Joe Cirincione is one of the great, high energy intellectuals in Washington who knows that the stakes are big in Washington -- and that the policy battles we engage in really matter. They do.

I have enjoyed working with Cirincione -- who sort of reminds me of what it would be like if Andy Rooney was playing an expert in nuclear non-proliferation policy -- for quite a long time. I worked closely with him at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and at the Center for American Progress -- where most recently he was making waves as Senior Fellow and CAP's Director of Nuclear Policy.

Tomorrow, Joe Cirincione will be announced as the new president of the progressive and important Ploughshares Fund -- which has been ably stewarded for many years by executive director Naila Bolus. Bolus will continue in her current role working with Cirincione.

Our congrats to Joe. Our condolences to the Center for American Progress. Joe is one of the great "gets" in Washington.

I'm only sorry he's not working for us at the New America Foundation. . .but maybe I can encourage him to become a regular guest-blogger at The Washington Note.

Cirincione has been an adviser to the Obama campaign on nuclear policy and non-proliferation -- and given trends, one really must wonder how long Joe will remain in his next post. (Sorry Joe -- had to ask?!)

Now off to the airport! I'm returning to DC from Tokyo today/tomorrow.

-- Steve Clemons