politics

Pres. Obama makes a full-throated endorsement for Hillary Clinton at the DNC

Aug 9, 2016 videos

Embed from Getty Images President Barack Obama is probably the most popular politician in America right now. I don’t even think the residual love for Bill Clinton comes close. Obama’s last year in office has been bittersweet, of course, and we would be in such a different place if only Obama was running for a third term. That’s what I was thinking about last night… I wish this race was Obama vs. Trump. Because Obama would slay. On Day 3 of the DNC, the party brought out their heavy-hitters. It was a really great three-hour block of television, actually. First Biden, then Bloomberg, then Tim Kaine, then Obama. I’m not going to say that Obama gave his best speech ever, but this speech was easily in the Top Five. It was partly a farewell speech (SOB), partly a full-throated endorsement of Hillary Clinton and partly a takedown of Donald Trump. Obama balanced those three subjects brilliantly and, again, kudos to the speechwriters last night. I was genuinely surprised when Hillary Clinton came out at the end too. The biggest moment was when Obama said Hillary Clinton was the most qualified person to ever run for president: “You know, nothing truly prepares you for the demands of the oval office. You can read about it, you can study it, but until you’ve sat at that desk, you don’t know what it’s like to manage a global crisis or send young people to war. But Hillary’s been in the room. She’s been part of those decisions. She knows what’s at stake in the decisions our government makes, what’s at stake for the working family for the senior citizen or the small business owner, for the soldier, for the veteran. And even in the midst of crisis, she listens to people and she keeps her cool and she treats everybody with respect. And no matter how daunting the odds, no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never, ever quits. That is the Hillary I know. That’s the Hillary I’ve come to admire, and that’s why I can say with confidence there has never been a man or a woman, not me, not Bill Clinton, nobody, more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as president of the United States… I hope you don’t mind, Bill, but I was just telling the truth, man.” [Via E! News] Because the Republican National Convention last week was so ceaselessly negative and pessimistic, the Democrats were able to take over the optimism franchise. Obama’s speech last night is being called Reagan-esque, because not only did he name-check Reagan, but he honestly borrowed the shiny-eyed Reagan-esque optimism of American pride. Now, all that being said… I still think Michelle Obama’s speech on Day 1 was probably the best speech of the convention! Take about five paragraphs out of that Obama speech and it could have been a Reagan speech. Trust me. I know. — John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) July 28, 2016 Embed from Getty Images Photos courtesy of Getty.

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Susan Sarandon is mad that Bernie-or-Bust folks didn’t get a bigger forum

Aug 3, 2016 marc

Embed from Getty Images At this point, I really don’t know what to even say to the Bernie-or-Bust people other than what Sarah Silverman said: you’re being ridiculous. Bernie-or-Bust delegates and agitators have been causing problems at the DNC every night, whether it was heckling and booing Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker on Day 1, or heckling Leon Panetta on Day 3. Bernie Sanders told his Bernie Bros to work to elect Hillary Clinton and they’re just not listening. Not only are they behaving in such rude and juvenile ways, they’re actually shocked when their behavior has consequences! The Democratic committee pulled a senator who was a Sanders-supporter from speaking at the convention, and now Susan Sarandon and other Bernie-or-Bust people are just so mad. Susan Sarandon and fellow actors gathered outside the Democratic National Convention Wednesday to protest the DNC’s alleged efforts to silence Bernie Sanders supporters. Sarandon, Danny Glover, Shailene Woodley and Rosario Dawson rallied to express their frustration after former Ohio Senator Nina Turner, a strong supporter of Sanders, was denied the chance to be one of his nominators at the last minute, according to the Chicago Tribune. Turner was reportedly dismissed from the convention during the first night after her refusal to endorse Hillary Clinton. She was scheduled to introduce the Vermont senator on Monday evening but was stopped from doing so. “There’s been a lot of difficulty in executing the will of Bernie Sanders’ people and surrogates, and this was just a topping for the whole thing because she was ready to go. And she was very, very disappointed,” Sarandon said. “This has not gone by lightly, and … we are upset.” Turner did make an appearance at the media tent to thank her supporters but did not take the stage. [From People] “The will of Bernie Sanders’ people and surrogates”… not the will of Bernie Sanders, mind you. Bernie Sanders has said in no uncertain terms that he’s supporting Hillary Clinton and that he hopes all of his supporters join him in supporting Hillary. It’s the Bernie-or-Bust people who can’t wrap their heads around it. And they can’t wrap their heads around the idea that the DNC might actually change the schedule and “punish” the Bernie-or-Bust people because of their juvenile behavior. Here’s Seth Meyers taking on the Bernie or Bust Bros. Embed from Getty Images Photos courtesy of Getty.

