Aaliyah Remembered

Today marks the 6th anniversary of the death of R&B singer Aaliyah. Rest in peace.

Rumors of a Dead Dictator

Rumors have been circulating for over a day now that Cuban dictator Fidel Castro has died. The streets are Miami have already begun celebrating. The official word from Cuba is that Castro is still very much alive. Castro recently celebrated his 81st birthday and was not seen or heard from, which led the rumors of his passing to intensify. We'll wait for an official source to confirm this story before declaring whether or not Fidel Castro has died. For more on this story click here. My guess...I think he's been dead for a little while now.

Blake Lewis Inks Deal

Last season's American Idol runner-up Blake Lewis has signed a record deal with Arista Records. His debut album is expected by the end of the year. More here.

The Green Room Goes International

Starting today with Leah's departure back to school, The Green Room is going international. All five of The Green Room's staff will be residing in a different country, which should definitely make things interesting and bring new perspectives. It is definitely a unique opportunity for all of us.

I (John) will be studying abroad in the Netherlands; Leah will be returning to McGill University in Montreal, Canada; Kevin will be spending an entire year in London, England; Rich will return to Boston College to represent the US, and Ashlee will be computerless as she find her way across Ghana.

You can check out our last episode (for a while) as a full group here.

Money, Money, Money

An article in the Boston Globe describes how academics have contributed more money to campaigns this year than workers in the oil, computer, and pharmaceutical industries. Receiving the most of this support are Barack Obama with almost $1.5 million, Hillary Clinton with almost $1 million, and Mitt Romney with about half a million dollars. Harvard tops the list of donations with about $280,000 in contributions this year so far.

PS...check out the latest episode of The Green Room here.

Paulina Rubio Expecting

Mexican singer Paulina Rubio is pregnant with her first child.

NFL Gets Rough With Vick

Hours after filing a plea agreement, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick indefinitely without pay. For more on the story click here.

Also, check out our latest Green Room episode below or here.

Green Room Episode 5

Here is the latest episode of The Green Room. This episode focuses solely on entertainment with discussion on Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, Superbad, High School Musical, and our own segment...Overrated/Underrated!

High School Musical 3 Won't Be Haunted

Disney originally planned on having the next High School Musical film take place in a haunted house with a haunted theme for movie-goers around Halloween 2008. However, the studio has changed its mind. A Disney spokesperson has confirmed that, instead of a haunted house, the third High School Musical film will be centered on the kids' senior year. Disney still plans on a theatrical release for the next film in the franchise. None of the stars have signed onto the third film yet.

Teen Cracks iPhone

Want an iPhone but you are not an AT&T (formerly Cingular) customer? A 17-year-old teenager has managed to break the lock that binds Apple's iPhone to AT&T Wireless. This allows the phone to be used on other carriers, including oversees carriers. Read the full story here.

RENT Gets New Lease in London

International fans of the Broadway musical RENT can check out a new production of the show hitting London's West End in October. This new production will reinvent the show bringing new orchestrations and some other new tweakings. While RENT has been extremely successful in New York City, it hasn't been as popular oversees. Check out some info on this new production, which sounds quite interesting and promising, here.

Obama May Make Iowa Mistake

According to Political Wire, "Sen. Barack Obama's decision "to opt out of all but a handful of appearances with his opponents this fall means an influential Iowa audience will lose the chance to judge him alongside his rivals next month," the Des Moines Register reports."Obama plans to skip AARP's Sept. 20 forum in Davenport, where New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will address about 2,400 Iowa seniors and a national public television audience. The decision to not attend the AARP event, aimed at issues important to people 50 and older, could nag at the Illinois senator, some Democrat activists and political observers said."

I also think it's a mistake...but I'm not complaining. Hopefully, this snub will end the three way tie between him, Clinton, and Edwards and make it easier for Hillary to take control over Edwards...who is only focusing on Iowa.

