Young, Political & Fabulous

Ahem. Taking My Own Congressional Recess.

2009-06-03T16:45:00.006-04:00

The next two weeks will be insane madness for yours truly. Finals, friends in town and a new job have taken over so I will be taking un petite break to get life in order. Blogging fun shall resume in two weeks-ish. MUAH!

Doctor Who Performed Abortions Shot to Death

2009-06-01T03:29:00.005-04:00

From CNN.com:

(CNN) -- Dr. George Tiller, whose Kansas women's clinic frequently took center stage in the U.S. debate over abortion, was shot and killed while serving as an usher at his Wichita church Sunday morning, police said.

Wichita police said a 51-year-old man from the Kansas City, Kansas, area was in custody in connection with the slaying of Tiller, who was one of the few U.S. physicians who still performed late-term abortions.

The killing, which came about 16 years after Tiller survived a shooting outside his Wichita clinic, took place shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday at Reformation Lutheran Church. Officers found the 67-year-old dead in the foyer, police said.

Witnesses provided a description of the car and a license number of the killer's getaway vehicle, Wichita police spokesman Gordon Bassham said. Police stopped a blue Ford Taurus matching the description about three hours later in Gardner, about 30 miles southwest of Kansas City, and took the driver into custody.

No charges had been filed Sunday evening and no motive for the killing was immediately known, but Wichita police Detective Tom Stoltz told reporters: "We think we have the right person arrested."

"We will investigate this suspect to the Nth degree -- his history, his family, his associates -- and we are just in the beginning stages of that," Stoltz said.

Tiller's slaying drew condemnation from supporters, from some of those who tried to shut down his practice and from President Obama, who just two weeks ago urged Americans to seek "common ground" on the issue of abortion.

"However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence," Obama said in a statement issued by the White House.

The shooting prompted U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to direct federal marshals to "offer protection to other appropriate people and facilities around the nation," according to a statement from the Department of Justice.

Tiller had been practicing medicine for nearly 40 years, said Peter Brownlie, president of the Kansas City-based regional Planned Parenthood office. His patients were "almost always in circumstances where something had gone horribly wrong with a pregnancy," and where a woman's health would be endangered if the pregnancy continued, Brownlie said.

Read the rest of the article here.

The Sunday Funnies

2009-05-31T16:19:00.000-04:00

Calling for Real Housewives of D.C.!

2009-05-28T12:09:00.007-04:00

On Tuesday, Bravo announced that it is expanding its popular Real Housewives franchise once again, this time heading to the nation’s capital and seeking women for The Real Housewives of D.C. I have no doubt that in five years there will be a Real Housewives in every state. Real Housewives of Utah? Interesting.

“We’re tapping personalities who are among Washington D.C.’s influential players, cultural connoisseurs, fashion sophisticates and philanthropic leaders,” Frances Berwick, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Bravo Media, said in a statement. “The people who rub elbows with the most prominent people in the country and easily move in the city’s diverse political and social circles.”

As lame as it is, I can't wait to see who they pick for the show. Wives of Senators and Congressional members will likely avoid the spotlight. Too much political risk for their husbands. Orange County housewives are known for their surgical "enhancements." Atlanta housewives are known for marrying NFL and NBA players. New York housewives are known for hitting the high-fashion and socialite scene. New Jersey housewives are known for paying for expensive items in "cash." What will the DC housewives be known for?

Rant of the Week: So Let Me Get This Straight…

2009-05-28T11:14:00.005-04:00

Republicans nominate a moose-hunting pageant queen who was governor of one of the least populous states in the nation for less than two years to be Vice President of the United States but a Princeton and Yale Law grad with thirty years of judicial experience is somehow… unqualified for Supreme Court Justice. Huh?

Rush Limbaugh’s claims of “reverse racism” are almost laughable considering how Republicans attempted to skillfully play the gender card with Sarah Palin. On Tuesday evening, political mastermind Karl Rove questioned whether Sotomayor has the "broad intellectual powers" and Senator Jon Ensign (R-NV) raised questions about her "intellect" to serve on the bench. Hmm, somehow a woman who based her foreign policy experience on her proximity to Russia appeared to have the "intellect" to be second in command of the free world?!

Interestingly, Newt Gingrich has accused Sotomayor of being a big fat RACIST for saying that her background as a Hispanic female allowed her to understand cases in a different, better manner than her white contemporaries. However, Newt appeared to have no qualms with Judge Sam Alito's similar comment during his confirmation hearing, saying how he "can't help but think of" his immigrant family when evaluating immigration cases.

Republican comments about Sotomayor's experience and intellect appear to be desperate at best and discrimnatory at worst. In particular, comments about her lack of intellect may backfire given that she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Princeton and was an editor of the Yale Law Review. They run the risk of alienating both Hispanics and women. Dangerous ground, Repubs. Dangerous ground.

Let the Political Games Begin...

2009-05-27T01:39:00.005-04:00

From Huffingtonpost.com:

This morning President Obama announced Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor as his nominee to replace Justice David Souter on the United States Supreme Court. In his press conference unveiling the choice, Obama described Sotomayor as an inspiring woman with a distinguished career, holding a "depth of experience and a breadth of perspective."

Though their numbers have dwindled in the Senate, the Republican party is not entirely devoid of options to block the nomination. Sotomayor will first need approval from the Senate Judiciary Committee before she can be voted on by the entire Senate. Though a majority vote is usually all that's required for a committee to advance a bill to the floor of the Senate, an obscure rule requires that judicial appointments be approved by a majority that includes at least one member of the minority party. In the case of Sotomayor, that means she'll need one Republican member of Judiciary to vote her to the floor.

That might draw excitement from conservative activists, but it's not likely that Sotomayor will lose a party-line vote of the judiciary committee. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), a key Republican vote on the committee, has already suggested an unwillingness to block the nomination. And Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), another Republican member of the committee, has already voted to confirm Sotomayor once before (for the Second Circuit eleven years ago) making it unlikely he'll oppose her this time. By the time she makes it to the floor of the Senate, Al Franken will likely have been seated in Minnesota, providing the Democrats with a 60 vote, filibuster-proof majority. At that point, and without the filibuster option, Republicans will be powerless to prevent Sotomayor's confirmation.

Still, the GOP is angling for a fight. Among the few who graced Obama's short list, Sotomayor was largely considered the most progressive of the bunch. But as the Republican leadership gears up, they may be walking squarely into another political trap, carefully designed by the president. Should she be confirmed, Sotomayor will be the first Hispanic on the bench, chosen at a time when the Hispanic vote has emerged as a critical component to sustaining a Democratic majority over the long-term.

Already in 2008, Hispanic voters, who represent the fastest growing minority population in the country, were responsible for a dramatic political realignment. In the wake of an anti-immigrant nativism that came to define the Republican presidential nominating contests, Obama won two-thirds of the Hispanic vote, fourteen points higher than John Kerry's share four years earlier. That meant wins in states like New Mexico and Colorado, Nevada and Florida, and it meant an insurmountable electoral margin for Obama. The president recognizes that if the Democratic party can turn Hispanic voters into a loyal bloc of supporters, they can continue to expand their margins around the country, even in places as conservative as Texas, driven almost entirely by Hispanic population growth.

Read the rest of the article here.

Obama Nominates Woman to Supreme Court

2009-05-26T12:20:00.008-04:00

On Tuesday, President Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic and third woman to sit on the Supreme Court. Woot!

Sotomayor was raised in the Bronx housing project and is the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants. An alum of Princeton University and Yale Law School, she was appointed to the federal district court in 1992 by President George H.W. Bush. Although Republicans held up her confirmation to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, she eventually passed the Senate and was appointed by President Bill Clinton.

In his announcement, President Obama noted Sotomayor’s “inspiring life story” and “distinguished career.” He also cited her varied judicial experience in his decision to nominate her to succeed retiring Justice David Souter. In response, Sotomayor said she is an “ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences.”

After facing pressure to nominate a Hispanic and a woman to the bench, President Obama received praise for his decision from Rev. Al Sharpton, New York Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Democrats from Sotomayor’s home state. The decision shows the President’s commitment to diversifying the court.

The Senate has four months to complete confirmation hearings and proceedings before the Court begins in the fall term.

Why Michelle O Reps the Modern Day Woman

2009-05-25T21:29:00.010-04:00

By the time I reached my late teens, I developed such an extreme revulsion for tights that I decided to do away with dresses altogether. I have always been a bit on the clumsy side so my tights would often get caught on the corners of tables and the embarrassing runs inevitably followed.

Throughout my childhood and early adult years, tights and dress slips were mandatory accessories with a dress. White was not worn after Labor Day. Short-sleeved dresses were not worn in winter. Period.

The first day in my professional life that I decided to ditch the tights and walked into my office in all my bare-legged glory, I felt an immense sense of freedom. I was no longer bound by the constraints of traditional female fashion guidelines.

During the 2008 presidential election, I watched with extreme adoration when Michelle Obama made no apologies for her bare-legged appearances. I thought: Now, this is my kind of First Lady. She was not only sharp and smart but a woman that broke free from the fashion rules that mom always told you.

As First Lady, Michelle Obama represents the new young professional woman. She wears chic and fashionable short-sleeved dresses sans tights. She rejects the top fashion brands for no-name designers. She embraces colors like purple, orange and teal in lieu of the drab black and grey that is the fashion norm in the political and corporate worlds.

Even though her style is simple and elegant, Michelle is a fashion renegade in her own right. She assures women that they can be professional without adhering to the silly old-school rules that constrain them from being who they truly are.

Now, that’s change that I can believe in.

Cross-posted on Political Voices of Women

Survey Says: Latinas Have Highest Teen Birth Rate

2009-05-21T02:02:00.004-04:00

From CNN.com:

(CNN) -- She had many plans for the future: to go to college, start a career, meet the man of her dreams, raise a family -- when the time was right.
Expert: "There's a big disconnect between pregnancy rates and what Latina families want and value."

It was all cut off by an unexpected pregnancy. The baby became her life, consuming her energy and forcing her dreams to the back burner of her life.

She is 19 or younger and Latina, and has had her first baby.

It's not what she wanted. Nor did her parents, who are the greatest influence on her decisions about sex, according to a wide-ranging survey released Tuesday by experts on the Hispanic community in the United States.

The survey also found that 84 percent of Latino teens and 91 percent of Latino parents believe that graduating from college or university or having a promising career is the most important goal for a teen's future.

Somewhere along the way, the aspirations fail to match up to reality. The survey attempts to examine some of the reasons for the disparity and why Latinas now have the highest teen birth rate among all ethnic and racial groups in the United States.

"There's a big disconnect between pregnancy rates and what Latina families want and value," said Ruthie Flores, senior manager of the National Campaign's Latino Initiative.

According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, 53 percent of Latinas get pregnant in their teens, about twice the national average.

After a period of decline, the birth rate for U.S. teenagers 15 to 19 years rose in 2007 by about 1 percent, to 42.5 births per 1,000, according to preliminary data in a March 2009 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

In 2007, the birth rate among non-Hispanic whites ages 15 to 19 was 27.2 per 1,000, and 64.3 per 1,000 for non-Hispanic black teens in the same age range. The teen birth rate among Hispanic teens ages 15 to 19 was 81.7 per 1,000.

Of the 759 Latino teens surveyed, 49 percent said their parents most influenced their decisions about sex, compared with 14 percent who cited friends. Three percent cited religious leaders, 2 percent teachers and 2 percent the media. Video Watch more on the survey results »

Three-quarters of Latino teens said their parents have talked to them about sex and relationships, but only half said their parents discussed contraception.

Read the rest of the article here.

Jesse Ventura: 2 Repubs: 0

2009-05-20T11:48:00.006-04:00

Once again, Jesse Ventura essentially (insert cliched wrestling move here) Sean Hannity on Monday. And it's a beautiful, beautiful thing.

And In This Corner We Have...

