Thursday, April 11, 2013

Veep's Gearing-up for Season Two, Beginning this Weekend




HBO's Emmy-nominated series Veep will be back with an all-new 10 episode season this Sunday, and luckily HBO has been providing viewers with more sneak-peaks into the new season. The political comedy, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer, will continue to follow the fictional Vice President Meyer as midterms approach. Be on the lookout for the long list of guest stars including Gary Cole and Jessica St. Clair.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Rep. Don Young Uses Racil Slur During Radio Interview




It's no secret that republicans have been grappling with ways to draw in Latino voters after winning just 27 percent of the Hispanic vote last election. In fact, only one in ten republican votes last election was cast by a non-white American, according to the Huffington Post. To accommodate for the disparity, the party claimed that they would not change their policies, but rather choose more inclusive words and rhetoric to attract minority voters.

Apparently, Rep. Don Young didn't get the memo, referring to a group of Hispanic workers at his childhood farm as "wetbacks."

"I used to own - my father had a ranch. We used to hire 50 to 60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes. You know it takes two people to pick the same tomatoes now. It's all done by machine," said the Alaskan representative in an interview with KRBD earlier this week.

After a slew of backlash, Young released a statement claiming that he was raised in a different time and meant no harm by the comments, saying,“I used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in central California. I know that this term is not used in the same way nowadays."

Friday, March 22, 2013

Tina Fey's Comeback as Sarah Palin

Tina Fey is back with yet another quite funny Sarah Palin impersonation. Poking fun at the former governor and vice presidential nominee, Tina Fey addresses everything from style to gun control to same-sex marraige.

"Marriage is meant for people who wear different kinds of bathing suits," she says as Palin.

Fey attracted a large audience impersonating Palin during the 2008 presidential election.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

History Channel’s “The Bible” Casts a Satan who Looks Suspiciously like President Obama

After Sunday’s episode of The History Channel’s new mini series “The Bible,” social media was launched into a full on frenzy including trending topics such as #ObamaIsNotSatan, which trended on Monday.



But, the show started gaining attention even before the episode aired when conservative commentator Glen Beck took notice of the Obama look-a-like, actor Mohamen Mehdi Ouazanni. He made sure to contribute to social media controversy, though, tweeting this, early Sunday morning:

The History Channel along with the show’s executive producers, Mike Burnett and Roma Downey, were quick to respond.


“History Channel has the highest respect for President Obama," they said in a joint statement. "The series was produced with an international and diverse cast of respected actors. It's unfortunate that anyone made this false connection. History’s The Bible is meant to enlighten people on its rich stories and deep history.”


The two producers also replied, “This is utter nonsense, the actor who played Satan, Mehdi Ouzaani, is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor. He has previously played parts in several biblical epics -- including Satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our president."

Michelle Obama's Second Term

It's not just President Obama's second go round in the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama is also trying to decide how to best use her platform in the next four years.

Sunday, March 10, 2013


HBO’s political comedy series “Veep” is back for a second season next month. Armando Iannucci’s Global Globe nominated series debuted with a well received 8-episode run, and is back again with a very funny trailer and teaser for it’s next season.

 
Julia Louis-Dreyfus appears again as Vice President Selina Meyer, armed with staff played by Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, Timothy Simons, Reid Scott, and Sufe Bradshaw.

 

The trailer and teaser poster can be viewed at http://veep.bltoutreach.com/. The new season premiers on April 14 at 10pm.




Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Dennis Rodman...The Diplomat?

Photo taken by Steve Lipofsky

Secretary of State John Kerry apparently wasn't too impressed with former NBA player Dennis Rodman's diplomacy skills this week. Kerry became one of many critics after Rodman stuttered and stumbled his way around defending Korean Leader Kim Jun Un in an ABC interview with George Stephanopoulous.

"Dennis Rodman was a great basketball player, and as a diplomat, he was a great basketball player. And that's where we'll leave it," said Kerry on MSNBC.

Rodman responded to the many bouts of criticism and attempted to downplay the trip by saying he was never sent as a diplomat. That, however, didn't stop him from offering words of advice to the president, saying that President Obama should give the Korean leader a call.

