Jen ‘s love life is all over the place! She reportedly cozied up to BFF Courteney’s co-star Josh just one night after going on a mystery date in West Hollywood!
Jennifer Aniston seems to have a new man in her life every five minutes! Just one night after sharing an ice cream sundae with a mystery man at the Sunset Tower Hotel, The Switch star was caught having a romantic dinner date with none other than Josh Hopkins, her best ‘friend’ Courteney Cox’s Cougar Town co-star!
Jen, 41, and Josh, 39, were photographed leaving a romantic 3-hour dinner at West Hollywood restaurant Madeo, reports TMZ.
It looks like these two are getting ‘friend’-ly in preparation for Jen’s guest spot on Josh’s hit ABC show, Cougar Town, where she’ll play real-life BFF Courteney’s shrink, Bonnie. Her character has been described by executive producer Bill Lawrence as, “a get-too-involved-in-her-life-type of therapist.”
But back to Josh! We like these two as a couple. Do you?
Keeping up its war with Fox News, the Democratic Governors Association on Thursday filed a complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission accusing the network of making an illegal in-kind contribution to gubernatorial candidate John Kasich (R-OH).
The complaint, clocking in at seven pages and signed by the DGA's Executive Director Nathan Daschle, makes some far-reaching charges. But the basic allegation is that Fox's decision to run a chyron featuring Kasich's website at the same time that the Republican Senate candidate was soliciting donations on Bill O'Reilly's show constitutes an in-kind contribution from the station to the candidate.
"There is reason to believe that FOX News Network, L.L.C. violated Ohio election law on August 18, 2010 when John Kasich appeared on a network program, solicited contributions for his campaign, and FOX News added the graphics "John Kasich (R), KasichforOhio.com" under Mr. Kasich's image. The Kasich campaign raised more than $21,000 from the FOX News solicitation," the complaint reads.
There are two election law violations that the complaint sites. The first is the prohibition of in-kind contributions in the form free political advertising -- which in the case of Kasich's appearance on Fox lasted "at least 1 minute and 30 seconds," according to the DGA. The second violation is the failure of Fox News Network LLC "to provide a 'paid for by' disclaimer on its political advertisement for John Kasich."
When reached for comment, a FOX News spokesperson said they have not received any such complaint and therefore could not comment.
The complaint, which was sent last night to the Ohio Elections Commission, is premised on the idea that the display of Kasich's website is legally analogous to running an ad on his behalf. It is an argument that would seemingly engulf a number of other stations beyond Fox which have likewise allowed candidates to enumerate their website URLs and urge donors to head there.
But in an interview with the Huffington Post, Daschle said that a distinction must be made between running the website URL as a chyron (as Fox did) and simply allowing a candidate to pitch his or her page to viewers.
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The notion that the gay rights community would abandon the Obama White House over its unwillingness to fully embrace their legislative priorities may seem absurd to the casual political observer. But the recent embrace of same-sex marriage by prominent conservatives, most notably former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman, has some Democratic operatives concerned.
On Monday, former McCain campaign manager Steve Schmidt argued that there was a "strong conservative case to be made in favor of gay marriage" and that more and more Republicans are dropping their opposition to the cause. Shortly thereafter, a prominent Democratic consultant got in touch with the Huffington Post to make the case that the Obama administration risks losing the gay rights community (or at least depressing their votes) with its tepid embrace of their priorities.
"I think they have been put in a tough place by these conservatives and they should be," the consultant said. "There are a whole group of people who are to the left of them on gay rights. And they are Republicans. It should make them feel uncomfortable."
LBGT voters are not, of course, monolithic. And on a host of other fronts, they are repulsed by the GOP's policies. Talk about abandoning Obama and the Democrats, in some respects, has been driven more by a desire to scare the party into action than sincere intent to vote Republican.
But that doesn't mean it's impossible for an electoral shift to take place or that there aren't those in the GOP who welcome siphoning off the LBGT vote. Though hardly a barometer for the Republican Party's collective psyche, John McCain's daughter, Meghan, made overtures along these lines on Tuesday night.
"We get the bad rap as Republicans being against gay marriage," she told Fox News. "[Obama] isn't doing anything for the gay community."
Indeed, even in the Democratic tent there is some marvel, concern and even a twinge of envy at the changes taking place within the GOP.
With thousands of absentee ballots still left to be counted in Alaska and the outcome of the GOP Senate primary looking increasingly unclear, Joe Miller, the Tea Party and Palin-backed candidate -- and slim leader -- is already seeing signs of friction with the GOP establishment.