2009-05-20T02:24:00.007-04:00

On Monday's The View, former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura verbally body-slammed Elisabeth Hasselbeck on the topic of torture. Ventura, who was waterboarded during his military training, reconfirmed an earlier comment that waterboarding is - in fact - torture.

"If waterboarding is OK, why don't we let our police do it to suspects so they can learn what they know?" he asked. "If waterboarding is OK, why didn't we waterboard [Timothy] McVeigh and Nichols, the Oklahoma City bombers, to find out if there were more people involved? ... We only seem to waterboard Muslims... Have we waterboarded anyone else? Name me someone else who has been waterboarded."

Hasselbeck attempted to defend the "enhanced interrogation techniques" but her Republican talking points could only get her so far. She quickly shifted the debate to Nancy Pelosi's alleged dishonesty about President Bush's torture program.

"I think what's worse is the fact that it happened," replied Ventura. "If we hadn't waterboarded to begin with, none of this would be a controversy, would it? Torture is torture. If you're going to be a country that follows the rule of law, which we are, torture is illegal."

Zing! Watch the smack-down below:

Apply for WeLEAD Class of 2010

2009-05-18T16:10:00.006-04:00

Celebrating its fifth year, WeLEAD is a bipartisan leadership training program for women ages 21-25 and FREE of charge to those admitted. Run by the Women & Politics Institute’s (WPI) Young Women Leaders Board (YWLB), the program is aimed at helping the next generation of women succeed in politics and public service.

WeLEAD seeks to increase the number of women working in political professions such as the administration, congressional staffing, non-profits, lobbying and campaign consulting, as well as to encourage young women to run for elected office. One of the goals of WeLEAD is to empower and inspire young women, and to help them develop the confidence to succeed.

For the 2009-2010 session, WeLEAD will consist of seven training sessions from August 2009 through graduation in May 2010. These sessions are each held on a Saturday in the months of August, September, October, November, January, February, and April, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at American University. In addition, there are evening programs in October and January highlighting the work of important political women and a Congressional Dialogue in March that provides participants with the opportunity to meet with women members of Congress.

The application to apply for the Class of 2010 is June 1st. To learn more information or to apply, click here.

Our Fabulous Political Woman of the Month: Heather Higginbottom

2009-05-18T11:09:00.003-04:00

Top of the morning, political divas and divos! Once again, I’ve decided to spotlight a woman who is accomplished, dynamic, poised, politically savvy and just plain fabulous all the way around. This month that woman is Heather Higginbottom.

One of the leading ladies in the White House, Heather was named, by President Barack Obama, as Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council on November 24, 2008. Prior to that, she served as Policy Director for the Obama for America campaign, overseeing all aspects of policy development. Take notes, my friends!

From 1999 to 2007, Higginbottom served as Senator John Kerry’s Legislative Director. She served as the Deputy National Policy Director for the Kerry-Edwards Presidential Campaign for the primary and general elections. She has also served as a Legislative Assistant and as Deputy Legislative Director for Senator Kerry. After the 2004 election, Higginbottom founded and served as Executive Director of the American Security Project, a national security think tank. She started her career as an advocate at the national non-profit organization Communities in Schools and worked on President Clinton’s ‘President’s Summit for America’s Future’ where she coordinated the role of communities of faith in the Summit.

Higginbottom received her Master of Public Policy degree at the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University and her undergraduate degree from the University of Rochester.

Everyone who knows this talented chica (and I’ve had the pleasure!) can attest to the fact that she is one sharp, classy, and fashionably fierce lady with the passion and smarts needed to get the job done. A woman shaping our nation in a time of economic crisis, we applaud you Heather Higginbottom!

So three cheers and two snaps for our Fabulous Political Woman of the Month! If you have someone you’d like to nominate for next month, hit me up!

CNN Gets "Punk'd"

2009-05-14T14:53:00.013-04:00

Actor and "Punk'd" host Ashton Kutcher pranked CNN and its founder Ted Turner on Wednesday after beating the cable network in a twitter challenge. After claiming 1 million Twitter followers in April, Kutcher donated 10,000 mosquito bed nets to charity for World Malaria Day and vowed to "ding-dong-ditch" Ted Turner.

On Wednesday night, Kutcher and his wife, Demi Moore, arrived at the Atlanta offices with a banner displaying his Twitter name @aplusk and placed it over CNN’s neon logo sign. Earlier on Wednesday, Ashton and twitter fans showed up at Teddy's Atlanta restaurant, stacked hundreds of boxes of Ding Dongs at the restaurant, and repeatedly rang the bell.

“You know, CNN lost. That’s what happened,” Ashton told a crowd of more than 100 fans who came along to watch the shenanigans. “I’m just fulfilling a promise I made… that I’d do this thing and I’m doing it.”

LAME prank but I applaud him for his tweet donation to charity! Kutcher will appear on Oprah Friday to celebrate the win again.

Watch Ashton Kutcher address his tweeps prior to the prank:

Michelle-O-Watch: A Slammin' Look

2009-05-14T03:03:00.004-04:00

I just had to share this photo because Michelle O looked absolutely fabulous in the pictures from the White House Poetry Slam on Tuesday, May 12th. SNAPS!!

Check out more photos from the event here.

Hill Still A Climb for Female Staffers

2009-05-12T17:13:00.006-04:00

From POLITICO.com:

Even with a woman wielding the speaker’s gavel, Washington can still feel like the old boys’ club it once was.

Consider the top leadership offices in the House and Senate. Women run just two out of 17: those of House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio and House Democratic Caucus Co-Chairman Xavier Becerra of California.

While Congress has mostly sloughed off its reputation as an unruly domain for cigar-smoking skirt-chasers, female staffers complain that the clubby atmosphere of congressional offices — and its after-hours equivalent in Capitol Hill bars — still makes it easier for men to climb the career ladder. And some are frustrated that Congress hasn’t done more as an institution to make the ascent to top staff jobs more even.

“Congress has a terrible track record” when it comes to elevating women to the top jobs, said Stacy Mason, the executive director of WomenCount, a group established after Hillary Clinton lost the Democratic presidential primary.

Republican staffers are particularly dissatisfied with the lack of gender parity among aides on their side of the aisle.

“Are there powerful Republican women? Yes,” said one senior GOP aide. “But there’s also a men’s club. To say it’s frustrating would be an understatement.”

Some even suggest the gap — however real — might hurt the GOP as the party struggles to rebuild its brand. “If the party is going to effectively communicate to women, it just makes sense to have more women around the decision-making table,” one former top GOP aide said.

Democrats give themselves higher marks for promoting women to top jobs, but many acknowledge room for improvement. To that end, four women launched the Women’s Congressional Staff Association last summer to build a network of female peers on Capitol Hill. The bipartisan group has since swelled to more than 100 members, and founders would like to someday see a member in every office.

Read the rest of the article here.

How to Build Your Kitchen Cabinet

2009-05-11T17:18:00.010-04:00

Over the last few months, I’ve been working with some women leaders to start a Women in Public Policy organization on my campus. Shocker. On Thursday, we had our first “Building Your Kitchen Cabinet” Happy Hour at a hip and swanky LA bar/ restaurant. No, it didn't have anything to do with assembling a cabinet. It had everything to do with how to help women build a network of like-minded, smart and capable women that are willing to have your back when looking for a job, running for office or starting a non-profit.

The event could not have gone more fabulously. We had a great turnout of graduate, undergraduate and alumni women interested and involved in the fields of public policy, public health, philanthropy, law and public affairs. Complete with yummy drinks, delish aps, Women in Public Policy trivia and great conversation.

The reality is that we live in a society where who you know can make all the difference in the world. And it's the understatement of the century if you're in the field of politics. Therefore, we need to know how to tap into new and existing networks and find ways to build our "kitchen cabinet." A little shy about networking?

Here’s a Networking 12 step program, courtesy of the eHow Careers & Work Editor:

1. Stay in touch with people you like and respect even if they can't help you immediately. You don't want to go to someone only when you are desperate.

2. Talk to people you don't know everywhere you go. Cocktail parties and weddings are just the tip of the iceberg; don't forget about airplane rides, supermarket lines, sporting events, festivals, bookstores and so on.

3. Learn to ask "What do you do?" with comfort, sincerity and interest.

4. Become a better listener. Ask a question and then be quiet until you hear the answer.

5. Practice your own presentation of your skills. Learn more than one approach, whether frank or subtle.

6. Keep a great updated brochure, business card or other form of information about yourself on you at all times. Get comfortable handing out your card.

7. Take classes to improve your public speaking, body language and writing skills.

8. Join every networking club and association in your field.

9. Follow up on any lead, no matter how minor.

10. Remember people’s names and repeat it when you speak to them.

11. Keep track of people's birthdays and send them birthday notes.

12. Talk in terms of the other person's interests and find common experiences, activities, interests, etc.

Check out a video of the event here.

The Sunday Funnies

2009-05-10T23:24:00.000-04:00

HOT or NOT: The Week-In-Review

2009-05-08T12:19:00.006-04:00

HOT: Joe the Plumber is Quitting the GOP. The man who once served as the mascot for the GOP during the '08 presidential election has decided to leave the party. Joe the Plumber cited overspending by Republicans as the reason for his dissent but also said he would not support any cuts in defense, Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. Rrrrrrrrrright.

NOT: Hannity Attacks Obama For Putting Mustard On His Burger? Sean Hannity officially ran out of material and criticized Obama for ordering a “spicy” or “Dijon” mustard on his cheeseburger at Ray’s Hell Burgers in Arlington, VA. Sounds like a plate full of desperation topped off with a condiment of hateration.

HOT: Palin's Popularity Plunging In Polls. According to recent polls, Connecticut Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell has taken Sarah Palin’s spot as the most popular governor in the county. What’s more, Senator Lisa Murkowski is now the most popular politician in Alaska.

NOT: GOP Appoints Sessions to Judiciary Committee. GOP leadership has appointed Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions to replace Arlen Specter as the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sessions, who was nominated to become a U.S. District judge by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, has been called a "crypto-segregationist" for racially insensitive remarks he's made in the past. Now, that's how you rebrand a party.

HOT: Ridge Not Running For Senate. After much speculation, PA Gov. Tom Ridge has decided not to run for the Senate in Pennsylvania. The decision is a letdown for Republicans hoping for Ridge to run against Specter in the general election. And, another one bites the dust.

NOT: Dick Cheney’s Advice to Republicans. In a radio interview, Dick Cheney stated that it would be a mistake for the Republican Party to become more moderate. Because loving torture and appointing racially insensitive committee heads seems to be working so well.

Why Elizabeth Edwards Stands By John

2009-05-06T22:54:00.003-04:00

From CBS.com:

(CBS/AP) Political wives stand by their men more often than not.

Now Elizabeth Edwards, in her new memoir, "Resilience," reveals why she stood by her husband, former 2008 presidential hopeful, John Edwards, after she learned he cheated on her with a former campaign worker, Rielle Hunter.

Edwards, who has terminal breast cancer, appears on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Thursday to talk about her new book and how she learned Edwards was cheating.

In the taped interview, Edwards says John Edwards met then-42-year-old Hunter at a hotel. Her pickup line, according to Edwards, was "You are so hot."

Elizabeth says she cried, screamed and vomited when she learned of his infidelity. But even after John initially revealed the truth to Elizabeth -- just days after declaring his presidential run in 2006 -- she stayed with him.

"He should not have run," Edwards wrote in her book, adding that she wanted her husband to drop out to save her family from media scrutiny. The Edwards have three children: Cate, Jack and Emma Claire.

On The Early Show Wednesday, Dr. Robi Ludwig, psychologist and contributing editor of Cookie magazine, told co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez why many political wives stand by their cheating spouses.

"You know, (the wives) may understand that with these kinds of people -- these men are in the spotlight, they're very powerful, there are women throwing themselves at these kinds of men," she said. "I think, in some way, (these women) make a deal, whether it's conscious or unconscious, they understand that, if you enter into a political relationship, you might be dealing with a guy who might cheat, and to really keep the whole picture in mind. Do you want to maintain your life? Do you want to fight for a person you love? Maybe at the end of the day that's what's important."

