On his talk radio show, conservative host Rusty Humphries asked Palin, "Would you make the birth certificate an issue if you ran?" She replied,

I think the public rightfully is still making it an issue. I don't have a problem with that. I don't know if I would have to bother to make it an issue, because I think that members of the electorate still want answers.

Palin later said the question about Obama's birth was fair because of "the weird conspiracy theory freaky thing that people talk about that Trig isn't my real son — 'You need to produce his birth certificate, you need to prove that he's your kid,' which we have done." Of course, Palin has said in her book and elsewhere that questions about her family aren't fair game, and to go back on this in order to protect a group of racism-tinged conspiracy theorists is both inconsistent and disingenuous. But that doesn't stop Palin from expanding on the argument on Facebook. Here she writes,

Voters have every right to ask candidates for information if they so choose. I've pointed out that it was seemingly fair game during the 2008 election for many on the left to badger my doctor and lawyer for proof that Trig is in fact my child. Conspiracy-minded reporters and voters had a right to ask... which they have repeatedly. But at no point – not during the campaign, and not during recent interviews – have I asked the president to produce his birth certificate or suggested that he was not born in the United States.

Which is an awesome example of defending idiots while sort of claiming to be smarter than them (her note is titled "Stupid Conspiracies"). Gawker's Azaria Jagger explains this strategy:

She is encouraging birthers, despite knowing that they are wrong. Listen to the way Palin stalls and diverts, starting with a protracted "Umm... I think..." She is careful to point to the public's fascination with the story, and to note that she herself couldn't care less, but supports their efforts. She sounds like an adult child placating her senile mother: Of course you get can your driver's license back, even though you crashed into a tree. Many people get their driver's licenses back, and I will certainly help you try. She knows the birthers are wrong, yet she congratulates their efforts and calls Obama's nationality "fair game." This is pandering in its barest, most transparent form, and the fact that Sarah thinks she can get away with it testifies to how stupid, directionless, and desperate she knows her followers are.

Much of Palin's rhetoric — from "real America" to "death panels" to this latest ludicrosity — basically involves throwing red meat to enraged fans who will then say all the insulting things Palin can't quite allow herself to say. Like, for instance, this Facebook comment:

Keep up the good work Sarah. You are a good trooper in my book to put up with all the b____ll. I don't even think Obama, Nancy P. or Harry Reid even know what is in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence maybe they had better rush up on these. That is if they can read.

But perhaps saddest are the comments by Birthers who ignore the fact that Palin just called the conspiracy "stupid." To whit:

RIGHT ON SARAH!!! He could supply his birth certificate ... but can't ... if you know what I mean.

Or, at greater length:

You See —— I think you should have asked him to produce his birth certificate, health records and college records.

No Birth Certificate - Shouldn't be President (Constitution)
No Health Records - Could still be on drugs (put that finger on the launch button)
No College Records - Might show where the money for his college came from, and what citizenship was declaired.... See More

Why tiptoe around the true issues?

As far as I'm concerned; He is an Un-vetted Foreign Born "Acting" President - with the emphasis on "Acting".

Call him out —- this is no time to be PC

The above is far from the only comment alleging that Obama is hiding multiple types of malfeasance from the American people, an idea Palin encouraged during the campaign by harping on Bill Ayers and is now encouraging again — even as she gives herself plausible deniability by reminding her non-mouth-foaming readers that she never asked Obama to show his birth certificate. No, she's letting her base to her dirty work for her — just like she let them do racism for her when she reposted a letter calling Obama "son."

Sarah Palin has never been very strong on actual issues, so she has to resort to the politics of fear and loathing in order to gain any traction. But she's smart enough to know that she can't come out and call Obama "an Un-vetted Foreign Born 'Acting' President," so she just feeds ammo to those who do. If her Facebook comments (or her book signings, where one fan recently said, "B.O. scares me") are any indication, Palin country has become a land of hate, prejudice, and misdirected rage. It's fitting punishment for Palin that she has to live there.

