Well, The Oval had dinner with a long-time contact -- and sure enough, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg dropped by the White House press room while he was gone.

Hanks, who had watched a preview of his new HBO miniseries The Pacific with President Obama, stopped in to inspect the espresso machine he gave the press corps back in 2004 -- and decided we need a new one.

"This one is on its last legs," Hanks told the assemblage, according to video of the event. Hanks added it's the least he could do for "the poor slobs of the Fourth Estate."

He added: "You know, you are supposed to clean this after every use."

When a reporter raised the issue of whether ethics would allow us to accept a new machine, Hanks said: "It's just a gift -- it's not like it's a pizza oven."

Spielberg, who said he came along just to see the famed espresso machine, said: "It's just coffee."

And Hanks said he just wants to do what he can to prevent "sleep deprivation."

In any event, don't worry about us being co-opted by Hollywood types.

The Oval doesn't drink espresso. He's a straight-coffee man.

(Posted by David Jackson)