The Nanny Diaries

The Nanny Diaries hits theaters today. The movie, based on the popular novel, stars Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, and Alicia Keys. So far, the film is getting not so great reviews at Rotten Tomatoes. The film is at 25% rotten with 10 fresh and 30 rotten reviews. I think I'll skip this one.

Pollspot: National

Clinton's lead is down from 20 points to 13 points in this FOX News polls. Rudy enjoys a comfortable 15 point lead over Thompson. Does anyone care about President Bush anymore? Didn't think so.

National:

A new Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leads the Democratic presidential race with 38% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 25% and John Edwards at 8%.

Among Republicans, Rudy Giuliani is in front with 29%, followed by Fred Thompson at 14%, Mitt Romney at 11%, Sen. John McCain at 7% and Newt Gingrich at 5%.

President Bush's approval rating is stuck at 33%.

also...

Gallup reports that 77% of Democrats recently surveyed were familiar with all three frontrunners for the 2008 presidential nomination. The findings: 94% are familiar enough with Clinton to rate her, 85% with Edwards and 84% with Obama. This could be good news for Clinton, who has managed to keep her wide national lead despite other candidates becoming better known.

Definitely good news for Hillary Clinton there.

Nicole Richie Goes In and Out

Pregnant Nicole Richie was sent to jail Wednesday afternoon and was released after 82 minutes due to overcrowding. Yep, she beat the system.

High School Musical 2 Hits Billboard

The soundtrack to the record-breaking High School Musical 2 has debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The soundtrack had impressive first week sales of over 600,000 copies. Disney continues to cash in.

Lohan Releases Statement

This is an updated version of this story. A judge has ordered Lindsay Lohan to serve 2 days in jail and 10 days of community service. However, the judge credited her with one day of jailtime when she was arrested so Lindsay Lohan will serve a total of 1 day in jail. Also, Lohan will be on probation for 36 months and ordered to attend an alcohol education program for 18 months.

Lindsay Lohan also has released a statement to TMZ after being charged with seven misdemeanors:

"It is clear to me that my life has become completely unmanageable because I am addicted to alcohol and drugs.

Recently, I relapsed and did things for which I am ashamed. I broke the law, and today I took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges in my case. No matter what I said when I was under the influence on the day I was arrested, I am not blaming anyone else for my conduct other than myself. I thank God I did not injure others. I easily could have.

I very much want to be healthy and gain control of my life and career and have asked for medical help in doing so. I am taking these steps to improve my life. Luckily, I am not alone in my daily struggle and I know that people like me have succeeded. Maybe with time it will become easier. I hope so."

Drew Carey's Price is Right

CBS has announced that The Price is Right will return with new host Drew Carey on Monday, October 15th, 2007 and it's regular time. This will be the show's 36th season. Recently retired Bob Barker hosted the show for 35 years. Drew Carey is also the host of CBS's The Power of 10.

No Trial For Lohan

Lindsay Lohan will not be standing trial for DUI. The actress struck a deal by pleading no contest to two counts of DUI. This makes her a second offender and, by law, she must serve a minimum of four days in jail. More as this story develops.

Bill Clinton's New Book

Former President Bill Clinton will release a book on September 4th, 2007 and make appearances to promote it. The book is titled Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World. His appearances should definitely help and promote his wife's presidential campaign.

The Little Mermaid Splashes Broadway

Courtesy of Disney Theatrical Productions

Disney's The Little Mermaid will begin previews on Broadway in November with an official opening set for December 6th, 2007. Starring in the show will be Sierra Boggess as Ariel and Broadway veteran and Tony nominated Sherie Rene Scott (AIDA, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels)Above is the first official production photo from the new musical (click pic for larger view).

Movie Trailer: Jesse James

Here is the trailer for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford starring Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Mary-Louise Parker, and Zooey Deschanel.

American Gladiators Return

90's fans rejoice! NBC has announced that they are reviving the cult classic American Gladiators. For those unfamiliar with the show, it was a game show that faced contestants off against each other and also against a regular cast of American Gladiators in contests of strength and agility. It was quite popular back in the day. NBC says it will revive and reinvent the show midseason. Six episodes have been ordered with plans for more if the show is successful. I don't see a success...but you never know. Nostalgia wins.