Palin Becomes A Birther As Revenge Unto Those Who Doubted Trig [Gawker]
Palin: Obama Birth Certificate 'A Fair Question' [Politico]
Sarah Palin's Fans Push For 2012 Presidential Run [AP, via Yahoo News]
Sarah Palin: Stupid Conspiracies [Facebook]

Although some have claimed that threats are "up 400%," Sullivan denies that there has been much of an increase at all. "I'm not sure where that number comes from," he said. • Congressman Bennie Thompson, the House Homeland Security Committee Chairman, says his staff is preparing to subpoena the Salahis to testify as to how they crashed the White House State Dinner. He added that he will not subpoena White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers because her testimony isn't worth "engaging in a protracted legal battle with the White House." • Anthony Sowell, who was accused of the murder of 11 women in Ohio, entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity today. Sowell has been charged with an 85-count indictment, for crimes including rape, murder, assault and corpse abuse. If convicted, he could be given the death penalty. •  French tennis player Amelie Mauresmo has announced plans to retire. "I don't want to train anymore," said the 2006 Wimbledon title winner. "When you grow older, it's more difficult to stay at the top. It's a bit sad but this is the right decision." •  The Optimum Population Trust has determined that contraception is the cheapest way to help the environment, much cheaper than, say, planting trees of investing in wind power. The group has created a website that accepts donations to help pay for family planning services. •  This story, about a team of soccer-playing grannies from South Africa, will seriously brighten your day. The group of 40 older ladies has been playing since 2006, when cancer survivor Beka Ntsanwisi saw a group of women waiting for treatment, and decided that they needed somewhere to go for both exercise and companionship. Since 2006, several other teams have been set up, and they all compete in a league called the Top Eight. • The Berhane Hewan or "Light of Eve" program funded by the U.N. and Nike Foundation educates about 10,000 women and girls in Ethiopia in hopes of preventing child marriage. The program holds meetings for whole villages to discuss why child marriages hurts girls and gives families a pregnant ewe each time a daughter completes two years of school to offset the poverty that drives parents to marry off their daughters. • Sarah Palin received a special award from College of the Ozarks, a small Bible school in Missouri that goes by the slogan "Hard Work U." (strangely, this was a great favorite of my high school guidance counselor). They gave her the first ever "Great American Award." The press release reveals she got the award for being super patriotic: "Patriotism is one of the important goals of the College." •

First of all, we suggest you refrain from searching. The picture that comes up is not of Michelle Obama. To put it bluntly: It's a picture of a monkey with earrings. But even more disturbing than the image itself is the fact that it shows up as the first picture on a major search engine.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like there is too much that Google can or will do. Last week, when the image first appeared on the search engine, they were able to remove the picture on the grounds that the website hosting the image was infected with malware. However, the image has been reposted on other websites that are virus-free and otherwise comply with Google's rules. It appears that the picture is the result of a Google bomb - an organized effort to change search results by linking repeatedly to a web page or image with certain key terms. Google has issued an apology. Sort of. Above the picture Google has used their adspace to run this message: "Sometimes our search results can be offensive. We agree. Read more." If you click on the link, you are directed to this message:

Sometimes Google search results from the Internet can include disturbing content, even from innocuous queries. We assure you that the views expressed by such sites are not in any way endorsed by Google.

Search engines are a reflection of the content and information that is available on the Internet. A site's ranking in Google's search results relies heavily on computer algorithms using thousands of factors to calculate a page's relevance to a given query.

The beliefs and preferences of those who work at Google, as well as the opinions of the general public, do not determine or impact our search results. Individual citizens and public interest groups do periodically urge us to remove particular links or otherwise adjust search results. Although Google reserves the right to address such requests individually, Google views the integrity of our search results as an extremely important priority. Accordingly, we do not remove a page from our search results simply because its content is unpopular or because we receive complaints concerning it. We will, however, remove pages from our results if we believe the page (or its site) violates our Webmaster Guidelines, if we believe we are required to do so by law, or at the request of the webmaster who is responsible for the page.

Google is sorry, but until the algorithms change, the picture will remain at the top of the image search.

