Will Ferrell hosted Saturday Night Live this past weekend. For the cold open, Will pulled out his hilarious George W. Bush impersonation. Barack Obama is trying to calm down vice president Joe Biden (Jason Sudeikis) who is furious that Obama is getting all the press for supporting gay marriage, when Joe mentioned it several weeks before. But Joe is consoled by his friend George, who has been roaming the halls of the White House since he got lost chasing a butterfly in 2009. Bush commiserates with Biden about what a buzz kill President Obama is, and shares some advice with his fellow speak "from the gut" type, Biden. Take a look:
Newt Gingrich has officially suspended his campaign to win the GOP nomination for the president in 2012. Gingrich no longer had a chance to win, so his withdrawal from the race at this late stage is insignificant. Mitt Romney has been the clear nominee for some time. Ron Paul is now the only other candidate who still has not dropped out of the race. Here is Newt Gingrich's video message about suspending his campaign. He says a re-election of Barack Obama will be a "genuine disaster." Take a look:
President Barack Obama was a guest on Jimmy Fallon's show last night. In addition to slow jamming the news, the president also talked about the Secret Service scandal. He praised the Secret Service for their hard work protecting him, his family and U.S. officials all over the world and said that "a couple of knuckleheads" doesn't change that. He alluded to their firings, as well. The president was asked by a twitter user what he would say if Mitt Romney walked in the room. The president said he'd say, "Hey, Mitt." He says he's met Mitt, but they are not friends. He said Mitt's wife is "lovely." Take a look:
Rick Santorum has decided to exit the presidential race. This leave Mitt Romney as they likely GOP presidential nominee. The discussion will now likely turn to who Romney will select as his running mate as well as the continued debate about what his chances are against President Obama. Santorum did not endorse Romney. Take a look:
In the cold open for Saturday Night Live, CPAN ran the best clips of Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney's recent campaign speeches made to various groups across the country. At the ASPCA he laid out the basis of his entire platform, telling the group: "There is one issue on which I will never back down, on which I will never compromise, because it's the core of who I am: cat spaying. It's simply the right thing to do and -- quite frankly -- it's the reason I got into this race. I want to be known as the cat neutering president." He then went to a breakfast at the East Saint Louis, Illinois Chamber of Commerce where he declared his love for the city that even its mayor says is a hellhole. He then heads off to a Role Playing Game convention (he embraces Dungeons and Dragons) and a piercing convention (where he describes his favorite body piercings.) But the best of all was Mitt's way of introducing Saturday Night Live: "Hey New York, let's start the show!" Take a look:
Media Cynic is now on Pinterest. Pinterest is a new social networks that lets users create virtual pinboards on different topics. You can find Media Cynicon Pinterest here.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney has a new heart after undergoing a heart transplant at age 71. Cheney waited 20 years for the new heart. Dr. Allen Anderson, Director of Heart Transplant Services at University of Chicago, says it is surprising Cheney was still alive after all those years to get the heart, given his medical history. Take a look:
Stephen Colbert takes aim at the Rush Limbaugh controversy in which he called a Georgetown law student a slut after she testified in front of Congress about birth control being covered by insurance. Stephen discusses the fact that so many advertisers have pulled their ads that Rush may have to start a pledge drive. Women who contribute get a "ho bag." In fact, even the Army is pulling out of Rush Limbaugh's radio show due to Rush's sexist comments, but they are staying in Afghanistan.
Rick Santorum added two big wins today in the South. Santorum won both Alabama and Mississippi. In Alabama, Santorum had 35% of the vote, while Gingrich and Romney had 29% each. In Mississippi, Santorum captured 33% of the vote, while Gingrich had 31% and Romney had 30%. The wins did not do much to change Romney's large delegates lead, see here. Newt Gingrich renewed his vow to stay in the race today.
