Banner Overtakes Big Brother

This week on Big Brother 8 some (extreme) fans were successful in something that has been tried and failed many times by other fans. For those who don't know, Big Brother airs live on Thursdays and the point of the show is too completely isolate the houseguests from the outside world (although they do communicate with producers of the show regularly without seeing them, chat with host Julie Chen once a week, and houseguest Eric gets instructions from fans since he is America's Player). For numerous years now, fans have been spending a decent amount of money to hire a plan to hang a message banner from it's tail and fly over the house while the houseguests are outside. It's quite a bit excessive in my opinion to waste money on such a pointless thing....but, hey, it's entertaining! Usually Big Brother producers spot the planes coming or are alerted before hand and they rush the houseguests into the house into lockdown where they won't be able to see the plane's message. Last Thursday...the mission was finally accomplished.

Thursday night some eager fans planned very well. During live shows on Thursdays, the houseguests usually have to compete in the backyard to become the Head of Household. This Thursday was no different. However, instead of a quick competition, the HoH event was an endurance challenge that can leave houseguests in the backyard for hours. Therefore, producers were unable to stop an in-progress competition when the houseguests are outside to lock them inside when a banner plane flew through. The plane flew through right in the middle of the competiton and ALL the houseguests read the message which read..."WE HEART NICK. AMBER AND ERIC ARE LIARS LNC = THE NERD HERD."

Now for a breakdown, Nick was the houseguest who was just voted out of the house and was closely aligned with Danielle (the 20 year old femme fatale of the Big Brother and my personal favorite). Amber and Eric were not on any one's bad side and were part of the house's bigger alliance. Amber is the cry baby of the house who did lie to Nick when she said she had no idea he would be nominated for eviction (Amber was the one who initiated the plan). Eric is America's Player and, in my opinion, is highly annoying and a bit arrogant. He does have his funny moments. Since he does what America instructs, he had voted against his alliance for two weeks straight and lied to everyone about putting blame on Nick. Now he's in the hot seat and is finally being called out (by America itself). Who knows? Maybe the majority of us want Eric out of the house and are making him vote against himself purposely so he can become targeted. If that's the case...it's working. After Danielle won Head of Household she indicated her plan is to get him out via the backdoor (though she nominated Kail and Jen for old times sake and just in case Eric had a chance to win the Veto and save himself). Also, why couldn't America have voted who would become America's Player? I doubt Eric would have become our player had that been the case. I personally would have voted for Danielle or Dustin or even Nick. Ah well. Finally, LNC = The Nerd Herd. LNC means Late Night Crew. The LNC is the bigger alliance of Dick, Danielle, Dustin, Amber, Eric, Jessica, and Jameka. The Nerd Herd was a term from season 6 referring to the alliance of Beau, Maggie, Ivette, Jen, and April who AMERICA HATED and they thought they wore holier than thou (as Mitt Romney would say). The Nerd Herd was ridiculous and the LNC cannot be compared to them in my opinion.

The banner has really stirred things up in the house. Is it really fair that the houseguests saw the banner? No. But what's fair in the Big Brother 8? Sometimes houseguests have to eat slop (oatmeal type grool) for a week. It wasn't fair but it is a new dynamic that the game must deal with and I'm happy it got air time on CBS. Eric is now a target. The LNC is about to be broken up. And I couldn't be more excited. This season has not disappointed for a second! Thank goodness this outrageous show is on three times a week! I wish it were every day!

See...I can talk about other things besides my love for Hillary Clinton lol.

Big Brother 8 airs on CBS on Sundays, Tuesdays, and live on Thursdays. Check your local listings! It's never too late to join the madness!

Potpourri

Hey, the Bahamas don't wait. Poor Congress had to stay in late over the weekend and work. Wah. Anyways, seems like they got a lot done since they passed a buttload of stuff, or versions of stuff, including, but not limited to FISA, Defense Appropriations, and an Energy Bill (House only). To give the rundown, FISA, or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, would immediately allow the US to start warrantless surveillance of foreign targets, regardless of whether or not that person is communicating with someone in the US. However, it would require the attorney general to note how the info is collected, and the procedures would be subjected to a FISA court later. The Republican version of the bill passed, but all in all, I'm okay with this. Plus, the bill expires in 6 months so they can come back and revise as needed (vacation was calling, it was getting late...) The Energy Bill looks to have a tough fight in the Senate. It has a lot of provisions, some more soporific than others, to tax oil and gas companies to help cough up the funds to pay for alternative energy measures and other programs. We'll see you back on Sept 4 Congress! Damn you and your month long vacation.

Tea with Dr. Strangelove. Republican debate on Sunday, sponsored by ABC News, moderated by the dashingly handsome, charmingly witty, and endearingly intelligent George Stephanopoulos. Oh yeah, the guy is apparently not half bad as a speech writer either. The candidates mostly stayed away from bashing each other, although they all took a jab, more or less, at the Dems. Romney in particular made a er, strange(love) comment about Obama, saying,

"I mean, in one week he went from saying he's going to sit down, you know, for tea, with our enemies, but then he's going to bomb our allies," Romney said. "He's gone from Jane Fonda to Dr. Strangelove in one week." (WaPo)

I will pay someone good money if they can provide a visual of this.

Tancredo also mentioned that he would bomb Islamic holy sites. Holy sites, more like holy shit, that is a terrible idea! I actually agree with Thompson's (that's Tommy) statements,

"Bombing religious artifacts and religious holy sites would do nothing but unify 1 billion Muslims against us."

Let's talk less about bombing people and more about flowers and love and bunnies! Bunnies, people! and Kittens! and Peace! peace kittens!

Gimme some mo' Hagel might join the pres race. He's using the August recess to decide. Of all the Republicans, I probably like him the best. I think the real question is, though, do the Republicans need more nominees? The debate stage only fits so many. Still, I bet Chuck will think about it, decide, declare, run and have hell freeze over before Fred Thompson plans a date to declare (Sept 5 is the actual date, for any who care)

Important Dates?
Aug 4/this Sat was Obama's 46th birthday! Hoorah?
Aug 7/tomorrow AFL-CIO debate for Dems

Also, I'm really excited for this Indiana Jones movie. I'm a big fan of the series, so I'll just plug my ears and go "la la la" to all the bad rap it's eventually going to get.

Dr. Jones!

Check out the first promotional poster from the upcoming fourth Indiana Jones movie:

Part of this movie was filmed in New Haven last month, so we have to show it some love. Sadly, some sources are reporting that Harrison Ford has lost the old Dr. Jones magic that made his previous performances so memorable. I think that's pretty much to be expected, though, since the third installment was filmed over 15 years ago. I'm sure we can all look forward to an entertaining movie next May. (Source)

Bourne Breaks The Box Office

The Bourne Ultimatum, most likely the last Bourne film for Matt Damon, took in an extremely impressive $70.2 million this weekend. The film not only surpassed its two predecessors, but also became the biggest opening weekend for August ever! I saw the movie today and was extremely impressed. It was definitely the best film in the series, which is rare for the 3rd film in a series. Good acting, intelligent plot, and a great screenplay go a very long way. I definitely recommend this film. Only downside is the way director Paul Greengrass works the camera leaves me feeling very dizzy. The camera is always shaking and I guess it is one of the director's trademarks because the last Bourne film and United 93 both gave me and others the same nautious feeling. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that this movie was absolutely superb. Do not miss this film!

Pollspot: Iowa Hearts Romney

From Political Wire:

Iowa:

A new Washington Post/ABC News poll in Iowa finds Mitt Romney leading the Republican presidential race with 26%, followed by Rudy Giuliani at 14%, Fred Thompson at 13%, Mike Huckabee at 8%, and Sen. John McCain also at 8%.

A 12 point lead in Iowa is definitely good news for the Romney camp. However, he is still very much unknown in most of the nation.

Hillary...loved or hated at YearlyKos

The Democratic presidential candidates descended to Chicago this weekend to attend the YearlyKos convention. For those who are unfamiliar with YearlyKos, it is an annual convention featuring left-leaning liberal bloggers who collaborate and write for the DailyKos website. Today, Senator Hillary Clinton took to the stage at YearlyKos and this was not just another speech for her. It is no secret that the more liberal bloggers have not been the biggest fan of Hillary and have criticized her plenty...especially for her initial support of the Iraq war. However, the Hillary Clinton campaign knows the importance and impact that the internet and bloggers have become and so she has been slowly, but surely, trying to gain their respect and show that she does listen to what they have to say. To show her slight unpopularity with DailyKos, this article from The Politico shows a poll taken in July which has Hillary in 3rd among their choices for president with only 9% (John Edwards came in first with 36% followed by Senator Barack Obama with 27%). Taking the stage today, Hillary was probably expecting to be booed and heckled.

