Date Lab: We hope the drunk lady was right about these two

First thing in the morning ...

Annie: Hit the snooze, then turn on “Morning Joe” on MSNBC.

Andy: I brush my teeth, obviously. Then I turn on “Good Morning America.” I always watch Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos. I love George. He’s my hero.

Likelihood you’ll talk to a stranger at a bar ...

Annie: Pretty good. I’m friendly and tend to over-share. I typically assume others are the same. (They typically are not.)

Andy: One hundred percent.
Strangers are friends, in my eyes.

Brag a little ...

Annie: I’m a great girlfriend. I’m independent and ambitious, but I know how to take care of someone and be taken care of. I’m loyal, affectionate and a lot of fun. I like to think I’m pretty funny and communicate well. And as long as we’re bragging, I’m a GREAT kisser.

Andy: Tall. Fit. Employed. I like to think that I’m a chivalrous guy. It’s very important to me. I’m a humble, down-home Midwestern guy. I mix the Midwestern charm with the intelligence of a guy who loves D.C. politics.

About the date ...

7:30 p.m., Bistro D’oc, downtown

Annie:
I knew I wouldn’t have time to go home, so I brought a change of clothes, my curling iron and all my makeup [to work]. About 7:20 I hopped in [a] cab. I wanted to be a little bit late — I did not want to be the first one there.

Andy:
I ended up being a little early. She came in by herself, and she was looking around. The host was all over the place; I wasn’t going to let her just stand there. I stood up and introduced myself.

Annie:
He was really cute. He’s not my “tall, dark and handsome” type — he is tall, blond and handsome. He had a really big smile, too, which is something I’m always attracted to.

Andy:
She was very beautiful — that was relieving. She seemed a little nervous.

Annie:

I sat down, and I was sweating; it was awkward for me for the first 10 minutes. I went to 

the bathroom. I

got
hold of myself and calmed down.

Andy:
Politics came up pretty quickly. I get a drink in my face or a pat on my back for telling people where I work [at Media Matters]. I hate to be so D.C. about it, but I had to know.

Annie:
We’re both pretty liberal Democrats, so we both had a sigh of relief. As the conversation went on, we realized we have so much in common. We are both from the Midwest. When I found out he graduated in 2010, the same year that I did, I was a little nervous. I tend to find guys that are exactly my age are more immature. He was grounded, very confident and sure of himself. I would have thought he was 26 or 27.

Andy:
We had picked out what [entrees] we wanted and put the menus down. She had gotten up to go to the bathroom, and the waiter came over. I told the waiter what we both wanted. I didn’t want her to think I was trying to be the man and order for her. When she came back, I expressed those feelings to her. She just laughed.

Annie: Neither of us really ate that much. Our conversation was going so well — [the food] was kind of an afterthought.

Andy:
She is very passionate about singing. She’s in a semi-professional ensemble. They have some big show in August; I asked her about it. Maybe I’ll end up going — I don’t know.