Brian Montopoli, Senior Political Reporter for CBSNews.com, says it wasn't a bad night for Romney percentage wise, but he still got third places in both states. Montopoli also notes that Gingrich has lost 23 out of 25 states. Take a look:
You've been warned. This truly is the worst Sarah Palin impersonation we've ever seen. Andy Samberg dressed as former Governor Palin and appeared on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update. The gag was that Tina Fey was supposed to do the bit, but she couldn't make it so Samberg stepped in. Samberg keeps telling Seth Meyers that he's "killing it." So bad it's good? No. Just no. Take a look:
Saturday Night Live spoofed Rush Limbaugh with its Cold Open. Limbaugh has been losing advertisers after calling Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a "slut" on the air during a rant over the contraception funding. Taran Killam impersonated Limbaugh for the skit. Limbaugh has a bunch of horrible new sponsors, including the Syria Tourism Board, Mosquito Breeders of America and Depends for Racists. Take a look:
Rick Santorum has won the Kansas Republican Caucus. The state is easily going Santorum's way. With 97% of precincts reporting, Santorum has over 51% of the vote. Romney is second with 21%. Santorum is winning a lot of states, but he still trails Romney by a wide margin in the delegate count. Take a look:
Newt Gingrich is vowing to stay in the race despite having no chance of winning the nomination. He has only won two states, both in the South. Gingrich's determination to stay in the race comes as Rick Santorum is asking him to leave. Take a look:
Bill Hader pulled out his amazing James Carville impersonation on Weekend Update. Carville discusses the recent Rush Limbaugh flap, in which he called a Georgetown law student a slut after she testified in front of Congress on the subject of birth control. Carville said Rush, "put another notch in his jackass belt." As for the Republican candidates, they make him laugh. He opined, "I know Romney looks like a president, but we don't always get the job we look right for. If we did, I'd be the King of the Snakes!" The it got really weird when he explained the undercover missions he's been on for the Democratic party:
In this Saturday Night Live skit from last night's show, the Obama family has created a new sitcom which is modeled after The Cosby Show. Fred Armisen is President Obama as Bill Cosby/Cliff Huxtable and it works quite well, as does Michelle Obama (Maya Rudolph) as Clair Huxtable. Joe "Jamal" Biden (Jason Sudeikis) is their son Theo. The president spends most of his time trying to get out of eating the healthy rice cakes that his wife thinks are more appropriate than a hoagie. Take a look:
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has switched his support from Mitt Romney to Rick Santorum. It is another sign momentum is switching from Newt Gingrich to Rick Santorum. Romney still has the delegate lead in the seemingly never ending race. You can see a delegates tracker here on wsj.com.
DeWine explained in a statement how he flip-flopped from Romney to Santorum:
"To be elected President, you have to do more than tear down your opponents. You have to give the American people a reason to vote for you -- a reason to hope -- a reason to believe that under your leadership, America will be better. Rick Santorum has done that. Sadly, Governor Romney has not. For some time now, it has been clear to me that Rick Santorum should be the Republican nominee for President. To be frank, I've had some sleepless nights. I could not, in good conscience, be on record endorsing Governor Romney when I knew in my heart that Rick Santorum was the better candidate."
Rick Santorum easily won Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri today. You can find the election results here. The wins keep Santorum in the race and were a tough loss for Mitt Romney, who was started to pull away with the GOP nomination. Romney still looks the most likely to be the nominee. Newt Gingrich probably comes off as the biggest loser with Santorum winning all three of these states. Brian Montopoli, Senior Political Reporter for CBSNews.com, says the south is the biggest hope for Gingrich. It is his only hope if he can't win anywhere else. Take a look:
The Cold Open for Saturday Night Live was a skit in which Newt Gingrich (Bobby Moynihan) has left the Earth to become president of the Moon Colony. He is joined in space by his wife Callista (Kristen Wiig), Admiral Herman Cain (Kenan Thompson) and a surprise stowaway -- Mitt Romney (Jason Sudeikis). It's ridiculous, but it's actually pretty funny. Kristen's Callista is a scream. Take a look:
Mitt Romney coasted to an easy win at the 2012 Nevada Caucus. The results are still coming in, but Romney has been confirmed as the winner and it looks like he will beat Gingrich by at least 20%. Romney should not expect a call from Gingrich who has been a sore loser in this race. Romney turned his attack on Obama during his acceptance speech. He says Obama has not enough to improve the employment situation in Nevada. Take a look:
Mitt Romney compared Newt Gingrich to Goldilocks at a campaign stop. Romney explained how Gingrich just can't seem to get comfortable with how loud the audience at debates should be.
Romney said, "The first debate the audience was quiet and Speaker Gingrich said that threw him off. He can't debate before a quiet audience. And then the next audience was very loud - very loud - and he said that threw him off. He can't debate before a real loud audience. It's like Goldilocks - it has to be just so."
Herman Cain has endorsed Newt Gingrich. Cain dropped out of the race in December complaining of "false allegations." Gingrich badly needed an endorsement. He has been starting to fade away from Mitt Romney in the Florida polls. His insistence that the audience be allowed to be heard at debates backfired on him in the last debate when Romney got more of the applause.