And yes...that did happen. But only TWICE and the first one didn't really count because it was a comment about the Chicago Cubs vs. the Chicago White Sox. People always get worked up about sports! Anyways, now that reviews are pouring in from Hillary's performance, people are either completely loving or hating her speech. Most agree she did well. According to Roger Simon at The Politico in this article, "she went on for another 40 minutes and nothing was heard in the room but cheers -- and applause. It was, in fact, a tour de force performance, though she started with defensive humor." Watching her words carefully because she knows that only one misstep can potentially be disastrous, she continued her conversation with none of the other candidates present at the forum taking any shots at her. Regarding Iraq, Hillary was applauded for saying, “We must withdraw in a careful and responsible way...We can’t just wake up and say we will move 160,000 troops. That is dangerous." This was in contrast to Governor Bill Richardson saying that we can withdraw a majority of the troops by the end of the year. I agree with Hillary and don't think Richardson's withdrawal plan would be possible or safe...especially with President Bush still in office.

Now came time for Hillary to receive some boos. When the topic of special interest groups, lobbyists, and money came up, Roger Simon says this is where Hillary received "the only substantive negative reaction of the day." John Edwards made it known that he and Senator Obama do not accept money from Washington lobbyists (though Democratic contender and former Senator Mike Gravel says Barack Obama does in fact collect money from lobbyists) and now it was time for Hillary to respond. Hillary said, “I have been saying that based on my 35 years of fighting for what I believe in, I don’t think anybody will think I will be influenced [by lobbyist contributions].” I couldn't agree more. She didn't shy away from the fact that she accepts money from lobbyists but she made it clear they don't have as much influence on her as she is portrayed. Yes, the health care industry sends money to Hillary but let's not forget how hard Hillary worked as First Lady to reform the health care system. She failed the first time around and she has been very vocal about trying again. When the boos broke out, Clinton responded with "“I have been waiting [for that],” Clinton said with a smile. “It gives me a real sense of reality in being here. I have a good idea about bringing about change. I wish it were as simple as doing this or that. I will take money from lobbyists, because some represent real Americans like nurses and social workers, and they represent businesses that employ a lot of people. And I ask you to look at my record. I do want to be the president for everybody.” Defending lobbyists won't get Hillary anywhere at YearlyKos. Think again if you think Edwards and Obama don't except money from other corporate interests besides lobbyists. Let me remind you that in spite of taking money from lobbyists, Hillary has always been a champion for the causes of people who are less fortunate, specifically women and children, having grown up in middle class America with not a lot of money. After Yale, Hillary worked for Marion Wright Edelman (her mentor) at the Children's Defense Fund. People who say Hillary is a cold woman really need to take a look at her past and do some research.

Another writer at Politico, Ben Smith, focused on only the negative response that was given to Hillary in this article and says she bombed. Roger Simon's article refutes that but Smith's article is still an interesting read. Regarding the lobbyists, Smith writes, "Clinton’s defense of lobbyists may have aimed at adding nuance to a debate in which Edwards and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama have cast federal lobbyists as dangerous influence peddlers while continuing to take money from corporate executives and state lobbyists. But instead, it seemed to solidify the perception of Clinton as a Washington establishment figure in a year when Democrats are eager for change. Her words drew jeers from the audience and invited sharp responses from Edwards and Obama." This was the opportunity that Edwards and Obama were waiting for. It's rare they are speaking somewhere together that Hillary is not the most popular candidate and they know they had to strike at her at some point knowing they had a sort of home-court advantage. Smith also writes, "Obama’s advisers, however, were jubilant, joking with reporters about how quickly they would be able to turn her words into a television ad. There goes Obama's politics of change once more down the drain as his campaign seizes an opportunity to join the Clinton offensive. “I can’t say I’ve ever heard a more fulsome defense of lobbyists before,” deadpanned Obama’s main adviser, David Axelrod. “It certainly stood out.” Listen, I don't mind if you are going to attack any candidate. Unfortunately, it is a part of American politics. However, I do mind if part of your entire campaign is running on a platform that you will run a clean campaign without attacks. This is part of the reason why I continue to distance myself from Senator Obama more and more each day.

In conclusion, I'm sure a lot of what all the candidates and Hillary said today was more of the same old stuff we have been hearing for months now. I am glad that Hillary attended the YearlyKos convention and has been making progress with bloggers. While not a stellar performance, Hillary Clinton was not knocked down and continues to perform better than people could ever have anticipated. People continue to underestimate her and keep waiting for this to all come apart...guess what people? It won't. This woman fights for what she believes in and she'll continue to fight regardless of whether or not she wins the nomination and the presidency. Roger Simon's article sums up my feelings pretty well with a quote from Markos Moulitsas on Hillary's performance today. He says, "She did a good job in reducing hostility. Half the battle is getting the proper respect, and she got that. She doesn’t have to get total agreement.” I agree. We've come so far and we still have got so far to go.

-John Oliveira

A Hillary Disclaimer

Alright, now if you've been reading this blog you know that I (John) post a lot of stuff about the 2008 presidential race with a special focus on my personal favorite candidate, Senator Hillary Clinton. However, I don't want to isolate anyone with differentiating viewpoints. If you disagree with me, tell me! Post a comment and we can argue about it! That's how we learn from each other. As I've said, here at The Green Room we all are pretty much moderate to left leaning but we'd love to get different opinions...especially if they come from the right. Ashlee and myself are in Hillary's corner, Richard is for Obama, Kevin is for Richardson, and Leah is still shopping (though if Ashlee, Rich, and myself keep pummeling our Hillary and Obama agendas into her head, I don't think she will purchase either of our candidates). Anyways, point being...this is not an entirely political blog but I think the 2008 presidential race is extremely important and therefore I will keep posting about it and hopefully you will keep reading and sharing your thoughts.

With that said...I am going to write some more about Hillary.

Pollspot: More of the Same

More of the same here as another national poll at Political Wire shows my candidate, Senator Hillary Clinton, expanding her lead. On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani continues to do well.

The latest Newsweek poll shows Sen. Hillary Clinton pulling away from her rivals in the Democratic presidential race. Clinton leads with 44% and is trailed by Sen. Barack Obama at 23% and John Edwards at 14%.

On the GOP side, Rudy Giuliani leads with 30%, followed by Fred Thompson at 22%, Sen. John McCain at 13%, and Mitt Romney at 10%.

Although it may look like we will see a New York showdown in 2008 with Hillary Clinton vs. Rudy Giuliani vs. Mike Bloomberg, I think in the end Mitt Romney will have the GOP nomination instead of Rudy.

Oh and....GO HILLARY!

Underwhelming?

Leah recently posted a political cartoon noting the mudslinging and seemingly "petty" comments made by both Barack and Hillary. I feel conflicted about this. Not about Leah. I really like Leah. But about the commentary the cartoon makes. Don't get me wrong, I think they both made a mistake in continuing to comment on the meeting-with-rogue-nations and Pakistan issue. However, I think that Hillary calling Obama "naive and irresponsible" was completely relevant and necessary because his comments were naive and irresponsible. I know I'm perpetuating this issue by continuing to post on it, but I think that national security and foreign relations are pretty damn important, especially since this is what Dems looks weak on. If we call this to be underwhelming and mudslinging, then on what do we want our presidential nominees to comment? I would say invading an ally is rather important, and is a reflection of a nominee's foreign policy. It's a hell of a lot less sexy than say poverty or global warming, but it's probably one of the most, if not the most, important issues in the race. Not invading Pakistan per se, but reestablishing America in the global community, which includes how we go about addressing terrorism and its effects on other nations.

However, it's hard to hate on Hil since she hasn't directly attacked Obama about his rather outrageous Pakistan's address. She's instead used this opportunity to highlight her own strengths and positions on this issue. Most of the other candidates, especially Biden and Dodd as John mentioned, have directly refuted Obama. Also, I'm not so much underwhelmed as scared that we could have a president this inexperienced. Not the guy you want holding the nuclear codes, savvy?

I also think it's important to recognize that the Democrats are in a really great position to win the presidency. There are still 6 months until the primary, and so it's probably best to take it slow. Yet, at the same time, the only way to win the primary is to take this time to differentiate themselves, and that requires the candidates to address issues, such as, er, national security. It's a fine balance they need to strike, mudslinging vs. differentiating, and it's hard for the American public to understand that.

In other news, the Bourne Ultimatum is GREAT. So go and see it.

Death at the home of actor Ving Rhames

Here's a sad and scary story. A man who worked for actor Ving Rhames was mauled to death by the actor's dogs. The actor has bragged to several magazines in the past about owning eight mastiffs. Pretty scary stuff.

