Diane Sawyer with the women of the U.S. Senate. (Photo: ABC/Martin Simon)

Yesterday, a record 20 women were sworn in to the U.S. Senate. To mark the occasion ABC's World News With Diane Sawyer had all of the female senators on for a group interview. One of the major topics of the discussion was the belief of many of the senators that they achieve better results than their male colleagues on a variety of issues including the budget, immigration reform and climate change. Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow got the ball rolling when she suggested women are more inclined to get results by working in a bipartisan manner.

"It was the first time in 2001 when we had enough women to actually be on every committee, to have a woman's voice, a woman's experience [and] a woman's values on every committee. You fast forward to now, the new year. There will be six of us chairing committees and other women in the ranking member spot," Ms. Stabenow said. "And I think the public understands to get things done, we're the ones that want to work across the aisle to do that."

Maine Senator Susan Collins took the argument a step further by saying if women were in charge of the Senate and in the White House there would be a solution to the budget debate that has gripped Washington.

"I think if we were in charge of the Senate and of the administration that we would have a budget deal by now," Ms. Collins said. 

When New Hampshire's Kelly Ayotte weighed in, she backed away from Ms. Collins' point and said she was't sure a Senate and Executive branch controlled by women would have completed a budget deal.

"Well, I think that--you know, women are great problem solvers," said Ms. Ayotte. "I don't know if it would get done, but I know that the people here are committed to making sure that we solve our problems."

Ms. Sawyer pressed the point and asked how that was "different" from the male senators. Ms. Ayotte disagreed with the assertion women would be better problem solvers in the Senate than men.

"I think to say that men aren't focused on solving problems wouldn't--wouldn't be accurate," Ms. Ayotte said.

Ms. Collins stepped back in to defend her point.

"Let me just finish my thought on that," said Ms. Collins. "What I find is with all due difference to--deference to our male colleagues, that women's styles tend to be more collaborative."

Later on in the interview, Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski said she believes women bring a "sense of timeliness" to the Senate that is not shared by their male colleagues.

"I can tell you every single one of these women has great pressure on them not only for their constituents, but their families. We don't believe in the culture of delay," Ms. Mikulski said. "In this institution if they can delay a problem, pick an argument--and wait till next year they'll do it. Us, we want to get it done. And I think that's the impact when women are chairing these committees to involve, to listen, mutual respect, mutual trust and get the job done."

Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu cited a specific issue where she felt the female perspective was advantageous--immigration reform.

"I'll give you a specific on immigration reform. And I think this could come naturally to us. There's a big issue right now about S.T.E.M., about science, technology, engineering and math and extending immigration visas for doctoral candidates," said Ms. Landrieu. "When I first heard that I thought it was a great idea. But my thought was, 'I wonder about their spouses. Are they gonna get visas as well?' I mean, I don't know if a man would have thought of that. I mean, I think a perspective--when we're doing immigration reform we're thinking of not just the individuals...the visa but the family, their relationships with children or with....I think that's just one example. There could be many more. But without a woman at the table that might not come up. It could, but it may not. I think it comes up more quickly."

Ms. Sawyer went on to ask the assembled female senators whether any of them might be future presidents. Washington's Patty Murray responded that women would bring a different outlook to a presidential campaign than men.

"I think the thing is--is that every man wakes up in the morning and looks in the mirror and says, 'I could be president,'" Ms. Murray said. "I think every woman looks in the mirror and says, 'What can I get done for my country today?'"

California Senator Dianne Feinstein chimed in to say that having less testosterone makes female politicians more effective.

"I think one of the things that we have done throughout our career is earned a portfolio of expertise. We have worked our way up, we have done our apprenticeship. We understand how government should function and we want to play a role toward that positive functioning. This is one of the reasons I think women become effective originally, that they can sound that call," said Ms. Feinstein. "Another reason I think, you know, we're less on testosterone. We don't have that need to always be confrontational. And I think we're problem solvers, and I think that's what this country needs."

Ms. Feinstein continued by suggesting climate change is another issue women in the Senate may make more progress on than men have.