Herman Cain says he enthusiastically endorses Gingrich. Cain also referred to the criticisms Gingrich has faced during his campaign and allegations by his ex-wife that he wants an open-marriage as part of "going through the sausage grinder."
Cain said, "And I also know that Gingrich is running for president and going through this sausage grinder. I know what this sausage grinder is all about. I know he is going through this sausage grinder because he cares about the future of the United States."
Mitt Romney's campaign is still reeling over Newt Gingrich's primary win in South Carolina. They're not the only ones. Jon Stewart takes a look at how Gingrich pulled off the win. He thinks he won it in the debate just two days before the primary. You know, the one where moderator John King blew it so bad that he allowed Gingrich turn an embarrassing exposure of his request for an open marriage into a win by blasting the media? Yeah, it was bad. The concept that Newt Gingrich himself was philandering while prosecuting Bill Clinton for philandering is just mind-boggling. His hypocrisy knows no bounds. Take a look:
Chris Christie was a guest on Meet the Press to discuss Newt Gingrich's primary win in South Carolina. Christie does an amazing job as a surrogate for Romney. Romney really needs to turn Christie loose. In this clip he eviscerates Gingrich, talking about how much of an embarrassment Gingrich has been to the Republican party. Oh yes, he goes there. Take a look:
Rick Santorum ended up winning the Iowa caucus, but he did not do very well in South Carolina. Santorum finished third with 17% of the vote. He finished four points ahead of Ron Paul. Santorum was defeated by Newt Gingrich, who had a surprising surge to win South Carolina. Santorum does not sound defeated. He said he is going to Florida, Arizona, Colorado and Maine and "everywhere else." Take a look:
Jon Stewart of The Daily Show lit into New Gingrich over allegations made by Gingrich's second wife Marianne that he wanted to have an open marriage. Jon noted that Newt left his first wife when she got cancer, then left his second wife when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He said that Newt is like the dioxin of husbands -- toxic. Take a look:
John Huntsman is reportedly exiting the GOP race. Huntsman with withdraw from the race on Monday and endorse Mitt Romney. Hunstman is polling as badly as Rick Perry in the South Carolina primary. Perry continues to stay in the race. Take a look:
Daniel Radcliffe hosted Saturday Night Live last night. In this skit, Kristen Wiig plays an exit poller and Dan plays a Republican who just voted for Mitt Romney. At first the questions make sense, but as time goes on they get more and more intrusive. It's pretty funny. Take a look:
Here is Newt Gingrich's latest bizarre attack ad on Mitt Romney called "The French Connection." The ad compares Romney to John Kerry and shows a brief video of John Kerry windsurfing. Romney is also accused of being able to speak French, just like John Kerry. The ability to speak foreign languages fluently is usually considered a plus, but not in Newt Gingrich's world. Take a look:
Media Cynic now has a Google+ page. Google+ is a new social network from Google. You can follow us on Google+ by clicking on the Google+ button below and adding us to one of your circles.
Rick Perry has been pummeled in the first two primaries, but he's not giving up. He has a new ad out called "Champion." Perry is going to need to win or finish very close to 1st in the South Carolina primary. The best he is currently doing in any of the polls is fifth place. Take a look:
Texas Governor Rick Perry has performed terribly in the first two Republican primaries. He only got 10.3% of votes cast in the Iowa primary. In New Hampshire only 0.7% of voters went for Perry. New Hampshire voters may not have been eager to send all the troops back into Iraq. Rick Perry is not giving up. He hopes to turn things around in South Carolina. Take a look:
Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum have been piling on Mitt Romney for the past couple of weeks, relentlessly painting him as a ruthless corporate raider who is so wealthy he is out of touch with regular Americans. It's gotten so bad that even Rush Limbaugh put the smackdown on Gingrich today, saying he's just being petty and wants revenge for all those ads Romney ran against Gingrich in Iowa. Even Ron Paul stepped up and defended Romney's comments about firing companies who don't do well (which has been twisted into "I love to fire individual people and watch them suffer").
Jon Stewart of The Daily Show points out the hypocrisy of the current crop of Republican candidates in going after Romney using the Democrats' talking points. Take a look:
U.S. troops were in Iraq for over eight years (since March 2003) but that wasn't nearly long enough for GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry. Perry wants to send troops back into Iraq. He is worried Iran is going to invade Iraq at "literally the speed of light" and take it over. Take a look:
Here is a short clip of John McCain mistakenly praising President Obama during a speech for Mitt Romney at a rally in South Carolina. Romney and a member of his staff are about to move in and correct McCain before the clip cuts off. Take a look:
Jon Stewart of The Daily Show mocked CNN's ridiculous graphics and CGI (computer generated images) used to illustrate what was happening at the Iowa caucuses. The little CGI blobs were meant to represent Iowa voters, which was ridiculous when they had cameras inside the meeting places anyway.