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Melania Trump’s speechwriter falls on her sword for plagiarized RNC speech

Jul 21, 2016 celebrityabout

Early Tuesday morning, some Trump campaign staffer had a full-fledged meltdown on MSNBC and threw a hissy fit about how Melania Trump’s plagiarized RNC speech was barely a one-day story. Not so much. Like so many scandals these days, the scandal absolutely could have been minimized into a one-day story if someone had simply stepped up in the first hours and said, “You know what, this was a bad move. We apologize, our bad.” It became a week-long story because the Trump campaign and other Republicans (Trump surrogates, mostly) couldn’t get their f—king stories straight. No one could come up with a plausible lie or, failing that, no one could properly sort out the blame for the plagiarism. I hope people are watching, because THIS is how Trump handles a minor crisis. Imagine how he would handle an actual crisis. Anyway, we now know who was responsible for the plagiarized text in Melania’s RNC speech. The first reports came out in the NYT on Wednesday morning, and by Wednesday afternoon, the story was confirmed: THE BALLERINA DID IT. I’m not joking. At first, Melania’s RNC speech was written by two long-time Republican speechwriters, Matthew Scully and John McConnell. It seems that Melania didn’t like the speech they wrote, so she approached one of her husband’s ghostwriters, a former ballerina-turned-ghostwriter named Meredith McIver. McIver largely discarded the first draft and she worked with Melania to make a more tailored speech. McIver came forward with a personal written statement distributed by the Trump campaign: My name is Meredith McIver and I’m an in-house staff writer at the Trump Organization. I am also a longtime friend and admirer of the Trump family. In working with Melania on her recent first lady speech, we discussed many people who inspired her and messages she wanted to share with the American people. A person she has always liked is Michelle Obama. Over the phone, she read me some passages from Mrs. Obama’s speech as examples. I wrote them down and later included some of the phrasing in the draft that ultimately became the final speech. I did not check Mrs. Obama’s speeches. This was my mistake and I feel terrible for the chaos I have caused Melania and the Trumps as well as to Mrs. Obama. No harm was meant.” Yesterday, I offered my resignation to Mr. Trump and the Trump family but they rejected it. Mr. Trump told me that people make innocent mistakes and we learn and grow from these experiences.” I asked to put out the statement because I did not like seeing the way this was distracting from Mr. Trump’s historic campaign for president and Melania’s beautiful message and presentation. I apologize for the confusion and hysteria my mistake has caused. Today, more than ever, I am honored to work for such a great family.” [Via The NYT] Once again, it sort of feels like the campaign is throwing Melania under the bus. The Trump Org. just distributed a statement saying that Melania was the one studying Michelle Obama’s speeches and telling her speechwriter which passages she wanted to copy! I can see how this is an honest mistake between Melania and Meredith, but there’s a larger problem: that no one in Trump’s campaign looked at Melania’s speech before she gave it, and no one thought to double-check it. Disorganized. Chaotic. Shambolic. Unprofessional. These are just some of the words that come to mind when thinking about this Republic National Convention. Photos courtesy of WENN.

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Caitlyn Jenner: The GOP is our best hope at getting a ‘constitutional government’

