D.C. Getting Ready for Inauguration - Begins By Mugging Journalists

In Washington you're not even safe standing in front of a swanky hotel:

Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty was confronted face-to-face Thursday with some of the district's crime problems, when it turned out the host of the morning talk show he appeared on had been mugged in the city an hour earlier.

MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski was mugged outside a well-known Washington hotel while waiting for a car to pick her up for the 6 a.m. broadcast of the show she co-hosts with Joe Scarborough, "Morning Joe."

As the show began, Mr. Scarborough blasted Washington without naming the hotel, saying he needed to talk about what had just happened to his co-host.

Mrs. Brzezinski said she was embarrassed and didn't want him to tell viewers about the experience, but he detailed the mugging and complained the bell desk should have been paying attention.

"A guy walks across the street straight for her," Mr. Scarborough said, adding the hotel should "at least police five feet outside their own doors." Mrs. Brzezinski said she gave the mugger the $6 in cash she had with her, adding that he asked her for $20 and said something along the lines of "Give me money and nothing will happen."

Mr. Fenty, brought on the show to talk about education and plans for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, told the hosts the matter would be investigated.

"This is what mayors do," he said. "We are going to look at it and work with the hotel and the police department."

"Mayor it was six dollars, it's OK," Mrs. Brzezinski told Mr. Fenty. "I love that hotel. I'll need six dollars before I leave the bureau is all."

Note to muggers - it's okay to mug journalists for small amounts of money. They apparently don't mind.

Just wait until millions of people show up there next month. It will be open season on tourists.