Anderson Cooper was there with Wolf Blitzer when they introduced the new caucus graphics. Anderson said the CGI people looked like Weebles, the children's toy. In all fairness, the Weebles do help illustrate how a caucus works -- especially for international viewers who must find the process mystifying. At the end of the segment Anderson tells Wolf, "If you miss any of this you can see it later on The Daily Show With Jon Stewart when he ruthlessly mocks you." Guess what? He was right. Take a look:
Here is the CNN segment with Weebles that Jon mocked:
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Bob Schieffer and Norah O'Donnell that he meant it when he called Mitt Romney a liar. Newt was asked directly if he is calling Mitt a liar and he said "yes." Newt also says Mitt Romney is a moderate and not a conservative. Gingrich also says he can beat President Obama. With tonight's results not going Newt's way, it is becoming more unlikely that he will get that chance. Take a look:
Ron Paul continues to lead in Iowa polls just days ahead of the 2012 Iowa Caucus, on January 3rd. Being in the lead has put Paul under assault from his opponents, including Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. Even if Ron Paul wins Iowa, it is not clear if he will be able to translate that into future wins.
Update: There is some breaking news that is very good for Ron Paul - Michelle Bachmann's Iowa chair has defected to his camp.
Saturday Night Live brought back Darrell Hammond to skewer Donald Trump who is determined to moderate a GOP debate (even though he still may run for president). It ended up being a two man debate, after every other GOP candidate declined to attend. Greta Van Susteren (Kristen Wiig) held the tiny debate on her show. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum (Andy Samberg) attended, but neither got to say a word because narcissistic windbag Trump wouldn't shut up.
Trump said he was qualified to host the debate because he's worth $7 billion, his show The Apprentice has 5 billion viewers and his hot wife Melania is 38 years younger than he is.
He did talk foreign policy, saying "I'll tell you what I would do Greta. I'd get the Iranians, the Chinese and the leaders of OPEC together in a room - not at the White House, but at my house in Florida, Mar-a-Lago. Again: 90,000 square feet. Greta, trust me. They would be so disoriented by its square-footage, they would be at a disadvantage. And then I would read them the riot act and tell them to cut out all this BS." Take a look:
Rick Perry has really done it this time. This new ad already has 270,000 dislikes (and rising) on Facebook, which has to be some kind of record. In the short video, Perry bemoans the fact that gays can serve in the military, but children cannot "celebrate Christmas openly" or say prayers in school. Perry's ad will resonate with social conservatives, but he cannot win a general election with an ad like this. Linking gays in the military with a "war on religion" is just a very bad idea. Also, it's ridiculous. Take a look:
Here is the full text of the ad:
"I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian, but you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.
As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage. Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again. I'm Rick Perry and I approve this message."
Stephen Colbert is furious that Donald Trump is getting to moderate a GOP debate. He says that he is much more qualified to host a debate (he's joking, but he's probably right). Colbert will host the debate in January on Animal Planet and is now waiting for the candidates to call him to accept (we hope he's not holding his breath on that one). He says candidates will be required to eat a live bug before answering questions. After all, if you can't eat a bug, how will you deal with China, because "that's all they eat." Take a look:
Fred Armisen did the cold open for Saturday Night Live last night. Playing President Obama, he gave a speech to the nation about the real power structure in the United States. He notes that he didn't even make the top five most powerful people. Number one on the list is Congress, which has the power to do nothing at all including pass his jobs legislation: "Congress is like Hotel California. My legislation checks in but it can never leave." Number 2 is Grover Norquist who got a number of congressmen to sign a no tax pledge, when the president could only get a maybe from Nancy Pelosi as to whether she'd buy some girl scout cookies from Malia. Number 3 is Oprah. Number 4 is the NFL. "If this address were interrupting a game, they wouldn't even carry it."