Offensive Michelle Obama Image Returns, Google Buys Ad To Explain [Search Engine Land]
Google: Michelle Obama Pic Not Our Fault [CBS]
Google: An Explanation Of Our Search Results

At issue here (ostensibly) is the sports-heavy culture of the Obama White House. American Spectator Editor-in-Chief R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr. is no big fan of Obama, but he does want to defend the President against "ladies" who have the nerve to roll their eyes at an all-male White House basketball game and a general atmosphere of sports fandom. Criticizing the woman who told the Times "that her relative indifference to athletics could be mildly alienating," he writes,

Would it have helped if the President had invited this troubled woman to play basketball? He is 6'2" and presumably those who play with him are of above-average size. What are they to do with an average-size woman on the court? Or is she quite large? Nonetheless Obama's basketball players must be pretty strong — at least as compared to women. Yet maybe the eye-rolling women are pretty strong too, but as strong as these men? Is that likely? I know that men and women are equal (which to feminists means identical), but are women equal to men on the basketball court? Why are none of our female college basketball players playing in the NBA? Oh yes, and how did talking sports with colleagues become controversial and exclusionary? I thought there were a lot of women in the country interested in sports.

But the real beneficiary of Tyrrell's snide-fest is NY Times Op-Ed columnist Maureen Dowd, who wrote a column about the President's sporty predilections and challenged him to a game of Scrabble. I'm not a particular fan of Dowd's writing (she calls Obama's family an "estrogen nest," which, ew), but she doesn't deserve Tyrrell's both sexist and ill-informed takedown. He writes,

"Men have always craved private realms — the golf club, men's club, garage, workshop, shed; a place to get away from the chatter and clatter of women and kids," writes Dowd, who has never been married and has no children. In fact, in an embarrassing book she has lamented over how difficult she has found it to be in close contact with men.

Of course, being unmarried and childless doesn't actually mean you live in a convent with no contact with men or understanding of their behavior. And actually, Dowd's book Are Men Necessary? is, for all its problems, a light-hearted bit of pop sociology, not the "lament" of a lonesome lady. But of course, Tyrrell isn't really interested in critiquing Dowd's male-analysis credentials. He just wants to make her sound like a sad, sexless woman, because that's apparently the worst thing a female writer can be. Tyrrell continues,

So what is Dowd up to? Aside from revealing once again why she has so much difficulty getting a boyfriend, she reveals that she wants to play Scrabble with the President. In her stupendously undignified column she admits it.

How embarrassing! She must really be desperate if she wants to play Scrabble with Obama. I'll "admit it" too — I would like to toss some tiles with the President of the United States. I guess that makes me undignified.

At first glance, it kind of unclear why Tyrrell singles out Dowd for his bile. Her column is hardly a radical feminist rant — she even quotes a female friend who says, "Will every game now have to have a certain number of Asians, atheists, vegetarians and public-option hard-liners?" Her Scrabble invitation is really an extremely gentle and playful way of asking Obama to make sure he includes women in the social life of the White House — and aren't we women supposed to be gentle and playful?

But really, what Tyrrell shows is that when a woman dares to have a public voice and then mentions sexism even in the least confrontational manner, it's open season for childish commentary on her sex life or supposed lack thereof. If she happens to be single, there's no reason to bother actually evaluating her arguments — she must not know anything because she can't land a man. And of course, if she keeps talking in such an uppity fashion, she'll never get one. Tyrrell winds up his column with the line, "Sometimes one reads about the controversies such women have over the men around them, and one remembers how happy one was to get out of high school all those years ago." But he's the one whose rhetoric never graduated.

Where The Girls Are [The American Spectator]

In an interview with Time, Thomas bashes bloggers, but as always, there is some truth in her harsh words:

Everyone with a laptop thinks they're a journalist. Everyone with a cellphone thinks they're a photographer. So our profession is sidelined in a way. There's no turning back. It's frightening because you can ruin lives and reputations willy-nilly without realizing it. No editors. No standards. No ethics. We're at the crossroads.

"Press at a crossroads" is sort of the theme of the whole interview. Although she is there to talk about her latest book, Listen Up, Mr. President, the most interesting parts come when she discusses the relationship between the President and the press. When asked about the differences between Obama and Bush, she says, "No President likes the press. They all hate us." The Obama Administration, she claims, is amazingly adept at the art of the spin. The so-called "managed news" is naturally not something Thomas will support.