Obama Girl Changes Her Mind

Just a funny story I thought I'd share. The girl responsible for the YouTube phenomenon known as Obama Girl has changed her mind about Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Amber Lee Ettinger aka Obama Girl is now all about Hillary (just like me!). Obama Girl told Steppin' Out Magazine that "I have to say I'm very impressed with Hillary Clinton. I watched the recent debates and I liked a lot of her answers!"

Pollspot: From Iowa to Pennsylvania

Two new polls brought by Political Wire show Edwards edging out his competitors in Iowa while Clinton continues to do well in Pennsylvania. For GOP, Romney continues to perform well in Iowa and holds a steady lead. I really wish the Quinnipiac Poll would stop using Al Gore.

Iowa:

A new Strategic Vision (R) poll in Iowa shows John Edwards leading the Democratic presidential race with 23%, followed closely by Sen. Barack Obama at 22% and Sen. Hillary Clinton at 21%. Gov. Bill Richardson is fourth with 14%.

On the Republican side, Mitt Romney is way out in front with 31%, followed by Fred Thompson at 15%, Rudy Giuliani at 13%, Sen. John McCain at 8% and Mike Huckabee at 8%.

Pennsylvania:

In Pennsylvania, Sen. Hillary Clinton has jumped to a 30-point lead in the Democratic race for president, according to a new Quinnipiac poll.Clinton leads with 42%, followed by Al Gore at 13%, Sen. Barack Obama at 12% and John Edwards at 8%.

In the Republican primary, Rudy Giuliani leads with 31%, followed by Sen. John McCaina t 13%, Newt Gingrich at 9%, Fred Thomson at 8% and Mitt Romney at 7%

Bridget Moynahan Delivers

Actress Bridget Moynahan (Natasha from Sex and the City) gave birth to a baby boy. The father is her former boyfriend and quarterback for the New England Patriots, Tom Brady. Brady didn't find out about Moynahan's pregnancy until after he had left her for supermoder Gisele Bundchen.

Pollspot: South Carolina, Come On and Raise Up

Another important early primary state...South Carolina. This shows Hillary slightly ahead of Obama and Edwards way down at 13. Courtesy of Political Wire.

South Carolina:

A new Rasmussen Reports poll in South Carolina shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leading with 38% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 30% and John Edwards at 13%.On the GOP side, Fred Thompson is in front with 23%, followed by Rudy Giuliani at 21%, Sen. John McCain at 14%, Mitt Romney at 10% and Mike Huckabee at 6%.

Rumorville: JT and Madonna

Entertainment Tonight is reporting that Madonna and Justin Timberlake will perform together at next month's 2007 MTV Video Music Awards on September 9th in Las Vegas. It's all rumors until the big show and MTV loves to have surprises.

Michael Vick Pleads Guilty

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick will take a deal and plead guilty for his part in the dogfighting scandal. He could face up to five years in prison but he will likely serve 12 to 18 months. The details of his plea bargain should be released by late November. I suggest you don't draft him in your fantasy football league. See the story here.

Photo courtesy of nytimes.com

Jennifer Garner Is Coming To Broadway

Alias fans rejoice! Jennifer Garner is coming to Broadway this Fall to star as Roxanne in a revival of the play Cyrano De Bergerac. Kevin Kline is also set to star. The show goes into previews in October.

Janeane Garofalo Joins 24

Comedienne Janeane Garofalo will join the cast of 24 for their upcoming season as a series regular. The unlikely casting will show Garofalo as an FBI agent. 24's seventh season starts in January.

Check It Out

One of my favorite shows is on DVD today.

Check out the award winning Ugly Betty Season 1 Today!

Pollspot: The Ever So Important Iowa

We all know that Iowa is a very important primary state. Most polls show a 3 way tie between Obama, Clinton, and Edwards. This new poll shows Hillary rising and Barack falling. Sounds good to me! However, be wary of all these polls.