Jul 21, 2016 marc

We have to provide a safe environment for the generations ahead! Huge thank you to @americanunityfund and @m_hoov for inviting me to their #bigtentbrunch at #RNCinCLE. We need to keep having these conversations #trans #lgbt #republican A photo posted by Caitlyn Jenner (@caitlynjenner) on Jul 20, 2016 at 9:30am PDT Caitlyn Jenner attended events adjacent to the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this week. She announced that she would be going to Cleveland ahead of time, almost as if she was hoping for a speaking slot at the RNC. Which isn’t going to happen on Mike Pence’s watch, you know. So Caitlyn just had to be RNC-adjacent at an American Unity Fund Q&A session, where she talked about her long-standing love of all things Republican, even though the GOP would much rather refer to her as Bruce and discriminate against every part of her life. Some assorted quotes from Cait’s Q&A session. Coming out as Republican: “It was easy to come out as trans. It was hard to come out as Republican.” She’s a Republican because her dad serves in the military: “And if my dad knew what was going on in this country when he fought so hard, I think he’d be very disappointed. Because of that, I feel like our best hope to get back to a constitutional government… is a Republican Party… I’m not giving up on this country. I’m not giving up on this constitution. I want jobs for everybody.” North Carolina’s bathroom laws: “I haven’t used a men’s room in a year and a half. I follow the rules. I never flush a feminine product down the toilet.” How she came out to her kids: “God said, ‘Let’s give this one the soul of a female and see how he does.’” Changing hearts & minds: “I think the Republican Party needs to understand. They need to know people who are trans.” What she wants to tell Trump: “I would tell Donald that there are people out there that have been marginalized for so many years… It’s about the next generation coming up. We have to provide a safe environment for them.” [From USA Today] I know Caitlyn is a Republican because of the way she talks about why she’s a Republican. It’s the same vague, illogical, superficial, uninformed way that many die-hard Trump voters talk about why they’re voting for Trump. Because “freedom” and “my dad was in the military” and “making America great” and “the Constitution or whatever” and “you know, like, freedom.” In what way was George W. Bush’s administration MORE of a “constitutional government” than Barack Obama’s administration? Do Republicans believe that no active-duty military personnel or veteran has voted Democrat, ever? Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, Twitter.

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Duchess Kate wears a $2900 zig-zag Missoni coat at WWI memorial

Jul 1, 2016 videos

Embed from Getty Images On Thursday evening, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge arrived at Thiepval memorial to the Missing in France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Somme during World War I. Tributes were also held in London, with the Queen, Prince Philip and David Cameron all attending a service at Westminster Abbey. The younger royals got sent to France though, which is how it should be. I’ve come to expect Harry at these kind of somber military events, but the Cambridges usually don’t pull this kind of duty. I think Kate looks nice here. She wore this Missoni coat which probably retails for something like $2900, although she’s likely had it significantly altered. But I like that it’s memorial-appropriate but it’s not just solid-black. She managed to stand out but not be disrespectful. And hey, at least she wasn’t wearing hot pink. She gets bonus points from me for wearing her hair back, wearing a fascinator that didn’t look like an undercooked cinnamon bun, and for keeping her accessories very simple. She might not look like Barbie Duchess, but she looked respectful of the event. What else? Prince William made a speech and as I was skimming the text, I was like “whoa, politics!” Take a gander: “One hundred years ago tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. the British army attacked German lines across these fields. To the young men eager to fight it was known as the ‘Big Push.’ The joint British and French offensive intended to put unbearable pressure on the German army and hasten an end to the war. Most of those who went over the top that day were wartime volunteers. Some as young as 16. Some had already seen action. For others the Somme was their first experience of battle. By the end of the 1st of July the British Army had sustained almost 60,00 casualties, of whom nearly one third had died. We lost the flower of a generation. And in the years to come it sometimes seemed that with them a sense of vital optimism had disappeared forever from British life. It was, in many ways, the saddest day in the long story of our nation. “Tonight we think of them as they nerved themselves for what lay ahead. We acknowledge the failures of European governments, including our own, to prevent the catastrophe of World War. We offer our humblest respects to each man who fought in the Battle of the Somme from every corner of the British Isles and from across the Commonwealth. We honor those whose names are recorded on this memorial. More than 72,000 who have no know grave. And to those who lie buried in Commonwealth war cemeteries. And tonight we stand here with a promise to those men. We will remember you. The gift you gave your country is treasured by every one of us this day. The sacrifice you made will never, ever, be forgotten.” [From People] “We acknowledge the failures of European governments, including our own, to prevent the catastrophe of World War…” That felt pointed, right? Props to William for acknowledging the lack of leadership that caused so many young men to die in that dreadful battle. And if people want to believe he’s just making a reference to the lack of leadership 100 years ago, so be it. But maybe he’s talking about a lack of leadership today. Bregrexit! Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Embed from Getty Images Photos courtesy of Getty.