"He loves basketball," Rodman said of Kim on ABC. "Obama loves basketball. Let's start there."

Friday, February 22, 2013

Michelle Obama's Bangs Immortalized

First Lady Michelle Obama hasn’t let chatter about her bangs discourage her from making them a permanent part of White House history. The first lady’s official second-term portrait was released this week, showcasing her much discussed voluminous bangs.

The portrait, taken in the White House green room by photographer Chuck Kennedy, pictures a relaxed Mrs. Obama in a navy and violet dress. She also wore a single strand of pearls, which are said to be similar to the pearls she recently wore on the Rachael Ray show, where she described her bangs as her “midlife crisis.”


During President Obama’s first term, chatter accumulated over Michelle’s signature no-sleeve style, which she confidently displayed in her first official White House portrait. The buzz over the new portrait raises the question: are bangs Michelle’s new signature?

There's a New President in Town: White House Easter Egg Roll



This year’s White House Easter Egg Roll features not just one president, but two. “Kid President,” 9-year-old Robby Novak, helped President Obama get the word out via YouTube before providing a brief summary of the event for kiddos and kids-at-heart.

In the video “Introducing the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll,” President Obama sends Novak a message about the event. The message is passed in class, spotted by telescope, and eventually received via paper airplane before being delivered to Kid President’s desk.



“Kid President, looks like you got my message,” President Obama confirms.



The video then announces a ticket lottery, opening 10 a.m. Thursday morning and closing 10 a.m. on Monday.

Novak gained fame after his A Pep Talk from Kid President to You” video gained over 10 million views online. In the video, Kid President, who suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a condition resulting in fragile bones, encourages people to have more fun.  Take it from him, “the world needs to stop being boring.”

Novak uses this enthusiasm to help support the Egg Roll, which focuses on a healthy life-style this year. The President and First Lady said the theme is "Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You!"

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Colbert Raises Funds for Sister's Campaign


Comedian Stephan Colbert is planning to raise big bucks for his sister's South Carolina congressional campaign.

Colbert, who is no new-comer to political fundraising, is hosting an event on Feb. 22 to support sister Elizabeth Colbert Busch's race to replace former Representative Tim Scott. The fundraiser costs $250 for general admission and up to $5,200 to attend a private dinner.

Colbert’s invitation reads: “It is rare for me to take an active role in anyone’s political ambitions other than my own. But this is different – beyond a brother’s love, I truly believe Lulu is the best candidate to represent my beloved Lowcountry in the United States Congress.”

Busch announced her candidacy for the position in January. Colbert has stood by her side avidly since her announcement, announcing her run on his self-titled talk show in addition to his fundraising efforts.

Busch will be one of few democrats running for the republican-leaning district based around Charleston, but Colbert is very optimistic, writing on the invitation “our chances look good.”


Friday, February 15, 2013

Relationship Status: Mark Zuckerberg and Chris Christie


Facebook CEO and billionaire Mark Zuckerberg attracted an onslaught of disarray on Wednesday night when he invited New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to his Palo Alto home.

Zuckerberg, who announced his support for Christie earlier this year, threw his first political fundraiser to help support the mayor’s upcoming reelection campaign.  While the event drew in many of Zuckerberg and wife Priscilla’s high-status friends, including former sec. of state Condoleezza Rice, it also attracted about 40 protesters.

Christie was able to slip in through a separate entrance, according to the Huffington Post, but Rice had to push her way through the commotion of chanting protesters who proclaimed "One, two, three, four, this is not the Jersey Shore. Five, six, seven, eight, Zuck send Christie to his state.”



Christie angered many democrats after vetoing several bills that would provide funding for Planned Parenthood. The pro-choice protesters outside of Zuckerberg’s home held signs that said “Zuck + Chris hands off planned parenthood” and featured a modified thumbs-down version of the “like” button on Facebook.  

Zuckerberg apparently ‘friended’ Christie in 2010 when he, Christie, and Newark Mayor Cory Booker appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show to announced Zukerberg’s $100 million donation for Newark Public Schools.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Conferencia Espanol: GOP Launches New Twitter Feed


House Republicans launched a new twitter feed in their quest to gain more votes from the Spanish speaking population.  Directly rivaling the @GOPconference page, the new page, @GOPespanol, welcomed twitter users on Monday afternoon.