Iowa:

A new NewsMax/Zogby poll in Iowa shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 30% support, followed by John Edwards at 23% and Sen. Barack Obama at 19%.

"Clinton's move up in Iowa replicates what she has done nationally, building a powerhouse campaign and benefiting in part from the positive opinions of her husband."

Courtesy of Political Wire

K-Fed turns to TV

Kevin Federline has landed a multi-arc guest appearance on The CW's One Tree Hill this coming season. Expect the show to be cancelled soon after (joking).

Seacrest and the Emmys

FOX has announced that American Idol host Ryan Seacrest will host next month's primetime Emmy Awards. Seacrest will also host the upcoming Super Bowl pre-show and half-time show.

Pollspot: Romney Rising

According to Political Wire:

Mitt Romney "has enjoyed a modest improvement in his standing among Republicans over the last two weeks" in the latest Gallup Poll. In the GOP presidential race, the former Massachusetts governor jumped from 8% to 14% support among likely primary voters.Washington Wire notes Romney received a similar bounce in the last Q-poll.

Romney has been leading in three of the four early states in the presidential race: Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada. His victory in last week's Iowa straw poll may have helped him in this latest national poll.

Like I said...I really believe Mitt Romney will be the GOP nominee.

VMA 2007: Nelly Furtado

MTV announced more performers for the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards. Nelly Furtado has been added to the line-up. She joins Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Amy Winehouse and more. Timbaland is serving as "maestro" for the September 9th ceremony in Las Vegas.

Kristin Bell is a Hero

Former Veronica Mars star Kristin Bell is joining the cast episode of NBC's Heroes for a multi-episode ark.

Box Office Report

Superbad rules the box office this weekend. The new comedy was the number 1 film taking in an estimated $31,200,000. Nicole Kidman's new pic The Invasion did not do so well despite a wide release. Congratulations to Hairspray for passing the $100 million mark domestically!

Here are the top 5 courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. Superbad - $31,200,000
2. Rush Hour 3 - $21,830,000
3. The Bourne Ultimatum - $18,896,000
4. The Simpsons Movie - $6,675,000
5. The Invasion - $6,000,000

Miners Unlikely To Be Found

Sad news out of Utah as the owner of the mine where the miners have been trapped for nearly two weeks says it is unlikely that the six trapped miners will ever be recovered. Three rescue workers were killed trying to recover the 6 miners this past week. For more on the story go here.

New Music From Rilo Kiley

Indie band Rilo Kiley comes out with Under the Blacklight, their first major label release, this week. I'm in love with their last CD More Adventurous so I was super excited to hear about this new one. Rilo Kiley is known for their mixture of rock, disco, country, folk and pop, as well as lead singer Jenny Lewis. Critics are calling the new CD glossy and poppy, but still full of substance for their more devoted fans. I'm not exactly a regular on the indie music scene but I think Under the Blacklight is fantastic, and I think you'll like it too. Especially check out songs Silver Lining, The Moneymaker, and Under the Blacklight. Stream the entire album on their myspace, or buy it on iTunes this week.

High School Musical 2 Dents Cable

Everyone knew High School Musical 2 would be huge...but even Disney didn't expect it to be so huge. According to Variety, the premiere of HSM2 last night drew an impressive 17.2 million viewers making it the most-watched cable telecast ever (including sports). Disney is taking HSM straight to the bank. A third installment of High School Musical is already planned scheduled for a theater release next year.

Zac Efron to be Seventeen

The Green Room can report that Zac Efron is signed on to star in his first big-screen non-musical leading man role. Efron will star in the New Line movie Seventeen. In the film, a 36-year-old man wakes up in the body of a high school senior (Zac Efron). This film sounds a lot like Big and 13 Going on 30 in reverse.

