Sam Levin

Adam Clayton Powell IV and Charlie Rangel on 125th Street today.

It's just politics!

That's how Adam Clayton Powell IV brushed aside questions today about why he is endorsing longtime Congressman Charlie Rangel for re-election -- after running against him (and thus frequently and harshly criticizing him) in a crowded race two years ago.

In one of the most watched local congressional races, Rangel, the incumbent who has held his Harlem seat for 40 years, is facing tough opposition in the primary as he fights to be re-elected to Congress to represent a newly-drawn district that now includes parts of the Bronx and has a larger Latino population.

More >>

This just in: Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has called into question Barack Obama's history with lemonade stands.

Jindal, a Republican and potential running mate for Mitt Romney, said Tuesday morning on Fox News's America's Newsroom that Obama: "hasn't run anything before he was elected President of the United States...never ran a state, never a business, never ran a lemonade stand." Jindal's criticism echoes that of Ted Nugent, who also argued in June 2011 that Obama couldn't sell the popular, citrusy drink.

Indeed, details about Obama's background with lemonade -- via stand or otherwise -- remain unclear, though evidence suggests that the president's backers have in fact used this summery, semisweet beverage during campaign fundraising.

More >>

www.failblog.org

For anyone who takes their political cues from pop star Ricky Martin, the former Menudo member has thrown his support behind President Barack Obama in this year's election -- he's even throwing the president a pretty pricey fundraiser in New York tonight, which the state's Republican Party seems to think is the reason the economy sucks and you can't find a job.

Obama hasn't always been the recipient of Martin's (ahem) coveted nod -- in 2004, Martin supported Obama's opponent, now Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in the Democratic primary for president.   

This time around, however -- much thanks to the president's recent support for marriage equality, we're sure -- Obama's Martin's horse, and the first fundraiser he'll hold for the "campaigner-in-chief" will be tonight at the Rubin Museum of Art. The ticket price: $5,000 a head.
More >>

Sam Levin

Mayor Bloomberg, on the SNL set today, takes questions from reporters.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg, a strong supporter of same-sex marriage, decided not to take a position today on President Obama's stance on marriage equality, which has made headlines this week.

But Bloomberg is still a big fan of gay marriage!

After a reporter from BuzzFeed asked the mayor -- who was holding a press conference at (where else?) the set of Saturday Night Live -- whether it's time Obama openly supports same-sex marriage, Bloomberg said, "You have to ask the president. He's gotta decide what he believes and what he wants to do."

More >>

cordobainitiative.org

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf

Remember the "Ground Zero mosque" that wasn't just a mosque but actually a community center but still had people enraged back in 2010 because they thought it would be a victory monument to terrorism?

We hadn't really thought about it much recently, either -- until today, when we heard that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, one of the original religious leaders behind the project, would be involved in a new local effort: campaign finance reform.

Tomorrow, religion and politics are mixing at an event hosted by a local good government group that is pushing to get campaign finance reform underway this year in the state -- and as part of their efforts, they're bringing together high-profile religious figures to discuss politics.

More >>

He sure knows how to appeal to the youth! Wealthy youth, that is.

A video is circulating today of Mitt Romney giving some useful entrepreneurial advice to the young people of our country and one part of his tips is about, of course, money.

More >>

An example of "cool."

Yesterday, the Voice brought you some sad-making news: rather than give us meaningful material on which to base our votes, Barack Obama will probably serenade us with more slow-jams and Mitt Romney will keep acting like he has never had fun in his life. Ever.

So it goes in American politics (who expects, like, answers and stuff?), but the Washington Post has been arguing that Mitt's seriousness might work to his advantage -- especially among the nation's youth.

More >>

In keeping with the great American tradition of blowing smoke up voters' asses, both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney do not appear like they're going to level with us anytime soon -- though our country sorely needs it, as Slate's John Dickerson pointed out.

But what they lack in candor they might try substituting with coolness and seriousness, respectively.

More >>

www.automotivedigitalmarketing.com

This is where your vote -- and your money -- went during yesterday's GOP presidential primary.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney won the New York Republican primary last night -- as polling places across the state resembled Scoobie-Doo ghost towns, including an Upstate town where only 47 of 1,100 eligible voters actually went to the polls.

Yesterday's primary, as we mentioned in prior posts, was a complete waste of time -- as Romney's had the nomination in the bag for weeks. Holding a pointless primary wouldn't be the end of the world -- if it didn't cost the state an estimated $20 million.

Yesterday, we caught some heat for suggesting that voting in New York's GOP primary was a complete waste of time -- which it was.

More >>

www.flickr.com

You could vote in today's primary, or stare at a wall for 30 minutes -- both will have the same impact on the outcome of the GOP primary.

Happy Republican primary day, New York! Now make sure and get out there and vote because your vote really (ahem) matters -- according to the New York State Republican Party, anyway. In reality, however, your vote means precisely nothing.

The New York State Republican Party issued a press release last night reminding GOPers to vote in the primary, noting that "It is important for New Yorkers to get out and vote this year to send a message to Washington that we're fed up with increasing debt and government overreach."

Again, your vote in a Republican primary means absolutely nothing -- former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will be the GOP nominee regardless of whether a single New Yorker casts a vote. Even if Romney weren't the clear nominee -- and he actually had a legitimate opponent (which he doesn't) -- New York's primary wouldn't make a lick of difference in the outcome of the overall contest (click here to find out why).

More >>