Miller said on CNN on Monday that there might be a certain amount of resentment toward him within the Republican Party if he won the election.
"Well I think the die was kind of cast, in the sense that the [NRSC] brought a team of lawyers to Alaska against our campaign," Miller told CNN. "But frankly, I don't make enemies with anybody."
Miller has been consistent in his opposition to what he perceives to be agents of the national GOP interfering in the election to try to give his opponent, incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an advantage.
"We're very disturbed over the fact that the National Republican Senatorial Committee has chosen to send a group of high-powered lawyers up here to Alaska to interfere with our election process. It appears they're trying to steal an election," Miller told Politico's Mike Allen over the weekend. "The fact of it is, is that they only have one [goal], and it certainly is not the integrity of the election. It's to skew the results against Joe Miller."
Miller first voiced concerns of the NRSC's involvement in the vote-counting process on Friday when news broke that the Committee had dispatched a lawyer to the state. Murkowski responded to Miller's suggestions of GOP intervention by calling Miller "paranoid".
On Sunday, Politico reported that, in the wake of Miller's comments, NRSC lawyer Sean Cairncross was returning from Alaska despite the ongoing tallying of absentee ballots.
The Obama administration on Monday reiterated its commitment to keeping former Sen. Alan Simpson as the co-chairman of the president's deficit commission even as the Wyoming Republican has come under heavy fire for his disparaging comments on Social Security.
"Senator Simpson sent an e-mail that he's now apologized for," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters at Monday's daily briefing. "We regret that he sent that e-mail. We don't condone those comments. But Senator Simpson has and will continue to serve on the commission."
Last week, Simpson caused a stir when, in an e-mail to the executive director of National Older Women's League, he stated his opinion that Social Security is "like a milk cow with 310 million tits."
The former Senator went on to apologize for the e-mail -- though that was not the only one he sent -- while a host of predominantly progressive and women's-rights organizations called on him to either step down or be fired.
Last week, the White House said it accepted Simpson's apology. Gibbs' comments on Monday should put to rest some of the hopes - of Social Security's defenders - that the deficit commission co-chair might be axed before he could chart out ways to slash the entitlement program.
Emmys night is finally here! Find out how YOUR predictions stacked up with our up-to-the-minute winners list!
It seems like we’ve been waiting FOREVER for the 2010 Emmys to finally get here! The HollywoodLife.com staff has been making predictions in the 10 major categories all week (click below to see our picks) and now we’ll finally know whether we were dead-on or totally off. Keep checking this list throughout the night as more winners are announced, and of course, click here to join our live chat during the show!
Outstanding Comedy Series: Modern Family
Outstanding Drama Series: Mad Men
Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson on TNT’s The Closer
Lead Actor in a Drama Series: Bryan Cranston as Walter H. White on AMC’s Breaking Bad
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman on AMC’s Breaking Bad
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Archie Punjabi as Kalinda Sharma on CBS’ The Good Wife
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series: Edie Falco as Jackie Peyton on Showtime’s Nurse Jackie
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Jim Parsons as Sheldon on CBS’ The Big Bang Theory
Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie: Al Pacino as Dr. Jack Kevorkian in HBO’s You Don’t Know Jack
Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie: David Strathairn as Professor Carlock in HBO’s Temple Grandin
Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie: Claire Danes as Temple Grandin in HBO’s Temple Grandin
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series: Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker on ABC’s Modern Family
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series: Jane Lynch as Sue Sylvester on FOX’s Glee
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Neil Patrick Harris as Ryan Bryan on FOX’s Glee
Guest Actor in a Drama Series: John Lithgow as the Trinity Killer on Showtime’s Dexter
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Betty White as herself/host on NBC’s Saturday Night Live
Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Ann-Margaret as Rita Willis on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Over at the Salon War Room, Justin Elliot has a post up about the way in which this weekend's "Beckapalooza" is being financed by a charity called the Special Operations Warrior Foundation and who the material beneficiaries are (the same charity, directly; Glenn Beck, indirectly). This parenthetical statement caught my eye:
(The event was originally billed as the unveiling of a new Beck book called "The Plan," which would outline steps to take over the next 100 years to "restore our great country." That was later scrapped for a vague focus on restoring honor.)
I've no idea if these plans were scrapped because they were, in terms of self-promotion, deemed to be a bridge too far. But whether Beck knows it or not, this was a shrewd decision. See, here in Washington, DC, "The Plan" has something of a sinister connotation.
