Gordon skips out early …

There was quite a crowd standing outside Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) office on Tuesday afternoon while she hosted committee heads for a closed-door briefing on the Gulf oil spill. Tourists hoping for a glimpse, reporters hoping for a quote, and … wait! Rep. Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.), slipping out a little early. 

The House Science Committee chairman ducked out of the meeting about 30 minutes early. When asked where he was headed, he whispered to reporters, “A graduation!” 

{mosads}But this wasn’t just another speaking gig. Gordon’s 8-year-old daughter, Peyton, was graduating from third grade, and there was a ceremony the proud papa had to attend. 

After the ceremony, the lawmaker took Peyton to the hottest ticket in town: the White House congressional picnic.