Tucker Carlson and Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. are tight

Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-Ill.) and The Daily Caller's Tucker Carlson are good friends. Who knew?

ITK caught up with Carlson Tuesday night at a party for Facebook at the W Hotel. An exiting Carlson said was headed to Morton's steakhouse for a cigar at Jackson's invitation. But before he left, he sang Jackson's praises.

"Jesse's great," said the co-founder of the newest news site on the political scene while vigorously chewing on a piece of nicotine gum. "He's a cool guy and he doesn't take himself too seriously, which makes him really fun to hang out with."

Carlson left moments later for the Connecticut Ave. restaurant, and what he said would be his third social stop of the night.

Carlson hasn't always been so chummy with members of the powerful Jackson family: as co-host of CNN's Crossfire from 2001 to 2005, Carlson tangled with Jackson's father, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, on issues ranging from poverty to religion.

Smoking is forbidden in Washington, D.C. restaurants, and a spokeswoman for Morton's said there was no smoking indoors on Tuesday night. If any cigars were smoked, they would have had to have been enjoyed on the second-story outdoor patio. In the snow.