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Bella Thorne: ‘Girls are just mean and so competitive — it’s so crazy’

Jun 24, 2016 marc

For my money, Bella Thorne is the new Lindsay Lohan. I don’t mean that Bella is a cracked-out trainwreck. I mean that Bella, who turned 18 years old last October, reminds me strongly of Lindsay when Lindsay was that age. And yes, Bella is gingery and thirsty and she loves it when she’s photographed in various stages of undress, so there is that Lohan vibe to her too. Bella also has a knack for talking sh-t and giving pretty good interviews, so there’s that too. Bella covers the new issue of Galore Magazine, and she talks about real-life mean girls, #AskHerMore and beyond. Some highlights: Girls are so mean: “I don’t get offended because girls are really mean. I will say — no matter where you go in life, it’s high school everywhere. I’m sure in the work office, for you, there’s high school [drama], and there’s one girl who’s bitchier than everybody. Girls are just mean and so competitive — it’s so crazy.” She prefers hanging out with guys: “I’m very chill in that way. Other girls sometimes get really, really like, competitive and catty and ‘Who likes who? You like him? Too bad. I like him. We’re going to have a problem now.’” She is friendly with Mae Whitman & Chloë Grace Moretz though: “They’re all just such homeys. When somebody has a lower vocal range, it’s great because then I’m not the only one that sounds like a man. It’s the girls that are tomboys that I’m so down, any time of day, because I like to get my hands dirty. Germs don’t freak me out, and so I’m really just down to chill, you know, and watch movies. Anybody that can do that, any girls who can do that, you’d be surprised that like, everybody just wants to chill. But it’s not all the time. Girls ask me, ‘Let’s go out? Let’s go to this party? My friend’s famous and we should totally go there.’ And I’m always just like, ‘No! I’m tired, dude. I’m so tired. I just want to go home, watch a movie, sit on Netflix, and eat Top Ramen or order food.’” She works out all the time: “I work out every single day, sometimes multiple times a day. I only really work out my core, abs, and legs, and butt is included in that. I don’t really work out my chest or shoulders all that often because I personally don’t love that look. But what’s really good is jumping squats—really good.” She doesn’t diet: “I eat whatever I want all day long. I eat anything spicy, greasy, fried, with carbs, literally, everything. My skin doctor told me, ‘You need to cut out this, this, this, this.’ I’m like, ‘Shut up! No, I don’t. You just want to make me miserable and dependent on you, and I’m not going to because I’ll eat whatever I want.” She doesn’t believe in #AskHerMore: “When I watch The Oscars, my boyfriend and I have an Oscar party, and they’re like, ‘Okay, we need to record the first part since everyone won’t be here till later.’ And he’s like, ‘Why do you need to see the carpet? You do that all the time.’ And I’m like, ‘OMG bitch, I’m not on the Oscars carpet!’” [From The Daily Mail & Page Six] Of course I was rolling my eyes throughout this piece, but I’d like to say… I think there are many teenagers just like this. This self-absorbed and self-aware, this obsessed with telling you what they’re like and how cool and how chill they are and who’s in their clique and what they think about gender politics because OMG that girl was so bitchy to me. Maybe many of you know some great, amazing, inspiring 18-year-olds, but from what I’ve seen, a lot of them are like this. All I’ll say is that I’m really “over” young women telling people that they’re more of a hang-with-the-guys kind of girl, that all girls are so mean and catty, etc. You don’t sound cool. You sound like the mean, catty person. Photos courtesy of Galore.

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Chelsea Clinton did a royal-esque photo op with her parents & baby Aidan

Jun 21, 2016 celebrityabout

Here are some photos of Chelsea Clinton leaving a New York hospital following the birth of her second child, baby boy Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky. Chelsea gave birth on Saturday, and I guess she stayed at the hospital two nights and left the hospital on Monday. Chelsea, her husband Marc and her parents, Bill and Hillary Clinton, all left together. I guess Marc’s parents don’t get to be included in the photo-op! As many have already noted, there’s sort of a royal flavor to this photo-op, like Chelsea is pulling a Duchess Kate. In Chelsea’s defense, I think it’s more like the photographers were already waiting for her to leave the hospital and she just made the most of it, probably with Hillary’s help. It’s a nice photo-op, is what I’m saying. Incidentally, people are loving Chelsea’s baby-name choices because they make her seem like a die-hard Sex and the City fan. Charlotte was one of the main characters and Aidan was Carrie’s fiancé. If Chelsea has another baby, the name will probably be Sam! Because you can’t name a baby “Mr. Big.” Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton’s stay in New York has been incredibly productive, and by that I mean she raised a ton of money last night at a star-studded fundraiser thrown by Harvey Weinstein. Hillary is raising money hand over fist, and she currently has more than $42 million in her campaign war chest, and that’s just for her campaign. If you include her superpac, she has more than $100 million on-hand. Donald Trump, meanwhile, is the human embodiment of a sad clown noise. He keeps lending his campaign money, his campaign leadership is in shambles, and he only had $1.3 million on hand at the end of May. Which has led to #TrumpSoPoor trending on Twitter. It’s glorious. Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.