A Jimmy McMillan/Newt Gingrich Ticket?

Rent is Too Damn High Party spokesman/enthusiast/lone member Jimmy McMillan announced in December his plans to run for President in 2012 and now he's getting serious about his bid. In an interview with AOL News, he spoke more about his presidential aspirations and revealed some surprising news about who he'd pick as VP. Apparently, he'd like to see Newt Gingrich or Mitt Romney on the ticket with him. As a karate expert, McMillan is clearly the choice to top the ticket.

Oh, and John Edwards was also a candidate to be his VEEP, but he decided against him as a choice.

Monday's Readout

Biden Loves the Onion

via Yahoo's Ticket:

A mock photo of Vice President Joe Biden washing a Trans-Am shirtless. Strange? Distasteful? Crossing the line?

Not so, Biden says.

"I think it's hilarious," Biden told Yahoo! in a wide-ranging interview Thursday.

Satirical publication The Onion has repeatedly made the Vice President a target for particularly randy news stories and online cartoon spoofs -- and the jokes have been a viral sensation.

In The Onion's stories Biden invites the "nation's women" to talk taxes at a "private ski chalet", bounces a check at a liquor store, gets banned from Dave & Buster's

Obama on the YouTubes...

WH.gov's Open for Questions

Promptly after the President's State of the Union Address last night, Senior Administrations took questions from a live audience and from Facebook and Twitter about the speech. The interactive Q&A session was moderated by Kal Pen Modi, associate director for the Office of Public Engagement. Also participating in the fifty minute session were National Economic Council Adviser Ryan Deets, the President’s Special Assistant for Education Roberto Rodriguez, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes, and Director of Online Engagement Sarah Bernard. If you missed any of the panel last night, head to White House.gov to watch the video and head to Twitter today to participate in the Twitterview with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

When Did Tim Pawlenty Hire Michael Bay?

Can anyone answer that question from me, because this video (shot to hype up support for his new book "Courage to Stand") feels like it came off the cutting room floor of a Transformers movie....

Bill Clinton Dines with the Stars

Former President Bill Clinton was spotted in Miami late last week and he had some very A list guests with him. Pres. Clinton was seen dining with Cameron Diaz and Alex Rodriguez at Prime 112 Steakhouse. The trio were surrounded by security, which included a hefty Secret Service detail. Onlookers said the group were in good spirits and sipped red wine. After dinner, all left separately. A short time later, President Clinton was seen at NFLer Chad Occochino’s 33rd birthday party inside and snapped a picture with the Cincinatti Bengals receiver.

SOTU Gets Web-Friendly

On Tuesday, January 25, at 9 p.m. EST, President Obama will deliver the State of the Union address, but following his remarks, internet users will be able to directly ask administration officials questions. That includes the Commander in Chief.

From the White House blog:

Immediately following the State of the Union Address, stay tuned for a live Open For Questions event where Senior White House officials will answer your questions about key issues addressed in the speech live from the White House. Panelists include:

* Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council
* Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy
* David Simas, Director and Aide to the Senior Advisor
* Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications.

Submit your questions on Twitter by replying to @whitehouse using the hashtag #sotu, on Facebook, or on our webform.

Wednesday: Twitter Interview with Press Secretary Gibbs

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs will be taking your questions via Twitter before his post-State of the Union briefing on Wednesday, January 26. Follow @PressSec on Twitter to find out when he’ll be taking your questions, then respond to @PressSec using the hashtag #1Q and watch for his video responses.

Thursday at 2:30 PM: Live YouTube Interview with President Obama

President Obama will answer your questions during a live YouTube interview at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday January 27. Submit your questions on youtube.com/askobama.

Friday's Readout

FLOTUS Surprises Visitors

If you could ask First Lady Michelle Obama any question, what would it be? Well a few lucky visitors to the White House on Thursday got the chance to bend the ear of the FLOTUS as she surprised visitors during their tour of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. One man asked her where he could find Washington DC staple Ben’s Chili bowl. I’m guessing he was a bit nervous. First Dog Bo stayed at Mrs. Obama’s side while the line of people filtered though the Blue Room.

"Hug me and pet Bo,” Mrs. Obama said, encouraging people to spend some time with her dog.

But it wasn't all hugs and smiles in the receiving line. Another visitor did a little football smack talking with Mrs. Obama, tauting her with cheers of "Go Packers!"

But she took the comment in stride firing back with "Go Bears!"

The Green Bay Packers will play the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship Game Sunday at Soldier Field.

Thursday's Readout

They're Back!