"I was just gonna say one other thing. If you take a big issue that men have not been able to solve, it's the issue of climate change," she explained. "What would happen if 20 of us cosponsored a bill? What would happen if we went out and mobilized American women to support that bill? It may...this may be a real point of major differentiation that we could get this done for America and essentially lead the way."

Wisconsin's Tammy Baldwin concurred that women might be able to make more progress on climate change because of their "unique capability" to think about future generations.

"On that topic, I think that there's unique capability of being able to think about the effect of our actions today on generations hence that women share," Ms. Baldwin said. "We have that long range vision."

Watch Ms. Sawyer's full interview with the senators below.

President Obama at his afternoon press conference. (Photo: Getty)

The ongoing scandal over former CIA Director David Petraeus' affair and the September attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya were two of the main topics when President Barack Obama had his first post-election White House press conference this afternoon. President Obama promised thorough investigations would be done to uncover details about the FBI investigation that unearthed the Petraeus scandal and the  circumstances surrounding the Benghazi attack. He also had high praise for Mr. Petraeus and harsh words for anyone who might attempt to block him from nominating diplomat Susan Rice as secretary of state because her role in the widely-criticized shifting explanations for the Libyan embassy attack.

President Obama first discussed the Petraeus scandal when a reporter asked whether there were any potential national security issues raised by the affair and associated email breaches.

"I have no evidence at this point, from what I've seen that class information was disclosed that in any way would have had a negative impact on our national security," the president said.

In the same question, the president was asked whether he was concerned the White House was not notified about the FBI investigation involving Mr. Petraeus as soon as it began. He declined to comment on the "specifics of the investigation" and said he was confident the FBI would conduct an appropriate internal examination if necessary.

"Obviously, there's an ongoing investigation. I don't want to comment on the specifics of the investigation," said President Obama. "The FBI has their own protocol in terms of how they proceed. ... I will let them examine those protocols themselves"

Later on the president argued that, if the White House was notified of the investigation sooner, it may have raised questions about whether the administration was "interfering in a criminal investigation."

After discussing the case, the president offered some relatively kind words for Mr. Petraeus.

"General Petraeus had an extraordinary career. He served the country with great distinction. ... By his own assessment, he did not meet the standards that he felt were necessary for the director of the CIA with respect to this personal mattter,"  President Obama said. "From my perspective at least, he has provided this country an extraordinary service. We are safer because of the work David Petraeus has done. And my main hope right now is that he and his family are able to move on and that this ends up being a single sidenote on what has otherwise been an extraordinary career."

Along with the Petraeus investigation, the president faced questions about the administration's handling of the Libyan consulate attack. Shortly before his press conference, Republican senators John McCain, Kelly Ayotte and Lindsey Graham had a presser of their own where they called for Watergate-style hearings about the incident. Mr. McCain has also suggested he would block the nomination of Susan Rice, the ambassador to the U.N., if, as rumored, the president nominates her to be secretary of state, because of her initial characterization of the attack as "spontaneous" rather than an act of terrorism. President Obama called any attempt to attack Ms. Rice because of the incident "outrageous."

"I'm not going to comment at this point on various nominations I'll put forward to fill out my cabinet for the second term," he said. "But let me say specifically about Susan Rice, she has done exemplary work....For them to go after the U.N. ambassador who had nothing to do with Benghazi and was simply making a presentation based on intelligence she received and to besmirch her reputation is outrageous."

The president said he would be "happy to cooperate" with any hearings or investigation about the attack and encouraged critics of the administration's response to focus on him.

"If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after somebody, they should go after me. And I'm happy to have that discussion with them," President Obama said.

He also expressed confidence his national security team did the best they could to protect the staff at the consulate before and during the attack, which left four people dead including the ambassador to Libya.

"When they go after the UN ambassador, apparently because they think she’s an easy target, then they’ve got a problem with me," said the president.