Hurricane Dean Approaches

The United States and Mexico are bracing for impact as Hurricane Dean makes it way closer to the Gulf of Mexico. The first Category 5 storm of the season is expected to strike Jamaica in a few hours. Forecasters are unclear as to where the hurricane is headed. It seems like there have been so many disaster stories recently with bridge collapses, earthquakes, trapped miners, airline crashes, and now this hurricane, which is bound to damage somewhere.

Clinton and Giuliani on Freedom

My friend sent me this and I found it interesting to post. What do Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani think about the word freedom? Read below and find out. Definitely feeling Hillary Clinton on this one.

Rudy Giuliani:

"We look upon authority too often and focus over and over again, for 30 or 40 or 50 years, as if there is something wrong with authority. We see only the oppressive side of authority. Maybe it comes out of our history and our background. What we don't see is that freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want, be anything they can be. Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do." - newly-elected New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, quoted by the New York Times at a New York Post-sponsored forum on crime in cities in New York, NY, USA (1994)

Hillary Clinton:

"Let me be clear. Freedom means the right of people to assemble, organize and debate openly. It means respecting the views of those who may disagree with the views of their governments. It means not taking citizens away from their loved ones and jailing them, mistreating them, or denying them their freedom or dignity because of the peaceful expression of their ideas and opinions." - then US First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, speaking before the UN\'s 4th World Conference on Women Plenary Session in Beijing, China (1995)

There is clearly a difference between the two candidates.

Superbad/The Invasion

Seth Rogan's creation Superbad and the Nicole Kidman/Daniel Craig thriller The Invasion both hit theaters. Which one should you check out? Well, according to Rotten Tomatoes, Superbad is this week's pick with a current 89% fresh rating. Meanwhile, critics are warning to stay away from The Invasion which is currently at 19% with 47 rotten and only 11 fresh reviews. The choice is yours. I think I'll check out Superbad.

Peru Earthquake Death Toll Rises

The death toll in the magnitude-8 earthquake that rocked Peru a couple of days ago continues to grow. About 510 people have died with another 1,500 injured. Truly a devastating catastrophe. We're hoping the number does not continue to rise. Read more here.

Pollspot: Edwards is on the rise in Iowa

Here are some more polls courtesy of Political Wire:

Iowa:

According to a new ONE poll in Iowa, John Edwards leads in the Democrats presidential race with the support of 30% of likely caucus-goers, followed by Sen. Hillary Clinton at 22%, Sen. Barack Obama at 18% and Gov. Bill Richardson at 13%.

Edwards seems to be doing well since this is the only state he is focusing on. The Obama camp cannot be pleased that Bill Richardson is co close to Obama.

Nevada:

A new Research 2000 poll in Nevada finds Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 33%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 19%, John Edwards at 15% and Gov. Bill Richardson at 11%.

On the GOP side, Mitt Romney leads with 28%, followed by Rudy Giuliani at 18%, Fred Thompson at 18%, and Sen. John McCain at 8%.

One of the less talked about early caucus states shows Hillary Clinton in a comfortable lead as Mitt Romney also enjoys a 10 point lead over Rudy Giuliani.

National:

A new CBS News national poll finds Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 45%, followed by Sen, Barack Obama at 25% and John Edwards at 14%.

Hillary maintains a 20 point lead!

Pollspot: Some lesser discussed states

Courtesy of Political Wire:

Michigan:

An new EPIC/MRA poll in Michigan shows Sen. Hillary Clinton way ahead in the Democratic presidential race with 45% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 26% and John Edwards at 16%.

On the Republican side, Fred Thompson leads with 22%, followed by Rudy Giuliani at 19%, Sen. John McCain at 16%, Newt Gingrich at 15% and Mitt Romney at 12%

+19 for Hill! Very close race for the GOP.

California:

Giuliani is backed by 35% of likely GOP primary voters, followed by Mitt Romney at 14%, Fred Thompson at 13% and Sen. John McCain at just 9%. McCain had been at 24% earlier this year.

McCain's campaign is crumbling down.

Florida:

A new Strategic Vision (R) poll in Florida shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 40% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 20%, John Edwards at 16% and Gov. Bill Richardson with 9%.

