Feeding the Beast

Does Fashion Matter in Politics? Ask Tim Gunn.

Ramya — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 10:21:32 EST

As a self-professed Project Runway addict, I was elated to see that Newsweek has an interview up on their site with Tim Gunn, Project Runway's style maven.

They ask him to weigh in on various politicians' fashion decisions, and pop the big question, "how much does image really matter on the campaign trail?"

A few of my favorite bits from the piece:

What would you say a politician should avoid wearing, at all costs?
Well, I hope no one's going out on the campaign trail wearing a pair of Crocs.

I love you. Are you referring to the Bush photo?
Yes. And now you must ask me whether I was surprised, because the answer is no. I will summarize his entire fashion presentation in one phrase: shlumped-over and drooling. I hope I don't end up in some Iraqi prison for saying that.

Is there anything coming out this spring that we should pay attention to?
Well, of course, the skinnier suit is in, but that's not going to happen for any of the candidates, except for maybe [Barack] Obama. But we don't want to see Mike Huckabee in a skinny suit, God knows.

Maybe one day we'll have a gay man in the White House. Now that would change the fashion landscape, no?
I think maybe there already has been! Though not a fashionable one.

And don't forget...you can catch the newest episode of Project Runway at 10 PM EST tonight on Bravo. Will Ricky cry? Will Christian rave about his fast sewing abilities? Will Chris March be forced to run? Will Tim Gunn endorse a candidate? Tune in tonight to find out!

Another Politics Site Aimed at the Chromo-Y Set

Ramya — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:59:04 EST

Yesterday, I introduced you to CitizenSugar. Today, meet CitizenJane. CitizenJanePolitics is a new blog, trying to be "The Modern Girls' Guide to Picking the Leaders of the Free World".

Editor Patricia Murphy worked on Capitol Hill for 9 years, and is now aiming to cover politics through the eyes of women and help them make informed decisions in 2008.

Patricia is already making informed decisions on the blog. Today's top post features a picture of a pink glazed donut. I don't know what it has to do with politics, but it made me hungry for more.

New Blog Features Political Junkie Giveaway

Ramya — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:12:15 EST

As a self-confessed pop-culture junkie who loves free stuff, I've been trolling PopSugar (and it's sister sites) for about a year now. The Sugar blogs just released a new addition to the team: CitizenSugar. It's a news and politics blog which emphasizes the poppy, fun elements of elections and issues.

I think it could be really effective in selling politics to those who might otherwise write it off as boring, as well as providing politicos with juicy tidbits about Washington's finest.

And here's an awesome incentive to start reading. CitizenSugar is giving away a News Junkie package a week for the next four weeks. According to them:

"The package includes a Sirius radio (it works in your home and in your car), a TiVo HD DVR with a year of service, and the inky-goodness of the New York Times, thumping on your doormat every Sunday for 12 weeks."

If one of you win and I don't, I am going to be mad. But I suppose that's a pretty good tradeoff for Tivo and the Times.

Young Voter Revolution in Iowa

Ramya — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:11:01 EST

It's about time young voters got some well-deserved credit...and they should be getting plenty after tonight. Young people showed that they were politically engaged, passionate, and motivated as they turned out en masse for the Iowa Caucuses.

CIRCLE reports that over 56,000 folks under the age of 30 showed up to caucus in Iowa tonight, despite a caucus date smack dab in the middle of winter break for students, freezing temps, and long lines. According to CNN Entrance polls, 22% of Democratic caucus-goers were between the ages of 17 and 29. This represents a 5% increase over 2004.

Even more interesting is the fact that the number of young caucus-goers equaled the number of voters over 65, according to CNN. The senior vote has long been considered a hot commodity in politics and has made issues like social security and Medicare top-tier. One can only hope that youth issues like college affordability, global warming, and the war in Iraq will skyrocket to the top of candidates' priority lists, after young people have flexed their voting muscle.

Tonight's caucus clearly demonstrated that investing in young people can have enormous payoffs--something Campus Progress and other youth activist groups have believed strongly for years. Looks like 2008 could be the year when youth is relished rather than written-off.

MTV Picks 51 Young Citizen Journalists

Ramya — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:44:22 EST

The MTV Choose or Lose Street Team is comprised of 51 young people (representing each state in the U.S. plus D.C.) who will cover the issues that young people care about in the 2008 election and use mobile devices to relay this political news.

A complete list of the citizen journalists, along with links to their MTV profiles, can be found after the jump. Find out who'll be repping your state on MTV this year!

Timberwolves RULE!

Ramya — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 13:59:23 EST

Well maybe not...but Minnesota does. The state that brought us political giants like Paul Wellstone, Walter Mondale, and Jesse "The Body" is also one of the only states in the country that allows same-day voter registration.

