ACORN THE SEQUEL
Wondering what’s become of the damning expose of ACORN by Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government Web site? The world will soon know. James O’Keefe and Hannah Giles - the videographers who exposed corruption in several offices of the federally funded community activist group by posing as “pimp and prostitute” seeking housing - will appear at the National Press Club on Wednesday for ACORN, Part Deux.
The trio has been sued by ACORN, which is denying any wrongdoing in the matter.
“ACORN representatives claim James and Hannah were kicked out of Philadelphia. They also said publicly that unlike Baltimore, Washington D.C., Brooklyn, San Bernardino and San Diego, James and Hannah never even mentioned prostitution before they were told to leave. James and Hannah will be joining me to set the record straight. After Wednesday, everyone will know what really happened in Philly,” Mr. Breitbart promises.
Republican Reps. Steve King of Iowa and Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan also will be on hand to offer choice remarks.
REPUBLICAN THRIFT
The Grand Old Party has gotten some grand old cash in its grand old purse. Fresh numbers from the Republican National Committee (RNC) reveal that the party raised $8.74 million in September and has $18.9 million cash on hand and $0 debt. Wait. What? That was $0 debt, which might seem like only a theoretical concept in our kajillion-dollar age. But it’s for real.
The numbers are straightforward and healthy. The RNC averaged 2,400 new donors per day in September, an off-year record and an increase of about 2,000 new donors per day since February. The average contribution in September was $36.
“We have been working hard to establish a new brand,” says RNC Chairman Michael S. Steele. “It is clear that the Republican message of lower taxes, less spending and common-sense health care reform resonates with working families and small businesses alarmed by the course the president and congressional Democrats have taken.”
BURNING ISSUES
Barry McCaffrey, hold your ears. The former Clinton administration drug czar might cringe over Libertarians and their joyous reaction to President Obama’s new laissez-faire policy toward medical marijuana. The operative word is “pleased,” says Libertarian National Committee Executive Director Wes Benedict.
“This is a small step in the right direction. The federal government currently wastes tremendous resources in the War on Drugs, creating a huge, vicious, violent black market. This new policy will reduce the damage and destruction, and it will hopefully end some of the unjust prosecution of peaceful medical marijuana providers and patients,” Mr. Benedict says.
“We urge the Obama administration not to stop with this small step, but to take further steps to end the destructive, unjust, unconstitutional War on Drugs,” he adds.
Like we said, hold your ears, Mr. McCaffrey.
SCREEN GEMS
It definitely won’t be a version of “Jay Walking,” in which the participants are primarily clueless. NBC’s not-so-late-night guru Jay Leno will host Michelle Obama on Friday, garnering insight for the nightly “Ten at Ten” list. Via satellite, the first lady will answer 10 “rapid-fire questions” from Mr. Leno in what the network describes as “a comedy bit.” Well, yeah. It better be. This will be Mrs. Obama’s second appearance on the show in less than a year.
ATT’N: KRUGMAN
Money talks. Loudly. Like a $50,000 prize for a single news story. That’s the amount involved for the newly minted Media for Liberty Award, meant “to encourage media entries that explore the link between economic and political liberty.” Calls for entries have now gone out from the Liberty Media Corp., a Colorado-based group with interests in a broad range of electronic retailing, media, communications and entertainment businesses.
It has set the bar pretty high.
“Economists and political theorists have long debated the relationship between economic liberty (i.e., freedom of individuals to make economic choices in a free-market environment) and political liberty (i.e., freedom from government intervention and fostering of civil liberties). Prominent economists such as Milton Friedman, Friedrich Hayek and Ludwig von Mises, have argued that free economies are conducive to, or even an inseparable element of, political freedom,” the group notes in a lengthy advisory.
Judges for the competition include Allan Dodds Frank , president of the Overseas Press Club of America, and Stacey Woelfel, chairman of the Radio-Television News Directors Association. Guidelines encourage reporting that “challenges conventional thinking or illuminates through experience and fact.”
“Mastery of message and skill in delivery stand out” for print, broadcast and electronic entries published or transmitted during 2009, the group says. Consult www.libertymedia.com for more information.
POLL DU JOUR
• 55 percent of Americans approve of the job President Obama is doing in office.
• 43 percent disapprove.
• 51 percent disagree with Mr. Obama on important issues.
• 48 percent agree.
• 66 percent say the president has the appropriate “personality and leadership qualities” for the job.
• 33 percent disagree.
Source: A CNN/Opinion Research poll of 1,038 adults conducted Oct. 16-18.
• Peeps, hoots, hollers to jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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