In the Republican race, Rudy Giuliani is in front with 34%, followed by Fred Thompson at 18%, Mitt Romney at 10% and Sen. John McCain at 8%.

+20 for Hill.

Happy Birthday Madonna

I wouldn't normally do this....but it's Madonna! The Material Girl celebrates her 49th birthday today! Word on the street is that her royal Madgesty is planning a big Central Park gig for her 50th birthday in 2008.

Mandy Moore's Umbrella

Singer/Actress Mandy Moore has covered one of 2007's hottest summer hits...Umbrella by Rihanna. Not something people would expect Mandy would do. Check it out below.

Gyllenhaal and the Big White White

Jake Gyllenhaal is coming to Broadway. The Academy Award nominee will star in a play called Farragut North about presidential politics. The show is set to debut in the Fall of 2008.

Pollspot: All for Hill

Hillary Clinton continues to look well in the polls! I'm pleased! Mitt Romney continues to rise as well.

South Carolina:

A new Public Policy Polling survey in South Carolina finds Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 36% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 33% and John Edwards with 12%. Clinton trailed Obama by three points in the last poll.

On the Republican side, Fred Thompson leads the race with 22%, followed by
Rudy Giuliani at 18%, Mitt Romney at 17%, Sen. John McCain at 11% and Mike
Huckabee at 7%.

Pretty much a tie here between Clinton and Obama.

New Hampshire:

A new Rasmussen Reports survey in New Hampshire finds Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic primary race with 37%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 22%, John Edwards at 14% and Gov. Bill Richardson at 9%.

In the Republican primary race, Mitt Romney leads with 32%, trailed by Rudy Giuliani at 20%, Sen. John McCain at 11% and Fred Thompson at 11%.

Solid leads in the very important state for both Hillary and Mitt.

National:

A new Quinnipiac national poll shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 36% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 21%, Al Gore at 15%, John Edwards at 9%, and Gov. Bill Richardson at 3%.

On the GOP side, Rudy Giuliani leads with 28%, followed by Mitt Romney at
15%, Fred Thompson at 12%, and Sen. John McCain at 11%.

In a head-to-head match up, Clinton edges Giuliani 46% to 43% for the first
time in this poll.

Nice 15 point lead for Hill nationally!

NBA Ref Guilty

Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated

Tim Donaghy could receive up to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to "conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting wagering information through interstate commerce." Simply put, the NBA referee admitted to rigging games for cash. Every game Donaghy reffed is now tarnished, especially last year's Suns-Spurs series. See the story here.

Our Beloved Facebook

Ever wonder how our beloved Facebook got started. The creator of Facebook, 23-year-old Mark Zuckerberg, is on the cover of this week's Newsweek and you can read the article all about how he came up with the site and what he's got planned next. Facebook has undoubtedly become a big part of college life. You can read the full article here.

Gay Couple Coming To Wisteria Lane

Tuc Watkins

Desperate Housewives is getting a gay couple in the neighborhood. Tuc Watkins from One Life to Live and Kevin Rahm from Judging Amy will join the cast as the gay couple for recurring roles this coming season.

Kevin Rahm

Defending Hillary from Ben Smith

This article by Ben Smith from Politico once again shows me how biased he is and how much he doesn't like Hillary Clinton. When Hillary Clinton spoke at YearlyKos, Smith only focused on the fact that she was booed twice and did not provide even a semi-decent account of her speech, unlike Roger Simon, who reported on everything regarding her speech...the good and the bad. You can my article about Simon vs Smith at YearlyKos here.