An MTV video recently cited CIRCLE's (Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement) research which included this sweet fact:

Almost 70 percent of Minnesotans ages 18 to 24 voted in 2004 presidential election, compared to 47 percent nationally.

If every state used same-day registration, just think how overwhelming the youth vote could be.

Another awesome thing about the Minnesota voting process? To register, you have to show an ID (and a utility bill if you've moved and your address is different on your ID). Don't have a utility bill? Your neighbor down the street can vouch for you in writing. Since young people move around so much, this seems like a pretty great way to ensure that they get to vote.

Rudy Giuliani joined the group "SNL's 10 Most Awkward Moments."

Ramya — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:00:34 EDT

People for the American Way's spoof Facebook site, "Right-Wing Facebook" is pretty hilarious and is worth a visit. There's the obvious, like Mike Huckabee's group membership in "I Heart Huckabees" and Mitt Romney's listing of "Big Love" as one of his favorite TV shows, but there are also some hidden gems within the site.

A few highlights include:

Fred Thompson is a member of the group, "My Wife is Hotter Than Your Wife (Unless You're Dennis Kucinich"

Romney comparing a "Poison-style 80s haircut" to his stances on abortion and gay rights

John McCain's status is set to: John McCain is looking for spare change between couch cushions.

Enjoy!

Who Needs a Psych Eval--student or Pat Robertson?

Ramya — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:34:38 EDT

Adam Key, a law student at Regent University in Houston Texas, has been suspended "pending a psychiatric evaluation" for posting a picture on his Facebook profile of Regent founder Pat Robertson flipping the bird.

The Regent administration claims that Key was suspended for wielding a gun on campus (which Key denies). Key's response to the request for a psychiatric evaluation:

"I will undergo this psychiatric exam after Regent forces Pat Robertson to undergo one. Truly, what’s crazier… disagreeing with the administration, or hearing voices that tell you about hurricanes that don’t happen, and the impending apocalypse?"

Fun facts about Regent University: Regent is rated the #1 most conservative school in the nation. Approximately 150 of its graduates are serving in the Bush administration.

Get the full skinny at Think Progress...

Dowd, Krugman, Friedman for All!

Ramya — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:28:50 EDT

I got an exciting email in my inbox today from the New York Times. TimesSelect is no more. All NYT columns and op-eds, as well as News Tracker and Times File, will be available to everyone free of charge.

A few months ago, the Times started offering free subscriptions to TimesSelect to college students or folks with a .edu address. Today's announcement marks a shift towards an even more open environment. I'd say that's a pretty neat thing.

Also, check out CP's Five Minutes With Paul Krugman for his thoughts on TimesSelect...

Real Beauty?

Ramya — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:19:58 EDT

I guess you always want what you don't have. For as far back as I can remember, my friends with fairer complexions have slathered themselves in self-tanner and thrown themselves into tanning beds, while I doused myself in SPF 50 and donned wide-brimmed hats to avoid getting dark. It is hard to explain to explain my crazy behavior to my pale-skinned friends who are desirous of a healthy glow, but for Indian women fairness has long been equated with beauty.

Responding to a Fellow Kossack Under 35

Ramya — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:57:00 EDT

Mike Connery has a post on Kos about the progressive youth panel at Yearly Kos this year. I attended the panel, and am happy to see Mike raising a few questions in the post that weren't brought up during the panel. Since it'll take 24 hours until I'm allowed to comment on Kos (what's with that rule???), here are my thoughts.

How can the progressive youth movement form stronger ties with the progressive blogosphere?

I think the first step is actually opening up dialog between organizers and bloggers. It has always surprised me that these groups don't talk as much as they should, and it's part of the reason I like working at CP, which supports both student activism and journalism.

Unfortunately, you just don't see the same people at Yearly Kos that you do at the USSA Student Congress. Maybe we need an email list or a weekly meet-up about the issues that matter, but the gap needs to be bridged. Also, props to folks like Adam Conner and Mike who try to stay up to date with youth activism sites that are inside the beltway, like CP, but how about some of the terrific activism occurring on campuses across the country that often goes unnoticed?

How Much Do Women Owe Each Other?

Ramya — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:41:38 EDT

Lesley Blume has a really interesting article on the Huffington Post about whether women today are more cutthroat than previous generations. She cites two interviews in her post, one she had a young woman who was dismissive and rather bitchy, and another with an older lady who was extremely kind and generous with her contacts. I don’t know how much we can depend on anecdotal evidence in this particular instance, as I had a great experience during my job search with a younger woman who really wanted to see another Asian American female get ahead in politics.

From Brokeback to Broadway

Ramya — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:03:18 EDT

Perez reports that Jake Gyllenhaal, part of the left's young swoon-worthy set, is scheduled to star in a new Broadway play, Farragut North, produced by Mike Nichols.

