Good grief! Is "Sophiegirl" that socially inept?
Get the guys ("Sophiegirl" identified them as being males) who work for the company talking about what they do and how the company is doing.
Get the wives talking about what they do - business or family.
Get them talking about their families.
Get them talking about the things they do outside of work - camping, fishing, hiking, running ultra-marathons, charity work, whatever.
Get them talking about the things they did or plan to do while in DC.
My social skills could be much better than they are, but these are things I do when I want to get to know people, and they work rather well. I guess "Sophiegirl" can't envision people who aren't consumed by politics all their waking hours, DU-like.