Rep. Titus gets on her boots

Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., is still finding her way in Washington, where she has not yet served 100 days, but she wisely found time to snag a picture with U2 singer and political activist Bono. In the picture, snapped April 1, Titus looks slightly nervous, perhaps a little unsettled by Bono stepping in so close for the shot. Even if she’s not a huge U2 fan — I’d peg her as more of a Patsy Cline/Loretta Lynn type with a weakness for Joan Jett — Titus surely recognizes the star power of the one-named Irishman.

But the picture, as well as Titus’ two visits to the White House already, reinforce her belief that she is in the best possible political position right now. Her loss to Jim Gibbons in the 2006 gubernatorial election was bad for Nevada but ultimately great for Titus. She is a player in the Greatest Show on Earth, wingwoman for the historic presidency of Barack Obama during a time of tremendous national and international crisis.  After years of teaching political science at UNLV, she’s now in a position to make policy, not write or lecture about it.

If Titus can dodge the inevitable potholes of Washington politics, she could enjoy a long and satisfying run in Congress.