Clinton and Obama in the Playground

Here's a nice and telling article from The New York Times about the relationship between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In fact, this article goes very well with the political cartoon that Leah posted below. The article discusses how the two, once friendly to each other senators, now barely speak and try to avoid contact but watch each other very carefully. It also compares the Senate floor to a playground. Here is an excerpt:

Mrs. Clinton, of New York, and Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut came first, laughing and smiling as they made their way to the Democratic side of the aisle. A few paces behind was Senator Joseph R. Biden of Delaware, who quickly joined the other two in a light moment. (Earlier, Mrs. Clinton and Senator John McCain , an Arizona Republican, had been trading warm banter near the front of the Senate floor, which takes on the air of a schoolyard during marathon voting sessions like these.)

Mr. Obama entered the Senate floor alone. He glanced at the other three, pulled out his Blackberry and paused for a few seconds before walking to the third row and taking a seat next to three freshman senators. As the evening passed, Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton each spoke with several Republicans in the room and to nearly every Democrat -- except each other.

It has got to be awkward for those two! Their schedules are so similar that they really can't avoid each other. Nice to see that Hillary, Joe, and Chris can still chill together on the Senate floor!

Mudslingers

By Daryl Cagle at MSNBC

While both candidates have their strengths and weaknesses, I've been particularly underwhelmed by Hillary and Barack recently. In this case, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Obama Vs. Pakistan

This continues my series on why Senator Barack Obama is NOT ready to be president and why my candidate, Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton, is. Also, I'll pretty much take anyone of the Democrats except for Obama. Okay...so maybe I'd leave Gravel and Kucinich as well but, at least, I give them credit for being more real.

Senator Obama has made more reckless remarks regarding how the U.S. should withdraw its troops from Iraq and stick them in Afghanistan and Pakistan to deal with terrorists. I'm sorry Senator but it is too soon to talk about taking our troops out just to stick them somewhere else. A big reason we want the war in Iraq to end is because we want our troops to come home and not to be thrown into another unneccessary war with no end in sight. There are other ways to hunt down Bin Laden then to throw us into another conflict. Hillary Clinton was right when she called Barack Obama's answer regarding meeting with the "bad" world leaders "naive" and "irresponsible." Here is a snippet of how Pakistan feels after Obama's comments from the Associated Press and posted at Hillaryis44.

Pakistan criticized U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama on Friday for saying that, if elected, he might order unilateral military strikes against terrorists hiding in this Islamic country. Top Pakistan officials said Obama’s comment was irresponsible and likely made for political gain in the race for the Democratic nomination. “It’s a very irresponsible statement, that’s all I can say,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Khusheed Kasuri told AP Television News. “As the election campaign in America is heating up we would not like American candidates to fight their elections and contest elections at our expense.”

Obama said in a speech Wednesday that as president he would order military action against terrorists in Pakistan’s tribal region bordering Afghanistan if intelligence warranted it. The comment provoked anger in Pakistan, a key ally of the United States in its war on terror.

President Bush has worsened our relationships with countries ALL over the world and it is most definitely the worst in the Middle East and southwestern Asia. Pakistan is actually an ALLY of the US right now so please don't isolate them and threaten them with blanket statements about nuclear weapons and war. Other Democratic presidential candidates including Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, who is perhaps the most experienced in foreign policy having sat on the foreign relations committee, and Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut have called Obama out for his comments and Biden has echoed Clinton's call of Obama as naive. Obama stated he wanted to meet with our enemies...wonderful...all the Democratic candidates are for more diplomacy so your little tiff against Hillary Clinton was stupid and unneccessary for both campaigns. However, don't push countries that are not our enemies further and further away. Obama has the rock star quality and I feel that's why he chose to run...because he's very much enjoying the attention and popularity that comes with power. His comments are showing me more and more that he is not ready to lead this country. A few days ago Obama said how, out of all the candidates Democrat and Republican, he had the best and most foreign policy experience because he has lived oversees and has family overseas. NEWSFLASH...Obama lived oversees for FOUR years when he was SIX years old. Give me a break Obama, why don't you take a back seat and let your staffer David Axelrod run for the presidency because he is clearly more experienced than you. And fyi...if you want to distance yourself from George W. Bush...then think before you speak and don't start throwing stuff out there for political gain.

Yearly Kos

Although many of the Democratic candidates, particularly all the frontrunners, are attending the Yearly Kos convention, a lollapalooza for bloggers, media, and party activists, it's clear Hillary is making some serious efforts to garner some blogger love. True, Daily Kos likes to hate on her (Daily Kos, though often filled interesting info and honest, relevant analysis, can be haters) and yet, here she is, defending them against Bill O'Reilly's scathing remarks about daily kos.

Besides her quick response to O'Reilly and generous remarks about kos, she's continued her blog-love efforts with this, rearranging her schedule completely in order to participate in Yearly Kos's small, break out sessions with the candidates. Even though she had already made it clear that she couldn't make the sessions due to scheduling issues (not the Rudy/Romney -let's-avoid-real-questions-from-Americans-incl-snowmen kind of scheduling issues) she's recognizing the importance the netroots have on campaigns. Interestingly, while we think of the net as only young people, almost 40% of fbook users are over the age of 35, 46% of myspace users are over 35 yrs, and more than half of youtube users are 35 yr to 64 yr (comScore). Clinton can reach out to us collegiates, and Grandma, all at the same time.

Slow news day

Three way tie in Iowa, big snafu, Hil's still got it locked up in New Hampshire. Granite state loves her as much as I do!

Since Congress is supposed to be in their mandatory 30 day recess, I thought today was going to be a slow news day (I hate that there's no Hotline today). But, alas, those crazy kids up on the Hill just can't get it together, and serves them right. Republicans walked out of the House last night because the Dems supposedly weren't playing nice with their procedural vote. Anyways, on the upside, at least we passed SCHIP! Or some tangled, variations of it. Strong support in the Senate, a uh, slightly, marked up version from the House. SCHIP, the State Children's Health Insurance Plan, is due to expire in September. So it's up for reauthorization. Championed by a bipartisan team, it helps cover those families and children who don't qualify for Medicaid, but can't afford health insurance. Somehow the Bush administration thinks this is a bad thing, and are threatening to veto. *Cue sad music.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Jotts_Sab

Yes, Bush, you don't want to help these children. For shame.

In other news, though this is very outdated, I've recently found out that Bush endearingly refers to Karl Rove as a "turd blossom." Well, that makes two of us. Although Bush thinks it's cute, Wikipedia says:

Turd blossom' was used in 1960s Texas high school slang to describe the spreading smell of a fart, or the spreading stain of a loose bowel movement. Neither Rove nor George W. Bush attended high school in Texas, and they may have been unfamiliar with the original use of the word. 'Fart blossom' was a common variant.

2008 just can't come fast enough, now can it?

Three-Way In Iowa

It's a three-way tie in Iowa for the Democrats. According to Political Wire:

Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama and John Edwards are in a virtual tie for first place in Iowa, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. The survey found Obama had 27% support, followed by Clinton and Edwards tied at 26%. Gov. Bill Richardson was fourth with 11%."

While Clinton has a clear and consistent lead over Obama in national polls, with Edwards generally running a distant third, the contours of the campaign in Iowa appear far different. Edwards's strong base of support, built on the foundations of his second-place finish in the state's precinct caucuses in 2004, has turned Iowa into the most competitive early state for the Democratic field."

I have a feeling in the end John Edwards might win in Iowa. He needs the win to have a chance. Hopefully, Hillary Clinton will do some major Iowa campaigning in the Fall and take over both Edwards and Obama.

Movie Trailer: Rendition

Here is the new trailer for the film Rendition. This political thriller has a stellar cast including Academy Award winners Reese Witherspoon, Alan Arkin, and the always amazing Meryl Streep. Also starring are Jake Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard. I hope this movie isn't just a whole bunch of big names shoved into a terrible film. Rendition hits theaters this Fall.

Check out the trailer here.

Pollspot: Hillary and Rudy On The Rise

According to Political Wire:

A new Pew Research poll shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 40%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 21%, Al Gore at 12% and John Edwards at 11%.

On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani leads with 28%, followed by Fred Thompson at 17%, Sen. John McCain at 16% and Mitt Romney at 10%.Key findings:

"Clinton has doubled her margin over Obama since the last Pew Research Center poll in April, making gains among younger voters and Democratic-leaning independents who have been a source of strength for Obama. Giuliani and McCain have seen their support fall since April, but Thompson has nearly doubled his strength. Fifty-three percent of Republicans say they want the party's nominee to take a different direction on Iraq than President Bush."

Hillary and Obama are squaring off this week over nuclear weapons. Obama said yesterday that we should pull troops out of Iraq and stick them in Afghanistan and Pakistan to deal with Al-Qaeda. Looks like someone is trying to appear more hawkish and more experienced than he actually is.

Bourne is Back!