Read the rest of the article here.

Election 2012 Preview: Mitt Romney v. Sarah Palin? You Betcha!

2009-05-05T17:31:00.024-04:00

In the latest instance of Republican-on-Republican crime, Mitt Romney took a swipe at Governor Sarah Palin in an interview broadcast Sunday.

Taking a cue from my grandmom's backhanded compliments (such as “Wow, you look nice TODAY” and “Good thing you have an attractive face because that haircut is just plain awful"), Romney addressed Sarah Palin's inclusion on Time's list of influential people. Mitt said, “But was that the issue on the most beautiful people or the most influential people?”

Wo-ho! Addressing the fact that polarizing figures Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin were the only Republicans on the list, Mitt said "I think there are a lot more influential Republicans than that [Time list] would suggest." Like... ahem... yours truly. This recent spat underscores the divide in the Republican party and enhances suspicion that both Romney and Palin will make a run for 2012.

A spokeswoman for Palin responded with, "I think there are 100 influential Republicans alone who have tremendous ideas and I hope that we can all work together to accomplish what we believe is best for America."

Palin supporters at Conservatives4Palin released a video hitting back at Romney:

Newspaper Bailout? Not so much.

2009-05-04T19:58:00.006-04:00

From POLITICO.com:

Asked in his Monday briefing if the White House would consider bailing out the newspaper business, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters the government may not have the power to reverse the industry’s decline.

“I don’t know what, in all honesty, government can do about it,” Gibbs said in response to a question about the Boston Globe’s financial struggles.

Noting that it's a "bit of a tricky area to get into," given the relationship between the White House and the media, Gibbs said President Barack Obama “believes there has to be a strong free press" and expressed "concern and sadness" over the state of the industry.

But Gibbs wasn’t just sympathetic — he also twisted the knife a little, digging into reporters who questioned the Obama administration’s commitment to cutting spending.

“You guys didn’t think $100 million meant a lot a few weeks ago,” Gibbs said. “But looking at some of the balance sheets, $100 million seems to mean a lot.”

Check out Gibbs' comments below:

Top Jobs for Women Policy Leaders

2009-05-04T19:04:00.010-04:00

Given current economic woes, I have spoken with quite a few amigas who have lost jobs recently and thought I'd post some faboo job ops. Check them out below:

The Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER) seeks a full-time Program Manager for its downtown D.C. office. WISER is a non-profit organization that works to help women, educators and policymakers understand the important issues surrounding women’s retirement income.
To apply: Send a cover letter, resume and writing sample to info@wiserwomen.org

EMILY's Lis t, one of the nation's largest political networks and the largest financial resource for women candidates is in search of a Senior Development Associate. We are seeking an experienced, innovative fundraiser to create and implement a fundraising plan for a designated territory including but not limited to Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Wisconsin and Utah.
To apply: http://www.emilyslist.org/about/jobs/

Women Employed, which aims to improve women’s economic status and remove barriers to economic equity, is seeking an individual to fill the position of Policy Organizer. The Policy Organizer is responsible for mobilizing key constituent groups and developing and maintaining relationships to advance Women Employed’s short and long-term legislative, advocacy and engagement goals. Travel is required.
To apply: http://www.womenemployed.org/index.php?id=17

The League of Women Voters is seeking to hire a Communications and Online Outreach Manager. The Manager works to maximize opportunities to build the visibility and political relevance of the League of Women Voters. Responsible for developing and overseeing the online engagement work including shaping the outgoing messages; managing the timing of various online appeals, alerts, and messages to enhance their impact; and creating and implementing a strategic outreach plan. Reports to Senior Director of Communications.
To apply: https://member.lwv.org/ContactUs.asp

The National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC), a grassroots advocacy organization, seeks a full-time Public Policy Associate for the Government Relations Department. The Public Policy Associate will monitor, analyze and research federal and state legislation, regulations, and proposals; establish and maintain relationships with key elected officials, appointees and staff in federal and state governments.
To apply: http://www.stopbreastcancer.org

The Sunday Funnies

2009-05-03T13:59:00.004-04:00

HOT or NOT: The Week-In-Review

2009-05-01T12:59:00.004-04:00

HOT: Barack & Michelle Make Time's 100 “World's Most Influential People." Another year, another list. Other notables were Paul Krugman, Rush Limbaugh, Penelope Cruz (?), M.I.A. and Sarah Palin.

NOT: Fox Not Airing Obama Press Conference. In yet another “fair and balanced” move, Fox became the first broadcast network to refuse to air President Barack Obama’s prime-time news conference. The network instead opted to show their new series “Lie to Me,” about a crime-fighting expert who can spot liars.

HOT: Jump in Stocks in April. In a sign that the economy is beginning to heal, Standard & Poor’s 500 index climbed 9.4 percent in April, its best performance in nine years, and the Dow Jones industrial average increased 7.4 percent in April.

NOT: Michele Bachmann Blames Dems for Swine Flu. Good ol’ Bachmann suggested that President Barack Obama should be blamed for the crisis, mistakenly implying that swine flu epidemics tend to happen during Democratic administrations.

HOT: No Racial Gap Seen in '08 Voter Turnout. According to a study, the historically wide gap between blacks and whites in voter turnout evaporated in the '08 presidential election, mostly due to the Obama candidacy and an increase in the number of eligible voters. In particular, black women reported the highest rate than any other racial, ethnic and gender group.

NOT: CNN Talks About Barack Obama's "Swagga." CNN covered a story this week that would make any rational person of any race, age and gender literally cringe. T.J. Holmes spoke with four men to discuss the critical topic of Obama's "swagga," which ended with Kyra Phillips asking for a fist bump.

100 Days of Obama-Bashing on Fox

2009-04-30T00:57:00.004-04:00

Watch President Obama's press conference on his first 100 days her e.

Most Awful/ Amusing Picture Ever

2009-04-29T01:47:00.004-04:00

Well, well, well. Now this is a conversation piece if I've ever seen one. Seriously, would you ever have pictured Speidi, from television show The Hills, and disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich to be photographed together - other then, say in a nightmare? Bizarro.

Word on the blogosphere block is that Blagojevich was set to be on the upcoming series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! with costars Spedi, Sanjaya, and a few other real winners when a federal judge stepped in and blocked Blagojevich from participating in the show. That has not stopped dear Blago from promoting the show and said photo is a result of brillant marketing.

Closing the Gap: Equal Pay Day

2009-04-28T23:39:00.017-04:00

As many of you know, today is Equal Pay Day, a sobering day to recognize the differences in salary between men and women. According to the National Organization for Women, women's median annual paychecks reflected only 78 cents for every $1.00 earned by men in 2007. Oof!

Check out the facts:

• Women's median pay was less than men's in each and every one of the 20 industries and 25 occupation groups surveyed by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2007. Even men working in female-dominated occupations tend to earn more than women working in those same occupations.

• According to the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR), if equal pay for women were instituted immediately, across the board, it would result in an annual $319 billion gain nationally for women and their families (in 2008 dollars). Over her working life, a typical woman could expect to gain a total of $210,000 in additional income if equal pay were the norm (these numbers include part-time workers).

• One year after graduating college, women are paid on average only 80 percent of their male counterparts' wages, and during the next 10 years, women's wages fall even further behind, dropping to only 69 percent of men's earnings ten years after college.

Feel like punching a man in the face to protest this economical injustice? Do something constructive instead and encourage your representatives to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act and send it to the WH for the president's signature.

The Paycheck Fairness Act would require employers to show that any disparity in pay between men and women were due to factors other than gender and would bring the Equal Pay Act in line with other civil rights laws banning job discrimination.

Arlen Specter Switches It Up

2009-04-28T15:21:00.021-04:00

Woohoo! The below article inspired me to literally break out into a spontaneous Filibustin’ dance move this afternoon. Arlen “Democrat-loving” Specter has always been on my short list of Republicans that I respect and admire.

And now, he has taken a step that puts Democrats even closer to passing climate change and immigration reform and NCLB reauth, oh my!

From Washpost:

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter will switch parties and run for reelection next November as a Democrat, he announced today, a decision that could have wide-ranging consequences for the Senate and President Obama's agenda.

"Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right," Specter said in a statement released this morning. "Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans."

The move brings Democrats to 59 seats in the Senate, just one shy of the 60 they need to exert filibuster-proof control over the chamber. In Minnesota, Democrat Al Franken holds a 312-vote lead over former senator Norm Coleman (R), but Coleman has appealed the result to the state Supreme Court. Oral arguments in the case are expected to begin in June.

Specter's announcement, coming on the eve of Obama's 100th day in office, sent shockwaves through political circles.

Obama was informed of the decision at 10:30 a.m. today during his daily economic briefing. Minutes later he spoke to Specter by phone, telling him, "You have my full support," and adding, "We are thrilled to have you."

Read the rest of the article here.

How Many African Kids Could Celebrity Engagement Rings Feed?

2009-04-27T19:20:00.027-04:00

So I'm not one to hate on another chica for her blinged-out engagement ring, but this story caught my attention. When my fiance (then boyfriend) sent me an article a year ago about how Debeers artificially increased the value of diamonds by stating that a man should spend 2 months salary on a ring, I initially thought "OK, homeboy just wants to be el cheapo." But there is much truth to it.

Westerners, celebrities in particular, spend a redunkulous amount of money each year on a needless object when they could be applying the money to take care of the most basic needs in the world.

According to Cat Walk Cat Fight, if celebrities donated as much money as they spend on diamond engagement rings, they'd feed millions of starving African children. It is estimated that 25,000 people die every day from hunger and related causes. Of those going without food, 230 million live in Sub-Saharan Africa. 25% of these people are children. What if we could take the decadence of celebrity and use it for good?

Check out the facts below. But we can't simply point fingers at celebrities, we must also look at our own waste and excesses compared to those less fortunate. To donate to the World Food Programme, the world's frontline organization fighting hunger, click here.

Valued at $500,000, Eva Longoria's ring would feed 10,000 starving African children for a year.

Valued at $2,500,000, Mariah Carey's ring would feed 50,000 starving African children for a year.

Valued at $4,700,000, Paris Hilton's ring would feed 90,000 starving African children for a year.

Valued at $5,000,000, Beyonce Knowles' ring would feed 100,000 starving African children for a year.

Nominate a Woman Of Worth

2009-04-27T19:00:00.008-04:00

Nominate a Woman Of Worth and L'Oréal Paris will make a $5,000 donation to her most cherished charitable cause. L'Oréal will make an additional $5,000 donation in the name of each winner to support The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF), L'Oréal Paris primary philanthropy. To date, L'Oréal has raised over $18 million on behalf of OCRF to honor their commitment to women.

Additionally, one Woman Of Worth honoree and her cause will be selected by the public at large via online voting and will be recognized as the National Woman Of Worth Honoree. Her charity will receive a donation of $25,000 from L'Oréal Paris in her name. All honorees will receive national recognition for both her cause and her efforts.

Inspiration Behind Women of Worth
More than 30 years ago, L'Oréal coined the phrase "Because I'm Worth It" to celebrate a woman's worth and build her self-esteem. In 1997, as an extension of this sentiment, L'Oréal Paris proudly partnered with The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) to raise money and awareness in the fight against ovarian cancer. Three Years ago our signature phrase and OCRF partnership came to life in a new way. L'Oréal established Women Of Worth - a grassroots program and award that honors women who serve others in their communities.

Who is a Woman Of Worth? She's an inspiring volunteer, an outstanding achiever, and a beautiful person who's making a difference in her community. Whether she's setting up literacy programs, organizing children's initiatives, or spearheading life-saving charitable organizations, her mind and door are always open. Her devotion is endless.

Nominations may be submitted until July 13, 2009. Tell L'Oréal Paris about a Woman of Worth whose volunteer work is making a beautiful difference here.