The feed launched just in time for Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s speech after the State of the Union on Tuesday night. Rubio, a rising star of the Republican party and son of Cuban immigrants, will give his rebuttal to President Obama in both English and Spanish.

Since President Obama won 71% of the Hispanic vote last election, the GOP has demonstrated more sensitivity to Hispanic-Americans including an increased interest in immigration reform and pathways to citizenship. The new feed is one of many attempts to win over the Hispanic population, which has been described as a “natural republican constituency,” by republican Charles Krauthammer. That is, financially and socially conservative as well as religious.

Since its launch, @GOPespanol has attracted more than 550 followers. Some of the most noteworthy include House Majority Whip, Republican Kevin McCarthy, Republican congressman Bill Huizenga,  Telemundo’s  Jose Diaz-Balart, and former Univision host Neida Sandoval.


Friday, February 8, 2013

Friday's Readout

Celebrities and Gun Control

Wondering how your favorite celebrity feels about gun-control? Law makers haven't been the only ones participating in the gun-control brawl in the nearly two months following the mass shooting in Newtown.

On Wednesday, Chris Rock and Amanda Peet joined a handful of other celebrities and legislators on Capital Hill.  The news conference, held by Mayors Against Illegal Guns, provided support for President Obama's gun-control plan. At the event, Rock had a few wise words to share with fellow Americans. "The president and the first lady are kind of like the mom and the dad of the country," he said, asking congress to act, "and when your dad says something you listen, and when you don't it usually bites you in the ..."

Back in December, other famous-faces including Beyonce Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Aniston, John Legend, and Selena Gomez joined forces with the Demand A Plan organization to create a video advocating for gun-control. "It's time for our leaders to act. Demand a plan," they urged.



The video went viral, but not all of the attention was positive. A mock-video was released shortly afterwards accusing the celebs of hypocrisy. The video, called "Demand A Plan? Demand Celebrities Go [Expletive] Themselves," shows a combination of clips from the original video followed by violent television and movie scenes featuring the stars. Jamie Foxx seems to have received the blunt of the blow for his extremely violent role in the movie "Django Unchained," released over the holidays.



Not all celebrities are supportive of the gun-control agenda, though.

While it's no surprise that outspoken republican and business man Donald Trump opposes gun-control, he does apparently support a ban on assault weapons.

Bruce Willis is also a strong defender of the Second Amendment. Willis, who is well know for his tough-guy persona in movies, says that although he feels bad for victims of gun violence, he doesn't think the laws will prevent shootings. It looks like there may be similar roles in the works for Willis, as he also told A.P. he doesn't believe violence in media has any correlation with violence in real life.


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Michelle Obama's Fashionable Weekend

Say what you want about her new bangs, but Michelle Obama knocked it out of the park with her fashion choices this weekend. Here's a quick rundown of her Inauguration looks:

 The First Lady is wearing designer Thom Browne. He actually submitted the idea for the coat to the White House weeks ago, but had no idea if Mrs. O would wear his design.

Monday night she went back to her choice designer, Jason Wu, who created this red stunner for her.

And on Tuesday morning, she wowed the crowd again with a custom ivory wool-applique 3/4 sleeve coat and dress by Naeem Khan for the National Prayer Service.

Friday, January 11, 2013

It's Friday!

Did this week feel long to anyone else but me? Hopefully, this will help your day move a little faster:


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Thursday Readout

In case you missed today's Readout with the host of the Press Pool, Julie Mason, check it out right here! (Also check out Julie's website JulieMason.co).


Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Inauguration Musicians

The White House has tried to tamp down expectations about President Obama's inauguration this go 'round, but it definitely won't be lacking in star power. Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Clarkson and James Taylor will all perform at the inauguration, the presidential inaugural committee announced today.

"Vice President Biden and I are honored to have these wonderfully talented musical artists perform at the Inaugural ceremony," Preisdent Obama said in a statement. "Their music is often at the heart of the American story and speaks to folks across the country."

 In other musical news, Ke$ha is bringing her glitter-throwing, club-thumping beats to Washington as well. The pop star will headline the Musicians on Call Presidential Inaugural Charity Benefit in Washington, produced and sponsored by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). DJ Jazzy Jeff will be spinning records as the charity event’s official DJ.