Number 5 is Mark Zuckerberg: "in 2008 I had to beg to get 69 million votes. Meanwhile 800 million of you have given this man photos of yourself drunk at an office Christmas party wearing a giant Cat in the Hat hat." Take a look:
The growing number of infidelity allegations have ended Herman Cain's presidential campaign. Herman Cain says he is suspending his campaign. He is not ending it all together, but it would be almost impossibly to mount a comeback after suspending a presidential big so late in the race. Herman Cain says he is suspending his campaign because of the impact it is having on his family. Take a look:
Jimmy Fallon tweeted an apology to Congresswoman Michele Bachmann after house band The Roots played the Fishbone's song "Lyin' Ass Bit**" when she was introduced. They didn't sing the chorus, but they did play the song. The Roots are known for picking obscure, yet relevant song choices for guests' walkon music. They played "Red, Red Wine" when Kathie Lee appeared, for example, because she often drinks wine and jokes about it on The Today Show. But this is the first time they've flat out insulted someone -- as far as we know.
Jimmy tweeted, "I'm honored that @michelebachmann was on our show yesterday and I'm so sorry about the intro mess. I really hope she comes back....Actually it was a really fun interview. She helped me with my Minnesota accent. (I still sound Irish.)"
In this clip from the show, NBC cut Bachmann's entrance onto the stage with that song playing and went straight to the interview. Bachmann has accepted Jimmy's apology, but has now demanded an apology from NBC. Bachman told Fox News: "If that had been Michelle Obama, who'd come out on the stage, and if that song had been played for Michelle Obama, I have no doubt that NBC would have apologized to her and likely they would have fired the drummer, or at least suspended him."
The interview didn't touch on any controversial subjects: they discuss Donald Trump, Thanksgiving and work on Jimmy's Minnesota accent:
Mitt is tired of the spotlight being stolen from him by Herman Cain with his sex scandals and Rick Perry with his constant "whoops-a-daisys." To spice up his image, we get to see "Mitt: Raw and Unleashed." He removes his jacket (although he later put it back on, because it made him uncomfortable." He then asked a female employee if he ever said anything inappropriate to her ("not really," she replied.) He also reveals his vile temper, works on some endearing flubs and tries on a leather jacket to show his edginess ("this is really heavy.") He also gets a letter written in lipstick from a women (his wife.) We just love Jason as Mitt. Take a look:
Saturday Night Live took aim at Rick Perry's latest debate gaffe, with a few pokes at Herman Cain's sexual harassment scandals. Cain (Kenan Thompson) wanted to set the record straight about all those women coming forward alleging he groped or harassed him noting, "For every woman who has come forward there are two who have not." Governor Perry (Bill Hader) tried to reveal the three government agencies he would cut. Unfortunately he couldn't remember the last agency he would cut, saying: "Education, Commerce and ewwwwwwwwwww. If I heard it, I'd know it."
Perry's performance was so painful to watch the other candidates tried to divert attention to other topics. Mitt Romney (Jason Sudeikis) said, "Can we move on? I want to be president, but not like this." Herman Cain looks shocked, while Michele Bachmann (Kristen Wiig) covers Newt Gingrich's (Bobby Moynihan) eyes from the unfolding fiasco. Rick Santorum (Andy Samberg) finally bursts out "Make it stop. Somebody make it stop!" Finally, Herman Cain volunteers to share all the "vivid details" of his encouters with women over the years if the moderator will just move on. "And there are a lot!" he says.
