Hakeem Jeffries announces for Congress. Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries announced his campaign for Congress amid frigid temperatures and a large cheering crowd this afternoon, setting the stage for what will be one of the most high-profile Democratic primaries this election cycle. Standing on the steps of Brooklyn’s Borough Hall, Assemblyman Jeffries outlined his Congressional pitch in short punctual… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : The Politicker Discovery Date : 15/01/2012 21:16 Number of articles : 2
Today is Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, which the U.S. marks tomorrow with a national holiday – a fitting tribute to an individual so peerless in modern times. Far less significant, but still fun? Pitbull also celebrates a birthday today! The Miami-born, Cuban-American rap guru has become a force to be reckoned with in recent years, showing us that music is indeed the international language. No longer just Mr. 305, Mr. Worldwide is collaborating with everyone from J. Lo and Marc Anthony to Ne-Yo and T-Pain, cranking out one hit after another. As we look forward to his next smash hit, here’s wishing Armando Christian Perez, better known by his stage name Pitbull, a happy 31st birthday today.
Newt Gingrich is just throwing $h!t at the wall at this point. During his college years in the ’60s, Mitt Romney spent two years as a Mormon missionary in France. Now, Newt is trying to use that time against his rival as part of his desperate, scorched-earth campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. Here’s his new ad, titled “The French Connection” … Newt Gingrich Ad – French Connection The crux of the ad – that Mitt Romney isn’t too different politically from failed Democratic Massachusetts presidential hopefuls Michael Dukakis and Sen. John Kerry – might’ve been effective, but Newt is clearly just bitter at this point. In a parting shot, the voiceover explains: “Just like John Kerry,” the voice in the ad says, “he speaks French too!” Mitt Romney: He’s … multilingual! Guess he and Jon Huntsman are automatically DQ’d in Newt’s mind.
Bey got all types of work done during her pregnancy, didn’t she? In the months leading up to the birth of her daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, Beyonce was busy shooting videos and promotions for her album 4, but she also made the time to design gear for President Obama’s re-election Campaign. Bey and her mother Tina Knowles participated in “Runway to Win,” in which a number of celebrities and fashion icons are tapped to design T-shirts and other items for President Obama’s re-election campaign. According to New York magazine, the effort was spearheaded by Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who wrangled a number of her friends and fashion world peers to design shirts, tote bags, scarves and bracelets for the Obama campaign. In addition to Beyoncé, Diddy and hip-hip impresario Russell Simmons, others who’ve thrown in include First Lady Michelle Obama fave designer Jason Wu, as well as Rachel Roy, Narciso Rodriguez, Marc Jacobs, Diane Von Furstenberg, rag & bone, Altuzarra, Alexander Wang, Tory Burch and Tracy Reese. Beyoncé’s effort, designed in conjunction with her mother, Tina Knowles, is a $45 white T-shirt with the phrases “yes we can,” “words do inspire” and “transform a nation together,” randomly scattered across the front in different fonts. (Simmons and Diddy’s shirts have not yet been revealed.” The current fundraiser is a sequel of sorts to a similar campaign in 2008 called “Runway to Change,” and the proceeds will go to the Obama Victory Fund. Pre-orders are being taken now and all the items are slated to go on sale online on February 7. Here’s a look at the Knowles design. Would you cop this for $45 and a good cause? Do you think any of the current Republican candidates’ campaigns will be able to match the Obama campaign’s star power? Source More On Bossip! Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner: Here Are Some Current And Future Celebrity Stepdads Handling Their Biz With The Kids Out Of Pocket Old Heads: Mama Jones Starts Twitter War With Olivia???? Canada Dry: Tattoo Artist Claims That Drake Waited In His Car And Sent His Bodyguards To Confront Him Elsewhere In The World: J.R. Smith’s Sister Goes H.A.M. In The Stands At Chinese Game, Choking Out Broads And Catching Fade With An Old Head!