There's very little you can do when they control the information. But I think every once in awhile the press knows enough to protest. It's not their information, it's ours. It belongs to the American people... I think it behooves all administrations to tell the truth as much as they can, to bring the people with them. You cannot have a democracy without informed people. It shouldn't be a shock when the public finally learns things.

Sing it, sister.

But her criticism of the current presidency does not stop there. At a recent interview at the Commonwealth Club, Thomas told reporter Phil Bronstein that Obama "lacks courage." "There was a gasp in the crowd," Bronstein writes. "I was the interviewer and it rocked me a little." For Bronstein, this one comment seems to reflect the growing tide of criticism that has been leveled against Obama from the left in the most concise way possible. This is classic Thomas, telling it like it is. Bronstein ends with a little advice for Obama:

So while he's dodging Glenn Beck broadsides and rope-a-doping formerly infatuated Democratic critics, Barack Obama needs to keep a much closer eye on the 89-year-old woman front row at his press conferences than he does on the genuflecting artist who built a giant Nobel Peace Prize sand sculpture of the President in India.

Probably good advice, but not as good as what Thomas herself had to say to any future president: "Do the right thing. There's no other place to go."

And finally, Thomas shares what it is like to write based on opinion rather than straight news (which sounds surprisingly similar to writing a blog): "Now I wake up every morning and ask, 'Who do I hate today?' That's how you write a column!"

Q&A: White House Legend Helen Thomas [Time]
Bronstein At Large: In Conversation With Helen Thomas At The Commonwealth Club [SFGate]
Helen Thomas: White House Watchdog Tells All [CommonwealthClub.org]

• "I think people may have seen that and got the wrong idea about us," said the chief executive officer, and a former employee claims there is nothing sexual about it. Oh really? •  Wanna know what's on Obama's walls? The Times has a full list of the art on display in the White House. The pieces range from a Winslow Homer to a Degas to a Rothko, thus proving once again that the first family has good taste. •  A supermarket in Britain has issued an apology after a pregnant woman was denied an unpasteurized cheese by a concerned employee. She described the experience as the "most patronising encounter I have had the misfortune of experiencing in a long time." •  Recent legislation in Gaza that bans women from riding on motorbikes has raised concerns over efforts by Hamas to Islamise Palestinian society. While few women ride motorbikes, this seems to be part of a larger trend toward moralized legislation. •  Michael Vick, the football player most famous for his dogfighting bust, is getting a reality TV show. Although we hate PETA, we agree with them here: "People who abuse animals don't deserve to be rewarded. They shouldn't be given multimillion-dollar contracts...or given the privilege of being a role model." • A British man who had sex with his daughter over a period of 33 years and fathered two children by her has been sentenced to twelve years in prison. He pled guilty to two of incest, two rapes, 12 indecent assaults and two indecency with a child. • Here's a good reason to move to Sweden: Toys "R" Us has been reprimanded by an agency that polices advertising in Sweden after a group of sixth-graders learning about gender roles determined that boys were portrayed as active, but girls were passive in the store's 2008 Christmas catalog. • Mazen Abdel-Jawad, a 32-year-old Saudi man, has been sentenced to five years in prison and 1,000 lashes after boasting about his sexual conquests on TV. For being shown on TV with sex toys, condoms, and lubricants and cruising the streets for women he was charged with, "publicizing vice and confessing to crimes on a satellite television channel." • According to a new study from the University of Michigan, an increase in the number of cases of nasopharyngeal cancer, a rare condition in which a tumor grows behind the nose and above the tonsils, is linked to HPV. • University of Toronto researchers have invented a new technology that can measure tiny droplets of estrogen from samples of breast tissue the size of a needle. Currently doctors need to do a biopsy to collect such data, which could be useful to see the progress of breast cancer therapy, to see if a woman is at risk, or for other problems like infertility. The technology will not be ready for several years. • Katie Couric will be honored with the 2009 Al Neuharth Award for Excellence in the Media by the University of South Dakota, but a columnist for the school's student newspaper says she's not ready for the award. "A 'life-time achievement award' to Couric is jumping the gun," writes David Whitesock. "Despite Ms. Couric's laudable efforts to introduce the evening news to the Internet generation, she has fallen short of 'Evening News' predecessors." • Bob Dole, who lived next to Monica Lewinsky at the Watergate complex in the '90s said at a heath reform summit today, "If I'd had little wiretap there, I could've been president... I never had..... a conversation with that lady." • Before making his final decision on whether he should run for president, Barack met with Chicago politicians Newton Minow and Abner Mikva who have six daughters between them. Obama said he admired both men's daughters, and hoped his own daughters would grow up to be like them, and that he wouldn't run if the two men felt that doing so while the girls were so young would damage them in any way. • An Australian hospital psychologist has had his license suspended for just two months after telling a sexual assault victim that he was sex-obsessed, had "very strong sexual feelings for her" and that he had "fucked up big time" with her therapy. He treated her in 2004 and 2005 and authorities only learned of his misconduct after the woman threatened to kill herself and hospital staff found a noose in her home. • Advocates say advances in DNA technology, reforms in how police investigate rapes, and better prosecution of rapists are reducing the number of reported U.S. rapes. FBI statistics say 89,000 women reported being raped in 2008, down brom the 109,062 reported rapes in 1992. • Julie Parker, 80, is the oldest and longest-tenured employee at Yosemite National Park. "Julia interprets Native American culture to our visitors," says a park spokesman. "She shows visitors how baskets were woven, toys or brushes were made and acorns collected from native black oak trees, ground up using a metate and made into mush... Julia is truly a national treasure." • It took Patrick Mills of Florida two days to get a nine week old kitten out of his car's engine compartment. Someone heard meowing coming from his engine, but Mills and firefighters were unable to coax the cat out even with donated milk from Starbucks and tuna from Panera Bread. The cat was finally frightened from her hiding spot when a Feline Friends of Destin volunteer rattled a metal coat hanger in the engine. The volunteer took the cat home and said she's healthy except for a minor cold. •

