A New Drudge? Ask Arianna Huffington about it!

Mega blogger Arianna Huffington sold her popular liberal blog Huffington Post to AOL for $315 million. Started in 2005, the news site surpass the controversial conservative Drudge Report in 2009. It attracts many including myself to read the latest in politics, entertainment and media.

Arianna Huffington is also involved in her talk radio shows Left, Right and Center, Both Sides with Huffington and Matlin, and voice acting for Seth MacFarlane/Mike Henry's The Cleveland Show.

The new Arianna Huffington-run AOL news operation has fired scores of AOL business and finance freelancers, and is offering them the opportunity to work again—for free, according to reports from contributors. The popular liberal's controversial labor practices are triggering another uproar over AOL's multi-million-dollar acquisition of the Huffington Post, and have already spurred calls by journalists and union leaders for an "electronic" strike. Some of the canned freelancers are being offered staff jobs in the new operation, which is headed by Huffington, though numbers have not been revealed. All others have been told they can continue to write for free, reports the Business Insider. The Huffington Post has come under intense fire from its own unpaid freelancers, who complain that they helped create the operation that Huffington sold to AOL for $315 million. A Huffington Post-AOL spokesman denied "mass terminations" are underway, and said the changes are part of a strategy to "shift from relying on freelancers and contractors to investing in full-time staff." Many AOL workers are stunned by Huffington's power in the new set up. "I've never seen someone buy a company and then give the keys to the safe to the people who run that company," an AOL staffer tells the Guardian.

Newser and the Guardian (UK) contribute to the story.

Republican Fear Factor: Socialist Is Code Word N******!

Where do we go from here? Race-baiting and fear-mongering a tactic of conservative activism. It's frustrating that the Republican Party is determined to attack President Obama, but this "socialist" nonsense is really making me more likely to continue ignoring Republicans.

Just about 90% of Republicans/conservatives believe that President Obama is a "socialist", "Marxist", and/or other ridiculous accusations. So much for a post-partisan America!

Is it fair for me to say that anyone who criticizes President Obama by throwing the ridiculous "socialist" claim are Anti-American.

The conservative media have went into full spin with this "socialist" fear-mongering. And to top that, in my opinion as well as the title of this video, the Republicans and their allies in the conservative media have used "racial undertones" towards the president.

They won't say it, but they found a way to beat the odds!

There's a poll that frankly proves my point about this "socialist" nonsense. It's provided by Daily Kos/Research 2000:

• 39 percent of Republicans believe Obama should be impeached, 29 percent are not sure, 32 percent said he should not be voted out of office.
• 36 percent of Republicans believe Obama was not born in the United States, 22 percent are not sure, 42 percent think he is a natural citizen.
• 31 percent of Republicans believe Obama is a "Racist who hates White people" -- the description once adopted by Fox News's Glenn Beck. 33 percent were not sure, and 36 percent said he was not a racist.
• 63 percent of Republicans think Obama is a socialist, 16 percent are not sure, 21 percent say he is not
• 24 percent of Republicans believe Obama wants "the terrorists to win," 33 percent aren't sure, 43 percent said he did not want the terrorist to win.
• 21 percent of Republicans believe ACORN stole the 2008 election, 55 percent are not sure, 24 percent said the community organizing group did not steal the election.
• 23 percent of Republicans believe that their state should secede from the United States, 19 percent aren't sure, 58 percent said no.
• 53 percent of Republicans said they believe Sarah Palin is more qualified to be president than Obama.

Conservatives tend to be more likely racists, bigots and ignorant.

The sources and information provided in commentary are located on these websites:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/02/large-portion-of-gop-thin_n_445951.html
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism
http://www.truthfightsback.com/site/s...
http://www.nypost.com/seven/01232009/...
http://blog.newser.com/post/2009/01/2...
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/...
http://www.oliverwillis.com/2008/09/1...



gopleaders -

President Obama scolds GOP.

Raw Story contributes to the story.

Obama spars with GOP in no-holds-barred debate

By Daniel Tencer
Friday, January 29th, 2010 -- 3:24 pm

UPDATE AT BOTTOM: Fox News cut live feed of Obama debate half-way through; GOP aides say allowing cameras was a 'mistake'

A combative President Obama sparred back and forth with Republicans at a House GOP retreat in Baltimore Friday, telling House members they had backed themselves into a corner by painting his administration as being radical.

It was an unusual question-and-answer session that some observers have compared to Question Period in the British House of Commons, when the prime minister takes questions from opposition lawmakers. And even some conservative commentators admit Obama won the debate and gave himself a much-needed image boost.

Invited by the GOP to attend their annual conference, the president accepted but surprised Republicans with a request to allow cameras into the conference room, Politico reports. The GOP agreed.

