It’s no surprise Rep. Marilyn Musgrave is taking her recent loss to Betsy Markey really, really hard.



Musgrave, a Republican who’s been representing Colorado’s 4th District since 2002, became part of the Republican Casualty List when she lost in a landslide, even after the National Republican Congressional Committee doled out almost a million bucks (reportedly $900,000) for her campaign.



Two weeks after the brutal loss, Musgrave still hasn’t called her opponent to concede or to congratulate the victor, as is not only textbook but also mannerly to do.



Moreover, Musgrave’s ill manners bleed into her own team. Rumor has it she still — 14 days later — hasn’t even thanked her campaign staff. (Again, textbook.)



Musgrave press secretary Joseph Brettell tells us: “It’s a campaign matter, and I have no further comment.”



And as for Markey, her campaign manger, Anne Caprara, who is in town this week with her boss for orientation, tells us of Musgrave: “No, she hasn’t called to concede, but we’re moving forward.”



Though the Markey team doesn’t plan on stopping by Musgrave’s office while in town, eventually the two camps will have to touch base — just in terms of transitioning. But curiously, more rumors abound that no one has seen or talked to Musgrave since the brutal loss; she’s all but disappeared.



Well, while the Markey crew is here, is there anyone they haven’t met whom they look forward to meeting? “All the new members are all very nice and a really good group of folks,” Caprara says. “Our schedule is up in the air, but it’d be nice to meet the president-elect. I don’t know if that’s gonna happen.”



Meanwhile, Markey, for what it’s worth, has already come onto the Capitol Hill scene with a bang — she ranks as one of the richest freshman members.



The flak bash



Quinn and Gillespie Associates’ Flak Bash is tomorrow.



This is always a pretty popular affair, of course, honoring the best flaks in each political party in campaigns, on the Hill and in industry.



We hear there were two full pages of names that were culled, topped by all the usual suspects: the Tucker Boundses, the Danny Diazes, the Bill Burtons, blah, blah.



But there are some names that pop out. Sarah Palin, for one. Joe Biden. Tim Kaine. T. Boone Pickens. Tom Tancredo?



And other, more reasonable and actual communications people: Ryan Loskarn, Pepper Pennington, Brad Dayspring and David DiMartino.



The nominating seems to be done anonymously and by the general public, so that should explain a lot.



Typically the awards tend to go to the most well-known, high-profile flaks. “It really is a popularity contest,” says someone close to the process. Maybe more like a student council campaign. Apparently, there are pages upon pages of people’s explanations as to why some should win. “It’s ridiculous,” laughs another insider, in semi-shock over the audaciousness.



Obviously this award — though purely ceremonial — is taken seriously by those nominated. One year, a prominent press guy was crowned winner, throwing a clearly disappointed flak into utter despair. “Don’t they know how hard it is being [incriminated politician’s name here]’s flak?!” he was overheard ranting — with quite a point — at the time.



And if that’s not evidence enough, one Senate press guy, who works for a Republican senator whose reputation precedes him/her, wrote a page and half as to why he should be voted winner. His pitch? “The proof is in the product.”



Oh, and the judges (deep breath: Politico’s Jim VandeHei, HuffPo’s Arianna Huffington, WaTimes’ Jeff Birnbaum, Newsweek’s Eleanor Clift, The Hill’s Bob Cusack, TNR’s Eve Fairbanks, NRO’s Kathryn Jean Lopez, Roll Call’s Charlie Mitchell, WSJ’s Brody Mullins and NJ’s Bara Vaida) took to voting Friday afternoon, so kissing up now is pointless.



Just remember, whether you win or not, in the words of one on-message nominated person: “Of course, it’s always great to be recognized by your peers for having done great work.”



Just asking



• What PR-loving nondescript GOP techie and striver is starting his own “conservative” version of Wonkette?



• What former senator — and current lobbyist — was spotted outside the Oval Office on Friday?*



*We’ll give you the answer to this one: John Breaux.



­­— Does anyone else find this ironic?



“They’re a dinosaur, in a sense.”



Sen. Richard Shelby, who’s been in the Senate for 22 years, describing the Detroit auto industry on “Meet the Press” Sunday

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