The Sunday Funnies

2009-04-26T13:07:00.003-04:00

HOT or NOT: The Week-In-Review

2009-04-24T10:47:00.010-04:00

HOT: GOP Leader Boehner Accidentally Calls It "Torture." Boehner called a spade a spade this week, labeling the Bush administration’s "enhanced interrogation" tactics as “torture.” Later, Boehner clarified that the discussion of torture is "inappropriate" because it could "denigrate" the United States. Oopsies! It must torture him to keep all the lies straight.

NOT: Senate Repubs Block Confirmation Vote on Sebelius. Senate Republicans blocked the confirmation of Obama’s health secretary nominee Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

HOT: Obama Approval Rating Still High. According to a CNN poll, nearly two out of three Americans approve of the job that President Obama is doing.

NOT: Giant Island of Trash. Oprah’s Earth Day episode exposed footage on an island called “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” The island is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and stretches from the coast of California to Japan. Clearly, this one's not on her list of favorite things.

HOT: CA First to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Fuel. California adopted the world’s first regulation to limit greenhouse gas emissions from fuel. The regulation requires producers of gasoline and diesel to reduce the carbon intensity of their fuel by 10% over the next decade.

NOT: Youth Volunteering Drops for the First Time Since 9/11. Recent data shows that the percentage of teens who volunteer has recently dropped. In 2005, one out of three teens volunteered but in 2006, the rate dropped to 29% and then to 28% in 2007. Note to teens: Joining causes on facebook does not count as volunteering.

Rant of the Week: Bush Admin Torture = Epic Fail

2009-04-23T11:59:00.007-04:00

So let me get this straight: The Bush Administration used torture techniques to force detainees to falsely confess to some sort of "link" between al Quaida and Saddam Hussein. Criminal. There really is nothing else to say.

Watch Bill O'Reilly get schooled by military officers on torture:

Negotiating Strategies for Women Leaders

2009-04-23T03:03:00.005-04:00

On Wednesday, I attended an informal conversation led by UCLA Professor Amy Zegart on women salary negotiation strategies. Recent studies suggest that women are much more likely to negotiate on behalf of others than for themselves. Many women, like myself, feel hesitant about negotiating salaries for fear of being perceived as too pushy.

According to Women Don’t Ask, by not negotiating a first salary, an individual stands to lose more than $500,000 by age 60—and men are more than four times as likely as women to negotiate a first salary. Kathleen L. McGinn, a professor in the Negotiations, Organizations and Markets (NOM) group and a Director of Research at Harvard Business School, has studied the differences between men and women in salary negotiation techniques and claims that this may explain, at least partly, the gender salary gap.

Professor Zegart identified two main reasons why women don’t negotiate: 1) they compare themselves to other women and 2) they are fearful of being considered too aggressive. Women are much more likely to compare themselves to other women, a group that makes on average less money than men. Academic research attributes lower expectations amongst women to the entitlement effect. According to the research, if you bring men and women into a lab and say either one of two things: "Work until you think you've earned the $10 we just gave you," or "Work and then tell us how much you think you deserve," the women work longer hours with fewer errors for comparable pay, and pay themselves less for comparable work. But if there's a standard [that men and women know], then this result goes away.

Professor Zegart answered questions about when to negotiate, what to say and how. Some of her great tips are:

• Don’t be afraid to wear your wedding ring to an interview. Do what makes you feel comfortable.

• Don’t talk about salaries in a first interview. Wait until you have an offer to begin negotiations.

• Do your research on the company and the industry to get a sense of what they would pay for your position.

• Don’t expect that female supervisors will have your back. Sometimes you have to fight for a deserving salary with female supervisors as much, or more, than with male supervisors.

• When you’re asked an “illegal question” (your marital status, when you expect to get pregnant, etc), you can use humor to change the subject.

• Don’t be afraid to talk with supervisors if you are accumulating more responsibilities than expected to discuss a salary change and/ or title change that appropriately reflects your workload.

• Learn how to say “no” when you have too much on your plate.

• It’s all in your tone. Asking for a raise or bonus doesn’t have to appear too aggressive if you talk in a polite but firm way.

• Keep a running list of all of your projects and duties in a position so you can always present the information should you need to defend your accomplishments in the office.

• Understand that you sometimes have to “manage” the managers by asking them for quarterly or biannual reviews. This provides a forum for you to articulate concerns and find out how you can improve on a regular basis.

• If you know that the company is facing severe budget cuts, ask if there are non-monetary (vacation, office with a door, etc) benefits that can be put on the table and/ or ask the company to increase your salary by 20% (or some other percentage) after 6 months, when the budgetary outlook is more promising.

Green Is the New Black

2009-04-22T11:38:00.020-04:00

Happy Earth Day, Guys & Dolls! Nothing encourages you to combat global warming more than trying to make it through ninety-eight degree weather in April. Oof! I must confess that yours truly has been playing the role of Goldilocks as of late. Just last week I was complaining that sixty-five degrees just wasn’t cutting it for my spring wardrobe and next thing you know I’m sticking my head in the freezer every five minutes to keep myself from boiling over. Who knew Los Angeles was allowed to get this HAWTTTT?!

Moving on. Here's a list of great, super-easy, and affordable tips on getting in touch with your inner Eco-chic. These tips are so doable that I realized that I've already been doing half of them on a regular basis. Your pocketbook and your environment will heart you. While it's clear that we need bold and commonsense legislative solutions to fight climate change, we each need to do our part. Be green and stay cool!

10 Eco-Chic Tips, courtesy of MSNBC.com:

1. Use natural cleaning products.
Safe cleaning products don’t have to be a luxury. Green Works natural cleaning products are made of plant-based, biodegradable ingredients like corn, coconut and lemon (which leave no harsh chemical fumes or residue) and are affordable and accessible — you can find them at supermarkets, drugstores and mass-market retailers.

2. Get your magazines digitally.
Zinio.com offers digital versions of more than 500 magazine titles like BusinessWeek, Cosmopolitan, Car & Driver, Men’s Health, Dwell, Outside and Yoga Journal. Download the Zinio Reader and read the magazines on your personal computer or access your subscriptions online from any computer at Zinio.com. Owners of iPhones can even access entire magazines through their phones. And in the spirit of budget consciousness, Zinio is offering a free one-year trial subscription to a wide selection of magazines so people can try the service.

3. Use a reusable water bottle.
You’ve filtered your water, now you need a reusable bottle to transport it. There are numerous safe and eco-friendly options from Sigg to Klean Kanteen to BPA-free Nalgene bottles. Check out Filter for Good for more information about the impact of bottled-water waste and to purchase a BPA-free reusable water bottle with the Filterforgood.com logo.

4. Get paid to recycle your electronics and keep them out of landfills.
Instead of tossing your gadgets in a landfill when you’re finished with them, get paid to recycle them. Services like www.buymytronics.com, www.myboneyard.com and www.greenphone.com will recycle or refurbish your electronics, which keeps them out of landfills. Simply mail them in and wait for your check.

5. Turn to eco-friendly materials for affordable fashion.
Stores you know and love are focusing on greener fashion. H&M has an extensive line of products made of organic cotton, recycled polyester and natural wool, American Apparel offers colorful, affordable organic basics and Payless recently introduced Zoe & Zac, an affordable, eco-friendly footwear and accessories line. And this spring, look for Loomstate’s eco-friendly collection at Target.

6. Update your wardrobe by connecting with fashionistas with garb to barter.
Swapstyle.com lets you swap accessories, cosmetics and shoes with fashionistas all over the globe for free (you only pay for shipping). You can also combine barter with cash to trade up while avoiding the full cost — both monetary and environmental — of consuming a new product.

7. Use a car-share service to drive without owning.
Enjoy the freedom of being in the driver’s seat while eliminating the expense of owning (or leasing) and maintaining a car by joining a car-share service. Zipcar lets members locate cars conveniently parked at designated spots around a city and reserve them for an hourly fee (typically between $10.50 and $16.50). The company estimates that each of its cars removes the equivalent of about 15 privately owned vehicles from the road.

8. Ride share to get where you want to go.
Another alternative to owning a car is to catch a ride with somebody else. Ride sharing not only saves you the cost of car ownership and maintenance, but also keeps additional cars off the road — a positive eco step. Zimride is a ride-share service built on the Facebook social networking platform that enables members to create personal profiles and select ride mates who share similar music tastes, favorite sports teams, or who just seem “normal.” Zimmers can also evaluate things like driving speed, music volume and smoking preferences before agreeing to hop in.

9. CDs, DVDs and books: Swap, don’t buy.
Now you can avoid buying new products (good for your wallet, great for the environment) without sacrificing your need for entertainment. Check out Swapacd.com, Swapadvd.com and Paperbackswap.com.

10. Shave with just seven drops.
You’ll live a life free from shaving cream with just seven drops of Pacific Shaving Oil. The natural oil (enhanced with essential oils) will give you the closest shave of your life, and a half-ounce bottle ($6.95) provides up to 100 shaves. The tiny bottle is ideal for air travel, too — perfect for stashing in your carry-on bag.

AIPAC-Gate

2009-04-21T22:04:00.008-04:00

From CNN.com

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A key Democrat who reportedly was overheard on a National Security Agency wiretap discussing a deal with a suspected Israeli agent has called the wiretap an "abuse of power."

Rep. Jane Harman, D-California, called on the Obama administration to release transcripts of the alleged conversations to her, saying she would make them public.

"I never had any idea that my government was wiretapping me at all," Harman said on CNN's "The Situation Room." "Three anonymous sources have told various media that this happened. And they are quoting snippets of allegedly taped conversations. So I don't know what these snippets mean. I don't know whether these intercepts were legal. And that's why I asked [Attorney General] Eric Holder to put it all out there in public."

Harman denied any wrongdoing and said she was outraged by news the National Security Agency had intercepted one of her conversations in 2005 or 2006.

"Many members of Congress talk to advocacy groups," she said. "My phone is ringing off the hook from worried members who think it could have happened to them. I think this is an abuse of power."

Allegations that Harman had made an inappropriate deal with a lobbyist for the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, first surfaced several years ago, but they were given fresh currency Sunday night when the Congressional Quarterly published new details on its Web site.

Sources told CNN this week the National Security Agency intercepted a conversation that Harman was participating in, but said Harman was not the intended target of the wiretap. The wiretap was lawful, the sources said.

CQ.com reported Harman was overheard on a National Security Agency wiretap telling a suspected Israeli agent she would lobby the Justice Department to reduce espionage-related charges against two AIPAC officials. In exchange for Harman's help, CQ.com reported, the suspected Israeli agent pledged to help lobby then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to appoint Harman chair of the Intelligence Committee after the 2006 elections.

According to one unnamed official cited by CQ.com, Harman hung up after saying, "This conversation doesn't exist."

Read the rest of article here.

Meghan McCain Keeps It Real

2009-04-20T17:26:00.019-04:00

Speaking at a Log Cabin Republicans event on Saturday, Meghan McCain remarked that the GOP is scared of the changing times. McCain presented the internal struggle between the Republican party as one between "the future and the past."

She noted that embracing technology and social networks as Twitter and Facebook is not enough to revolutionize the party. According to McChild, what's needed is a commitment to policy solutions that seek to unite rather than divide our nation. Senator McCain's daughter commented:

I feel too many Republicans want to cling to past successes. There are those who think we can win the White House and Congress back by being 'more' conservative. Worse, there are those who think we can win by changing nothing at all about what our party has become. They just want to wait for the other side to be perceived as worse than us.

Oh. Yes. She. Did. McCain also publicly criticized Ann Coulter for being "overly partisan and divisive" and made reference to Rush Limbaugh's comments about not wanting our nation to succeed. I don't agree with Meghan McCain on every issue but I respect her hustle. Her honest sentiments speak to the tension between right-wingers and small gov'ment conservatives that has been brewing since Bushites hijacked the party in 2000.

She also represents the newest face of the Republican party - young adults who tend to be liberal on social issues but conservative on fiscal issues. What this means for the party is uncertain. Whether the teabaggers, evangelicals or some other GOP posse will prevail remains to be seen. In the meantime, kudos to Meghan for giving Republicans a much-needed dose of realidad. She certainly passes my test of exemplifying young, political and fabulous with flying colors.