True to its totally inside-the-beltway title, the play is about presidential politics and was penned by a former Dean campaign adviser (sources have not yet confirmed whether this adviser is Campus Progress Director David Halperin.)

As if the 2008 election wasn't drama filled enough, the play hits theaters in fall of 08. Maybe Gravel can find himself a new job...as an extra.

Taking Late Night Shots at Each Other

Ramya — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 10:19:05 EDT

“Late Night Shots is herding the next generation of assholes through Georgetown bars. And you're not invited.”

This is the clever sub-head for the Washington City Paper’s recent takedown of DC’s primarily-conservative drinking/mating site, Late Night Shots. According to WCP, Late Night Shots is a social networking site that has created an insular community of DC’s elite trust fund babies who log on several times a day to dish about last night’s sloppy hookups, rank which DC bars are party-worthy, and rate each other’s pics and tag them with snarky comments like “Cute? She looks like a dressed corpse."

Miami University Students Rally for Living Wage

Ramya — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 13:40:16 EDT

**NOTE: this blog post was written by Stephanie Lee, a Campus Progress Representative at MU-Ohio, and a member of Students for Staff

It is so easy to forget about poverty, when we are so comfortably surrounded by wealth. Most Miami University students come from families with an average household income of over $200,000. Miami University is fairly well off as well, with a total of $47 million in net assets. Yet, there are innumerable staff at Miami who are living at or below the poverty line.

Students for Staff organized a successful rally and protest outside the Miami University student center yesterday. Despite the unusual cold, there was a crowd of about 70-80 students and staff gathered together on the patio, eating snacks and getting to know one another in a different setting.

CP Hits the Coast

Ramya — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 13:51:40 EST

Emily, David and I are back in the office after an amazing ten-day road trip down the West Coast, and I have to say, I’m more than a little sad. I miss the mountains, the beach, and especially the awesome students we met along the way.

After the success of David and my southern road trip last semester, we set off to try it again in a new part of the country, adding another crewmember to our ranks (because fighting over shotgun is way more fun than just getting it). The goal was the same: to reach out to as many students on as many campuses as we possibly could, and listen to their ideas about their campus, state, country and the world.

Over the course of the week, we traveled from Seattle to Los Angeles, stopping at 9 campuses along the way. The format was different at each school—sometimes David gave more formal speeches (which I can now recite verbatim), other times we just had lunch or dinner with a group of student activists and journalists.

Lindsay Lohan's Inconvenient Email

Ramya — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 18:01:52 EST

So apparently Lindsay and Al Gore are like, totally, BFF. In an effort to clean up her party-girl image, Lohan sent an email to her friends stating, ""Al Gore will help me. He came up to me last night and said he would be very happy to have a conversation with me."

She continued, "Hilary [sic] Clinton, Bill Clinton, and Evan Metroplis [sic], and John Daur who works with them would be willing, if we just ask. If we just ASK."

Not quite sure what Lindsay's asking for...but let's hope it's a solution to the global warming crisis rather than backing for "Just My Luck II". Unfortunately, Lohan's cryptic email may remain a mystery...her rep could not be reached for comment.

Who Says Student Activism is Dead?

Ramya — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 13:46:33 EST

At noon today, fifteen students from Purdue University entered the university President's office, and refused to leave until Purdue agreed to adopt the Designated Suppliers Program, which says that the university will not use merchandise from sweatshops, but rather factories that pay their workers a living wage.

I've gotta say, it's refreshing to see that good ol' student activism is still around on campuses today, even after many university administrations have tried to enact measures to quell it (e.g. requiring students to have permits to protest). Here's hoping that Purdue won't take disciplinary action against these students for exercising their right to protest.

If you'd like to write an email to Purdue president, Martin Jischke, in support of the students, you can use this pre-written letter.

Day 4: David and Ramya's Excellent Adventure

Ramya — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 09:40:39 EST

Yesterday's stops were most excellent…first we had a really nice luncheon at the Faculty Club of Louisiana State University. Campus Progress Rep Derrick Petit did an amazing job organizing the event, and the crowd of students who showed up were definitely ready to talk. Our discussion spanned everything from David's experience in the White House (students asked for funny anecdotes about Clinton and David obliged) to the blatant aura of racism on campus to the lack of student input in university administration's decisions. Even though classes were running all day, the students were completely willing to stay well after the event ended to talk about issues on their campus.

Day 3: On the road

Ramya — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 10:05:59 EST

Well, the good news is that the longest leg of our trip is over (7.5 hours to be exact). The better news is that the trip is going really well--we're meeting awesome students at every stop, and hearing their ideas about how we can make the progressive movement stronger. We spent the majority of the day today zipping down gorgeous I-59 (from Nashville to Hattiesburg). There was a panicky moment when our Ipod radio adapter was being finicky and we thought we'd have to go through the rest of the trip without tunes…but it cleared up about 40 miles past Nashville, so no worries anymore.