Tim Pawlenty campaigning with Mitt Romney in New Hampshire in January. (Photo: Getty)

Just four days after claiming Condoleezza Rice was the "frontrunner" in Mitt Romney's veepstakes, the Drudge Report is claiming Mr. Romney has "made his decision" and decided on former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.

The Drudge Report's proprietor, Matt Drudge reportedly has a close relationship with Mr. Romney’s campaign manager Matt Rhoades. Mr. Drudge's close connections to the Romney campaign make it possible he has some inside information about the vice presidential vetting process, but it has also led to speculation he may be trying to shift the conversation away from the continuing controversy over Mr. Romney's departure from Bain Capital.

This time around, Mr. Drudge pegged his claim to a New York Times report that Mr. Romney is considering tapping Mr. Pawlenty. Officially, the Romney campaign is not commenting on the veepstakes rumors.

"We don't discuss VP speculation," Romney campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul told The Politicker. 

Mr. Pawlenty came very close to being tapped to run on the Republican ticket with John McCain in 2008. Last year, he began a presidential campaign for this year's race, but he dropped his White House bid just a few months later after coming in third in the Iowa straw poll last August. Since then, Mr. Pawlenty, who finished his second term as Governor of Minnesota in 2010, has aggressively campaigned for Mr. Romney.

Other politicians who have been floated as potential running mates for Mr. Romney include; Ohio Senator Rob Portman, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte and Florida Senator Marco Rubio. Like Mr. Pawlenty, all of the other entrants in Mr. Romney's veepstakes have also hit the campaign trail for the Republican nominee. According to the Times report on Mr. Pawlenty's vice presidential prospects, "several Republicans close to the campaign believe Mr. Pawlenty and Mr. Portman stand out among those being considered."

Update (12:05 pm): The Drudge Report has now changed their headline linking to the Times article from "HE'S MADE HIS DECISION!" to the decidedly more tentative "NYT: HE'S 'MADE HIS DECISION.'"

Mitt Romney shaking hands as his supporters held signs in front of Obama signs at the parade in Wolfeboro.

While on vacation at his home on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire Mitt Romney marched in a July 4th parade in Wolfeboro where his staff and supporters butted heads with people who were there backing President Barack Obama.

"Romney's staff attempted to conceal Obama signs along the parade route, while Romney's supporters in the crowd booed as the Obama campaign marched by--attempting to drown out Obama supporters who were chanting 'Fighting for the middle class. Barack Obama has our back,'" an Obama supporter who was at the parade told The Politicker via email.

For his part, Mr. Romney complimented the Obama supporters at the parade. According to the L.A. Times, Mr. Romney "silenced" his supporters who booed at the mention of the pro-Obama contingent in a speech delivered from the back of a pickup truck after he marched.

"They were courteous and respectful and said, 'Good luck to you,' and 'Happy Fourth of July,'" Mr. Romney said. "This is a time for us to come together as a people. We have differing views on political issues, but with regards to our conviction that this nation is unique and exceptional, we must come together and show respect for what it is that makes us such a great nation."

The Obama supporter we spoke with said Mr. Romney's staff displayed a far different attitude toward their rivals.

"While we were very 'courteous' according to Mitt himself, his staff was apparently concerned about the Obama campaign getting its message out in Wolfeboro, but the fact is today's parade displayed widespread support for Obaama in Romney's hometown," they said. "You know what they say...those who know him best."

Along with marching in the Wolfeboro parade, there is also speculation Mr. Romney may have held auditions for a running mate during his New Hampshire vacation. At least two potential vice presidential nominees--Ohio Senator Rob Portman and New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte--were in the Granite State at the same time as Mr. Romney fueling chatter they may be meeting with him for an in-person vetting session.

Abby Huntsman suggested her father, Jon Hunstman, would make a worthy successor for Mike Bloomberg.

Politico's Dylan Byers needed some *sexual healing.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley lost a race against New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte.

Politico reporter Alex Burns heard about an intriguing investment opportunity.

Houston Chronicle blogger Kathleen McKinley shared an interesting observation about the death of RFK Jr.'s ex-wife.