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Obama Nominates Openly Gay Judge
President Barack Obama nominated openly gay Justice Department attorney Todd Hughes to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Thursday, a move that drew praise from LGBT groups. Hughes would be the first openly gay judge to sit on the federal appeals court bench if confirmed by the Senate.
Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Institute, issued a statement applauding Obama for the nomination.
“If confirmed, Todd Hughes would become the first openly gay federal appeals court judge in U.S. history. His nomination is a testament to the expanding opportunities for openly LGBT Americans who want to serve their country, and to the president’s respect for the depth of talent and experience within the LGBT community. We look forward to his confirmation by the U.S. Senate,” Wolfe said.
It’s not the first time the president has nominated an openly gay man to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. In April 2010, Obama nominated Deward DuMont. After waiting more than 18 months for a confirmation hearing, however, he withdrew his nomination.
Obama also nominated Raymond Chen, a lawyer in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, for the Court of Appeals, on Thursday.
Obama has been open with his support of equal rights for the LGBT community, including same-sex marriage. His inaugural address made history, including gay rights for the first time. In 2010, it was reported that Obama had appointed more openly gay officials than any other president.
Source: [b]Huffington Post[/b]
Hillary Clinton most popular U.S. politician, poll shows
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is the most popular U.S. politician, surpassing fellow Democrats President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden as well as leading Republicans, a national poll found.
Sixty-one percent of American voters approve of Clinton, a possible U.S. presidential candidate for 2016, while 34 percent said they had an unfavorable opinion, according to the survey by Quinnipiac University released on Friday.
The poll comes one week after Clinton left her post as the nation’s top diplomat. Clinton, 65, has said she does not see herself going back to politics but left open the possibility of such a return.
In comparison, 51 percent said they held a “favorable” opinion of Obama while 46 percent had an unfavorable opinion. For Biden, 70, another potential 2016 contender, 46 percent gave him good marks compared to 41 percent who did not.
Source: [b]Reuters[/b]
Dick Morris Wants To Moderate GOP: ‘I Showed Dems How To Move Center’ — Now It’s Republicans’ Turn
“I’m not gone,” Morris said in the interview. “I’ve been all over the place and will continue to be. I’ll be back.”
And he’ll “continue to make noise.”
“I’m trying to explore ways in which the Republican party can make itself viable nationally, so it can win national elections without sacrificing its basic principles,” Morris said. “That’s the mission I’ve set for myself.”
Key voting groups like women, Latinos, and gays could be Republicans, he explained, but the GOP isn’t “letting them.” Roe v. Wade, for example, isn’t going to be repealed, so the GOP should “focus on the real issue, which is reducing abortions, making it rare.”
Morris is a man with a mission: To moderate the Republican Party, as it focuses on how to win future elections.
“I showed Democrats how to move center,” he said. “Now, I want to help do the same thing with the Republican party… I’ve got a pretty good track record of getting presidents and senators and governors elected. And I think that gives me credibility to talk to my fellow Republicans.”
Michigan GOP Backs Off Transvaginal Ultrasound Bill
After an outcry from Democrats, Michigan’s Republican House speaker and governor on Thursday ruled out legislation introduced by Republicans requiring women to undergo a transvaginal ultrasound prior to having an abortion.
“While I want to be sure women have access to the best technology available, I have absolutely no interest in forcing a woman to have a transvaginal ultrasound,” House Speaker Jase Bolger said in a statement. “This House of Representatives will not pass a bill mandating transvaginal ultrasounds.”
Gov. Rick Snyder’s office denounced the bill after the Speaker nixed it.
“Gov. Snyder is not at all supportive of this legislation and has zero interest in seeing it come to his desk,” his spokeswoman Sara Wurfel told TPM.
…
Source: TPM
Why Rand Paul’s Hair Looks Like That
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s hair has been the subject of frequent speculation, but we can officially put the rumors to rest.
Paul recently confirmed to Business Insider that he cuts his own hair.
Sources close to Paul also confirm that his hair is his own, and not a hairpiece, as is often speculated.
BI
O’Reilly Will Reportedly Address His NBC Drone Coverage Accusations On Tonight’s Factor
Last night on The O’Reilly Factor, Bill O’Reilly lobbed what Mediaite’s Josh Feldman called a “bizarre” accusation at NBC News on what he saw as their lack of coverage on the recent Justice Department drone strikes memo. What O’Reilly and his guest Bob Beckel neglected to mention was that NBC News broke the story by releasing the memo online earlier this week.