We’re not tryna be mean, but… A federal judge disclosed Friday that former presidential candidate John Edwards has a life-threatening heart condition, a court source confirmed to CNN. Edwards had sought a delay in his criminal corruption trial, scheduled to begin this month. Attorneys and the federal judge met in a North Carolina courtroom Friday afternoon for a status hearing regarding the pending trial of Edwards, a former U.S. senator. Edwards appeared at Friday’s hearing. His lawyers had made the motion for a delay under seal, but some of its details were publicly revealed by the judge in the open hearing. The criminal trial has been delayed until at least March 26, according to the court source. Judge Catherine Eagles said she has been in contact with Edwards’ cardiologist, who recommended a postponement, saying Edwards is scheduled to undergo surgery next month. Edwards has to provide the court with a written medical update by February 28, according to court records. One legal expert, Marcellus McRae, a trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor, said he doubted that Edwards’ illness would influence a jury verdict. “Edwards’s illness may prompt the public, including potential jurors, to view him in a more sympathetic light. However, it is doubtful that this will have any impact on the outcome of his trial,” McRae said. “Given the nature of the charges, his physical condition is of no relevance and he will have in theory recovered by the time the case went to trial in March in any event.” Edwards’ attorneys asked in December to delay his criminal trial, saying he had an unspecified medical issue. Edwards is charged with six felony and misdemeanor counts related to donations to and payments from his failed 2008 presidential campaign. He is accused of conspiracy, issuing false statements and violating campaign contribution laws. He denies any wrongdoing. Edwards’ wife, Elizabeth, died of cancer in December 2010. The couple had separated that year, shortly after Edwards admitted that he had fathered a daughter with Rielle Hunter, who was hired to make documentary videos for his campaign for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. We’re just saying…
We’re not tryna be mean, but… A federal judge disclosed Friday that former presidential candidate John Edwards has a life-threatening heart condition, a court source confirmed to CNN. Edwards had sought a delay in his criminal corruption trial, scheduled to begin this month. Attorneys and the federal judge met in a North Carolina courtroom Friday afternoon for a status hearing regarding the pending trial of Edwards, a former U.S. senator. Edwards appeared at Friday’s hearing. His lawyers had made the motion for a delay under seal, but some of its details were publicly revealed by the judge in the open hearing. The criminal trial has been delayed until at least March 26, according to the court source. Judge Catherine Eagles said she has been in contact with Edwards’ cardiologist, who recommended a postponement, saying Edwards is scheduled to undergo surgery next month. Edwards has to provide the court with a written medical update by February 28, according to court records. One legal expert, Marcellus McRae, a trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor, said he doubted that Edwards’ illness would influence a jury verdict. “Edwards’s illness may prompt the public, including potential jurors, to view him in a more sympathetic light. However, it is doubtful that this will have any impact on the outcome of his trial,” McRae said. “Given the nature of the charges, his physical condition is of no relevance and he will have in theory recovered by the time the case went to trial in March in any event.” Edwards’ attorneys asked in December to delay his criminal trial, saying he had an unspecified medical issue. Edwards is charged with six felony and misdemeanor counts related to donations to and payments from his failed 2008 presidential campaign. He is accused of conspiracy, issuing false statements and violating campaign contribution laws. He denies any wrongdoing. Edwards’ wife, Elizabeth, died of cancer in December 2010. The couple had separated that year, shortly after Edwards admitted that he had fathered a daughter with Rielle Hunter, who was hired to make documentary videos for his campaign for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. We’re just saying…
(CNN) – As Arizona Sen. John McCain travels to South Carolina Thursday to show his support for Mitt Romney, national Democrats point to the duo’s rivalry from the last presidential cycle. The Democratic National Committee released a new web video showcasing McCain’s 2008 attacks against Romney, many of which toe the same line the DNC Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : Political Ticker Discovery Date : 05/01/2012 01:21 Number of articles : 2
‘It’s all negative ads so far: They’re bashing each other; they’re bashing the president,’ Obama re-election volunteer tells MTV News. By Gil Kaufman President Obama greeting supporters Photo: John Moore/ Getty Images DES MOINES, Iowa — Anywhere you went in Iowa over the past few weeks, the talk was likely to be focused on Tuesday night’s (January 3) Iowa caucus . But, because President Obama is an incumbent facing no Democratic challenger, the nation’s attention has been on the in-fighting among the Republican candidates vying for their party’s nomination. Obama was not far from their lips, though, as a landslide of attack ads on the airwaves here hammered the president on his policies, while questioning his dedication to the American ideal and just about anything else that would inspire Republican voters to come out and help decide the first-in-the-nation primary event. That’s why it’s somewhat surprising that in a law office on the outskirts of town, the room was buzzing with activity Tuesday as Obama supporters worked the phones to get their party faithful out to caucus. “Today, we are trying to get people out there to the caucuses and let them know that there is a caucus,” said Kameron Middlebrooks, 23, a student at Grand View University in Des Moines and neighborhood team leader for the Obama re-election campaign. He’s been in the state since April working with Obama’s Organize for America team, getting out the word about the caucus, training more than 12,000 volunteers and setting up more than 4,000 one-on-one meetings with voters. As for what issues are important this time around, Middlebrooks said Obama has already been focusing on what matters to him: overhauling the student loan system and creating more Pell grants. In an attempt to expand his voter base in the state, Obama — who easily won the Iowa contest in 2009 over Hillary Rodham Clinton — will address his Iowa supporters via a live Internet video feed as they gather to caucus Tuesday night. And while his staffers have made 350,000 phone calls to supporters so far, it’s been rough sledding for the Democratic faithful here in the Hawkeye State lately, as the air and newspaper boxes have been filled with a tidal wave of negative attacks on his first term in office. “Honestly, to me, it’s like watching a reality TV show,” Middlebrooks said of all the anti-Obama spots. “It’s all negative ads so far: They’re bashing each other; they’re bashing the president. It really makes my job easier when I go out and talk to caucus-goers or potential voters because I can explain to them that instead of all these grand ideas but no real solutions, we can really talk about the solutions and what President Obama has done and what he can continue to do if we give him another four years.” Overall, though, Middlebrooks said the reaction from voters he’s talked to has been good so far, and he’s confident Obama can win the state again. MTV is on the scene in Iowa! Head to Iowa.MTV.com for all our Iowa caucus coverage , and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the presidential election season to follow Andrew Jenks on the campaign trail.
