raised campaign cash, huddled with members of the Illinois congressional delegation, pitched a plan to help military families and visited President Obama and Chicago pals at the White House on Wednesday.

Cillizza writes in his column, "The Fix" about the Kirk memo, where Kirk is concerned whether Palin will endorse a rival in the February Illinois GOP primary. Palin's endorsement of a third party conservative in a New York race for a vacant House seat--drove the moderate from the contest and Tuesday resulted in the election of a Democrat.

Cillizza: "After noting that Palin will be in Chicago later this month to appear on "Oprah", Kirk writes that "the Chicago media will focus on one key issue: Does Gov[ernor] Palin oppose Congressman Mark Kirk's bid to take the Obama Senate seat for the Republicans?"

"Kirk goes on to write that he is hoping for something "quick and decisive" from Palin about the race, perhaps to the effect of: "Voters in Illinois have a key opportunity to take Barack Obama's Senate seat. Congressman Kirk is the lead candidate to do that."

"Malek confirmed the authenticity of the memo in an e-mail exchange with the Fix."