• Elijah Wood and Shirley Manson star in a new ad campaign for Oliver Peoples Spring 2010 Resort Collection. Hate to say it, but in this Mad Men-inspired campaign, both come across as a poor woman's Joan & Don. [Black Book]

• According to Paula Sutter, Diane von Furstenberg is "a techy." "She's constantly looking at new technologies. We have a lot more to do there," she said at a recent conference. [WWD]
• In response to the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, fashion industry members have come together to create a new book, titled To India, With Love. Contributors include Yves Carcelle, Diane von Furstenberg, Evelyn Lauder, Silvia Fendi, Matthew Williamson, Rachel Roy, Kenneth Cole, Tory Burch and Cynthia Rowley. Natalie Portman, Wes Anderson, Adrien Brody and Elizabeth Hurley are also involved. [WWD]
• Marks and Spencer model - and former WAG (American translation: former wife or girlfriend of an athlete) - Noemie Lenoir had a slight wardrobe malfunction while she was on stage at a charity auction. The back of her dress came unzipped, revealing some very small underwear, but she shrugged and let the bidding continue. [Daily Mail]
• Rory Tahari, wife of designer Elie Tahari, is publishing a book on getting organized, which will include chapters on weddings, children, divorce, and even death. [Observer]
• Gucci will be the main sponsor of the European Equestrian Masters, an international horse jumping show. This will be Gucci's first equestrian funding in 20 years, but the luxury brand has a long history with the elite sport. [WWD]
• New York State's first lady Michelle Paterson recently got the celebrity treatment from Rachel Roy, who sent out a publicity alert announcing Paterson's recent sartorial choice at a party thrown by New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams. [Observer]
• Mark Badgley and James Mischka, the designer team behind Badgley Mischka, may be in talks with the home shopping network. Sources say that they are considering following in the footsteps of Tina Knowles and creating a "lifestyle collection" specifically for HSN. [WWD]
• Further proof that Michelle Obama can make anything a trend: Kitten heels are suddenly all the rage in Milan. Of course, that could be because they are just more practical, but that's not half as interesting. [Black Book]
• The ethereally beautiful clothing of Kate and Lura Mulleavy will be featured in an exhibit at the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum next year. Now you, too, can touch the Rodarte! (Actually, that's probably a bad idea.) [WWD]
• Fancy cotton-shirt brand Three Dots has created a basic white v-neck with built-in shoulder pads. Sorry to spoil the surprise, but it's fug. [Inventor Spot]
• Danielle Vitale, president of Gucci America Inc., has announced a shift in focus for the brand. While they plan to continue to stress the "power and allure of product," Vitale would also like to see a greater focus on customer service and employee satisfaction. [WWD]
• Women in the UK are spending more money on clothes, but buying less, according to analysts. This may mean that more people are turning away from fast fashion and favoring quality over quantity. [Daily Mail]
• Victoria's Secret Angel Miranda Kerr is launching an organic skin care line. We're just glad she's not "designing" clothes. [Sassy Bella]
• To address the dearth of angels caused by the model baby boom, Victoria's Secret has reportedly hired Guess model Jessica Hart. [NY Post]
• 1,500 immigrant workers have been fired from American Apparel in the last month because they had not been granted the legal right to work in the U.S. [WWD]
