Marie Claire isn’t usually our go-to source for Washington dish (we read it more for the stories along the lines of “A Foolproof Guide to Bringing Your Legs Out of Hibernation”), but the June issue is an exception.

Reporter Helena Andrews, formerly of the New York Times and Politico, writes an essay titled “Please Don’t Set Me Up With the Only Black Professional You Know” in which she reveals that Times columnist Maureen Dowd once arranged a blind date for her with Reggie Love, President Barack Obama’s personal aide.

Dowd told Andrews that Love was “perfect” for her, but after an awkward date (that Dowd’s assistant arranged), Andrews realized they weren’t meant to be. “It was clear that Reggie and I had two things in common: We’re black and have bachelor degrees.”

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