The Sunday Funnies

2009-04-19T20:26:00.001-04:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

Tea Party Tyranny

thedailyshow.com

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Economic Crisis

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HOT or NOT: The Week-In-Review

2009-04-17T03:28:00.006-04:00

HOT: Obama’s Blueprint for High-Speed Passenger Rail Lines. The Obama administration unveiled their proposal for a national network of high-speed passenger rail lines aimed to reduce traffic congestion and dependence on foreign sources of oil. Looks like the U.S. is finally getting up to speed with other industrialized nations on clean and efficient travel.

NOT: Bush Admin Authorized Use of Insects in Interrogations. After Obama released Bush’s torture memos, it was revealed that the administration authorized the CIA to put insects inside a confinement box as part of their “harsh interrogation” practice. Seriously, it sounds like something out of one of those horrendous Saw films. Oy.

HOT: Blacks Hold Many Positions in Obama Administration. Ebony Magazine has highlighted the increased number of African-Americans in powerful positions within the White House. Twelve of Obama's most trusted and high-profile advisors are African-American - including Attorney General Eric Holder, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett and U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice.

NOT: Fox News Admits Role in Tea Parties. Fox News Anchor Megyn Kelly mistakenly admitted that Fox News was one of the only orgs to give any publicity to the Tea Parties. Fair and balanced indeed.

HOT: Feingold Calls For Review of Patriot Act. Senator Feingold, member of the Senate Judciary Committee, called for a review of measures such as the Patriot Act, the Protect America Act, and the FISA Amendments Act that have expanded the power of the executive branch to spy on innocent Americans.

NOT: Texas Seccession? TX Governor Rick Perry commented that Texas had a right to secede from the U.S. at a rally on tax day as a result of the expansion of government and financial burden on Americans. Brillant.

Spotlight On Women Who Rock

2009-04-17T03:08:00.010-04:00

On Thursday, I attended two fabulous discussions given by female political powerhouses. First, I attended an informal luncheon with Former State Senator Sheila Kuehl. Sheila was the first woman in California history to hold the position of Speaker pro tempore of the California State Assembly. In her fourteen years in the State Legislature, Senator Kuehl authored 171 bills that were signed into law, including legislation to establish paid family leave; overhaul California’s child support services system; further protect domestic violence victims and their children; prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender and increase the rights of crime victims.

In her talk, Sheila spoke about the rewarding experience of running for office and empowered students to seek careers in public service. She also addressed the toxic subject of the budget crisis in California and what is needed to put California on the road to economic recovery. She spoke candidly about the challenges and joys of running for office and what it takes to get elected. Really inspiring stuff.

In the evening, I attended a discussion and reception with Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi sponsored by the UCLA Law School Williams Institute. Nancy came to promote her book, “Know Your Power: A Message to America’s Daughters,” speak about being a woman in congress and answer questions about contemporary political issues and events. Another female first, Pelosi spoke about her transition from “housewife to the House speaker” and shared stories about being a mother of five and the highest-ranking woman in congress.

Speaker Pelosi encouraged young women to pursue political office and make their voices heard. She told a story from her book about how she once held three important party leadership positions at the same time and mentioned to a female mentor that she should give up one of her positions so that someone else could serve. Her mentor replied saying, "A man would never say that." The point of the story was that it is absolutely critical for women to embrace and know the power they hold. Both women were charismatic, down-to-earth and committed to helping the next generation of women leaders enter the field of politics and public policy.

The above picture is a photo of us policy chicks with our signed books by Nancy Pelosi. Woot!

Rant of the Week: Repubs Suddenly Concerned About Fiscal Responsibility

2009-04-16T02:47:00.014-04:00

On tax day, thousands of "teabaggers" held rallies all over the country to express faux outrage over President Obama's economic policies. On the capitol steps in Sacramento, a predominately white and Republican crowd chanted, "No More Bail Outs! No More Stimulus! No More Taxes!" On the other side of the country, protesters held signs in Washington, DC that read "Commander in Thief" and "Party like it's 1773."

Grassroots movement it was not. The turnout across the nation was far from expected. Major cities like Chicago and Cincinnati, which were expecting crowds in the hundreds of thousands, only registered four or five thousand people. What's more, NYT columnist Paul Krugman has questioned the validity of this "movement" by revealing that the tea parties have been funded by Republican-led think tanks as FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity. No one saw that coming.

Now, I love the First Amendment just as much as the next American but these right-wing rebels did not seem to make any fuss when Bush was spending their hard-earned mulah willy-nilly over the past eight years. During his administration, Bush presided over the largest increase in inflation-adjusted federal spending since Lyndon B. Johnson. Even after excluding defense-related spending, Bush is the biggest-spending president in about 30 years. Within his first term in office, total government spending grew by 33 percent. Ouch.

Despite Republicans' sudden interest in cutting government spending, recent polls suggest that more than half of Americans agree with the way President Barack Obama has handled the economy thus far. In response to the teabaggery, Obama said that he is providing 95% of families with a tax break and that the issue of taxes has been used "to scare people into supporting policies that increased the burden on working people instead of helping them live their dreams."

So why are Republicans pulling the libertarian card out now? The majority of those huffing and puffing will receive some form of a tax break from the federal government. Hmm.. I have a sneaking suspicion that this has very little to do with taxes after all. Then again, coming up with a legitimate dispute has never been the Republicans' cup of tea. Badum tish.

Get Out the Popcorn

2009-04-14T03:18:00.009-04:00

Word on the street (aka Huffpost) is that HBO is set to adapt a film on the 2008 election. The film would be based on a book, "Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime," that is to be published early next year.

HBO has hired Charles Leavitt, "Blood Diamond" scribe, to adapt the behind-the-scenes look from the perspective of the candidates and their campaign strategists. Co-Author Mark Halperin will be a consultant for the film and is editor-at-large at Time magazine. Halperin remarked:

Focusing on those characters went to the essence of why this was the campaign of a lifetime, not just for the candidates, but for the country.

Even though I know that this film has a happy ending, the idea of having to relive lipstick on pigs, Cindy McCain's clothing choices, election maps and the Obama-Clinton(s) drama kinda makes me want to burst into tears. Too soon, HBO. Too soon. If they don't cast Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, I'm boycotting. Check out who I would cast in the movie here.

Obama Lifts Restrictions on Cuba

2009-04-14T02:52:00.005-04:00

From Huffingtonpost.com:

WASHINGTON — In a measured break with a half-century of U.S. policy toward communist Cuba, the Obama administration lifted restrictions Monday on Cuban-Americans who want to travel and send money to their island homeland.

In a further gesture of openness, U.S. telecommunications firms were freed to seek business there, too. But the broader U.S. trade embargo remained in place.

The White House portrayed its changes, which fulfilled one of President Barack Obama's campaign promises, as a path to promoting personal freedom in one of the few remaining communist nations. They also marked another major step away from the foreign policy priorities of the Bush administration.

But the moves fell far short of the more drastic policy adjustments that some _ including Republican Sen. Richard Lugar _ have argued are required to promote U.S. interests in Latin America and to bring about change in Cuba. For most Americans, Cuba remains the only country in the world their government prohibits them from visiting _ a barrier to potential travelers as well as to the Cuban tourist industry that would like to see them.

Read rest of article here. Ahhhhh. Isn't it refreshing to have a President committed to promoting democracy and human rights in other countries?

Monthly Top Ten: 10 Women Empowerment Songs

2009-04-13T11:15:00.010-04:00

So I recently came upon an old cd I made for a girls night in with my chicas a couple of years ago. It’s a great cd for those times you need an empowerment lift to make it through the day.

I added a few songs so check out the vids and download the tunes. It also makes for a great gift for your girlfriends.

10. Natasha Bedingfield, Unwritten: Great song for finding your inner-strength.

9. TLC, No Scrubs: An oldie but a goody. Perfect for cruisin with your gals.

8. Mary J. Blige, No More Drama: Letting go of the drama. Nuff' said.

7. Indie Arie, I’m Not Your Average Girl: Love thyself. Embrace the faults.

6. Carrie Underwood, Before He Cheats: Oh yes. The vent song.

5. Beyonce Knowles, Single Ladies: Wohohoho...

4. Jill Scott, Golden: Puts a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

3. Alicia Keys, A Woman’s Worth: Classic. Used to play this one over n' over.

2. Chaka Kahn, I’m Every Woman: What's women empowerment without some Chaka Kahn.

1. Desiree, Ya Gotta Be Stronger: Keeps you goin as you conquer the world. Woot!

Cross-posted on http://www.toptentopten.com/

Rant of the Week: Television Families Don’t Reflect Modern Day Families

2009-04-09T12:53:00.009-04:00

Back in the day, a husband could moderately support his family on a middle-management salary while the wife stayed at home with the children, as seen in the television shows of the 50s and 60s. Today, with wages not having kept pace with increased housing, healthcare, food and tuition costs, this scenario has become more of the exception than the rule. And yet, modern day television sitcoms just don’t seem to get it.

Unless the show is about a working class or minority family, shows like the Simpsons, According to Jim, Til’ Death and Family Guy continue to portray middle-class families that are solely dependent on one income. If the Simpsons were a real-life family today, they would be homeless. They would be on the street. Period. There’s no way that their basic needs would be met on Homer’s job at a power plant. He probably would have been laid off and eventually their house would have been foreclosed upon.

Even before the recession of the last few years, only upper-income families really had the luxury to experience stay-at-home-mom-dom. For the average middle class family, even if the mother wanted to stay at home with the kids, she found herself eventually having to go back to work or work on a part-time basis to supplement the husband’s salary. In 1950 about one in three women participated in the US labor force. By 1998, nearly three of every five women of working age were in the US labor force. A few recent shows, such as Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle, seem to wrestle with the double-income phenomenon although they appear to present an idealized image of the “woman who can do it all” – be fashionable, gorgeous, a wife, a mother and a successful career woman on the move. Television does not have to completely mirror our world but it would be nice if it were close.

Maybe television shows are trying to hearken back to another time - a simpler time - when families didn’t have to juggle work schedules, the search for affordable and quality child care, exorbitant housing and healthcare costs, tuition bills and the gender roles were clearly defined. Or maybe, like deserving salaries, they’re still stuck in the 1950s.

OMG, the Prez is Like Totally My BFF

2009-04-07T22:33:00.014-04:00

The CW has announced the premiere of the new "reality" series Blonde Charity Mafia starring young Washington, D.C. socialites. The show was originally set to appear on the Lifetime network before Project Runway, but that deal fell through.

According to the CW network, it will feature DC's most influential "20-something Alpha Girls" who "run the D.C. social circuit from charity events to society parties."

Hated it. But - alas - like any other faux reality series, I’ll find myself watching it, screaming at the television for the entirety of the show and then making a point to watch it the next week. That’s how I got sucked into The Hills and the Real Housewives of Orange County series - and now watch both shows religiously (Le sigh). What is it about these shows that the more I loathe them, the more I am actually attracted to them? I'm convinced that the reality television phenomenon is simply a social experiment in how to dumb down seemingly intelligent people.

Blonde Charity Mafia will premiere on Tuesday, July 7 at 9pm ET and run through August 4.

NUTZO ALERT: Michelle Bachmann Strikes Again

2009-04-07T03:22:00.008-04:00

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, best known for her call for an investigation of Barack Obama and members of Congress perceived anti-American bias during the 2008 elections, has provided us with another little gem of insight.

On a Minnesota radio station this past weekend, Bachmann referred to the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act as an attempt by the administration to promote a “philosophical agenda.” The Act, which was approved by the Senate on March 26, 2009, aims to expand national community service programs in the areas of education, clean energy, health care and veterans. In her comments, she warned that the bill could lead to … wait for it…. “re-education camps for young people.” Check out the comments in full:

I believe that there is a very strong chance that we will see that young people will be put into mandatory service. And the real concerns is that there are provisions for what I would call re-education camps for young people, where young people have to go and get trained in a philosophy that the government puts forward and then they have to go to work in some of these politically-correct forums.

