Introducing Cable News's Latest Hotties

So many questions keeping the Wonk Nation glued to cable news these days: Is Obama's charisma a match for Clinton's visibility? Is Huckabee bound to play the spoiler? And OMG, there's that Kevin Madden guy again -- is he married? Every election cycle brings a crop of cute new talking heads to our TV screens. We introduce you to the breakout eye candy of '08:

Who: Kevin Madden
Day job: Mitt Romney's press hunk
Spotted: MSNBC
Age: 35
Status: Married with one son, another on the way.
Nickname: " Mini-Mitt"
Fan e-mails: Friends making fun of his looks: "Perfect hair 662 was out of place on your last TV hit."

Who: Rachel Maddow
Day job: Air America radio host
Spotted: MSNBC
Age: 34
Status: Living with partner, artist Susan Mikula
Dress code: Jeans and T-shirts; reluctantly wears suits for TV. "I feel like I'm dressing up like a high school principal."
Fan e-mails: Straight guys who write, "Does it make me a lesbian if I have a crush on you?"

Who: Jamal Simmons
Day job: Democratic operative
Spotted: CNN
Age: 36
Status: Single and dating
Hobbies: None. "I'm trying to work on that. I live in Washington."
Fan e-mails: 22-year-old political wonks looking for jobs.

Who: Nina Easton
Day job: Washington bureau chief for Fortune magazine
Spotted: Fox
Age: 49
Status: Married, two sons
Fun fact: Met spouse (GOP media guy Russell Schriefer) at 2003 White House correspondents' dinner.
Fan e-mails: "You get the odd marriage proposal. . . . I forward them on to my husband when I don't think he's paying enough attention to me. It never works."

SURREAL ESTATE

Buyer: Michael Saylor

Price: $750,000

Details: MicroStrategy's multimillionaire founder has expanded his Washington Harbour empire in Georgetown with the purchase of a 1,200-square-foot penthouse unit from New York Post columnist Braden Keil. In 2006, Saylor purchased two adjoining units on the luxury building's top floor for almost $6 million, then tore down the walls to create one enormous apartment overlooking the Potomac. The addition of the condo next door now gives the bachelor a 6,700-square-foot party palace -- and he's eyeing yet another unit on the floor.

Brit Tabs, Get Ready!

Nicholas Sarkozy will be accompanied by his supermodel bride, Carla Bruni, on a state visit to Britain next month, her mom told an Italian newspaper. This will be the first official trip for the newlyweds, who tied the knot in a hush-hush ceremony a week ago. No word if the couple will come to New York this fall for the opening of the U.N. General Assembly -- or drop by Washington to see his new pal, President Bush. One thing's for sure: French Ambassador Pierre Vimont isn't offering any advice to his lovestruck boss. "I'm very cautious," the diplomat said with a grin during Thursday's "Q&A Cafe" at Nathans. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here."

In Perth, a Splash in the Ocean for Heath Ledger

Heath Ledger's body was cremated Saturday and a private funeral held in the actor's home town of Perth, Australia. The small family ceremony was followed by a beachside memorial service and wake where at least 50 mourners -- including former fiancee Michelle Williams, mother of Ledger's 2-year-old daughter -- jumped into the ocean in tribute. "It's exactly what Heath would have wanted," one guest told People magazine.