From the October 6, 1985 Washington Post, "Does The White Return To D.C. Mean 'The Plan' Is Coming True?" by Eric Pianin and Courtland Milloy:
Almost as soon as blacks won real political power in the District of Columbia a decade ago, some began worrying that whites who had fled the city for the suburbs eventually would return to reclaim control. In this view, it was beside the point that Washington was "Chocolate City," with seven out of every 10 residents black. This theory held that whites -- particularly the Board of Trade set and the news media -- had a secret agenda for wresting control. It was known as "The Plan," and many felt it was only a matter of time before a white politician would be elected mayor and undermine much of the progress made by blacks.
In the ensuing years, the city's electorate has grown more sophisticated and discerning, yet the suspicion still lingers. Local politicians, labor leaders, academics and average residents insist that many people take "The Plan" seriously.
ALBANY, N.Y. — A special investigation has concluded that Gov. David Paterson's testimony about his plans to pay for World Series tickets last year was "inaccurate and misleading" and warrants consideration of criminal charges by a prosecutor.
In a report Thursday, former state Chief Judge Judith Kaye noted four of five tickets to the World Series opening game between the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies were paid for shortly afterward, following a press inquiry from the New York Post newspaper. She said there's a question whether Paterson gave "intentionally false testimony" to the state Commission on Public Integrity about having written an $850 check in advance for two tickets.
Commission staff recommended last week that Paterson should be fined more than $90,000 in civil penalties for soliciting and accepting the tickets in violation of ethics law.
However, Kaye said the perjury issue was "clouded" by the way Paterson's testimony was given, with the entries read aloud to the legally blind governor. If Paterson had personally examined the check used to pay for two tickets, which was not in his handwriting, that "would have been obvious to the governor," she said.
Paterson's private attorney, Theodore Wells Jr., said Paterson didn't lie when he testified. He noted Kaye's report does not recommend bringing charges or conclude Paterson intended to give false testimony.
"We are therefore hopeful that (Albany County District Attorney David) Soares will ultimately conclude that no criminal charges are warranted," he said.
Paterson, a Democrat, has denied any wrongdoing. He eventually paid for two tickets, and staff members paid for two. He maintains going to the game was part of a ceremonial public duty as governor that entitled him to a ticket.
Former Albany County prosecutor Paul DerOhannesian II, not involved in the Paterson case, said politicians and celebrities are more susceptible to perjury charges partly because there are more public comments available to be used against them.
"It's a tough charge, and there certainly is a basis, but many individuals get charged with less," said DerOhannesian, now a defense attorney.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) was short on specifics during his much-touted economic address in Cleveland this week, promising to offer a more detailed plan as the election approached.
But the Ohio Republican did outline some ideas about how President Obama could restructure both his White House staff and the economy. And in a subsequent report analyzing his suggestions -- which included the firing of top economic advisers -- the progressive think tank NDN estimates that the plans could exacerbate the deficit by roughly $3.7 trillion over the next ten years.
NDN is, obviously, not an un-biased source in the debate. But they base much of their data on non-partisan indicators. Boehner's suggestions stand little chance of becoming law. They were offered, primarily, as a counterpoint to the agenda that the president is pushing. But NDN's President and Founder Simon Rosenberg makes the case that in a year when deficit reduction is a cause celebre, Democrats would be well served, simply, by highlighting the numbers.
Here is the report NDN put together, titled: "The Fiscal Impact of the Boehner Plan"
The Republican National Committee is distancing itself from a personal tweet sent by one of its directors that suggested President Barack Obama had once admitted his Muslim heritage.
Late last week, the committee's new media director, Todd Herman, posted an item asking whether the president was among the 20 percent of the public who thinks he was a Muslim. The tweet linked to an old interview Obama gave in which he stumbled, verbally, in trying to explain why people were confused about his religion.
Asked whether the tweet was RNC sanctioned, spokesman Doug Heye replied, "no," before offering perhaps the fullest distancing yet of any Republican entity from the Obama-is-a-Muslim rumors.
"An errant, or sarcastically-intended tweet aside, the RNC has never spoken about the President's Christianity because it is both crystal clear and a non-issue. What is an issue, and remains foremost in the minds of voters is the failed efforts of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to grow jobs. Today, it was announced that existing home sales plunged by 27%; discussing this issue will serve the voters far better than any nonsense that won't employ a single American."
Politico's Ben Smith, who was first to notice Herman's tweet, suggested that the GOP had "concluded that poking at the allegation that Obama is a Muslim is less likely to blow up in their faces than they used to think." And, indeed, later in the day yet another GOP official seemed to offer a dog whistle of sorts when asked about the topic.
"I take the president at his word that he's a Christian," Republican gubernatorial hopeful Terry Branstad told the Des Moines Register.