Weaving between pleas for bipartisanship and direct criticism of GOP politicking, the president took Republicans to task for voting against last year's stimulus package and then attending "ribbon cuttings" for projects funded by it.

"A lot of you have gone to ribbon cuttings for the same projects that you voted against," Obama said. "I say all this not to re-litigate the past, but it's simply to state, the component parts of the recovery act are consistent with what many of you say are important things to do."

Obama touched repeatedly on the theme that, in opposing his policies, Republicans at times oppose things that are in line with their ideology. Among those things, Obama argued, are his proposed fee on banks and a freeze on discretionary spending.

"Join me" in passing the spending freeze, Obama asked the GOP, adding there's "nothing in this proposal that runs contrary to the ideological predisposition of this caucus."

On the proposed bank fee, designed to recoup some of the money the US government lost in bailing out the banks in 2008, Obama told House Minority Leader John Boehner: "If you listen to the American people, John, they’ll tell you they want their money back."

And in very frank language, Obama warned the GOP they are painting themselves into a political corner by using strong rhetoric in opposing White House ideas.

"If the way these issues are being presented by the Republicans is that this is some wild-eyed plot to impose huge government in every aspect of our lives, what happens is you guys don't have a lot of room to negotiate with me," the president said. "The fact is that many of you, if you voted with the administration on something, are politically vulnerable with your own base in your own party. You've given yourselves very little room to work in a bipartisan fashion because what you've told your constituents is this guy is doing all kinds of crazy stuff that's gonna destroy America."

The president also chastised Republicans for presenting health care reform as "some Bolshevik plot." But he spent a considerable amount of time arguing for bipartisanship, and for his own credentials as an open-minded leader who can work across party lines.

"I am not an ideologue," Obama said, adding, "These are serious times and what's required of all us is to do what's right for our country even if it's not best for our politics. ... There may be better things than poll numbers."

Even some conservative commentators conceded that Obama won the day.

"Obama did well, got the better of GOP today," the Weekly Standard's Michael Goldfarb tweeted. "Fortunately, we got the better of him the last six months or so. And health care is dead."

Daniel Foster at the National Review argued it made both sides look good.

"It would be hard to argue the exchange is anything but a plus-plus for Obama and the GOP," he wrote. "Both sides emerged from it looking as if, contra the public's greatest fears, they are serious about the deficit and health-care reform. ... [T]he Republicans went a long way toward showing that they are hardly a party of obstructionists with no solutions to offer Americans."

UPDATE: Some commentators are pointing to the fact that Fox News cut off the live feed of Obama's debate half-way through as proof that the president got the better of the GOP on Friday.

"Perhaps the most telling aspect of the speech reactions," writes David Weigel at the Washington Independent, is that "Fox News, alone among cable networks, cut away mid-broadcast and went to a newsless interview with Rep. Peter King (R-NY)."

NBC's Luke Russert offered more evidence that at least the GOP views it as a loss for their side.

"GOP aides telling me it was a mistake to allow cameras into Obama's QA with GOP members," Russert tweeted Friday. "Allowed BO to refute GOP for 1.5 hours on TV."

Copyright © 2004-2009 Raw Story Media, Inc. - Investigative News - All rights reserved.

This video is from MSNBC, broadcast Jan. 29, 2010.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Democratic Party Calls Out Fox News!

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching a new campaign to respond to the spin from conservative news outlets expected to follow President Obama's State of the Union address.

In a new mailer sent out Wednesday to the committee's four-million member e-mail list, supporters are invited to join the new "State of the Union 'Fact Check FOX' Team."

"This group of Democratic Party activists will stand at the ready to counter the lies and distortions that erupt from the rightwing media and Republican spin doctors like Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck following President Obama's State of the Union address on Wednesday night," the e-mail pitch says.

The DCCC is inviting members to send text messages, e-mails or use Facebook or Twitter to fact check the pundits weighing in after the speech.

Supporters who sign up for the program will also receive "rapid response fact check text alerts." The DCCC is aiming to recruit 5,000 new members to the fact-check team by midnight.

In addition to conservative heavyweights like Beck and Palin, former Bush adviser Karl Rove, Democratic strategist Joe Trippi and Fox News's Sean Hannity will contribute to the Fox News analysis after the president's address.

Become part of the Fact Check FOX Rapid Response Team: "Sign up to become part of the Fact Check FOX Rapid Response Team"

Sarah Palin, Going Rouge? Steve Schmidt: Not Even Close!

