Did you know that Barack Obama speaks Spanish, is Cuban and that his real name is Gerardo Passiaux?
Look again. You’re not the first to mistake this tall Cuban for the Democratic candidate. It happens to him all the time, Passiaux says.
And here at the Democratic convention in Denver, more than one delegate has freaked out thinking they had run into the senator himself…. but then when he starts talking in Spanish the illusion vanishes.
Gerardo, who is originally from Guantánamo, Cuba, says he is happy to be (Barack) and supports his quest to be the next tenant of the White House.
Perhaps Sheryl Crow should have dedicated her song “All I Wanna Do” instead of “Strong Enough” to Barack Obama.
When she opened the Democratic convention on Sunday, convention attendees found it weird when Crow sang, “Are you strong enough to be my man, or my President? God, I feel like hell tonight.” Talk about buzzkill.
In other convention news, Jon Stewart is covering the event with “Indecision 2008“. Among “The Daily Show’s” convention correspondents is Rob Riggle, who spent a week with the Obama campaign in Indiana. His memory of that time:
“Everyone hates you, and the Secret Service wants to shoot you. [Obama's people] said, ‘We love you! Now go stay over there … in the corner!’ “
Riggle won’t say which candidate he supports.
“I am a fake journalist…I have to maintain fake objectivity.”
John McCain has utilized almost every television commercial in his campaign as a means of slamming Obama Barack — even calling him a “celebrity“. Meanwhile, Barack has mostly focused on his own merits.
Well, Barack is finally on attack. This election is going to be extremely fun to watch. Can you imagine how dirty things will get by November?
Some people take their music seriously. So seriously, they’re willing to take the potential next President of the United States to court!
The singer-songwriter sued McCain and the Ohio and national Republican committees in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Thursday, accusing them of using his song “Running on Empty” without his permission.
The lawsuit claims the song’s use was an infringement of his copyright and will lead people to conclude he endorses McCain. The suit says Browne is a lifelong liberal who is as well-known for his music as for being “an advocate for social and environmental justice.”
The advertisement mocks Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s contention that if U.S. drivers got regular tuneups and drove on properly inflated tires, they could save the same amount of oil that would be gained by offshore drilling. According to the suit, “Running on Empty” plays in the background of the ad criticizing the remarks.
Robert Bennett, chairman of the Ohio party, said the ad was pulled when Browne objected. He called the lawsuit a “big to-do about nothing.”
McCain spokesman Brian Rogers disavowed the ad, saying it wasn’t a product of the Republican presidential candidate’s campaign.
Browne’s lawsuit contends the Ohio Republican party released the ad on behalf of McCain and the RNC. The RNC did not return a phone call seeking comment.
The suit notes that other musicians, including ABBA and John Cougar Mellencamp, have asked McCain to stop using their work.
Browne’s attorney, Lawrence Iser, called the ad’s use of the song “reprehensible.”
The 59-year-old singer claims his reputation has already been damaged and is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.
Browne released “Running on Empty” — the song and an album by the same name — in 1977. According to the lawsuit, the album has sold more than 7 million copies.
Browne’s financial success has aided Democratic candidates over the years. Campaign finance records show he contributed $2,300 to Obama’s presidential campaign last year and $2,000 to the Illinois senator’s campaign coffers in 2004.
John McCain is losing my respect rapidly. First all of his ads are geared towards “bashing the competition”, instead of pushing his own goals and merits — now he’s blatantly using copyrighted songs without the artists permission. Shame on you!
source: Jackson Browne sues McCain, RNC over song in ad [yahoo news]
It may seem as if most entertainment industry figures are aligning with Barack Obama and just a few with John McCain, but there are still a handful of famous names who are still on the fence. And both campaigns are well aware of one star who stands out among the undecideds: Angelina Jolie.
Both campaigns have reached out to her, apparently to court her support. But in a statement to Variety provided by political adviser Trevor Neilson, Jolie says that she is waiting to make up her mind.
