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Obama Faces Backlash from Gay Activists
Tweet Share on Facebook September 9, 2010 Comment (5)Gays are growing angry with President Obama's opposition to same-sex marriage. David Mixner, a leading gay activist who also fought former President Clinton over "don't ask, don't tell," has shifted from pushing Obama to support gay marriage to labeling him as a coward. Calling same-sex marriage "one of the great civil rights movement[s] of our times," he says Obama's stance is unacceptable. "At this stage there can only be two conclusions: that he is a political coward or that he does indeed hold prejudice against [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered] citizens," Mixner says on his website. "Shame on you, Mr. President," he adds, in an attack Obama associates say won't change the president's mind.
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Haley Barbour Sounds Open To 2012 Presidential Race
Tweet Share on Facebook September 8, 2010 Comment (1)Count Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour almost in on the 2012 Republican presidential primary. While focused on his role as chairman of the Republican Governors Association in expanding the number of GOP statehouses around the country in the midterm elections, he hasn't closed the door to running for president, something many in the Republican establishment wish he would do.
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The NRA Hopes Yard Signs Will Boost Election Day Wins
Tweet Share on Facebook September 8, 2010 CommentThe National Rifle Association has a new weapon in its bid to get more of its supporters elected to Congress. They're distributing political yard signs, a staple of First Amendment advocates. Signs reading "Don't Tread on My Gun Rights" are being provided to supporters to bolster local candidates who back the Second Amendment. Don't laugh. The NRA says yard signs can account for an extra 4 percent in votes on Election Day. "Think back to the 2000 presidential election, where 537 votes in Florida separated George W. Bush from Al Gore," says an NRA E-mail to supporters. "Four points seems like a landslide!"
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CIA Chief Leon Panetta's Nutty Background
Tweet Share on Facebook September 7, 2010 CommentAt a time when he's got the most secretive job in his 34 years of public service, CIA Director Leon Panetta is cracking the shell on his family's roots. Specifically, he reveals how his Italian immigrant parents made it all the way to California's fruit and nut basket in Monterey. He told his story recently to a convention of Asian-American professionals in San Francisco, not too far from the Panetta walnut farm.
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History Will Love Obama, But Will Voters?
Tweet Share on Facebook September 3, 2010 Comment (9)Pollster John Zogby updates our weekly Obama Report Card with a grade on the president's performance. Zogby uses his polling, expert analysis and interaction with major players to come up with a grade and some comments that capture how he sees the president's week ending.
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A Tour of the White House Menu: What Makes Obama a Gourmet President
Tweet Share on Facebook September 3, 2010 Comment (2)After eight years of boots and barbecue in the White House, the Obamas have introduced a gourmet atmosphere not seen in several recent presidencies. George H.W. Bush liked Chinese food from a northern Virginia neighborhood. Bill Clinton has a reputation for Big Macs. George W. Bush liked his grill. But the Obama's have instead hired their own chef and dined at the best restaurants Chicago and Washington have to offer. Even President Obama's choice of burger joints, Ray's Hell Burger in nearby Arlington, Va., only serves gourmet sandwiches. But that's not all that makes Obama and the first family different. Click here to see the five ingredients that make Obama a gourmet president.
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Little C-SPANs Sprout Up Across Nation
Tweet Share on Facebook September 3, 2010 Comment (1)Upstart state public affairs TV stations, modeled after C-SPAN, are lobbying Washington for a little respect and maybe a tiny slice of the federal budget pie. Working under the umbrella group, National Association of Public Affairs Networks, the 20 state networks are eager to be recognized in the Federal Communications Commission's pending report on the future of media, possibly under a "civic media" category. They've already picked up some congressional support and for a simple reason: with fewer reporters covering state government due to news industry cutbacks, advocates of transparency think it's a good idea to at least put cameras à la C-SPAN in state legislative chambers and committee rooms. But unlike C-SPAN, the locals have few sources of private funding. Federal support could also help develop public affairs cable stations in the 30 states without them. "We just want to make sure we're included in the FCC report," says Chris Long, head of WisconsinEye, Wisconsin's public affairs network.
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Playboy's Hefner Spars With GOP Over Rep. Sanchez Lunch at Mansion
Tweet Share on Facebook September 2, 2010 Comment (4)Playboy's Hugh Hefner has a pet congresswoman, and now a tweet about a private fundraising lunch at the Playboy Mansion with California Rep. Loretta Sanchez is catching some heat from Republicans and putting the lawmaker in an unwanted spotlight.
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Sen. Claire McCaskill Helps Keep Twitter Bipartisan
Tweet Share on Facebook September 1, 2010 CommentDemocrats can thank Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill for keeping Twitter bipartisan. That's because she is the only Democrat to break into two key categories: the top five "most followed" lawmakers and the top five who post the most "tweets per day." Both of those categories are controlled by Republicans. McCaskill has more than 39,200 followers. But she tweets under three times a day, less than half of what the Senate Republican Conference posts. One reason for McCaskill's popularity is that she tweets on policy and her family goings-on, as in this recent post: "My husband thinks I tweet about what I had for breakfast, so in honor of him, made breakfast pizza for family on wonderful Big Green Egg grill."
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