Did someone say shameless self-promotion?

The Salahis may not have been allowed anywhere near Wednesday night’s state dinner in honor of China, but that does not mean they can’t use the event to eke out yet another television appearance. The party crashing couple appeared on CNN’s Parker Spitzer last night to reveal “some anecdotes that will shock us.” Politico says that, “during their appearance on "Parker Spitzer," the couple revealed no new information about their state dinner escapade, but reiterated that they did not crash the event.” And now the couple can make their triumphant return to obscurity.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Because President Obama is!

After the pool spray with Chinese President Hu Jintao in the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Obama was asked the quintessential playoff question.

“If the Bears win, are you going to the Super Bowl?”

“Oh we're going,” responded the President, “no doubt.”

The remark sent ABC’s Jake Tapper digging in the YouTube archives for some vintage Obama footage from December 2006. Where as a freshman senator with the political world wondering about his plans for 2008, Obama appeared in a mock-commercial during Monday Night Football.



DUN DUN DUN DUN!

Obama vs. Hu

While the pundits ponder which country is likely to come out ahead in this week’s summit between the Chinese President and President Obama, Asia’s most animated commentators have already made up their minds. Last November,Taiwan’s Next Media Animation released a video where cartoon versions of President Hu and President Obama matched each other rhyme-for-rhyme in a hip-hop face-off over currency that went viral.



In NMA’s latest take on Sino-U.S. relations, Obama has gone from Hu’s rap nemesis to his valet-parking attendant. The animators explained the change in tone was intentional. saying, “In the past, before these meetings, China would usually make concessions ahead of time to smooth the way for negotiations. This time, they haven’t done that, which to us says they’re feeling confident.”

Sarah Palin on Tragedy in Tuscon

Sarah Palin has posted a new video on her Facebook page this morning in response to this past weekend’s shooting in Arizona. In the 7 minute address, Palin offers condolences to all those affected by the tragedy in Tuscon and says that while she doesn’t always agree with everything President Obama says, the two can agree on “affirming the health of the democratic process. Palin also discusses the political debate surrounding the heated rhetoric of the 2010 midterm elections and the language she used that has been scrutinized recently in the media.

Sarah Palin: "America's Enduring Strength" from Sarah Palin on Vimeo.

Stewart on Tragedy in Arizona

I typically try to avoid more serious news on my blog, but Jon Stewart's monologue last night was just too poignant not to post.

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50th Anniversary of Desegregation at UGA

In 1961, Charlayne Hunter (now Hunter-Gault) and Hamilton Holmes became the first black students to attend to the University. Mrs. Hunter-Gault spoke with Tim Farley on "The Morning Briefing" about the 50th Anniversary of the day she registered for classes.

SNL Does Bloomberg's Snoypocalypse

Sarah Palin's Alaska Finale

It's finally over. The time has come to close the chapter on "Sarah Palin's Alaska." Last night was the 8th and final episode where Palin and the gang got in some tomfoolery. TLC prepared a two-hour sendoff for the Palin gang, complete with gold panning and a musk ox stampede. First up, the family heads out to the reindeer farm to feed some animals where everyone seems to be concerned with whether reindeer are friendly. Next Sarah, her dad Chuck Sr. and her brother Chuck Jr. are taking Piper and her cousin down to Valdez to follow the footsteps of old time Alaska gold prospectors. There’s and ox-stampede, fish-whackin’ and more Kate Gosselin. And with that, "Sarah Palin's Alaska" comes to an end. For a more lengthy Palin redux, head to the Alaska Dispatch.

Ted Haggard Gets a Show

Because why not?

Ted Haggard, the former head of the National Association of Evangelicals who had an affair with a male prostitute, is heading to TLC.

The station, which is also home to “Sarah Palin’s Alaska,” will be airing “Ted Haggard: Scandalous” as a one-hour special, according to Entertainment Weekly.

In a statement, Haggard said, “My family and I endured the darkest hours imaginable in the public spotlight, and have spent the last four years fighting and struggling to rebuild our lives, our faith and our family.”

The show is scheduled to air Jan. 16 and, according to EW, could lead to a whole series if it pulls in enough eyeballs.

In the special, Haggard shares plans start a new ministry in Colorado Springs. “Showing the world the new chapter of our lives will hopefully inspire others to find their own path to overcome their struggles and embrace the power of acceptance. The church is open to all, even those who have committed the darkest sins,” Haggard said.

