WASHINGTON — The hit ABC series “Scandal” is a huge hit everywhere, but Washingtonians seem to have a particularly soft spot for the Shonda Rhimes drama about political intrigue. (Former Mayor Marion Barry’s live tweets were particularly entertaining.)

On Thursday night, Rhimes and some of the series’ stars — Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn, Bellamy Young, Katie Lowes, Guillermo Diaz, and Jeff Perry – joined ABC News’ Martha Raddatz at a Smithsonian Associates event at the University of the District of Columbia.

The event began by screening a “Scandal” episode, followed by a panel discussion, including how closely the storylines mirror real Washington developments and where the creators get their ideas.