“I have not decided on a candidate,” Jolie says, “I am waiting to see the commitments they will make on issues like international justice, refugees and how to address the needs of children in crisis around the world.”
Unlike many other celebrity endorsements, Jolie’s carries the weight and influence of her extensive humanitarian work around the world, as the goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Her statement was an indication that she would be open to choosing a candidate.
That was in evidence earlier this year after her trip to Iraq, when she wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post, “Staying to Help in Iraq,” in which she argued that the U.S. should step up financial and material assistance to Iraq — not withdraw from its commitment in the region.
She wrote, “My visit left me even more deeply convinced that we not only have a moral obligation to help displaced Iraqi families, but also a serious, long-term, national security interest in ending this crisis.
“Today’s humanitarian crisis in Iraq — and the potential consequences for our national security — are great. Can the United States afford to gamble that 4 million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of Middle East, won’t explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder?”
“What we cannot afford, in my view, is to squander the progress that has been made.”
She did, however, “call on each of the presidential candidates and congressional leaders to announce a comprehensive refugee plan with a specific timeline and budget as part of their Iraq strategy.”
Her call for a continued U.S. presence left some conservative blogs buzzing that Jolie may in fact endorse McCain — after some had just assumed that she would back Obama.
Jolie has said very little about the presidential race since.
As you all know, John McCain has already started hitting below the belt, calling Barack Obama “the world’s biggest celebrity”.
McCain even went as far as comparing Barack to Paris Hilton.
Well… she’s pissed.
UPDATE (James):
For those unable to watch the video, ABC News’ Tahman Bradley has the rundown:
Sitting on a lawn chair in a bathing suit, Ms. Hilton says to camera, “Hey America, I’m Paris Hilton and I’m a celebrity too. Only I’m not from the olden days and I’m not promising change like that other guy. I’m just hot.”
She continues, “But then that wrinkly white-haired guy used me in his campaign ad, which I guess means that I’m running for president.”
And so, since Hilton has interpreted the comparison to Sen. Obama, D-Ill., as meaning that she too is qualified to be leader of the free world, Hilton, jokingly, lays out her campaign platform.
The video has some more tough words for the “wrinkly white-haired” Arizona Senator: “He’s the oldest celebrity it the world, like super old. Old enough to remember when dancing was a sin and beer was served in a bucket,” a narrator says, with a picture of Larry King and then Yoda to drive home the age point.
In the unkindest cut of all, McCain’s spokesperson Tucker Bounds tells TMZ that on the subject of energy, Paris is deeper than Barack. He says, “Sounds like Paris is taking the ‘All of the Above’ energy approach that John McCain has advocated — both alternatives and drilling. Perhaps the reality is that Paris has a more substantive energy plan than Barack Obama.”
Naturally, all of this has resulted in some enlightening discussion on the issues that matter most to Americans.
According to the Federal Election Commission website, the Hilton’s contributed the dough last March. Initially, Rick put up all the $$$ but in April it was split between him and his wife.
Now it’s being reported that McCain is taking a shots at Obama, using Paris as his ditzy weapon.
Personally, I don’t see the big deal…We ALL take shots at Paris, she’s an easy target.
source: Paris’ Parents to McCain: How Dare You [tmz]
Last night, Bill O’Reilly showed footage of Rev. Jesse Jackson saying disparaging words about Barack Obama during a break. Ok, he threatened to cut his nuts off.
Jackson claims he thought the microphones were turned off. Likely excuse. The reporter beside him totally knew the mics were on, you can see it on his face.
Jesse has already apologized and Obama has already accepted his apology.
The View discusses:
I think Obama let him off too easy — and it’s obvious Rev. Jackson is envious of Obama’s campaign success — he wasn’t so fortunate.
The lawsuit claims the song’s use was an infringement of his copyright and will lead people to conclude he endorses McCain. The suit says Browne is a lifelong liberal who is as well-known for his music as for being “an advocate for social and environmental justice.”