Anyways, as I posted yesterday, Hillary Clinton has released her first campaign ad commercial to run in Iowa. Now...Ben Smith is at it again. In the short article, Smith writes, "No points for figuring out why Hillary picked Iowa for her first ad. Not only is she trailing there (or running roughly neck-and-neck with Edwards and Obama, depending on which poll you read) but she had to put out a fire this spring when an aide suggested she essentially ignore Iowa." That's all Smith writes before describing what is in the ad. Why wouldn't Hillary choose Iowa first? It is the first nominating state. Iowa has not been ignored by Hillary. She started off July campaigning there with President Clinton for 5 days. Also, Hillary has NOT been trailing in Iowa. Some polls (and there are many posted here at The Green Room) show her in a three way tie with Obama and Edwards while others show Obama narrowly leading and others show Hillary narrowly leading. So the word trailing is just flat out WRONG. Also, another reason the ad will run in Iowa....John Edwards and Barack Obama have already been advertising there with commericials for months now and both candidates will tour the state this week. Hmm...another reason...how about there is a big Democratic debate on Sunday...IN IOWA. If you are going to misinform your readers Ben Smith then make sure it's not so easy to refute what you are writing. That's all.

Pollspot: Ooo Baby Baby

I think this is the best poll I've seen!

A new CNN/Opinion Research Poll quizzing respondents on the various attribute of the Democratic presidential candidates holds some good news for Hillary Clinton. 59% of respondents felt Clinton had the best experience for the job, compared to
only 11% for Edwards and 9% for Obama. 47% thought Clinton was the strongest leader. Only 22% gave that honor to Obama and 13% to Edwards.

In a potential blow to Obama’s message of bringing change, 40% or
respondents felt that Clinton had the best chance of creating change, with only 27% giving Obama the best chance and 13% citing Edwards. Voters slightly favored Clinton as the most honest candidate (28%) with Obama polling second with 24%. Obama was thought by 34% of those polled to be the most likable, however, despite a large gap in Clinton’s and Obama’s unfavorability rating, this poll showed only a small gap in voters likability, with Clinton receiving 31%. And finally, Clinton was viewed by respondents as having the best shot at getting elected in November 2008, with 55% choosing her compared to only 19% or Obama and 12 % for Edwards.

A new American Research Group poll shows Sen. Hillary Clinton continues to lead among Democrats in the presidential race with 36% support, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 21% and John Edwards at 16%.

Among Republicans, Rudy Giuliani stays in front with 27%, followed by Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney with 16% each. Sen. John McCain is now in fourth place with 13%.

She rises slightly in the poll while Obama falls slightly. Mitt Romney is on the rise. In the other one, Hillary is doing awesome!!! I hope her unfavorables are coming down! The fact that she is polling at 40% for bringing change, 59% for experience, and that her likability rating is close to Obamas is truly awesome.

Courtesy of Political Wire

OJ's If I Did It To Be Released

OJ Simpson disgusts me. His book If I Did It, about how he would have killed his ex-wife Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman had he been the murderer, is finally being released. Guess what OJ? We all think we know what happened already. The new development is that the family of Ron Goldman will add commentary to the book and they will most likely get all the cash benefits because OJ owes them $38 million from a civil suit. OJ Simpson was acquitted of murder in 1995. Full story here.

Chinese Bridge Collapses

Courtesy AP

I'm sure this will get a lot less press than the Minneapolis bridge collapse for obvious reasons but I thought I would bring to your attention that another major bridge has collapsed. This time in China and with 22 confirmed dead so far. Already worse than the recent American disaster. Read the full story here.

Jennifer Lopez is "Brave"

Image courtesy of LiveDaily

Jennifer Lopez is set to release her sixth studio album Brave on October 9th. This will be her second studio release this year (the first was her first fully Spanish album titled "Como Ama Una Mujer"). The lead single off Brave is "Do It Well," which is already gaining some airplay. Also, Jennifer Lopez is embarking on her first ever tour this Fall with husband Marc Anthony.

Barack Obama's Ad

Just to make things fair, here is Barack Obama's recent campaign commercial ad running in Iowa.

Hillary's First Ad

Here is Hillary Clinton's first campaign commercial ad that will run in Iowa.

Bye Bye Rove!

President George W. Bush's top advisor Karl Rove has resigned effective August 31st, 2007. Praise heaven! Get full details here.

There's Only Room For One Thompson...