Matt Damon is back for the third time as Jason Bourne this weekend in The Bourne Ultimatum. So far, the movie is receiving much critical praise and is currently 92% Fresh at Rotten Tomatoes with 34 Fresh and 3 Rotten so far. I'm definitely planning on checking this film out. The first film, The Bourne Identity, is one of my favorite films.

Bridge Collapse Kills 5

Another tragic story as an interstate bridge in Minneapolis, Minnesota collapsed into the Mississippi River. So far 5 people have been killed. Let's hope that number does not increase. A link to the full story can be found here. Image courtesy of ABC News and the Associated Press.

What Whoopi Means For The View

As announced earlier today, Whoopi Goldberg was named the new moderator at The View. Whoopi is a great addition to the panel and I'm saddened I will not be in the US when the Oscar/Tony/Emmy/Grammy award winner takes the seat once held by Meredith Vierra and Rosie O'Donnell. The comedienne's inclusion as moderator will serve the show quite well. Whoopi Goldberg is a big name star and while she is not known for being as controversial as the former Queen of Nice Rosie O'Donnell...she doesn't come completely without baggage. Weight Watchers fired her as a spokesperson in 2004 after Whoopi criticized President Bush. Goldberg is outspoken and she'll fit in well. However, unless she really steps it up, The View shouldn't expect to see ratings as high as they were when Rosie was famously feuding with everyone from Donald Trump, Kelly Ripa, and, of course, panelist Elizabeth Hasselbeck. On choosing Goldberg, Barbara Walters probably did not want a repeat of last year, which most definitely must have caused the legendary broadcast journalist some serious stress, so Whoopi is a perfect choice as a big name who won't stir the pot as vigorously as Rosie did. Not to cause Ms. Walters more agita, I hope Whoopi does push the limits and speak her mind very loudly. While I have always been a fan of the show, Rosie O'Donnell made the show relevant and newsworthy. Rosie helped panelist Joy Behar step up her game as well and Behar's passion has really shone through since Rosie joined (and now exited) the panel. The View cannot take a step backward.

Now The View has typically had five people on the panel. Barbara Walters did not do the show daily when the panel had five women. With Star Jones Reynold's abrupt departure last year after ABC did not renew her contract and O'Donnel's departure, Barbara Walters has rarely missed a day. She especially has not missed a day since O'Donnell left because that would leave Joy and Elizabeth alone with a guest host and, more importantly, the guest hosts have been serving as auditions to permanently fill the vacated seat. The most frequent guest host this past year has been comedienne Sherri Shepherd. Shepherd is hilarious and definitely a great guest host when she fills in. Her chemistry with the other hosts has been spot-on and Sherri even tried to squash the fight between Rosie and Elizabeth, which Barbara must have approved of, that led to O'Donnell's early exit. Insiders were already leaking information that Sherri Shepherd had been offered a spot on the panel alongside Whoopi Goldberg and that negotiations had started.

However, today saw the announcement of only Whoopi Goldberg as moderator. There was no mention of the other empty seat. No offense to Sherri Shepherd, but they wouldn't announce a big name like Whoopi Goldberg before they announced Sherri Shepherd as a new panelist. Therefore, I have the feeling things maybe did not go as planned for producers and we aren't going to see a colorful and comic (Shepherd's addition would make for three comedians on the panel) group come Labor Day. Now, reports and rumors are being circulated that negotiations with Shepherd fell through and she will not be joining the panel permanently. Sources say that Shepherd was asking for $2 million and that the show was not willing to give her that. Goldberg's salary is reportedly going to be $2 million and, clearly, Whoopi is a much bigger and known name than Sherri Shepherd so I think Shepherd asking for $2 million is a bit outrageous and I don't know why she thought they would pay her that much. I doubt that even Joy Behar (who's been with the show since the beginning) and Elizabeth Hasselbeck get paid that much. Who knows? This is all a bit of rumors for now and come Fall, the panel may very well include Sherri Shepherd. If they choose to go with someone else my vote goes to Kathy Griffin, who would really make the show catch fire and the combination of her and Whoopi would make the show skyrocket in the ratings department. Kathy, though named a front-runner, seems like a long shot to me since Barbara Walters does not seem to be a fan of the outrageous My Life on the D-List red-head at all. But who knows if Barbara will put aside her distaste for some stellar ratings. Sherri Shepherd...I love you girl but let's all move aside for Miss Kathy Griffin. All in all, we should be in for a fun ride once The View starts its next season in September.

Pollspot: Hillary Moves On Up

While national polls do not matter as much as individual state polls, they still provide a lot of insight. Here's a new poll courtesy of Political Wire:

Sen. Hillary Clinton opened a 21-point edge over her closest contender, Sen. Barack Obama, leading him 43% to 22% in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, according to the latest Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. John Edwards is third with 13% support.

Key finding: "Clinton has earned high marks for experience and benefited from stepped-up antiwar moves in recent months."

21 point lead sounds good to me. Let's shut this thing down and win Hillary!

Whoopi Joins The View

Whoopi Goldberg was officially announced as the new moderator for The View today by Barbara Walters. The hilarious comedienne is taking the spot of Rosie O'Donnell and which once belonged to Today's Meredith Vierra. Walters did not name who would fill the spot vacated by Star Jones Reynolds. Many believe that spot will soon go to Sherri Shepherd.

Starbucks Raises Prices

So it's a hot summer day in the middle of July and your eye catches the shimmering green letters on the facade of a small, chic coffee shop. Just simply reading what these magical letters spell out sends a refreshing and fulfilling feeling to your body and soul. You gaze into the oh-so-familiar circular logo, with a woman in the middle surrounded by the words, "STARBUCKS COFFEE," and your car immediately changes directions to the adjacent parking lot.

You walk in smelling the sensational essence of a variety of coffee brews, while taking in the calm and collective ambiance. A feeling of sophistication and relaxation floods your mind as you watch people type away at their laptops or engage in a vibrant conversation, only getting you closer to order your favorite drink.

How about a java chip frappuccino? Maybe a light, chai tea? Tall? Grande? So many choices - all very delicious.

Yet today is different.

The register rings up not your familiar price for your delicious drink, but a price much higher than what you expected. Can this be true? Well in fact it is.

As of July 31st 2007, the company, Starbucks, has increased their prices on their well known coffee beverages and everyone is asking why.

According to The Seattle Times:

...caffeine addicts will pay an average 9 cents more for a cup of coffee at Starbucks, partly because of the rising price of the milk and whipped cream.

The increase was unexpected, given how infrequently the Seattle chain has raised prices. The last increase, which averaged a nickel, came less than 10 months ago.

Before that, Starbucks hadn't raised prices since an 11-cent increase in 2004.

The company cited rising prices "inside the supply chain," including higher dairy, fuel and energy expenses.

Dairy costs, in particular, have hurt several of the nation's largest food companies in recent months.

Indeed, it is the rising dairy costs that have contributed to such a rise in Starbucks coffee prices. Many "regular" customers may not enjoy the recent increase (perhaps remembering the good ol' days when buying your favorite coffee-infused beverage seemed like such a good deal), but will most likely continue to purchase their reliable source to stay awake at the office. However, there are many who believe such an action to be outrageous.

Having enjoyed a beverage or two from Starbucks myself, I have to admit that such a price increase did raise my attention. However, I don't feel that Starbucks will lose many of its followers and will continue to thrive as one of the most recognized coffee shops in the world.

US Deaths Down

According the Associated Press and MSNBC, the month of July saw the lowest American death toll (73) in the Iraq war in 8 months. However, that toll is nearly twice as high as in the same month last year.

A link to the full article can be found here.

While this is most definitely good news, 73 deaths is still far too many. End the war. Bring our troops home. That's all I have to say.

Nicole Richie: Eating For Two

Nicole Richie has FINALLY confirmed to Diane Sawyer that she is FOUR months pregnant. The father is Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, who last dated Hilary Duff. This comes days after Nicole was sentenced to spend FOUR days in jail. Is FOUR her lucky number?

Because it's just too damn funny...

Watch as this reporter makes broadcast journalists cringe in the WORST interview ever. Watch the first minute and then fast forward to the last minute where homegirl even messes up which network she works for.

Pollspot: Obama Moves Up

Rich will be pleased with these polls. I, of course, think these new polls are abysmal. I guess all the drama following the Democratic debate was good for Obama who, in my opinion, performed sub-par.

Courtesy of Political Wire:

South Carolina:

Among Democrats, Obama 33%, Clinton 29%, Edwards 18%
Among Republicans, Giuliani 28%, Thompson 27%, McCain 10%, Romney 7%

This poll is interesting because a poll last week showed Obama trailing in 3rd place now it likes like he has narrowly passed Hillary Clinton. Obama still trails the Black vote in South Carolina. Meanwhile, Romney's campain issued a release calling him the front runner. I guess they didn't take a look at South Carolina before that memo.