Finally, Mitt comes over to console the Texas governor and "put him out to pasture." And yes, that's a gun in Romney's hands. Take a look:
Saturday Night Live took aim at Texas Governor Rick Perry last night. In the Weekend Update segment, Bill Hader played the governor who explained his animated speech in New Hampshire. Many people thought Perry was drunk or on meds during his speech, but he denied it. That didn't stop Hader from really getting into the role, with a rambling explanation of how he's just terrible with words. It also involved a hula doll. Take a look:
Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman was a guest on Wolf Blitzer's show on CNN. Wolf mentioned that the show has a lot of Chinese viewers and asked Huntsman to address them in Mandarin. Huntsman didn't miss a beat -- he immediately switched to speaking in Mandarin and speaking about how important Chinese-American relations are. Considering how much money the U.S. owes the Chinese, and how China just helped bail out Greece, he has a point. It was impressive. Take a look:
Samuel Wurzelbacher became known as Joe the Plumber during the 2008 election even though his name was not Joe and is not a licensed plumber. He has decided to run for congress in 2012 as a Republican in Ohio's 9th congressional district. Samuel claims he is isn't doing this because he likes power or because he wants to be a congressman. He also says he is angry. Take a look:
The Hillreports that Herman Cain won the straw poll taken at the Western Republican Leadership Conference. A total of 552 votes were cast and Cain took 31% of them. Romney was a close second and Gingrich was third. Here is a list of the results:
Saturday Night Live took aim at the endless series of Republican presidential debates. The latest debate was held in a local Marriot Hotel and broadcast on the hotel's channel. Herman Cain (Kenan Thompson), Mitt Romney (Jason Sudeikis), Rick Perrry (Bill Hader), Michele Bachmann (Kristen Wiig) and Newt Gingrich (Bobby Moynihan), Ron Paul and Rick Santorum (Andy Samberg) all participated. The seating was determined by popularity -- that left an unhappy Santorum in a gay bar in the Castro, and Michele and Newt in the janitor's closet, while Herman Cain sat at the center of the table. Herman said he never thought he would be taken seriously with his 9-9-9 plan. But, since it worked, he introduced his 3-3-3 plan for healthcare: if you get sick you get three pills, three days off and three chicken noodle soups. Meanwhile Ron Paul -- who was banished to the basement garage -- manages to outwit and dispatch armed kidnappers with no problem at all. Take a look:
A new poll by Rasmussen has former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and businessman Herman Cain tied in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. The poll was taken following a Tuesday night debate about economic issues. Here are the results of the poll:
In the Saturday Night Live Cold Open from last night, Jason Sudeikis played Mitt Romney addressing top Republican donors. The donors really want plain spoken New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to run and are desperate to find a way to make it happen. Finally, Mitt warns donors he's about to get mad saying, "I'm about to get angry. I'm not talking Regular Angry. I'm talking Mormon Angry. You're going to hear words like shucks, fudge and the biggie --- cheese and crackers."
Finally, Governor Christie (Bobby Moynihan) has to scold them for being mean to Romney. He also explains why he can't run -- he points to his waistline and says "This can't go national." But after telling Romney to cover his ears, he explains his secret plan to run in 2016. It's very funny. Take a look:
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs died today. He was only 56. President Obama issued the following statement, which says "the world has lost a visionary." Here is the statement:
Michelle and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Jobs. Steve was among the greatest of American innovators - brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.
By building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity. By making computers personal and putting the internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible, but intuitive and fun. And by turning his talents to storytelling, he has brought joy to millions of children and grownups alike. Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.
The world has lost a visionary. And there may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented. Michelle and I send our thoughts and prayers to Steve's wife Laurene, his family, and all those who loved him.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie gave a statement today saying he will not be a candidate for 2012 Republican presidential nomination. Christie said he is very grateful that people asked him to run and he has thought long and hard about the decision. His decision is not to run, but he left the door open for 2016. Christie says, "Now is not my time." Take a look:
The Cold Open for Saturday Night Live last night was the latest Republican debate. Mitt Romney (Jason Sudeikis) thanked Rick Perry (Alec Baldwin) for "not playing the Mormon card." Rick Perry proceeded to alienate every group of voters by flip flopping on every issue and confusing everyone (he gets advice only from Jesus Christ and Rachel Maddow). John Huntsman (Taran Killam), the former Ambassador to China, talked in an offensive fake Chinese accent. Newt Gingrich (Bobby Moynahan) admits he doesn't really want to be president and promptly left the debate.
Andy Samberg did a hilarious impersonation of the nervous Rick Santorum, who admitted he is "confused and flabbergasted" by modern life. He shared that he worried that "half of all marriages end in sweatpants." Michele Bachmann (Kristen Wiig) said she believed paying no taxes will return this country will return to things the way they were thousands of years ago. Herman Cain (Kenan Thompson) explained that the pizza parlor is the best model for the U.S. government (he is the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza). The debate ends with Rick Perry passing out on his podium. Take a look:
CBS News reports that the American Embassy in Tripoli has reopened. The official website for the Embassy says it has resumed operations in a temporary facility, but is still facing operational constraints. The Embassy's Jarraba Street property was looted on May 1st. Take a look:
Dick Cheney told NBC News' Jamie Gangle that his new book, In My Time, would make heads explode in Washington. The book has indeed made some people very angry. A less controversial side of Dick Cheney can be seen in this book video from publisher Simon & Schuster. He talks about his first meeting with Donald Rumsfeld and says Rumsfeld kicked him out of his office after ten minutes. Cheney also talks about his first date with his wife Lynne and shares high school photographs. He says, "At crucial times in my life, Lynne's been there when it really mattered."