Heaven forbid, young people are taught how to serve their communities! And just to up the nutzo factor – media outlets have revealed that Rep. Bachmann’s 6th district of Minnesota has experienced the most foreclosures of any of Minnesota’s eight congressional districts. Bachmann has consistently voted against foreclosure relief and has not sponsored any legislation to help struggling homeowners facing foreclosure. Clearly, if anyone needs re-education, it’s this woman.

What’s Your First Lady Style?

2009-04-06T03:24:00.018-04:00

Because I was once obsessed with Seventeen magazine quizzes during my high school years, I created my own quiz inspired by fab First Lady fashion.

Yes, I know that these quizzes never reveal any earth-shattering revelations or aha-moments about your inner-psyche but let’s face it; they are just plain fun to do. So enjoy!

1. Your favorite shopping store is…
a. Ann Taylor
b. White House Black Market
c. Thrift Store
d. Vera Wang

2. Your old college roommate invites you to her evening wedding. You wear…
a. A silk cream-colored dress with faux wrap
b. An elegant suit
c. A colorful dress paired with a statement necklace or broach
d. A classic warm-colored dress with pearls

3. Your favorite thing to do in your free time is…
a. Spend QT with family and friends
b. Read a book
c. Go to a museum or a play at the local theatre
d. Free time? What’s that?

4. You overslept and need to rush to make it to work. You…
a. Forget about any primping and high-tail it to the nearest starbucks
b. Quickly dab on some lipgloss and keep it moving
c. Take a few minutes to inspect your do and apply on your mascara and foundation
d. Forget about making it on time! The most important part of your day is deciding what color eye shadow goes best with your outfit.

5. Your favorite colors to wear are…
a. Neutrals
b. Bright colors like purple and turquoise
c. Warm colors like red and burnt orange
d. Anything pastel

17-20 Michelle Obama: Fashion Trendsetter. You are a First-Lady of Fashion who loves trying out new colors and accessories with beautiful basics. When you step into a room, people are immediately enamored with your personable smile and flawless fashion sense.

13-16 Jackie Kennedy: Radiantly Retro. You’re an artsy mama who is a 60’s girl at heart. You are living proof that old school poise and glam never dies out!

9-12 Laura Bush: Classic Beauty. You are a simply elegant chica who loves a classically chic style and has a great appreciation for the simple things in life.

5-8 Hillary Clinton: Pretty in a Pantsuit. You’re a low-maintenance Betty who always looks well put together. You’re admired for your commitment to accomplish your goals and get the job done!

Add it up!: 1) a-1, b-4, c-3, d-2; 2) a-3, b-1, c-4, d-2; 3) a-4, b-2, c-3, d-1; 4) a-1, b-2, c-4, d-3; 5) a-1, b-4, c-2, d-3

The Sunday Funnies

2009-04-05T03:10:00.002-04:00

HOT or NOT: The Week-In-Review

2009-04-03T03:16:00.009-04:00

HOT: Al Franken's Senate seat race finally reaches the finish line because he's good enough, smart enough, and gosh darn it people love him. After months of legal battles, the state Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday with Franken and rejected Coleman's call to count up to 1,400 absentee ballots that he claimed had been incorrectly rejected. Not lookin good, Coley.

NOT: Michelle Touches Queen Frenzy. The British press could barely keep it together on Thursday after it was revealed that First Lady Michelle Obama had the audacity to give Queen Elizabeth a side hug. Gasp! But, according to Buckingham Palace staff, the Queen was digging the unthinkable gesture and they denied there are rules about touching the Queen.

HOT: Colin Powell on GOP. In yet another sign that Colin Powell is a rational thinker, Powell recently shared that he thinks the Republican counterbudget is just not practical. Powell noted that the Republican provisions to freeze government have "gone too far."

NOT: Al Sharpton didn’t pay taxes 2002-07. Seriously, does no one pay taxes anymore? According to the NYP, Reverend Al Sharpton owed at least $1.8 million in back taxes and penalities. Last summer, he was able to cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Brooklyn to end criminal probe of his finances.

HOT: Mexico Drug War Death Toll Declines. On Thursday, Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora stated that the death toll connected to Mexico's drug war has dropped by about 25 percent in the first three months of this year from the last quarter of 2008. College spring breakers everywhere are shouting with joy.

And here's Our Fabulous Political Video of the Week:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

An EPIC Night for Women’s Leadership

2009-04-02T12:02:00.006-04:00

On Monday night, The White House Project hosted their annual EPIC Awards ceremony at U.N. Headquarters in New York City. The EPIC Awards celebrates the voice and vision of innovators whose lives have shown other women what is possible—as well as those who use media and culture to help women see on-screen what they can’t see very often in the world: women leading at every level.

CNN anchor and Special Correspondent Soledad O’Brien hosted the night’s festivities. She remarked at the start of the night, “In my work as an anchor and correspondent at CNN, I have witnessed the powerful impact that images—on screen and in real life—can have on the ambitions and aspirations of our young people.” Award presenters included Pay Equity Pioneer Lilly Ledbetter; New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand; and Academy-Award winning actress and White House Project Board Member Geena Davis, all committed to the work of The White House Project to advance women’s leadership.

Awardees included:

--Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye (Ret.), the first woman to serve on New York State’s highest court, accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award for her visionary commitment to the courts and the people of New York State.

--Lifetime Network’s Every Woman Counts Campaign, received an EPIC Award for their pioneering public service campaign dedicated to encouraging women to speak out on the issues they care about most, vote and run for office.

--Voto Latino received an EPIC Award for the outstanding impact they have had in the last four years on the next generation of Latinas. Actress Rosario Dawson, Co-Founder and María Teresa Petersen, Executive Director accepted the award.

At the close of the evening, Atlanta City Council President and White House Project Board Member Lisa Borders said, "We know that times are tough. But we also know that tough times often offer the best opportunities to invest wisely - and investing in the future of women is among the soundest investments you can make.”

Rant of the Week: Teleprompter Tales

2009-04-02T03:07:00.016-04:00

Media commentators and bloggers have been making much ado about nothing lately concerning President Barack Obama’s teleprompter usage. Rush Limbaugh recently remarked, “off prompter, Obama can’t speak.”

A Facebook group called Barack Obama’s Teleprompter has emerged and now has over 1,500 members. The group blurb states, “I have a full-time job in telling President Barack Obama what do say. Since he can't do without me wherever he goes, I work often! However, I still manage to find a little time to get on Facebook."

Hm, I’m not sure if these folks remember the little thing called the presidential debates, in which Barack Obama presented his vision for America sans teleprompter (and won all three rounds, mind you). Is it such a bad thing for a President to appear prepared and polished in his speeches? Or should we simply expect a certain amount of bushisms a la Dubya’s “off-the-cuff” style? Obama spent nearly two years on the campaign trail giving speeches largely without a teleprompter, not to mention his Harvard law education and background as a constitution professor. Do we really have to question whether he can speak without some sort of technological aid? As our nation's top representative, it is imperative that the President be cautious and careful about the words that come out of his mouth.

This latest right-wing criticism screams of desperation. Surely, there are ideological disagreements that Republicans can articulate based on real policy concerns and the actual substance of his speeches. This cheap attack just makes them look like small-minded sore losers.

And the Winner Is...

2009-03-31T12:10:00.015-04:00

Desiree Rogers, White House Social Secretary and long-time friend of the Obamas, has been named Washington's Best-Dressed Woman by the fashion powers that be.

In a Huffington Post poll, the fashionista came in first place with 27.28% of the vote, with VP wife Jill Biden following close behind with 25.55% of the vote. Known for her classicially chic style (fitted black suits, wedged heels, and sheek hairdo), Rogers proves that brains and beauty can go hand-in-hand.

Check out more of Desiree's chic style here.

Good Enough for VP, But Not for 2012?

2009-03-31T03:00:00.009-04:00

Mmkay. In an interview with NBC on Sunday, Senator John McCain gave a classic political response when asked whether he would support a Sarah Palin run for La Presidente.

Palin’s 2012 goal has recently been plagued by a communication failure between her gubernatorial staff and DC-based staff and her refusal to accept much-needed mulah for her state provided by the federal stimulus.

Asked on Meet the Press - “Would you like to see Sarah Palin become President?” - McCain responded with:

I can't say something like that. We've got some great other young governors. I think you're going to see the governors assume a greater leadership role in our Republican Party.

Hmm. And continuing with:

Have no doubt of my admiration and respect for her and my view of her viability, but at this stage, again ... my corpse is still warm, you know?

Translation: I’m hoping someone with an ounce of a brain will enter the race so I'm not obligated to put my support behind that hot tranny mess.

Check out the video below:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Life Happens

2009-03-30T10:34:00.013-04:00

Sound the trumpet please. Cue the band. I am back, my friends. I know many of you thought I fell into a blogging black hole. But sometimes: life happens. In a nutshell: school, work, more school, church, more school, wedding planning, more school – you get where I’m going with this I’m sure. (You know something’s off when you’ve found yourself wearing jumpsuits for the past three weeks and persisting on a diet of hotpockets and oreo cookies).

But (deep breath) I am striving to find balance in my life (can I get an Amen sistas?) and embrace the things that bring me joy (i.e. blogging, yoga, good amigas) and throw out the things that hold me back from being a content, hopeful, jubilant woman, regardless of what life throws at me.

I know that it sounds very Oprah new-age I-Am-Womanism, but we’ve all gotten caught in the hustle and bustle of life and wake up one day realizing we’ve lost ourselves. We have completely lost track of our mission, our purpose, the life that God crafted for us. So I am reclaiming it starting today. And I may not be able to blog everyday but at least my spirit will be a little bit happier, a little bit more at peace and my life will feel a little bit more in orbit.

So much has changed since my last entry… and yet so much has stayed the same. Barack Obama is still President (phew!) but the economy is still taking a nosedive (and has gotten worse). Things that have changed… Guantanomore, congress’ bye-bye to bonus tax, Fox News' resurgence, this, Cramer v. Stewart, Octomom baby mama drama, gladiator heels are even stranger, celebrity domestic abuse and then makeup and then marriage (?).

Here are a few pictures of what I’ve been up to over the last few months. Over and out…

January 20, 2009, Inauguration Day: I was "fortunate" enough to be one of the purple ticket holders who waited in line for four hours on the freezing cold day. Le sigh. But totally worth it.

February 27, 2009, School of Public Affairs 5th Annual City Hall Day at Los Angeles City Hall hosted by Councilmember Wendy Greuel.

March 26, 2009, Nordstroms' Opening at Cherry Hill Mall, NJ: I went with my mom and her besties to a very hollywood event at.... Cherry Hill Mall. Who knew?! Complete with cocktails, delish aps, shoe shopping, and fashion shows. My type of affair. I know... not very recession-friendly but a girl can dream, can't she?

Out to Lunch (uh...for four months...)

2009-03-06T13:14:00.006-05:00

Hello politicas & friends,

Yes indeed, yours truly has been a busy bee and I've had to sadly take off my blogging hat for a few months. But, I'm happy to report, I intend to be fully running again starting early April so stay tuned for polifabulousness in the weeks ahead!

Besos,

Lindsay

A World AIDS Day Message

2008-12-01T13:48:00.015-05:00

Hello amigos/ amigas,

Today is just not another day that your rent is due. I am writing to raise awareness for the 3.3 million people living with HIV worldwide on behalf of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of HIV/AIDS Policy’s AIDS.gov. Members of the BlogCatalog network are sending messages through the blogosphere for Bloggers Unite For World AIDS Day.

Even if just 10 percent of the members get involved, we can reach an estimated 4 million blog readers. And if half of our members participate, we can reach 20 million. And if all bloggers participate, we can reach the entire world.