New Hampshire:

Among Democrats, Obama 31%, Clinton 31%, Edwards 14%, Richardson 7%
Among Republicans, Giuliani 27%, Romney 26%, Thompson 13%, McCain 10%

In critical New Hampshire, Clinton and Obama are in a virtual tie as Obama picks up the vote with male Democrats. Expect a Clinton/Obama showdown here in coming months. Also tied are Giuliani and Romney.

Finally...

Iowa:

Among Democrats, Clinton 30%, Edwards 21%, Obama 15%, Richardson 13%
Among Republicans, Giuliani 22%, Romney 21%, McCain 17%, Thompson 13%

This key state has Clinton in the lead though polls last week showed Edwards narrowly edging her out. Obama is losing ground to Bill Richardson who is better known in the region than he is out here in the East. Again, Romney and Giuliani are tied here so I don't know where his campaign got the idea to call him the GOP frontrunner.

It's anyone's game in both parties! Quite the exciting race. Knock em out Hill!

A Prayer For Robin Roberts

Good Morning America's co-anchor Robin Roberts announced today that she has breast cancer. She will undergo surgery to treat the cancer this Friday. The ABC News reporter discovered the lump during a self-examination. We are praying and thinking of you.

Chief Justice Suffers Seizure

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, was hospitalized today after falling at his home in Maine. The fall was the result of a seizure. Hope Justice Roberts makes a full recovery.

A link to the story can be found here.

Rumorville: Jimmy Fallon May Take Late Night Spot

Jimmy Fallon may be making the jump to late night television. Rumors are circulating that the SNL alum may take Conan O'Brien's spot as host of Late Night when Conan takes over The Tonight Show for Jay Leno in 2009. This is all speculation for now and NBC will not release any news until 2008. Rumors are also circulating that NBC does not want Jay Leno to retire in 2009 and that they may extend his contract and buy out Conan's contract for $40 million. If Conan does take over for Leno, the show may move from LA to New York where it would face booking competition with David Letterman's Late Show. Either way, Conan's get paid. I, for one, would like to see Jay Leno stay on as host for a little longer. While I like Jimmy Fallon, I would like to see NBC do something new and give a woman the Late Night spot. Kathy Griffin anyone?

Britney and Kevin: Before Death Do We Part

It's Official: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are officially and finally divorced today! The couple will share 50/50 custody of their two children, Sean Preston and Jaden James. Too bad Britney is the bigger mess-up than Kevin these days.

Hillary Takes On The Hater

Click here to see a video from CNN where a protester with a sign comes up to Senator Hillary Clinton while she is delivering a speech to the College Democrats. However, Hillary acts like a pro and disregards the hater for a bit and then the crowd boos the hater and signs in SUPPORT of Hillary go up everywhere!

Weekend Box Office 7/29

The weekend box office estimates according to Coming Soon: 1. The Simpsons Movie $71,850,000 2 I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - $19,063,000 3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - $17,065,000 4. Hairspray - $15,550,000 5. No Reservations - $11,755,0006 6. Transformers $11,524,000 7. Ratatouille - $7,234,000 8. Live Free or Die Hard - $5,350,000 9. I Know Who Killed Me - $3,400,000 10. Who’s Your Caddy? - $2,900,000 The Simpsons Movie has dominated and the good reviews definitely helped. I'm still upset with America for allowing Chuck and Larry to make so much money. I'm extremely pleased that Hairspray continues to rack in the dough bringing it's domestic total to almost $60 million. Lindsay Lohan really has nothing to be happy about this week...she's been arrested, sent back to rehab, and now her latest movie has bombed and has had disgustingly terrible reviews. She did this to herself. What was her last hit movie? Mean Girls. Oh the glory days are over for her. But everyone loves a good comeback. Right, Mariah?

Gingrich Predicts Clinton/Obama

From CNN: WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats will nominate Hillary Rodham Clinton for president in 2008 and Barack Obama will be her running mate, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich predicts. The GOP will have three “formidable” choices in Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson, said Gingrich, who is considering whether to get into the race.

I also predict that it may just end up Hillary Clinton for Pres and Barack Obama for VP on the same ticket. It wouldn't surprise me very much anymore. I think it would solidify the Democratic party's chances of winning the White House. Other places are mentioning possible VP choices for Clinton, should she get the nomination, as Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack or Sen. Evan Bayh. Who knows? I'd be pleased with a Clinton/Obama ticket. I would be more pleased with a Clinton/Biden ticket. I would not be pleased with a Obama/Clinton ticket (but I don't think that will happen).

Madonna Sets Fall Release

According to Drowned Madonna, her royal Madgesty is set to release a new album on October 29th, 2007. This is not 100% confirmed yet and release dates are always subject to change. Madonna has stated that she wants her new album released this fall. She has been working with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, and Pharrell to re-invent her sound again.

Pollspot: Florida

From Political Wire:

Florida:

A new Mason-Dixon survey of likely voters in Florida finds Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 31% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 17% and John Edwards at 12%.

Among Republicans, Rudy Giuliani leads with 21%, followed by Fred Thompson at 18%, Sen. John McCain at 11% and Mitt Romney at 7%.

Florida is a crucial state for the Democrats and the state has quite a bit of electoral votes. Let's not forget Election 2000. GO HILLARY!

Sweeney Todd

With Hairspray released, the next movie musical is Tim Burton's adaptation of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street hitting theaters this December with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Should be a real creepfest. Click the picture for a bigger look at the movie poster!

Because it's just too damn funny...

No substance here...just some fun and clever editing! Enjoy!

Kelly Clarkson Says Sorry, Tries Again

Kelly Clarkson is releasing new material! After months of drama and reported feuding with label head Clive Davis, Clarkson is finally apologizing. The singer's second album, Breakaway, sold over 6 million copies in the US while her new album, My December, has yet to go platinum (1 million units) or produce a hit single. Now...Clive and Kelly are back! The singer says she will release a new album next year that Clive Davis will completely be in charge of.

I'm quite pleased. I love Kelly's second album. It produced great radio hits for her (Since You've Been Gone, Behind These Hazel Eyes, and Because of You). I have been extremely disappointed with her latest album. I look forward to new material headed by Clive.

Nicole Richie Sentenced!

Nicole Richie has been sentenced to only FOUR days in jail for her SECOND DUI offense. The real question is whether or not she's pregnant. I think that she definitely deserves more time in the slammer...at least equal to the time Paris Hilton spent in jail last month. Of course, this information is not half as buzzworthy as the crazy items that are coming out about Lindsay Lohan since her arrest on Tuesday morning. Now apparently she stole a car as well. Take everything with a grain of salt remember...it's all rumors (and you know Lindsay's tired of em as her first single proclaimed) for now. Besides...Lindsay says she's innocent! HA!

Pollspot

Political Wire has some interesting polls I'd like to bring to your attention:

President Bush and Iowa:

As a back drop to the presidential campaign, SurveyUSA has tracked President Bush’s approval rating in Iowa for more than two years. This month’s 28% approval rating is his lowest ever and coincides with his highest-ever disapproval number, which is 69% today.

Arizona:

A new American Research Group survey in Arizona finds Sen. Hillary Clinton continues to lead the Democratic presidential race with 39%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 25% , Bill Richardson at 9% and John Edwards at 8%.

In the Republican race, Sen. John McCain leads Rudy Giuliani 32% to 23% in his home state, with 15% for Fred Thompson. However, McCain was at 45% in the February poll.

No surprise that McCain is leading in his home state. However, it is a surprise that he has dropped almost 15 percentage points. Still, he has a comfortable lead over Rudy Giuliani. Meanwhile, while no surprises at the Hillary and Obama dominance, it is more important to point out that Bill Richardson slightly wins over John Edwards in Arizona. This shows how the New Mexico governor is definitely more well known in the West and how he definitely will have an impact in the primaries.

National:

A new Diagio/Hotline national survey finds Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 39%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 30%, and John Edwards at 11%. All other candidates receive less than 5%.

On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani edges out former Sen. Fred Thompson 20% to 19%, with Sen. John McCain third with 17% and Mitt Romney fourth at 8%. All other candidates receive less than 5% each.

Meanwhile, a new George Washington University Battleground Poll shows Giuliani edging Clinton in a general election matchup:
Clinton 44%, Giuliani 50%
Clinton 47%, Thompson 45%
Obama 52%, Giuliani 43%
Obama 56%, Thompson 36%

It's definitely interesting to point out how in this poll Clinton would lose to Giuliani but Obama would win over Giuliani. I definitely think Hillary Clinton would shut down the former NYC mayor just like she started to when they were both planning a 2000 senate run but Giuliani had to step down for health reasons.

Rumorville: The View

This is almost completely confirmed but I'll wait until we get an official announcement before I consider it not a rumor...sources close to ABC are announcing that Whoopi Goldberg and Sherri Shepherd have been offered the two vacant spots on The View panel replacing Rosie O'Donnell and Star Jones Reynolds. A full announcement is expected next week.