Cheney also talks about the five presidents he worked for - Nixon, Ford, Reagan, President Geoge H.W. Bush and President George W Bush. Cheney says he is reluctant to say which president is better. By not saying he misses an opportunity to make even more heads explode in Washington. Take a look:
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney compared Texas Gov. Rick Perry to a lucky poker play at the GOP debate. Romney said Perry was given four Aces: zero income tax, low regulation, oil and a Republican legislature. Perry also pointed out that Texas job growth under Perry is weaker than that of previous governors. Perry responded by saying, "Well, I was going to say Mitch you were doing pretty well until you got to talking poker."
A new Ron Paul ad campaign digs up Ricky Perry's past as a campaigner for Al Gore. Rick Perry was elected to the Texas House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1984. He supported Al Gore in the 1988 Democratic presidential primaries, but he switched parties in 2009.
The ad says, "Al Gore ran for president pledging to raise taxes and increase spending, pushing his liberal values, and Al Gore found a cheerleader in Texas named Rick Perry. Rick Perry helped lead Al Gore's campaign to undo the Reagan revolution"
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin said in Iowa that "America is hurting." She says America faces a "relentless raging storm." She blames the Obama administration for the credit rating downgrade and the possibility of a double dip recession. Take a look:
U.S. and Pakistani officials says they have killed Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, who was believed to be Al-Qaida's second in command. The Libyan terrorist was killed in a U.S. missile strike shot by a predator drone. The New York Timessays documents found at Bin Laden's compound indicated Osama communicated frequently with al-Rahman. Take a look:
U.S. Navy ships in Hampton Roads, Va., have been ordered to evacuate in preparation for Hurricane Irene. The Navy says twenty-seven ships departed and will be clear of the storm's path by midday Aug. 27. These ships will rendezvous with 11 other ships that remain at sea.
Another twenty-eight ships were taken to safe haven. These ships were in particular maintenance status that does not allow them to get underway. The Navy says safe havens are predesignated piers that offer better protection against weather than a general pier.
Vice Adm. Daniel Holloway, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, says the decision to sortie the ships from Hampton Roads is based on Hurricane Irene's current track, which indicates the storm will produce at least 50 knots of wind and a five to seven foot storm surge. This meets the Navy's critiera for getting the fleet underway to avoid storm damage.
Commander Holloway said in a statement, "We are being prudent mariners, getting our ships underway so that they can better weather Hurricane Irene. This will be a significant storm, so not only do we need to keep our ships safe but also our families. With the forecasted destructive winds and tidal surge, we could see some significant damage here on land. Now is the time for our families to execute the plan they prepared for. Now is the time, before the storm hits."
Photo: U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Rafael Martie
Michele Bachmann won the Iowa Straw Poll, which is also known as the Ames Straw Poll, with 28.6% of the vote. Bachmann edged out Ron Paul, who finished in second place with 27.7% of the vote. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty finished third with 13.6% in the vote. Rick Santorum was fourth, Herman Cain was fifth and Rick Perry was sixth as a write-in. Mitt Romney - the winner of the 2007 Ames Straw Poll came in 7th with just 3.4% of the vote. You can see a list of the results here. Take a look:
Texas Governor Rick Perry has officially joined the 2012 GOP race for president. He made his announcement Saturday in Charleston, South Carolina. Some of the candidates Governor Perry will be up against include Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Jon Hunstman and Rick Santorum. Sarah Palin has not yet declared. A list of more possible candidates can be found here.
Rick Perry has set up a website at rickperry.org. Perry says he is an "incredibly proud American." He says American is not broken, Washington D.C. is broken. The full text of his remarks can be found here. Take a look:
President Barack Obama looks grim and serious as he takes a phone call about the tragedy in Afghanistan. The phone call is part of a briefing by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, Chief of Staff Bill Daley, and national security staff.
30 American troops were killed in the incident where a U.S. helicopter was shot down. 22 of the troops were Navy SEALS. The troops were on a rescue mission to help U.S. Army Rangers pinned down by enemy fire. The helicopter being destroyed was apparently part of an elaborate trap set by the Taliban.
You can get the latest news in media and politics by following Media Cynic on Facebook and Twitter. Our Facebook page is located here and our Twitter page is @politics.
Writers Write, Inc., the publisher of mediacynic.com, also runs blogs covering books, current events, health, science, writing and more. You can find our Facebook and Twitter accounts at wwfeeds.com.