First electoral event of the year takes place Tuesday, and MTV is on the scene. By Gil Kaufman Ron Paul campaigns in Iowa Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images When it comes to presidential politics, Iowa is #1 in line, no matter what. Though it only serves up around 1 percent of the national delegates in presidential contests, pundits and political junkies have looked to the Hawkeye State for more than 40 years for an early indication of who will represent the party in the race for the White House. With President Obama facing no Democratic challenger in his bid for a second term, all the attention at Tuesday’s Iowa caucus will be focused on the Republicans vying to come out on top in Iowa: Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman. As of press time, libertarian rabble-rouser Paul was in the lead, in part due to his dedicated core of young supporters. Frequently ignored by the national media, Paul is an enigma in this year’s GOP field thanks to his views on legalizing drugs and abolishing the departments of Education and Commerce, among others. But according to the latest Public Policy Poll , Paul was leading the pack at 23 percent, followed by Romney at 20 and the fast-fading Gingrich at 14. Not surprisingly, Texas congressman Paul is well ahead with voters under the age of 45, with 33 percent of their likely votes compared to Romney’s 16. But the Huffington Post reported that what remains to be seen is whether those hard-partying college students intent on casting their votes for Paul will show up to the caucuses after whooping it up on New Year’s Eve and slowly making their way back to campus after the long winter break. Unlike most of the primaries over the next few months and the general election, Iowans will not walk into a voting booth and pull a lever, punch a card or swipe a touch screen to help vault one of the candidates into an early lead. In a quirky throwback to a previous time, they’ll gather in meeting halls, school gymnasiums and even living rooms to hash out their choices, a scenario that could be disorienting for young voters who may be casting ballots for the first time. With 1,774 caucuses statewide, any registered voter can show up at his or her local caucus meeting after pre-registering as a party member. Once there (the events begin promptly at 7 p.m. and last about an hour), they’ll hear bids from representatives of the candidates and then chat with friends, neighbors and strangers about the strengths and weaknesses of the various candidates as well as about issues that concern them. After everyone has said their piece, they’ll vote in a paper-ballot straw poll and choose their delegates to the state convention. Those 40 Republican National Convention delegates don’t have to immediately declare which candidate they support, but the press will quickly declare a winner based on the percentage of delegates won by each candidate. Unlike in years past, most of the leading candidates for the GOP nomination have not lavished the same kind of attention on Iowa that past presidential hopefuls have. That’s likely the reason why a recent Iowa State University/ Gazette/ KCRG-TV9 poll found that with just one week to go, nearly 38 percent of respondents said they were still trying to decide their vote, with another 34 percent saying they were leaning one way and only 28 percent locked in on the candidate they were definitely supporting. In other words, no matter who has the lead going into Tuesday night, there could be a major upset in the making if the candidates’ last-minute barnstorming blitzes have a big impact on Iowa voters used to lots of face time with their candidates. Plus, the winner doesn’t always take the prize, as in 2008, when former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee came in first in Iowa , despite Romney’s lavish spending of around $12,000 per vote. That’s why candidates have historically spent months and months meeting Iowa voters and introducing themselves over and over in order to pass the most crucial Hawkeye exam: the likability test. Once the dust clears, after months of campaigning and 13 televised debates, the national press will anoint a legitimate front-runner and a number of the candidates with the lowest totals will likely hang it up. MTV is on the scene in Iowa! Head to Iowa.MTV.com for all our Iowa caucus coverage , and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the presidential election season to follow Andrew Jenks on the campaign trail. Related Videos Power Of 12: Andrew Jenks Kicks Off Election 2012
Yesterday, astronomers announced the discovery of a compact solar system orbiting a distant star, with two of the planets being very close to the size of the Earth. My friend Fraser Cain, from Universe Today, put together a video chat Q&A about the discovery with me, Nancy Atkinson from UT, Emily Lakdawalla from the Planetary Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : DiscoverMagazine Discovery Date : 21/12/2011 00:20 Number of articles : 2