Mitt Romney vs YouTube

This article from the Chicago Tribune was brought to my attention discussing Mitt Romney's big mistake!

Here's a quote from the article:

"YouTube is a website that allows kids to network with one another and make friends and contact each other," Romney explained. "YouTube looked to see if they had any convicted sex offenders on their web site. They had 29,000."

WHOOPS! Come on Mitt Romney! Get with the times! YouTube allows users to share videos...MySpace allows the kids to networks with one another! As Ashlee pointed out, this just shows how disconnected he is with today's youth. It's also a bit of a slap in YouTube's face because the website has taken big steps to get out the word of the 2008 Presidential Election by allowing each candidate to have a page and post videos. Romney should have also known better because come September...he will be participating in the CNN/YouTube debate. Maybe someone should ask him about this little blunder?

UPDATE: Mitt Romney may NOT participate in the September CNN/YouTube debate. An even bigger slap in the face to YouTube.

According to Political Wire:

Two Republican presidential frontrunners, former Gov. Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani, are both considering not participating in the CNN/YouTube Republican debate in September.

According to Marc Ambinder, Giuliani “will most likely opt out” because of “unspecified scheduling conflicts.” The New Hampshire Union Leader reports that Romney “isn’t sure yet whether he’ll participate…but he’s no fan of the format.”

The Simpsons Movie

The Simpsons Movie hits theaters today (July 27th). The long running show film adaptation is currently getting good reviews at Rotten Tomatoes with 66 Fresh and 11 Rotten with more reviews expected to pour in. I myself have never been a fan of the show and have never even seen a full episode in my 20 years. However, I do looove that Spider Pig.

Edwards Leads in Iowa

Here's one state where Hillary Clinton is not leading. John Edwards is doing quite well in Iowa. Typically, John Edwards has been 3rd in most polls. I'm a little disappointed but I know that Senator Clinton will take the lead and I'm confident she can pull off a win in Iowa.

Iowa:

A new Research 2000 poll in Iowa shows John Edwards still leading the Democratic presidential race with 27% support, followed by Sen. Hillary Clinton at 22%, Sen. Barack Obama at 16% and Gov. Bill Richardson at 11%.

On the GOP side, Mitt Romney leads with 25%, followed by Fred Thompson at 14%, Rudy Giuliani at 13% and Sen. John McCain at 10%.

Courtesy of Political Wire

Mini-cast

Kevin Coughlin moderates a short special 10-minute episode of The Green Room dedicated to sports. Check it out below and check out our full episode and short video package a few posts below!

Mini-cast Episode 1

Beyonce Gets Busted!

Watch this before it gets taken down!

UPDATE: I told you to watch it before it got taken down!



Beyonce Knowles took quite the dive at a concert in Orlando recently while performing Ring The Alarm. Unfortunately for her, it's hilarious! Enjoy!

South Carolina is Clinton Country!

Clinton is doing the damn thing in South Carolina. This is important since South Carolina is one of the early primary state. I really hope she continues to do well here. I think this poll may have been taken before Monday night's YouTube debate so expect that debate to impact the next South Carolina poll. Whether that is good or bad for Mrs. Clinton...only time will tell? I'll keep my fingers crossed and pray for her success.

South Carolina:

A new Insider Advantage poll in South Carolina finds Sen. Hillary Clinton with a commanding 43% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 28% and John Edwards at 13%.Key findings: "Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama are splitting the African-American vote in South Carolina with both attracting support at the low 40% level. Only 8% of African-Americans now say they are undecided. And Clinton leads among white voters by an overwhelming 51%. The next closest candidate among whites is John Edwards at 18%."

Courtesy of Political Wire

ALSO...Please check out our first short video package below and our 3rd episode!

Cinemascope: Harry Potter Release Party

Check out our FIRST video package! This SHORT one minute piece showcases our coverage of the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. There are no spoilers. Also, check out our BEST podcast episode yet directly BELOW this post!

Harry Potter Release Party

Episode 3

Here is the latest episode of The Green Room. This is most definitely our best episode featuring discussion on last night's Democratic debate, Lindsay Lohan, and Michael Vick. Hit the link and keep it on in the background!

Episode 3

The Price is Drew Carey

Drew Carey has been tapped to replace Bob Barker as the new host of The Price Is Right.

New Format, Old Questions

The internet showcased how much it has changed politics and elections last night when Anderson Cooper moderated the first ever CNN/YouTube debates. The format was new...for the first time average citizens were able to ask the questions via video submissions through YouTube. But were they really? Not entirely...CNN still acted as gatekeeper and picked which questions would address the candidates. However, the change in format did make for a new and fresh approach to presidential debates. While the format was new, the questions were old. The candidates, for the most part, still addressed the questions that they were used to dealing with Iraq, health care, and gay marriage. However, there were some questions that were new and interesting...such as asking Senator Barack Obama whether he was "black" enough and whether Senator Clinton was feminine enough. There were also some questions that were new and not so interesting...such as who was your favorite teacher? Sorry, but I felt like that was a bit of a waste of time.

Now for the winner of the debate...the format! The new format giving viewers the opportunity to ask the questions was the real winner. None of the candidates really won the debate because they all performed well and even though the format was new...a lot of the answers we received still felt extremely scripted. Of course, that won't stop any of the campaigns from declaring victory (Senator Obama's campaign crowned him king as did Senator Bidens) For once I noticed that Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Senator Chris Dodd were given equal, if not more, time than the top tier candidates. With that said, the candidate who I felt performed the worst was Governor Bill Richardson and that's only because he started off shaky. He recovered soon enough and performed well. I almost must say that Mike Gravel is insane. He's very passionate and angry about the issues but he is too much of a loose cannon and combative. I do love his presence at these debates because you can always count on him for entertainment and to put the candidates in their place. My personal favorite, other than Mrs. Clinton of course, was Senator Joe Biden. I really feel that, if Hillary Clinton were not running, this man would be the best choice for president. He really knows his foreign policy and I think he would set a good domestic agenda.

While many media and pundits predicted that the candidates would attempt to bring down Hillary Clinton last night, I found that most of the attacks were towards Barack Obama. Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel called Obama out for saying he does not accept money from lobbyists and Dennis Kucinich attacked Obama for saying that he never voted for the Iraq War. He made it very clear that Barack Obama never had the chance to vote for the Iraq war since he was not in office at the time and that Kucinich was actually the only candidate who had not voted for the war. I was pleased to hear Kucinich make this point because I'm tired of Senator Obama using this point when it is not entirely valid.

The big issue being discussed about last night's debate is the difference in answers between Senators Clinton and Obama regarding whether or not they would promise to meet with the leaders of Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, etc. in their first term. Senator Obama answered first and said he would make that promise to meet with the leaders and Senator Clinton answered next saying she would not promise to meet with them because she would need to make sure that it wouldn't be used for propaganda. While it may sound like they answered completely differently, they did not. Hillary, like Obama, said she would seek diplomacy but she just didn't say she would go into it without thinking about it first. While I have no doubt that Obama would also not jump into talks with the leaders without investigation and thought, Hillary's answer came across far more experienced and thought out. It made Obama's answer seem very naive and, amateur. My friend and Washington D.C. intern Ashlee Tran says "Her response to the Iran/N Korea/Venez/Syria/etc. ques was measured, poised and exemplified her experience." This, to me, just showed how excellent Hillary Clinton is in the debate format and how Barack Obama is not quite there yet. Today, in regards to those responses, the Clinton camp is attacking the Obama camp for being naive and the Obama camp is attacking the Clinton camp for being a flip flopper and supporting the Iraq War. Yes, they are still using that argument. When all else fails...Obama's camp tries to hide behind Iraq.

One question I have to personally comment on is whether African-Americans should receive reparations for slavery. Only Dennis Kucinich said yes. I could not agree more. I mean no disrespect when I say that unless you were out there in the fields picking that cotton or doing other slave labor, then there is no way you should get any reparation for slavery because, guess what, you were not enslaved.

In closing, while all the candidates shone last night, Hillary Clinton looked and sounded the most presidential. This woman knows her stuff and she has the experience (and I'll dive further into this later because you know I can't let Kevin's post go unanswered). Anderson Cooper did a great job moderating. Ashlee Tran says Cooper "pushed the candidates and continued to probe for answers. One of the best moderators thus far. Plus, he knows when to cut Kucinich off and when to bring Gravel back to...earth." I very much agree. There is a lot more I could say but, perhaps, one of my other Green Room members will choose to analyze the debate further. All in all, a pretty entertaining and informative debate.

Lindsay Lohan Arrested for Drunk Driving... Again!

Surprise, surprise! Lindsay Lohan has been arrested for her second DUI in two months, following a 45-day stay in a California rehabilitation center.