Now, TVNewser is reporting that O’Reilly will address the issue directly on his show tonight. There is no indication as to whether O’Reilly will apologize for his remarks or somehow find a way to defend them. Either way, we’ll carry his response right here on Mediaite tonight.
Donald Trump: ‘Karl Rove Is A Total Loser,’ So Why Are People Still Giving Him Money?
Rove’s already wasted money and not achieved victories, Trump said. So any further donations are simply a waste.
“This is not tea party versus establishment,” Rove said of the effort, adding that the likes of Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock are not the best conservatives can do. “We need to do better if we want to take over the United States Senate. We need to get better conservative candidates and win.”
Trump previously criticized Rove in 2011, in an appearance on Fox News, arguing:
“Bush gave us Obama. In all fairness to John McCain and Sarah Palin, nobody could have won. You could have brought back Abraham Lincoln, he couldn’t have beaten Obama at that time, because of what Karl [Rove] and Bush had done in that last period of Bush’s campaign.”
Murder Suspect Chris Dorner Praises And Attacks Cable News Personalities In His Cop-Killer ‘Manifesto’
Towards the end of his massive letter, former officer Chris Dorner makes direct mention of cable news hosts and analysts from ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, and PBS. The accused murderer wrote: “Chris Matthews, Joe Scarborough, Pat Harvey, Brian Williams, Soledad Obrien [sic], Wolf Blitzer, Meredith Viera [sic], Tavis Smiley, and Anderson Cooper, keep up the great work and follow Cronkite’s lead. I hold many of you in the same regard as Tom Brokaw and the late Peter Jennings.”
He then offered criticism of Cooper’s CNN interview style: “Cooper, stop nagging and berating your guest, they’re your (guest).”
And he wanted to let MSNBC’s Morning Joe host of their past encounter: “Mr. Scarborough, we met at McGuire’s pub in P-cola in 2002 when I was stationed there. It was an honor conversing with you about politics, family, and life.”
The suspect, currently the subject of a widespread manhunt in Southern California, also laid out his praise for young Today Show co-host Willie Geist: “you’re a talented and charismatic journalist. Stop with all the talk show shenanigans and get back to your core of reporting. Your future is brighter than most,” he wrote.
Dorner also apparently takes great issue with CNN reporter Fareed Zakaria, demanding that the government revoke his citizenship and deport him immediately. “I’ve never heard a positive word about America or its interest from his mouth, ever,” the former police officer explained.
However, on the same day he would like for authorities to deport Zakaria, the accused killer asks that they “give Piers Morgan an indefinite resident alien and Visa card.” Then, addressing Morgan directly, Dorner expressed support for the British anchor’s gun control advocacy.
Dorner also wrote that CBS Los Angeles anchor Pat Harvey, has always “carried yourself professionally and personally the way a strong black woman should. Your articulation and speech is second to none. You are the epitome of a journalist/anchor. You are America.”
Syndicated talk show host and comedian Ellen Degeneres also received some of Dorner’s praise. He wrote:
[C]ontinue your excellent contribution to entertaining America and bringing the human factor to entertainment. You changed the perception of your gay community and how we as Americans view the LGBT community. I congratulate you on your success and opening my eyes as a young adult, and my generation to the fact that you are know different from us other than who you choose to love. Oh, and you Prop 8 supporters, why the fuck do you care who your neighbor marries. Hypocritical pieces of shit.
Dorner also heaped praise upon CNN analysts Jeffrey Toobin and David Gergen, calling them “political geniuses and modern scholars,” adding that he hopes Toobin “is nominated for the Supreme Court” even though “we all know he would not accept the nomination.”
The former officer also did not mince words about various political figures. On Vice President Joe Biden, he wrote: “I’ve always been a fan of yours and consider you one of the few genuine and charismatic politicians.” On New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, the accused killer wrote: “What can I say? You’re the only person I would like to see in the White House in 2016 other than Hillary. You’re America’s no shit taking uncle.” He also asked the popular Republican to try and lose weight so that he may live longer.
Dorner tore into National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre, calling him a “vile and inhumane piece of shit” who “never even showed 30 seconds of empathy for the children, teachers, and families of Sandy Hook.” For that, the accused cop-killer wrote, “May all of your immediate and distant family die horrific deaths in front of you.”
Wayne LaPierre Gets Grilled on Fox – YES ON FOX!
Wayne LaPierre Gets Grilled on Fox – YES ON FOX! Even Fox news can’t understand this man!
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