CBS interviews former campaign adviser to John McCain's failed presidential bid, Steve Schmidt. He's airs out the best-selling author and former Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin. The former Alaskan governor who's been in the media lately became the darling of "Tea Party Movement", and a possible bid to run in 2012. Schmidt sets the record straight.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

8 Amazing Celebrity Comebacks Coming At You In 2010 | The Frisky

8 Amazing Celebrity Comebacks Coming At You In 2010 | The Frisky Kate Torgovnick

2009 was a big year for celebrity comebacks, with Mickey Rourke, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, and Courteney Cox steppin’ back into the proverbial spotlight. But something tells me that 2010 is going to be even better. One comeback that has me extremely giddy: Mayim Bialik, aka “Blossom,” aka the girl who inspired me to wear hats and sew my very own tie skirt. Mayim disappeared off the pop culture radar screen for a while, and headed to UCLA to get a Ph.D. in neuroscience and start a family—she now has two children. Last year, she miraculously reappeared on an episode of “What Not To Wear.” And now, she’s making a run for a full-fledged comeback, with guest-starring spots on “The Secret Life of the American Teenager” and “Til Death.” Mayim said, “I am trying to see if the industry would like to see me as an adult actress and not as a teenager ... When I do personal appearances at colleges, I have to sort of backtrack and say, ‘In case you didn’t know, I was on after ‘The Fresh Prince’ for five years.’” [NY Post]

Oh, but that is just the beginning. Really. Here other soon-to-be comebacks that we’re very excited about.

1. Jaleel White. Did somebody say “cheese”? You probably know Jaleel as Steve Urkel—or Stefan, if you watched “Family Matters” in later seasons. We’re very excited that he is back, starring in a new web series called “Road to the Altar.” The concept: Jaleel and his Jewish fiancée make their wedding into a reality show to fund their honeymoon. Let’s hope there’s a polka scene at the wedding, for Urkel’s sake. [Access Hollywood]
2. Tiffany. If you were anywhere near a mall in the mid ‘80s, you were no doubt a big fan of Tiffany, who made me want red hair and a jean jacket, big time. Now that she’s 37, Tiffany is ready for a second act—she says she wants to record a country album this year. “I’ve had success after 20 years, and my fans have really been supportive of my new music, but my heart is in country music,” she says. “It’s a new pursuit for me, and I have some songs under my belt.” [The Boot]
3. Julie Andrews. The hills are alive, with the sound of Juuuuu-lie. She hasn’t been on stage in 30 years, but the original Mary Poppins is set for a comeback concert in May at the 02 Arena in London. [Reuters]
4. Pavement. In the ‘90s, there was one CD I played to the point where it was scratched beyond recognition—Pavement’s “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain.” No one was sadder when the band disbanded in 1999. Luckily, 2010 is their reunion year. Not only is Pavement playing Coachella in April and New York’s SummerStage in September, but tickets sold out in 10 minutes, a year in advance. And the band is also curating the ATP festival in the U.K. [Taragana]
5. Pepa and Chili. These gorgeous, kick-butt ladies are both thirds of uber-successful female musical groups. Pepa talked about sex in Salt-N-Pepa, and Chili chased waterfalls and rejected scrubs with TLC. Now VH1 is giving each of them a reality series about their lives as single women. Spicy! Sorry, I couldn’t resist that pun. [VH1]
6. Little Richard. His hair might be intact, but his hip is not. Last month, Little Richard checked into the hospital for surgery on it. But on his way, he promised to be “rocking like the old days” soon with a comeback concert. [BBC]
7. Tiffani Thiessen. For years, Tiffani (Amber) Thiessen was better known as the sweet-as-pie volleyball player/cheerleader Kelly Kapowski on “Saved by the Bell.” She gave herself a second act in the ‘90s when she joined the cast of “Beverly Hills, 90210” for the college years and stirred up serious trouble. Now she’s coming back again, with a role on the USA series “White Collar,” which is actually supposed to be pretty good. Go Bayside! [Right Celebrity]

My Response: I wish them success and good year. File this under the Washed Up Celebrities Blogspot. I am following that.........

Rush Limbaugh Press Conference in Hawaii - The Ego in The Room!

Never a dull moment for the ever so entertaining conservative. A millionaire praising the American health system. Wonder how many others get quality health care without having million dollar contracts?

I do wish Rush Limbaugh well! Even if I find him to be a repulsive human being, Rush Limbaugh has been an influential force.

Wonder, had it been someone else, would Rush Limbaugh care?

Subliminal Messages - The Drudge Way!

MATT DRUDGE WILL DO HIS BEST TO PUT REPUBLICANS BACK IN POWER!

WILL THERE BE ANOTHER ASHLEY TODD STORY IN THE WORKS?

CREDIBILITY MATTERS AND BELIEVE ME IN A MIDTERM ELECTION, DRUDGE IS EVEN MORE SLIMIER!

Drudge uses the screen cap to promote the notion Republicans will take back Congress, again. Will it happen? Who knows?