Elle interviews Anderson Cooper

How delighted was I to find a nine page article on everyone's favorite silver fox in this month's issue of Elle? Not only am I a huge fan of Andy Coop but I hope to one day have a career as honorable as his. FOX News may try to claim he is as much a celebrity as Paris Hilton, but jealousy does not become them. Cooper is a revered journalist, as he should be. The work he has done is inspiring and he works hard every day of his life to go to some of the worst places on Earth and shed light on the disturbing conflicts that plague our planet.

The article is an interesting one. It really shows Anderson's humility and grace. You can read the article in full here.

[Source: elle.com]

Hope

I found this on Perez Hilton today and was compelled to share it here. Issues like this are so important to me, so important to those who are discriminated against every day. Victories like those for Harvey Milk can be victories for those who feel like they have no voice.

[Source: perezhilton.com]

Palin on CNN

Republican vice presidential nom Sarah Palin appeared on CNN tonight where she sat down with Drew Griffin for her first interview on the network. 

The Alaskan governor spoke on her plans for reform once in office, beamed at Griffin's suggestion that she has more executive experience than Sen. Obama, corrected some of the misconceptions about Tasergate, or Troopergate as it's been called, and suckered Griffin into her web of cuteness when asked if Sen. Biden had gotten a pass with his comment that there would be an international crisis if Barack Obama were elected president, to which Griffin looked like a smitten school boy. I've provided the videos below, or you can read the full transcript of the interview here. 

[Source: cnn.com]

Obama before he was a national figure

The New York Times just compiled a series of interviews that Barack Obama gave from 2001 to 2004 to provide us with a glimpse of who this illustrious figure was before he began running for president.

What I gleaned from the compilation, which can be viewed here, was definitely the feeling that the senator felt more open to speak freely, but also the distinct feeling that the Times very likely would not have shown a compilation of John McCain's previous interviews in the same light.

Now, this is not to say that I don't admire the positions Obama has taken in the past, because I absolutely do. But in reading the Times, especially the past month, they have devoted much time and energy to unearthing anything even slightly clandestine or backroom-ish about Sen. McCain while lauding Sen. Obama.

There are several matters at hand here. McCain has been on the public stage for a much longer time span than Obama. Naturally, there is going to be much more underhandedness to delve into. However, it could also be said that the nature of the campaign in recent weeks has given some the impetus to uncover who these candidates really are. Where there's mudslinging, there's probably hypocrisy. It's the media's job to bring this to light. That being said, what do ya'll think? Is there more we need to know about Obama and McCain? Do you think the media has done its job in providing the full vitae of these candidates?

[Source: nytimes.com]

Powell endorses Obama

As has been speculated this week, Former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell announced his endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama on MSNBC's Meet the Press today. Powell had said he would make this announcement after the conventions and debates and has finally broken his silence. Watch him explain his reason below.

I am so glad Gen. Powell touched on the Muslim point. In all honesty, that has been incredibly disconcerting to me since 9/11, but especially in this campaign season. It has frustrated me to no end and it was very touching to hear Powell describe this problem in depth and with such eloquence. I wish it was something more Americans would take the time to think about. Every time someone claims "Oh, Obama is a Muslim," people's first instinct is to say "No, he's not.. he's Christian," but what they should be saying is "What if he is?" Why is that any less American than being Christian? I feel deeply on this subject and hope people take the time to watch the above video.

[Source: msnbc.msn.com]