Lindsay was pulled over early this morning in Santa Monica after police received a call about a car chase. Lindsay and two friends were reportedly in the pursuing car, a Denali SUV. The passengers in the second car, a Cadillac Escalade, called police to report the chase. A police spokesman said he believed the people in the two cars knew each other, put were unaware of who was in the pursuing car at the time of the call.

Lindsay failed a field sobriety test (after reportedly refusing to submit to a preliminary alcohol screening device) and was then arrested. At the station she registed a blood-alcohol level of about .12 or .13 percent, well above the .08 percent California limit, despite the fact that Lindsay has been wearing an alcohol-detecting anklet since she left rehab.

Sources have also claimed that police found cocaine in Lindsay's pocket. She was booked on suspicion of drunken driving, possession of cocaine, bringing a controlled substance into custody and driving on a suspended license. She was released after posting a $25,000 bail. Lindsay was due to appear in court on August 24 for her first DUI on May 26. It is now unclear how the second DUI will affect her appearance in court.

Sources: Yahoo News, Dlisted
-------

I actually had hope for Lindsay after she finished rehab! She really seemed to be very conscious of her sobriety, even wearing that anklet although she wasn't required to do so. I am a little surprised she was drinking and driving again so soon after rehab. Clearly the girl needs some help, and Promises was not the place to give it to her. At the same time, I am sick of hearing the sob story about little rich white girls in Hollywood who can't handle their fame. Look at Anne Hathaway, Mandy Moore, Amanda Bynes, Hayden Panettiere... These girls are rich, famous and grounded. If Lindsay absolutely has to go out and get drunk, despite being an admitted alcoholic, hire a damn driver! After a second arrest, her actions can only be considered stupid and careless. Up until now she has been lucky, as neither of her drunk driving incidents has killed someone, but she might not be so lucky again. It's time young Hollywood learns that their money does not make them above the law or above human decency.

Hillary and The Polls

Due to John's love fest with the new poll regarding Hillary Clinton, I feel obligated to point out the most recent New York Times/CBS News poll. While this one agrees with the positive findings of the Washington Post-ABC News Poll which John pointed out, the NYT/CBS poll found that "Forty percent of voters view her unfavorably, more than for any of the other major candidates for president (although they are not as well known)." The NY Times article went on to say that the poll showed "Neither men nor women fully trust that she is saying what she really believes."

The campaign has a long way to go and such a high unfavorable rating is a troubling sight. Whether she deserves it or not, Hillary is a polarizing figure and this problem might only worsen as the candidates further define their platforms. I wouldn't put up the "Mission Accomplished" banner just yet.

What Did You Think?

What did you think about tonight's CNN/YouTube Democratic Debate? Post a comment and we'll discuss it in this week's posts!

Clinton Widens Margin!

From PoliticalWire.com

By a wide margin, Democrats view Sen. Hillary Clinton "as the party's candidate best positioned to win the general election," a new Washington Post-ABC News Poll found, with 54% saying the former First Lady is the most electable candidate.

In the nomination race, Clinton leads with 45%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 30% and John Edwards at 12%.

Key finding: "Clinton's initial support for the Iraq war is not proving a significant impediment to her bid."

Hillary Clinton's lead continues to grow. As a supporter of Hillary, people have told me to worry because the frontrunner always falls. I'm not worried. I have full confidence in my candidate and know she can pull through and keep the momentum. Last week, Hillary squared off against the Pentagon on Iraq and she also put in progress new legislation with Senator John Kerry (D-MA) to push for an Iraq withdrawal. She's still doing her job as Senator and running for President and I'm proud. Tonight is the CNN/YouTube debates and I fully expect the other 7 candidates to gang up and try to bring Hillary down. She can pull through!

The CNN/YouTube debates will air on CNN at 7 PM EST. The Green Room will bring you a full analysis in a possible special episode after the debate.

I Need Some More Hairspray!

From BoxOfficeMojo.com:

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix led the weekend box office, but Hairspray was the word, delivering the biggest opening on record for a musical, even when ticket price inflation is taken into account.

New Line Cinema's early Sixties-themed musical based on the Broadway show that was based on John Waters' picture of the same name spritzed a lustrous estimated $27.8 million on approximately 3,900 screens at 3,121 theaters, the widest release ever for the genre. The 1988 original, also released by New Line, grossed $6.7 million in its entire run, the equivalent of roughly $11 million today.

I am proud and extremely surprised that Hairspray managed to gross this much money. Musicals just have not done well at the Box Office. Dreamgirls and Chicago only passed the $100 million mark when they were showered with award nominations. Hopefully, Hairspray will outgross those films. I guess star power and a family fun theme go a looong way....all the way to the bank.

Entertainment Reviews

For my review of Hairspray and a bit about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (no spoilers, I promise!) check out my personal blog here!

Hairspray

I strongly recommend the movie Hairspray. It was a great time at the theater!

Full review coming soon. But for now...back to Harry Potter!

President Cheney

According to CNN "President Bush will undergo a routine colonoscopy Saturday, and will transfer power to Vice President Dick Cheney during the procedure, expected to take about two and a half hours."

Is there anything more frightening? I don't think so. Granted, this doesn't mean much since it's only for show and only for a couple of hours but can you imagine what would happen if Dick Cheney were actually to assume the Presidency? I'm not going to hold back...I think the current Vice President is an abomination to the United States and his neo-conservative politics have misled the nation and landed us in the current disastrous situation known as the Iraq War. Is there anything wrong with admitting defeat? The United States still refuses to acknowledge the fact that we lost the Vietnam War. Guess what? Iraq is another loss. Also, the Vice President is a disgrace to the executive branch. Mr. Vice President...you are NOT above the law and you would do well to resign and give the majority of Americans what they want.

Quickie

Here's a quickie:

Big Brother 8: Vanilla Wafer Nipples Joe was evicted 9-1 against Evel Dick who became Head of Houseguest. My prediction for nominees are Jen and Kail.

World Series of Pop Culture: The youngest team in the competition, Twisted Misters, won the VH1 game show and with it comes a $250,000 prize. I'm pleased. It was nice to see the youngest people win over adults who have been around longer and are expected to know a lot more since they were actually around for the 70s and 80s.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Less than 24 hours until it's release! Is there anyone more excited than us! I don't think so. The Green Room promises no spoilers or reviews within the first week.

Hairspray: The movie musical hits theaters today (July 20th) and is getting amazing reviews. Currently (as of 12:56 AM July 20th), it has a 95% rating on rottentomatoes.com with 62 fresh reviews and only 3 negatives. You can't stop that beat!

and finally, to end this first of many quickies we shall have together...polling data courtesy of politicalwire.com!

National:

A new CBS News/New York Times poll shows 63% of voters believe it's likely that Sen. Hillary Clinton "will be elected the first woman president in U.S. history if she wins her party's nomination."

The poll shows Clinton with a solid lead over the rest of the Democratic field. Among likely Democratic primary voters, she leads with 43%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 24% and John Edwards at 16%.

New Jersey:

Sen. Hillary Clinton is running strong in New Jersey’s primary, according to a new Strategic Vision (R) poll. Clinton is ahead with 46%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama with 20% and John Edwards with 10%.

On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani far outpaces the field with 48%, followed by former Sen. Fred Thompson with 15%, Sen. John McCain with 10%, and Mitt Romney 5%.

Colorado:

A new American Research Group poll in Colorado shows Sen. Hillary Clinton is maintaining her lead in the Democratic presidential race with 39%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 22%, John Edwards at 10% and Bill Richardson at 8%. Edwards slipped 7 points while Richardson gained 6 points since the March poll.

In the Republican race, Rudy Giuliani has expanded his lead to 35%, followed by Fred Thompson at 20% and Sen. John McCain at 11%.

GO HILLARY!!! As always, for the latest political polling data visit Taegan Goddard's Political Wire at www.politicalwire.com

A Link Between Abortion and Immigration? WHAT?

Most of us are familiar with former Republican Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Tom DeLay, for his radically, conservative views (and numerous indictments). Yet, this one might just take the cake. A friend of ours at The Green Room, Scott, brought to my attention this recent statement by DeLay, in which the former Majority Leader believes there is a link between abortion and immigration:

I contend [abortion] affects you in immigration," Tom DeLay told the
Washington-area gathering of College Republicans. "If we had those 40
million children that were killed over the last 30 years, we wouldn't need
the illegal immigrants to fill the jobs that they are doing today. Think
about it.

His remarks above were posted on The Huffington Post, a politically progressive-online website and blog.

First and foremost, I would just like to respond in saying...ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Is he insane? On the one hand, I am in utter shock that someone who is more commonly recognized by the public and is a pretty established politician (despite his numerous indictments), would even try to think that somehow the use of abortion (a completely distinct issue) could cause an illegal immigration "problem." Yet, on the other hand, I'm not surprised. With controversy surrounding DeLay for a variety of things, including his indictments for money laundering and conspiracy charges in Texas, and his highly unpopular views, his statement still proves to be, in my opinion, utterly ridiculous.