...and his name isn't Tommy. GOP presidential hopeful Tommy Thompson ended his presidential bid after low funds and a 6th place finish in Iowa's straw poll. Move aside for Fred.

Chan and Tucker Take Box Office

Terrible reviews (including one from myself right below) never stop a franchise. After 6 years since Rush Hour 2, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker's Rush Hour 3 debuts at number 1. Meanwhile, Bourne Ultimatum and The Simpsons continue to do well in the top 3 both grossing over 100 million. Claire Danes's new film Stardust didn't debut so hot. The film took in just under $10 million and debuted at number 4. Hairspray still strong in the top 10 at 6 and just a few million away from grossing $100 million.

Here is the top 10 weekend estimates courtesy of Box Office Mojo:

1. Rush Hour 3 - $50,240,000
2. The Bourne Ultimatum - $33,670,000
3. The Simpson's Movie - $11,125,000
4. Stardust - $9,011,000
5. Underdog - $6,456,000
6. Hairspray - $6,370,000
7. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry - $5,950,000
8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - $5,385,000
9. No Reservations - $3,925,000
10. Daddy Day Camp - $3,550,000

Rush Hour 3

John does NOT recommend Rush Hour 3. It was NOT as funny as its predecessors and not as quotable. While not completely unenjoyable...don't waste your money!

Merv Griffin Dies

Entertainer Merv Griffin has died at 82. In addition to many things, Griffin created pop culture game show icons Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.

Hillary and Barack: A Choice Still To Be Made for Some

Within the last few months, there has been so much discussion and debate regarding the actions and qualifications of Democratic Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. With the media's help, a "rivalry" between the two front runners has slowly developed, pinpointing their differences as the race for the Democratic nomination quickly approaches.

With all the back and forth jousting between the Clinton and Obama campaigns, how do many people really feel about the two candidates? Joe Klein, author of an opinion section in TIME magazine comments on the Democratic candidates in the 2008 race, specifically analyzing Hillary Clinton as the "Bran-Muffin Candidate," but also comparing her to Barack Obama. For the full article, you can read it here. When comparing both candidates, what I found the most interesting is how Klein quotes a Miami resident saying:

My heart is with Obama, but my brain is with Hillary...I want to be able to vote for him, but I just don't know yet.

As a supporter of Barack Obama, I completely agree with the quote above as being a general sentiment for many voters. For the most part, it is very hard to argue that Barack Obama is not well-liked. His fantastic speaking ability and charisma leaves crowds with the sense that he is truly talking to each person and connecting with them. Yet, there has been continual attacks against his lack of experience when compared to Hillary. In a sense, these accusations are correct. Hillary has served more years in the Senate and has been in the political spectrum far longer than Barack. However, there are many people who dislike Hillary Clinton and find that she rubs people the wrong way. Thus, we have heart and mind.

I, for one, like Hillary Clinton a lot (and her husband Bill, of course). I think the Clintons are quite an intelligent and dynamic duo. My reasons for supporting Barack Obama are not due to any kind of anti-Hillary Clinton sentiment. I am all for breaking the glass-ceiling and having a woman as President of the United States (I can't believe we have not accomplished this earlier). I also think Hillary is strong-willed and very intelligent. However, I truly believe in Barack Obama's message of hope and unity (as idealistic as it may sound), and yes folks, he does have great experience and judgment contrary to what many believe. Yet, if Hillary Clinton were to win the nomination, I would have no problem giving my support to her.

So I think, as of now, there are many voters who are torn between Obama and Clinton, and are taking their time in trying to make their decision. Klein makes a note that the Democratic Presidential race seems to be "static," with hardly any large drops or dramatic increases in the polls. It is still early, and as for voters deciding between Hillary and Barack, the question is whether it will be easier for someone to change their mind or have a change of heart.

Mitt Wins Ames Straw Poll

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney won the Iowa GOP Ames Straw Poll. He may have won the straw poll but we cannot let this man with the White House. Mike Huckabee placed second. Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Fred Thompson did not participate in the straw poll.