We just did a little tour of Parliament. I’ve done it before — and recommend it highly — and now I’m wrapping up the syndicated column. The tour guide claimed that the verb “lobby” — as in lobby your congressman — comes from the lobby outside the House of Commons. But I’ve read and heard several times that it comes from America. The story I’d heard is that comes from the lobby of the Willard Hotel in Washington — where presidents traditionally stayed before their inauguration. Favor-seekers allegedly waited to press their case with the new president in the lobby and some president supposedly said “get these lobbyists” away from me or some such. I’ll get the answer when I get home (PLEASE: don’t bombard me with email while I’m in London as I am having a very hard time with email, thanks).