The U.S. economic recovery has not materialized. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke admitted last week that the U.S. economic growth has been slowing. The Fed also lowered forecasts. President Obama talked to Ann Curry on the Today Show earlier this month. He told her that reports he is calm about the state of the economy are "nonsense."
Obama said, "I think ordinary folks understand I spend all my time thinking about this stuff, because I'm talking to these folks every single day. When I see them at meetings, and they start crying, the notion, somehow, that I'm calm about that, is nonsense. But what is true is that as president, my job is to make sure that I am finding every good idea that we can to move the country forward."
Former Republican Senator Rick Santorum is going to run for president. Santorum lost badly in his 2008 Senator race. When Santorum lost his Senate re-election bid in 2008 it was the largest margin of defeat ever for an incumbent Republican Senator in Pennsylvania. Santorum also has a Google problem. Take a look:
CBS News created an animation to illustrated what the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound was like. CBS News says the entire raid was recorded on SEAL helmet cams. Only one of bin Laden's couriers got off a shot. He was quickly killed by SEALs. It is not clear why bin Laden did rig all of his computer data and information to explode. The files were not even hidden or secured. Take a look:
Everyone has seen the amazing photo of President Obama and other important officials watching the Osama bin Laden mission from the Situation Room of the White House. Obama talked to Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes about the mission. He says it was the longest 40 minutes of his life, with the possible exception of when Sasha got meningitis at age 3. He says it was a very tense situation. He says he was nervous. He also says they knew when one of the helicopters went down, which was obviously not according to plan. Take a look:
Here is a video you probably never expected to see. The U.S. released video footage that shows Osama bin Laden watching himself on a tiny television. CNN says the video was one of several videos reportedly seized inside the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Osama was killed in the raid. The video was shared with reporters at an intelligence briefing today. Osama, with a white grey beard, is watching the tv very intensely. He gestures at the tv with his left hand at one point in the clip. He has a remote in his hand and keep nodding his head. Take a look:
President Obama says he will not be releasing a death photograph of Osama bin Laden. Senator Scott Brown said he had seen a photograph of dead bin Laden and that he was convinced bin Laden was dead.
Well, it turns out Senator Brown was looking at a fake photograph of dead Osama bin Laden. Brown released a statement saying, "The photo that I saw and that a lot of other people saw is not authentic."
Senator Brown is not saying how he came across the fake bin Laden death photograph. Take a look:
The White House said today that Osama bin Laden was unarmed when U.S. special forces killed him in his large compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Earlier reports said Osama was armed and used a human shield, but that is no longer the story. Take a look:
Donald Trump gave a speech focused on the anger over rising gas prices. He is blaming weak leadership for not telling Saudi Arabia they can't raise the price of oil. He dropped the F-bomb during a recent speech and because of this the videos of the speech are viraling around the Internet. He also swore in another segment of the speech. Take a look:
President Obama released his long-form birth certificate this morning. Donald Trump has been using the birther argument to fuel his presidential campaign. Trump took credit for Obama releasing the birth certificate this morning and said he was proud of himself. President Obama said, "We do not have time for this silliness." Take a look:
Donald Trump talked to Fox & Friends about comments he made that his net worth is "many, many more times" than Mitt Romney. He also says Mitt Romney is a "small business guy." Donald Trump isn't apologizing. He goes on to tell Fox & Friends he is worth a "lot of money." Generally politicians try and downplay their wealth, but Donald Trump is not doing that. Take a look:
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama reported income of more than $1.7 million for 2010. The bulk of the income came from the President's books, Dreams From My Father and The Audacity of Hope. The Obamas paid federal taxes totaling near $454,000. They received a refund of a little over $12,000. The Obamas donated over $245,000 to 36 charities. Take a look:
An agreement has been reached between Democrats and Republicans to avoid an embarrassing government shutdown. The deal, which cuts $38 billion from federal spending in 2011, was reached about an hour before the government would have closed. Senator Harry Reid said Republicans wanted to strip funding for Planned Parenthood, which provides women's health services.
Presidet Obama came out and made a statement. He said, "Tomorrow, I'm pleased to announce that the Washington Monument, as well as the entire federal government, will be open for business." You can read a full transcript of the President's remarks here. Take a look:
Pro-Gaddafi forces are retaking towns from rebels as support grows for an international no-fly zone to be established to help protect the rebels and civilians. The Arab League has called for a no-fly zone. Meanwhile, Libyan government handlers took CNN's Nic Robertson and other journalists on a tour of re-captured areas. Libyan soldiers fired guns in the air so journalists would notice. Take a look:
View Channel