Nearly half of all AIDS cases in the U.S. involve people 13 to 24 years of age. More than 250,000 are estimated to be HIV positive and not know it. And more than 1 million are estimated to have AIDS. It affects every country, city, and town in the world. And, the most frightening thing about it is that is going largely unchecked. In fact, that is one of the reasons that worldaidscampaign.org is continuing its "leadership" theme, which it developed after learning that many leaders who promised to support AIDS were not keeping their promises.

So, get tested, do your homework and contribute to the cause to prevent AIDS. And by doing that, you might not only save someone, but save someone close to you.

Check out a video from the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico City where people from around the world made their pledges to stop AIDS. More videos here.

Was Clinton Really Offered the Sec of State Gig?

2008-11-26T23:24:00.007-05:00

So, rumors are flying about that President-elect Barack Obama’s Secretary of State offer to Senator Hillary Clinton may be as real as Spencer and Heidi Montag’s wedding stunt (sorry, my first and last The Hills reference). According to “two senior Democratic officials,” Obama “offered” Senator Hillary Clinton the position of Secretary of State during their meeting on Thursday in Chi-town.

The Huffington Post reported that:

Mrs. Clinton's and her closest advisers' turning a suggestion by the President-elect that she might, among other things, head the State Department into an "offer" and reports that she was agonizing over whether to accept it, did not please officials in Chicago, some of whom hoped that issues over disclosure of Bill Clinton's post-presidential record might block the appointment. But the former president's camp blocked that by promising to cooperate with requests for information and to accept limits on his activities, including clearance of speaking engagements abroad.

Statements by the Hilary camp on November 21 saying that "she's ready" for the position but then backtracking, saying that some matters were "under discussion," typified the whole mess, the only snag thus far in an otherwise unusually smooth transition involving impressive choices--an object lesson to Obama (which he had reason to know already) that getting involved with the Clintons is rarely uncomplicated.

Don’t get me wrong, I have no doubt that Senator Hillary Clinton would be a smart, tough and capable department head - but given her disagreements with Obama on foreign policy - I'm iffy on whether this is the best position for her. We'll know for sure after the T-giving holiday!

Obama Announces the E-Team

2008-11-25T22:46:00.006-05:00

Howdy Politicas y politicos! The last few weeks have been pretty insane for yours truly and yet life continues onward and the economy continues downward. Much chatter has been going on about Obama’s economic team picks so let’s review:

Today, our Presidente-Electo announced the key members of his economic team tasked with creating jobs, stabilizing the economy, and getting our country back on track.

Timothy F. Geithner, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will serve as Secretary of the Treasury.

Lawrence H. Summers, former Secretary of the Treasury under President Clinton, will serve as Director of the National Economic Council.

Christina D. Romer will serve as Director of the Council of Economic Advisers, Melody C. Barnes will serve as Director of the Domestic Policy Council, and Heather A. Higginbottom (woot!) will serve as Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council.

And what did our dear friend Joe Lieberman have to say about his team picks:

“Everything that President-elect Obama has done since election night has been just about perfect, both in terms of a tone and also in terms of the strength of the names that have either been announced or are being discussed to fill his administration.”

Hmmm...how quickly his tone changed.

Check out Barack Obama's live press conference explaining his economic plan. Um yea, George Bush who?

What the 2008 Electoral Map Would Look Like if the Election Were Decided By...

2008-11-14T17:54:00.006-05:00

WOMEN

THOSE EARNING LESS THAN $50,000 A YEAR

SELF-DESCRIBED MODERATES

Check out other maps here.

Stevens Behind by 3 votes in Alaska Senate Race

2008-11-13T00:40:00.002-05:00

Alaska Republican Senator Ted "convicted" Stevens trailed by three votes on Wednesday. Democrat Mayor Mark Begich holds a slight lead of 125,019 votes to 125,016. In Alaska, the losing candidate or 10 voters has three days to petition for a recount unless the vote was a tie. Get this: If Stevens wins his seat but faces expulsion, a special election would be held -- and Gov. Sarah Palin has stated she'd be interested in serving that role. Wut wo.

Mike Huckabee: Barack Obama, My President

2008-11-10T22:21:00.009-05:00

Check out the below editorial written by Mike Huckabee on FoxNews.com:

It's no secret that I personally supported John McCain for president. I agreed with him on core issues and he and I are in the same party, but I also truly believe he's an extraordinary and honorable American hero.

I campaigned hard for him — to the point of losing my voice in fact. But Americans elected Barack Obama and it's time to put the election behind us and the country in front of us. Barack Obama wasn't my choice, but come January 20, he will be my president. I will pray for him and his family. I want him to be successful in leading our country.

I will not seek to see all of his faults and none of his qualities.

Some of President Bush's harsh critics went beyond loyal opposition and engaged in angry, vile and mean-spirited hate. Those of us who found that kind of attitude and behavior despicable can hardly engage in similar conduct toward a President Obama.

We can show our true patriotism conducting ourselves in the way that we wanted people to have treated President Bush.

The rest of the article is here.

The Sunday Funnies

2008-11-09T18:31:00.003-05:00

HOT or NOT: The Week-In-Review

2008-11-07T12:27:00.004-05:00

HOT: Change.

NOT: More of the same.

HOT: CNN Useless Technological Toys. CNN was superjazzed to play with their new “hologram” toy and beamed CNN correspondent, Jessica Yellin, from Chicago, to the CNN press center in New York. Beam me up, Scotty!

NOT: Karl Rove calls Rahm Emanuel too partisan. Is this for real? Too funny.

HOT: Reid Considers Ousting Lieberman from Chairmanship. There was probably no one more upset about Barack Obama’s win than Joe Lieberman. Now that Dems have a comfortable majority in the senate, there are rumors that Harry Reid will oust our dear friend Joe out of his chairmanship on the Senate Homeland Security Committee. So sad. Reid offered Lieberman a deal to step down as chairman of the homeland security committee and chair a subcommittee on economic or small business issues.

NOT: Mocking Your VP Pick. Now this is interesting. The people who introduced the world to the delightful Sarah Palin and defended her ridiculousness time and time again – are trying to take her down. Soon after the election, McCain staffers were more than willing to spill that Palin did not know Africa was a continent, what countries were in NAFTA and threw dramatic temper tantrums at bad news clippings.

And here is Our Fabulous Political Video of the Week:

Obama Announces Emanuel as Chief of Staff

2008-11-06T22:18:00.005-05:00

Below are statements from President-elect Barack Obama and Congressman Rahm Emanuel on Congressman Emanuel being named White House Chief of Staff.

Statement from President-elect Barack Obama:

I am pleased to announce that my good friend, Congressman Rahm Emanuel, has agreed to serve as my White House chief of staff. I announce this appointment first because the Chief of Staff is central to the ability of a President and Administration to accomplish an agenda. And no one I know is better at getting things done than Rahm Emanuel.

Statement from Congressman Rahm Emanuel:

I know what a privilege it is to serve in the White House, and am humbled by the responsibility we owe the American people. I'm leaving a job I love to join your White House for one simple reason - like the record amount of voters who cast their ballot over the last month, I want to do everything I can to help deliver the change America needs. We have work to do, and Tuesday Americans sent Washington a clear message – get the job done.

It's A New Day

2008-11-06T00:29:00.024-05:00

We. Did. It. Like many of you, I watched President-Elect Barack Obama’s acceptance speech with tears in my eyes, overcome with the emotion of that moment. Not just because this historic election broke down barriers of race (which is emotional in itself) but because of my pride in America for believing in change – for voting for hope over fear, unity over division, change over more of the same.

Those of us that are younger have developed such a defeatist attitude about the American political system. After watching two elections that were won by unethical and manipulative political tactics and eight years of failed policies, many of us had lost hope in the American political process. We could not believe that an election could be won decisively solely on the basis that a candidate could inspire people to go to the polls. We could not believe that an election could be won without long, drawn-out Supreme Court cases, state recounts, voter suppression and political platforms that seek to divide us. And yet, this moment in history has reignited the spark in the age-old American ideal that all things can be possible with hard work and determination.

Not only did President-Elect Barack Obama triumph last night. Dignity and integrity won out. Sincere, deeply-rooted, undying hope won out. Sacrifice against all odds won out. The American commitment to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness won out. And the radical notion that everyday people can come together and change the world as we know it won out.

I will always remember this. Minutes after the news networks called Virginia, my father called me. And he said to me, “I never thought it would happen in my lifetime. Maybe your lifetime, but not mine. I just can’t believe it.” And my heart broke instantly because in that moment, I could feel the immense joy of millions across the nation whose faith in the American Dream had been restored.

I don’t know what’s to come. I will not make light the challenges that are before us and the work that’s left to be done in an Obama administration. But finally, the sun has arisen from behind the clouds of fear and apprehension and it’s a new day. And I thank you all for being part of this story. Thank you who believed, who sacrificed time and effort and money, who said “Yes We Can” when others mocked and doubted, and who voted for a better America hope beyond hope. Thank you for reaffirming my faith in America's spirit and promise. May God bless you all and may God bless America.

"I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Cross-posted on Huff Post's OfftheBus

Obama Wins!

2008-11-04T23:30:00.015-05:00

YES WE CAN! YES WE DID!

According to all the major networks, Barack Obama is the President-Elect of the United States of America. We did it. We made history. Still processing here. Speechless.

America Votes for Change: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/election.president/index.html

Obama Wins White House, Becomes First Black President: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/11/04/wrap-polls-start-close-frenied-day-voting/

Obama Wins: How He Did It: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/04/obama-wins-how-he-did-it_n_141231.html

Final Thoughts: Is America Ready for A Black President?

2008-11-04T04:52:00.010-05:00

And. Here. We. Are. Just hours before the results come in (let’s hope). It’s been an amazing journey for us diehard Obama supporters. We have experienced the highs and lows, moments of joy and outrage alongside the Senator over the past two years.

During every major turning point in American history, there have always been the naysayers, the doubters or more conventionally “the haters” on all sides stating that America is just not ready for the emancipation of the slaves, women’s rights, fill in the blank with any subversive movement. This election presents yet another pivotal turning point in American culture and society.

There has arguably never been a better time or better candidate for such a phenomenon as a Black President to take place. Here we have a candidate who is clearly black but in a bizarre Oprah-esque fashion has the potential to transcend race and appeal to millions of white Americans. And here we have this moment in our history where the opposition party has created such a colossal mess of our foreign relations and economic standing that has allowed such a candidate to be viable in the eyes of the electorate.

Oddly enough, some of the biggest doubters in this election have been African-Americans who have lost faith in America’s sense of fairness and equality. And, in many ways, rightfully so. Call me naïve but I have an unrelenting faith in America and our commitment to justice, liberty and equal opportunity for all Americans (which could possibly change after Nov. 4). It is a faith that I must constantly defend at the dinner table with my parents who have seen some of America’s darkest days, a faith that I must defend as I knock on doors in poor black neighborhoods in South Philadelphia and a faith that I often must defend to myself as comments like “uppity” have reemerged during this election.

That’s why this election means so much more than two men running against each other at a unique time in history. It is a challenge to everything that we as a nation are and what we presume to stand for. It is an opportunity for America to prove how far we’ve truly come in the fight for equal rights – that the American people will not judge a candidate (in public or in private) by innate qualities but by their strength, intelligence and vision for America. With Obama up by a substantial lead in the polls -- this is a moment in which we will know for sure whether subtle racism still has its insidious grip on our belief system. It is a moment in which we will know for sure if we are ready to turn the next page in our nation’s history.

Cross-posted on Huff Post's OfftheBus

Coast to Coast: Election Night Parties

2008-11-03T21:45:00.016-05:00

With one day to go, check out the hot Election Night Parties happening across the country on Tuesday.

California:

Host: California for Obama, Generation Obama LA, 008 The Movement, California Democratic Party
Tuesday, November 4
8:01pm-2:00am
Free Admission
They have a stellar line up of musical acts, comedians, and appearances by many of our state and local politicians.
*The event will reach capacity and they are guaranteeing admission to everyone who contributes.
Hyatt Century Plaza Hotel
2025 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles 90067
Rsvp: http//ca.barackobama.com/ElectionNightLA
Contribute here: http://www.the008store.com/elnica.html

Election Cruise in San Francisco Bay
Where: FDR's Yacht, Potomac
When: Sail from Oakland's Jack London Square at 5:00 pm and Pier 40 at 5:45 pm
Enjoy wine and food while sailing around the bay.

