Recently in U.S. Congress Category
So we've decided to bring back our "O Say Can You Sing" column, where we feature celebrities' and other notables' performances of The Star Spangled Banner.
Up this week is Ayla Brown, daughter of new U.S. Senator Scott Brown, former American Idol contestant, and current b-baller for Boston College.
Here she sings our National Anthem with the Boston Pops at a 2008 July 4th celebration.
Rate her pipes in the comments.
The House said "Oh, hells no" to coughing up $700 billion to bail out Wall Street. The bill would have given the U.S. Trasury a $700 billion line of credit to buy the bad mortages, securities and financial assets that are undermining the security of the U.S. economy and threatening to send the country into a recession.
The final vote was 228 to 205 against passing the bill. Members of both parties voted across parties lines.
When it started looking like the bill wouldn't pass, the Dow fell by as much as 700 points. If you don't follow the stock market, all you need to know is that's not a good thing.
U.S. Senators better prepare for an avalanche! Oprah Winfrey asked her millions of viewers today to call, write and email their U.S. Senators and tell them to "vote yes on Senate Bill 1738--The PROTECT Our Children Act." If passed, The PROTECT Our Children Act will fund additional law enforcement support to catch child sexual predators.
"We need to put pressure on our U.S. Senators to bring [the Act] to the floor," Oprah said on her show. "And we don't want them to just bring it to the floor; We want them to pass it."
Oprah has posted the contact information for every U.S. Senator on her website, along with a pre-written letter in support of the bill that viewers can just sign and send to their senators. You can visit Oprah's web page dedicated to passing the bill right here.
Oprah, known for her philanthropic efforts as well as her media success, is a long-time supporter of child advocacy causes.
Barack Obama and John Kerry in Charleston, SC. Photo credit: AP.
The Dems' 2004 presidential nominee, Sen. John Kerry, endorsed Barack Obama for president today at a rally in Charleston, SC. Kerry said that "Barack Obama can help our country turn the page and get America moving by uniting and ending the division we have faced." By endorsing Obama, Kerry dissed John Edwards, who was his running mate in '04.
Quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots. Photo credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images.
The fact that only 40% of Americans will vote doesn't get that much attention. But when only 40% of Americans will see the Patriots play the Giants?! Well, then all hell's gonna break loose.
The drama started when football fans found out that the NFL planned to broadcast the New England/New York game exclusively on the NFL Channel, which is available in only 40% of American homes. This is an important game for football fans because, rivalries aside, this game will determine whether New England will make history as the first team to go 16-0 in the regular season. Who cares? Yeah, exactly.
Anyway, the NFL hoped that fan anger would force Time Warner and Comcast to include the NFL Channel in basic cable packages, so all fans could see the games. The NFL had been in a lengthy catfight with cable companies about this, and hoped that added fan pressure would help them get their way.
Unfortunately for fans though, just like in the Story of Zax, neither side would budge. So football fans seriously starting tripping that they might miss the game. Then a whole lot of them who don't even vote found out what a senator was and started calling their's to complain.
Enter Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT). [Insert Superman theme song here.]
Sen. Kerry pressured the cable companies and the NFL to work things out. Sen. Specter and Sen Leahy sent the NFL a letter threatening to revisit their anti-trust exception if the game was not more widely broadcast. Of notable mention is that the good senators worked on this constituent matter through their Christmas vacation. [Overheard in hell: "Mmm, these frostie pops sure are good!"]
This story has a happy ending: the game will now be simulcast on the NFL Channel, CBS and NBC, and all of the American people can watch on Saturday. This will be the first 3 network simulcast of a NFL game in history, and the first simulcast of a NFL game since the 1967 inaugural Superbowl following the merger of the National Football League and the American Football League.
Who cares? Yeah, exactly.
Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) was on The View Tuesday morning to talk about abortion, the economy, immigration, China and his race for the White House. The highlight of the interview? When co-host Joy Behar said to him, "Now you're probably not going to win, and you know that, right?" Yes- she went there. Watch below in two parts (part 1 top, part 2 bottom).
George Clooney insists that he's never getting married. Whatever. Aren't you the girl who will change his mind and totally sweep him off his feet? Of course you are! So start planning that wedding, girl!
(And for the record, you are so not a stalker. This is love.)
Marriage plans create many questions. Like, who will pay all of the bills? (Duh, him!) Which BFF will be your maid of honor? Can you find white Manolos that don't hurt? And will anyone snicker or text ROFLMAO to their friends when they see you in white? These questions are easily answered. But -
To change your name or not change your name, that is the (really tough) question.
Be traditional and take his name? Independent and keep your name? Hyphenate? Pull a Bennifer and create a combo name?
Hard questions. Here's how Congresswoman Mary Bono and other women in politics answered them.
Just like mean girls, members of Congress roll in cliques. Congressional clique members even save seats for each other, eighth grade lunchroom style.
“It’s like church,” said Rep. James P. McGovern (D-MA). “Everyone sits in the same chairs — and if anyone sits in our chairs, we give them a dirty look and they leave.”
That's how he acts in church?! So the U.S. Capitol is actually a junior high school, and members of congress think it's okay to give people dirty looks in church. (Is that a new strategy to reach faithful voters? Giving 'em dirty looks?) Good to know that your Congressional representative is not any more mature - or any more well behaved on Sunday - than a very mean girl. Nice. [Politico]
Video below shows what it's like to be in Congress:
According to CBS News, Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating 6 televangelist ministries for financial misconduct. He reportedly wants to make sure that the ministries are spending their flock's money in compliance with the requirements of their IRS tax exempt status, rather than using it to pay for the evangelists' personal lavish lifestyles. The six ministries under investigation are led by Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn.
Barack Obama participated in a Saturday Night Live skit this past Saturday to poke fun of rival Hillary Clinton. Barack and the other Democratic candidates have accused Hillary of being two-faced, and Barack drove this point home during his SNL appearance.
In the skit, a tall, thin man approaches "Hillary" (Amy Poehler) at her Halloween party, wearing a Barack Obama mask. Hillary wants to see who came to the party as Barack, so he takes the mask off. And it's... [drumroll please!]... Barack himself!
Hillary: So you came as yourself?
Barack: Well you know, Hillary, I have nothing to hide. I enjoy being myself. I'm not going to change who I am just because it is Halloween.
The audience laughed, but you know Hillary wasn't amused. She's going to stomp Barack's a**. Not necessarily in the primary, but if she catches his skinny tail alone in the dark halls of Congress.
See also:
Obama's shots go on, a surprise for Clinton on SNL [Baltimore Sun]
Live from New York, it's Sen Barack Obama [Chicago Sun-Times]
Anchor has nothing to fear from SNL gig [Chicago Sun-Times]