Breaking! Bill O'Reilly to Interview Obama

Via Mediaite:

Sources tell Mediaite that Bill O’Reilly has landed an exclusive pre-game interview with President Barack Obama scheduled to air on the Fox Broadcasting Channel before the Super Bowl. This will mark only the second time that Obama has sat down with Fox News — his first was last year with Bret Baier. But its the first time that Obama will participate with Mr O’Reilly as a sitting president (though O’Reilly did interview Obama in the later stages of his presidential candidacy.)

In Case You Missed It...

I'm a huge fan of John Stewart's Micheal Steele puppet, but this John McCain puppet was pretty classic.

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Boehner Works the Facebook

It's nothing new for lawmakers to use Facebook and Twitter to connect with constituents and reporters. House Speaker John Boehner tweeted that the Speaker election would be streaming on his Facbook page. But Wired's Epicenter thinks Boehner may be opening the social network floodgates.

We won’t quibble that Boehner could have done his history-making webcast on the internet proper, perhaps even on GOP.gov, “The Website Of Republicans In Congress.” Or that he could have just given a nice shout out to C-SPAN, which tirelessly does this day in and day out and will be doing it again tomorrow, as C-SPAN communications director Howard Mortman wrote us later — including it’s own Facebook strategy.

“C-SPAN has a far-reaching social media outreach plan for tomorrow’s opening of the new Congress, including livestreaming the day’s House floor proceedings on our Facebook page (with an embeddable player), in addition to everything we’re doing on our networks and websites,” Mortman said.

Without realizing it Boehner may be opening a glorious Pandora’s box by whetting the electorate’s appetite for on-demand access to lawmakers at work from the comfort of their computer and smartphone and tablet screens, without feeling like a wonk. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Speaker.

Presidential Flippy-Floppys

Horror of all horrors. The terrorists have won...President Obama was spotted on vacation wearing flip-flops!!

More outrage from the NY Post:

Historians agreed it was the first time they could remember seeing the leader of the free world snapped in a public setting, wearing nothing more than a flimsy strip of rubber on his feet.

While Ronald Reagan was famously snapped strutting on his way to Camp David in his cowboy boots and John F. Kennedy was no stranger to sailing in his deck shoes, the picture of Obama tooling around an ice-cream shop with his toes on full display seems be a first for the presidency.

Capping off his Hawaiian vacation, President Obama earlier this week sports an uber-casual look finished with a pair of flipflops, favored by his core demographic: college kids.

"I can't say I've seen a president's toes before. This could be a very usual thing," said presidential historian Jane Hampton Cook, author of an upcoming children's book "What Does the President Look Like?"

Post, don't you think it's a bit much to be consulting Presidential historians about the President's choice of footwear? That's a question they should be asking me!!

This is NOT the first time the presidential tootsies have made an appearance. He was spotted wearing mandals over the summer. However, flip flops? Let Sasha and Malia handle the Obama toe-bearing Mr. President.

More Tweeting from the House Floor!!

Did you know it was against protocol for House members to use their cells in the chamber? (Me either! And what about during the State of the Union.

Anyway, House Republicans have changed the rules to allow members to use electronic devices in the House chamber — as long as it doesn't "impair decorum." (Tweeting is trendy AND proper)

We'll see how long this new rule lasts, given the fact that it most likely will affect "decorum," and there's a growing iPad caucus in the House.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, was the first to take advantage of these new rules during today's swearing-in of the new Congress. (Even though the rules haven't been finalized yet. Darn CSPAN cameras!)

She tweeted a photo (see above) of Nancy Pelosi transferring power to John Boehner from the House floor.

Welcome to the 112th!

Earlier today, the 112th Congress was gaveled into session. (Political junkies rejoice!) Tommorrow, House Republicans will get the year started with a spirited reading of the Constitution. Reading the document should take about 30 minutes, but the Washington Post estimates that the event (including all formal House proceedings) should take about 2 hours. So aside from this being a long day on the Hill, it's an expensive one too? Vanity Fair estimates the reading of the Constitution will cost taxpayers about $1 million...do tell.

VF Daily checked with Peter Keating, the co-author of “The Cost of No” and VF.com’s resident expert on Congressional wastefulness.

According to Keating:

The amount I get is nearly $1.1 million. $1,071,872.87, to be exact, though of course this is more back-of-the-envelope than exact.

When one chamber of Congress is in session but not working, we the people still have to pay for members’ salaries and expenses, and for their police protection, and for keeping their lights and phones and coffee machines on. Even Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Mike Pence (R-IN) combined don’t blow enough hot air to heat the Capitol in January.

Monday's Readout

Happy New Year!