Official San Francisco Election Night Party
Tuesday, November 4
Doors Open at 6pm, Free Admission
Join Generation Obama San Francisco and other Bay Area Groups for the Official San Francisco Election Night Event!
First 100 Attendees Receive a Free Shepard Fairey "Hope" Poster.
Mezzanine (Near Mint Plaza)

444 Jessie St

San Francisco, CA

Orange County Election Night Party
Where: JT Schmid's Restaurant & Brewery in Tustin, California
When: 7:30 to 10:00 pm
Join your fellow Orange County citizens for fun and results.

New York:

Host: Democratic Leadership for the 21st Century of New York
DL21C's Election Night Bash!
Tuesday, November 4
6:00pm-LATE!
NYC's biggest party celebrating local and national Democratic victories!
Huge TVs, DJ, Elected Officials and more!
New World Stages
340 W. 50th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues)
RSVP: www.newworldstages.com

The Election Night Party
Where: Element in New York, New York
When: 7:00 pm
Dance away the election as DJ's mix it up.

Election Day Bash
Where: Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden in Astoria, New York
When: 6:00 pm
Nothing helps you forget about red & blue states like a pitcher of beer.

Washington, DC:

Host: African Diaspora for Obama Election Night Party!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
5:00pm
After you cast your vote on November 4, end your night with the entire ADO Family as we come out to cheer our man, Barack Obama, in the last leg of this historic race for President of the United States!
- TV Projectors of real time electoral stats, polls and analysis
- Kuku, Clarence “Bluesman” Turner, N’Digo Rose, Jessica Chambliss, Will Rast & the Funk Ark
- the Fatback DJ’s, Adrian Loving, and The Return of Party Bros
RSVP: info@africandiasporaforobama.com
Bohemian Caverns
11th & U St. NW
Washington, DC

Politics Magazine Election Night Party
Where: Lounge 201 in Washington, DC
When: 7:30 to 10:30 pm
Get some martinis, food and have some fun.

Vote Then Party
Where: Ultra Bar in Washington, DC
When: Open bar from 8:00 to 11:00 pm
Antonella Barba hosts a rockin' party only for those who vote.

Pennsylvania:

PW Election Night Party
Where: Loews Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
When: 8:00 pm
Listen to DJs and keep tabs on the exciting election results.

The Sunday Funnies

2008-11-02T14:29:00.002-05:00

This week's Sunday Funnies is a David Letterman clip of the Top Ten Palin Excuses for Spending $150,000 on clothes.

HOT or NOT: The Week-In-Review

2008-10-31T09:40:00.006-04:00

Happy Halloween, politcas and politicos! As we celebrate Halloween, remember that there's nothing scarier than a McCain-Palin administration so GOTV ya'll.

HOT: Obama Airs 30-minute Prime-Time TV Appeal. Barack Obama aired a $3 million special broadcast on three major networks on Wednesday night. According to rating reports, more than 26 million people watched the program on CBS, NBC or Fox. Hey, I guess when you have cash to spare, why not?

NOT: Elizabeth Hasselbeck on the Campaign Trail. Elizabeth Hasselbeck joined Sarah Palin on the campaign trail in Florida over the weekend. She introduced Palin at two rallies with plenty of female references to “cleaning up” Washington and being able to stand the heat in the “kitchen.” Puke.

HOT: The Economist Endorses Barack Obama. The Economist endorsed Barack Obama on Thursday, saying, "America should take a chance and make Barack Obama the next leader of the free world... the Democratic candidate has clearly shown that he offers the better chance of restoring America’s self-confidence." This of course means that The Economist is a socialist paper.

NOT: “Communism” as a campaign attack. Seriously, what year is this? I thought we were over the days when we labeled anyone who fought for equal rights a “Communist” (i.e. unions, Martin Luther King, etc). The McCain-Palin campaign is clearly so desperate that they’ve resorted to a campaign tactic from 1963. Obama recently responded to such attacks, saying, "By next week he'll be calling me a secret communist because I shared my toys in kindergarten." Zing!

HOT: John McCain Gets Stood Up by BFF Joe the Plumber. John McCain invited Joe the Plumber to join him at a campaign event in Defiance, Ohio this week. But when McCain called out for him: radio silence. Good ol’ Joe was nowhere to be found. Awwwwkward. A campaign aide later said he had "decided not to come" and may join McCain later in the day. But when contacted by CNN, Joe said it was "news to him" that he was supposed to be at the McCain rally and said that nobody from the campaign confirmed he was attending the event. Even worse: McCain had to bus in 4,000 school children from the surrounding area to fill the crowd.

NOT: Gun Sales Increasing as Economy Collapses. As the economy goes in the tank, Americans seem to be buying a lot of one thing: guns. Much of the 10% increase in firearm sales can be attributed to misguided paranoia that an Obama Administration would toughen gun laws as well as the uncertainty of a worsening economy. Yikes! Guns and economic uncertainty are a deadly (no pun intended!) combination.

And check out Our Fabulous Video of the Week:

Palin Looks to 2012, McCain Campaign Speechless

2008-10-29T22:49:00.007-04:00

Responding to a question about what happens in 2012 if McCain loses, Sarah Palin said, "I'm not doin' this for naught." Uhhh. We all knew this is what she was thinking, but to say this six days before the election is admitting defeat. Bad form. I almost feel bad for the McCain camp on this one. Good luck defending this comment! Check out the CNN clip below.

BLITZER: I am not surprised, not surprised at all. It is one of those "wow, she is talking about 2012 if we lose," that is not supposed to be something that you say. You are supposed to say, "well, I'm not looking ahead, I'm not looking ahead only to Tuesday," and those are the talking points she's supposed to be saying, but she is obviously blunt and she is looking ahead if something were to happen on Tuesday that she wouldn't be happy with.

Major Alaska Newspaper Endorses Obama

2008-10-29T00:42:00.005-04:00

A leading newspaper in Alaska, the Anchorage Daily News, endorsed Barack Obama on Saturday, saying, "[he] brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand."

Although the newspaper acknowledges Palin's success and notes she "draws huge crowds and sows excitement in her wake," they are not convinced that she is "truly ready to assume command of the important, powerful nation on earth."

Gov. Palin's nomination clearly alters the landscape for Alaskans as we survey this race for the presidency -- but it does not overwhelm all other judgment. The election, after all is said and done, is not about Sarah Palin, and our sober view is that her running mate, Sen. John McCain, is the wrong choice for president at this critical time for our nation.

One of the many blatant hypocrisies that has stood out for me during this election is the fact that Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin supporters, who are so quick to cry sexism, remain silent when seemingly sexist connotations are assigned to Michelle Obama.

Most recently, Bill O’Reilly stated, “Now, I have a lot of people who call me on the radio and say she looks angry. And I have to say there’s some validity to that. She looks like an angry woman.” I wouldn’t be surprised that if such a description was attributed to Clinton or Palin, supporters would assert that there’s a double standard that women who are smart, serious and professional are considered “angry.” Not to mention that such a statement seems completely untrue. At most appearances, Michelle is either smiling or serious – and certainly does not come off as an “angry woman.” What’s more, the Fox News’ characterization of Michelle Obama as “Obama Baby Mama” in June was also met with radio silence from the feminist community. But why?

Could it be that the intersection of race and gender just gets too hairy and so the battle is best left alone? The “Obama Baby Mama” comment is soaked in both sexist and racist connotations and perhaps many supporters of Clinton and Palin would rather avoid a subject where racism plays a role. It is clear that some republicans are trying to associate Michelle with pejorative images that are specific to African-American females. They would like to perpetuate the image of the “angry black woman” to instill hatred and fear in small-minded people – much like Ronald Reagan tried to do with the image of the “welfare queen” during his presidential campaign.

Or are we dealing with that aged-old taboo question from the Suffragist Movement that Women’s Rights has always been an exclusively white middle class woman phenomenon and black women are rarely invited to the dinner table? Such a question reemerged during the primary election, when Geraldine Ferraro asserted that; “Gender is the most restricting force in American life.” It is a zero-sum game to try to quantify sexism, racism or any other “ism” for that matter, but many women of color shuttered when they heard this comment. It brought back the fears that women of color and black women in particular have always been on the sidelines when it comes to fighting for equal rights for women and that they are virtually ignored when sexist comments are hurled their way.

Cross-posted to Political Voices of Women

Uh, What I Meant Was…

2008-09-16T20:48:00.007-04:00

This picture seems to be a physical representation of the McCain camp’s campaign strategy as of late. From acknowledging that the economy is fundamentally strong to slamming Wall Street “fats cats” that are connected to his campaign contributions, McCain has been digging himself deeper and deeper into a hole in the ground. Now we can see why their campaign strategy has had to resort to lies and a hockey mom!

The latest snafu involved McCain campaign surrogate Carly Fiorina who stated this morning that Sarah Palin doesn’t have the experience to run a major company. When asked by an on-air personality for St. Louis’ KTRS Radio, “Do you think [Sarah Palin] has the experience to run a major company, like Hewlett Packard?"

"No, I don't," responded Fiorina. "But you know what? That's not what she's running for." And it got worse. In an attempt to clarify her comments on MSNBC, Fiorina explained, "I don't think John McCain could run a major corporation ... " Oops, she did it again.

Seriously, I think I could do a better job representing John McCain. The Obama campaign rightly took advantage of the gaffe, “If John McCain’s top economic advisor doesn’t think he can run a corporation, how on Earth can he run the largest economy in the world in the midst of a financial crisis? Apparently even the people who run his campaign agree that the economy is an issue John McCain doesn’t understand as well as he should,” said Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor. Zing!

Check out the awkwardness here:

Bad News: When Karl Rove Says Your Campaign Ads Went “Too Far”

2008-09-15T22:51:00.005-04:00

As if this election could not become more of a hot tranny mess: On Fox News Sunday, mastermind Karl Rove stated that McCain has “gone in his ads one step too far, and sort of attributing to Obama things that are, you know, beyond the 100-percent-truth test.” Whoa-ho.

I still don’t fully trust the guy and am suspicious that this statement is some backhanded way to get votes (not sure how yet) – but it is refreshing to hear that the McCain camp is being called out on their lies.

I have to say that I have to give the media brownie points (further complicating my love-hate relationship with the media) for exposing many of the lies. In a world where the truth is truly relative, the media outlets have actually been doing their homework and playing the role of the watchdog they are suppose to be. (Begins a slow clap).

On Sunday morning, the Obama camp sent a memo to reporters entitled a "Dishonorable, Dishonest Campaign," which highlighted a number of the erroneous pieces. Joe Klein, of Time magazine called one spot the "sleaziest" he had ever seen. Paul Krugman of the New York Times, defined the episode as a "blizzard of lies." On Sunday, the St. Petersburg Times, ran an editorial entitled: "Campaign Of Lies Disgraces McCain," while the Chicago Tribune's Steve Chapman, wrote that "to McCain the truth is expendable."

What the campaigns have learned over the last few weeks is: There is such a thing as too many lies. Now, we all expect an ample amount of stretching-the-truth-and-taking-innocuous-comments-out-of-context moments in elections. That’s just the nature of the beast, my friends. But there is a fine line. And the McCain campaign reached it, crossed it and set up camp there for a few weeks. I mean you can’t just say that the sky is purple (i.e. your veep didn't take earmarks and opposed the "Bridge to Nowhere") and not expect anyone to call you out on it.

In McCain’s recent press interviews, he clearly looks very uncomfortable trying to defend these lies. It’s obvious that a group of manipulative advisors have been behind the distortions and it’s sad that he has allowed them to destroy his image as a straight-talker for political gain.

Check out Barack Obama’s recent campaign ad challenging McCain’s "honor":