DeLay's idea of trying to "kill two birds with one stone" on the Republican's idealistic agenda, in my opinion, does not show any kind of intelligence on his part. Obviously this tie of abortion and illegal immigration has zero proof or any legitimate backing whatsoever. In fact, it only further divides both parties and misrepresents what the issues are truly about.

As far as "killing children" is concerned....it just goes to show how such language by the Republican party sets up such a misrepresentation of a Democrat's view on being pro-choice. I've had this discussion plenty of times with many of my college friends who have a pro-life view and the first thing they always ask me is: Are you pro-abortion? Pro-abortion? What? No, I'm pro-choice. Being pro-choice does not mean I am advocating any kind of "killing of children"- it's ridiculous that anyone would even try to accuse someone of something like that. News flash! No one likes abortions - Democrats and Republicans alike. Having an abortion is a very difficult decision to make for a woman, there is no doubt about that. All the Democrats are saying is that a pro-choice view will give women the opportunity or the choice to have one if they wish. Being pro-choice does not mean Democrats want every pregnant woman to line up at an abortion clinic to terminate their pregnancy. Obviously that would be INSANE.

Illegal immigration? Have we forgot that there's something called fulfilling "The American Dream?" Immigrants come to the United States to fulfill such a dream by working hard for less pay than the average American to help support their families. And yes - citizenship can be granted to those entering if only the Bush Administration would help expedite that process instead of deciding how much higher, farther, and stronger a wall/fence should be built to keep them out.

So Mr. DeLay, I hate to inform you of this, but I don't think many immigrants coming to the U.S. have acquired jobs because such an employment vacancy is due to abortion rates. Think about it.

Kathy Griffin...not so D-List

Alright, so maybe Big Brother 8, isn't the only thing to watch this summer. I was reminded of the brilliance that is Kathy Griffin's Bravo show My Life On The D-List. The show, now in it's second season, is a reality show following the red-headed comedienne and her staff of three. In addition to the show showing a lot of Kathy's hilarious stand-up performance, the real humor occurs when Kathy is prepping for a show, making fun of her staff, trying desperately to have the papparazzi take her picture so she can land a spot in the tabloids, and, of course, making fun of Hollywood's top celebrities. She's known for her potty mouth and her no holds barred attitude. Kathy Griffin is most definitely a breath of fresh air.

Kathy Griffin may have been a D-list celebrity back in the day...but she's definitely not D-list anymore. Her show has been a huge success for Bravo and, in addition to more episodes being ordered, has even been picked up on the United Kingdom's E! network. Also, Kathy's one hour stand-up performance shows (one was called Everybody Can Suck It) have also proved a ratings hit for the Bravo network.

Also, it has been rumored that Kathy Griffin is among the front-runners to replace Rosie O'Donnell or Star Jones Reynolds on The View. I would absolutely love if Kathy were given a permanent spot on the panel. In addition to the comedy that her and Joy Behar would produce together, it would be awesome to see Kathy Griffin square off against Elizabeth Hasselbeck as Rosie O'Donnell, now infamously, did. However, ultimately, I don't think Kathy will be given that spot on the show and join the rest of the ladies. She's guest hosted a couple of times and she's been great but I can't help but see how much she annoys big mama Barbara Walters. Also, after the highly controversial year, maybe Walters would like to choose someone less controversial than Ms. Griffin. I'm not going to lie, Kathy's voice and personality may be a bit too much for daytime television. We shall have to see. My prediction is that the two vacant spots will be filled by Sherri Shepherd and Whoopi Goldberg. That's fine by me. I love Whoopi and Sherri and think they will add plenty to the show. However, if Barbara and producers want to have another year with high ratings, such as the one they enjoyed with the always loud and feuding but lovable Rosie, then Barbara should definitely select the always loud and feuding but lovable Kathy Griffin.

By the way, John Raphael Oliveira is bumping Ms. Griffin up to the B-list.

Check out the season finale of My Life on the D-List next Tuesday at 10 PM est time on Bravo.

Nothing to watch? Watch Big Brother 8!

Big Brother is an extremely ridiculous show where people are locked in a house together all summer backstabbing their way to $500,000. Each week a houseguest finds him or herself evicted from the game until we have a winner. While, as mentioned, extremely ridiculous it is also EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING! Also, unlike other shows, Big Brother is on THREE TIMES A WEEK! As if that's not enough you can also watch the Big Brother live talk show on CBS.com Mondays-Fridays at 1 PM est, watch the houseguests live and uncensored on Showtime 2 every night from midnight to 3 AM, and, finally, subscribe to the live feeds and watch the houseguests 24/7 as if they were hamsters in a cage!

This season, the eighth, the twist is some houseguests are playing the game with their "worst enemy." We have Carol (now evicted) and Jessica, who were former best friends and had a falling out over FIVE DOLLARS, Dustin and Joe, bitter ex-boyfriends, and Dick and Daniele, estranged father and daughter. Can you imagine being 20 years old and locked in a house with your parent for a summer? It would be absolutely dreadful! No thanks, I'll pass.

Anyways, tonight's episode was hilarious as usual. We had the head of household, the person who holds power for the week and chooses which two houseguests will be up for possible eviction, Jen try to threaten other houseguests before the Veto competition, a game where houseguests can win the opportunity to save themselves from eviction. It sounds confusing...but it's all pretty simple. Now Jen, the HoH, is quite the space cadet. I'll be surprised the day I see her complete a full sentence with words that actually make sense. During the Veto competition, Jen lost and now has to wear a red unitard (think Britney Spears in the Oops video) for a whole week. Aside from looking absolutely ridiculous wearing an outfit that doesn't leave much to the imagination...Jen, of course, loves that she has to look like an idiot for the week. Now you tell me what other show on TV lets viewers watch a person wear a red unitard for a week? There isn't one. Also, on past seasons the houseguests who lost the food competition for the week would be forced to eat nothing else but peanut butter and jelly. However, these past two seasons, producers have scrapped the peanut butter and jelly and losers are instead forced to eat Big Brother Slop, which is a disgusting flavorless oatmeal type of dish. Big Brother is brilliant!

Who else do we have in our cast of characters? Amber...the girl who cries at the drop of a dime. I really can't take her anymore. If I have to see her cry one more time in the confessionals then I will....do absolutely nothing because I refuse to stop watching Big Brother. Who else? Joe...the stereotypical queen with ginormous (yes, ginormous has officially been added to the dictionary) nipples and Kail...typical Bible-belt mother. Love em or hate em, everyone adds to the show and makes it entertaining as hell.

My point is....there isn't much to watch in the Summer months. Heroes and Ugly Betty are on hiatus and America's Next Top Model hasn't started it's next cycle yet so...watch Big Brother!

On this episode, Daniele managed to win the veto and take herself off of evil Jen's nomination. Now, evil space cadet Jen has nominated vanilla wafer nipples Joe in her place. The houseguests will now vote who to evict...vanilla wafer nipples Joe or Daniele's dad Dick. I think Joe is out of here! I hope so at least. However, both he and Dick provide some good laughs so it may be sad to see either go. I don't think Daniele will vote her dad off and neither will her showmance (a phrase coined in past seasons to signify a romance taking place on the show) Nick. We'll just have to see.

Tune in Thursday to Big Brother 8 at 8 PM est time on CBS for a live episode with our favorite host, Julie Chen (aka the Chen-bot in Big Brother online circles), to see who will be evicted.

Big Brother airs Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays!

Episode 1 (Again)

Here's the first official episode of The Green Room.

Just hit play to here us dish out about President Bush, Barack Obama, Sex and the City, Nicole Richie, and more.

Episode 1

Who cares? We should care!

Leah recently posted a short paragraph on whether good public-speaking skills for the current candidates running for President matters or not. In my opinion, it most definitely matters. The person elected president will represent the United States and, for me, it's very important that they are able to speak eloquently and intelligently. Now, does a person need adequate public-speaking skills to be elected president? Probably not. As Leah pointed out, President Bush has spent the last seven years delivering poor speeches and mispronouncing words. His lack of public-speaking skills has turned him into a big joke around the world. I, for one, don't want the next elected president (whomever ever it may be) to become a big joke. Bush's lack of public-speaking ability has translated to stupidity and led to the creation of Bushisms and he's even received a Comedy Central show, titled Lil' Bush, revolving around his stupidity. I agree with Leah when she says we need to care and focus on the candidates' opinions and ideas. That, of course, will be the major thing for me when analyzing the candidates. However, the importance of public-speaking skills cannot be underestimated. It is extremely important for this current field of candidates to be able to speak well in public (especially in the debate setting) and it is definitely a big deal.