Charlie Sheen Versus The Mayor


Los Angeles Mayor and former DNC chairman Antonio Villaraigosa, has somehow gotten himself into an argument of sorts with Charlie Sheen--all thanks to an incriminating Twitpic. Sheen claims that he partied with Villaraigosa for about two hours in Mexico last month at a bar opening. Villaraigosa says no way.

Both men were both in Cabo for said bar opening back in December. At the time, Sheen tweeted a picture of himself with the mayor saying, "He knows how to party." Well, that tweet was quickly deleted.

“I had a three minute conversation with him, I took a picture with him… I take a picture virtually every single day, 50 times, and I took a picture with him. It's as simple as that. I have never said no to anyone who wanted to take a picture. It's just that simple,” Villaraigosa told NBC's Los Angeles affiliate. Meanwhile, Sheen toldTMZ the mayor was lying.


My suggestion...never mess with a Warlock.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Pelosi on 30 Rock

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will get some camera time off the hill this month. Pelosi will have a cameo in the series finale of NBC's sitcom "30 Rock.” "I would do almost anything Tina Fey asks me to do," Pelosi told The Washington Post on Thursday. "I'm flattered that they asked me to make a cameo in the series finale. I had a lot fun." The episode -- which will air 8 p.m. on Jan. 31 -- was filmed in early December.

 (photo credit: AP)

Edwin Edwards Reality Show

Set your DVR! Former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards and his family are the subject of a new docu-series premiering next month on A&E. Entertainment Weekly reports:  

The Governor’s Wife will star 85-year-old Edwin Edwards and his 34-year-old wife, Trina, along with several of their children from previous marriages. Edwards served four times as Louisiana’s governor over the course of three decades, and also served eight years in federal prison for crimes committed while he was in office. In 2001, Edwards was convicted on bribery and extortion charges. He became pen pals with Trina during his prison stint and they married after his release last year. The show will focus on Edwin and Trina’s May-December relationship and follow Edwin’s daughters (Anna, a 62-year-old, four-time divorcée and Victoria, a 60-year-old ex-showgirl) along Trina’s sons (Logan, 15 and Trevor, 13).
(photo credit: AP)

Friday, January 4, 2013

Viral Picture

White House photographer Pete Souza released some of his favorite photos from last year, but one in particular has generated a lot of buzz on the web. The picture of President Obama being briefed for the first time on the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT has gone viral on Twitter and elsewhere.

(photo credit: White House/Pete Souza)

Today's Readout

Press Pool host Julie Mason and I chat about Joe Biden's stellar performance on CSPAN 2 and some more New Years resolutions:


White House New Years Resolutions

You're not the only one who's making some changes in 2013. President Obama and the White House staff have a few resolutions of their own in this week's episode of "West Wing Week."

Inauguration Update

An interesting email made its way into my inbox yesterday afternoon. The Presidential Inauguration Committee is happy to announce that their swag shop is officially open. Get your Obama Inaugural keepsakes and tchotkes while their hot! Politico’s Donovan Slack says, “The Presidential Inaugural Committee officially kicked off memorabilia sales Thursday with the opening of its online store and announced plans to open a retail location on F Street before the inauguration Jan. 21."

And speaking of Inauguration, DC residents will be happy to know the celebration will go into the wee hours at some bars around town. Guest of a Guest says, “DC's Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) recently released applications to bars that want to be open until 4am during the entire week of Inauguration! Bars may apply to be open for 8 days for a small fee, beginning on Monday night, January 14, to Monday night, January 22.” Who do you think you'll see more of at the bar? Democrats or Republicans?


Bristol Palin's Being Stalked

TMZ reported Thursday that Bristol Palin has filed for legal protection from an obsessed stalker. They claim the man sent her a wedding proposal (complete with ring) and even showed up at her mother’s house on her son's birthday. From TMZ:
According to court docs ... the "Dancing with the Stars" all-star obtained a temporary restraining against Michael Cummings -- a 39-year-old Texan she claims she's never met ... and only came into contact with after he sent her an engagement ring, along with a note saying, "I (heart) you." Bristol alleges Cummings was later spotted at her mom Sarah Palin's house on December 27 -- Tripp's fourth birthday -- at which point she immediately filed for protection. She's hoping to make the order more permanent at a hearing later this month.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

White House Chronicle

No Readout today :-( So instead, here's an episode of White House Chronicle from last month with QGA's Adam Bemlar, POLITICO's Donovan Slack, and the one and only Llewellyn King. Let's see how right we were about the fiscal cliff.

11-30-12 - White House Chronicle from Pamela Kirkland on Vimeo.

Reagan's Home For Sale

Ronald Reagans’ home of the future is on the market for just under $5 million. According to the Washington Times, “In 1956, Ronald and Nancy Reagan helped design their onetime residence: a 4,764-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bath ranch house in the tony Pacific Palisades neighborhood in west Los Angeles — now up for for sale. There are glass-walled rooms, fabulous views, an indoor courtyard, vaulted ceilings, streamlined cabinets, granite walls, den with wet bar, all manner of electric gadgetry, swimming pool and sprawling open spaces for entertaining."


(photo credit: Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage)

How Canada does Inauguration 2013

With just under three weeks until President Obama's Inauguration (part deux), embassies all over DC are getting ready to host their own celebrations. But one embassy in particular has some pretty prime real estate along the parade route the First Family will walk. That would be the Embassy of Canada. Yeas and Nays says, “So what do they plan to do with it? For the second time in a row, the Embassy of Canada will host an invite-only tailgate party, complete with Canadian food and booze. The fete will feature treats like Tim Horton's coffee, Beaver Tails pastries (which POTUS devoured on a trip to Canada), Crown Royal cocktails and, of course, poutine -- Quebec's popular dish made with french fries, gravy and cheese curd. Since it is an inauguration party after all, guests will be able to watch live coverage of the swearing-in and be able to see the parade live as it passes by the embassy.”
(photo credit: Reuters)

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Philly Tribune Article

Earlier this week, the Philly Tribune's Charles Ellison wrote a great piece on the shooting in Newtown and the role race plays in how the media covers tragedies in urban areas. Yours truly is quoted on the role social media plays in news coverage.

First Readout of the New Year

Chock full of some really great New Years resolutions, the host of the Press Pool, Julie Mason, and I chat about some of the things we're looking forward to in 2013.

POTUS Retrospective

In case you missed the channel's look-back at the year in politics, here are a few snippets from the good, the bad, and the ugly that was 2012.

Trump Slams GOP on Fiscal Cliff Deal

The always chatty Donald Trump went on a Twitter tirade on Tuesday, slamming his fellow GOPers for their bargaining skills. He tweeted that Republicans “may be the worst negotiators in history.” The Donald was, of course, speaking about the last-minute fiscal cliff deal, which was passed in the Senate early Tuesday morning and the House late Tuesday evening. Trump continued blasting his party via Twitter, posting, “Obama and the Democrats are laughing at the deal they just made…the Republicans got nothing!” Mere hours earlier, Trump had Tweeted that Republicans “have all the cards…but they just don’t know it.”


 Does any Republican have the ability to negotiate?

This is a terrible deal for the country and an embarrassment for Republicans!

Kim K's Baby Bump and Greta Van Sustren?

If you've been following the Readout, you probably already know that Kim Kardashian has been Greta Van Sustren's guest to the White House Correspondents Dinner the past two years in a row. So naturally, when the news of the newest Kardashian broke on Sunday, the Hill's Judy Kurtz wanted reaction for the Fox News host. More from Kurtz:

Kardashian’s boyfriend, rapper Kanye West, delivered the pregnancy news at a Sunday concert. Van Susteren and her lawyer husband, John Coale, invited Kardashian to be their guest to the White House Correspondents Association Dinner in 2011....When asked about the Kardashian clan’s upcoming newest member, the “On the Record” host told ITK in an email, “I have known Kim for some time. She is from a very close knit family and I am sure the whole family is thrilled there will be a new addition."
Congrats Kim-ye on the baby news and congrats to Kris Humphries (who Kardashian is still legally married to) on his sorta-step child. 

(photo credit: Guest of a Guest)
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