• Gap Inc. has selected a new agency for their holiday ad campaign. Crispin Porter & Bogusky will replace Laird & Partners, which is a shame, because one of the few things likable about the Gap were those cheerful, winter-y holiday ads. [AdAge]
• Jil Sander on her new line for Uniqlo: "I have always been fascinated by the original concept of high street fashion; by the idea of offering attractive, clean-cut clothes to everyone...If you want to make a real difference in the future of fashion, it makes a lot of sense, to engage in a company that has the power to reach people on a global scale." [Times of London]
• Nike shares rose 4.8% in after-hours trading Tuesday, exceeding Wall Street's expectations. [TheStreet]
• According to sources, an Ajman sheihk has submitted a bid for broke fashion house Christian Lacroix. The new owner would preserve Lacroix's current operations, including couture. [WWD]
• Like Diane von Furstenberg, David Lauren, senior VP of Ralph Lauren, is a self-proclaimed techy. "It's great to see all these brands innovating on the phone. It takes shopping and really makes it a part of your life," he says of the company's iPhone app. [Ad Age]
• Hermes is refusing to comment on whether or not they bought jewelery label Asprey. They have, however, confirmed a collaboration with Monaco-based ship-builder Wally to create a £90 million yacht. We were going to make fun of this, but then we saw the pictures, and... we want to go to there. [Vogue UK & Daily Mail]
• Sources say Sarah Jessica Parker is in talks with Halston to be their next celebrity face. Earlier this month, SJP was photographed on the set of Sex and the City: Not Again in a Halston dress, so that could be a sign. [E Online]
• Although the last thing we need is yet another celebrity fragrance, this ad for Kylie Minogue's new perfume, featuring two versions of her model boyfriend, is pretty awesome. [The Sun]

• Marc Jacobs is rumored to have signed on to appear on Kept, Logo's gay version of The Real Housewives. An open casting call will be held soon in New York to find other "high-powered (openly gay) playboys." [N.Y. Daily News]

• The Italian fashion world wasn't pleased with foreign reviews of Milan fashion shows linking the prevalence of short and sexy dresses to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's recent sex scandals. Reviews in the Financial Times and International Herald Tribune used terms such as "Blame it on Berlusconi" and "Viva la Bimbo." "I don't think Berlusconi influences us," said Donatella Versace. "I didn't see anything vulgar on the catwalks in the last few days." [Reuters]
• British women working in engineering, science, technology and construction are calling for clothing manufacturers to make better and safer clothing for women. Jan Peters, president of the Women's Engineering Society explains: "We need the makers of safety wear – work boots, high visibility jackets, protective gloves and the like - to cater for our needs. We don't necessarily want fashion – although we want to look smart and professional – we just want clothes that fit!" [Science Daily]
• Yesterday, Michelle Obama fave Maria Pinto unveiled the looks she created for the delegates lobbying for Chicago's 2016 Olympic bid this week in Copenhagen. At least these outfits are less ridiculous than Ralph Lauren's 2008 U.S. Olympic ensemble. [WWD]
• The new issue of GQ has an article on Christian Audigier that dubs him the "Emperor du Fromage" and contains many musings on the unfortunate popularity of his Ed Hardy and Von Dutch brands such as, "He almost never wears the clothes he designs, which leads some people to wonder whether he actually likes them." [Racked]
• Jil Sander's minimalist collection for Uniqlo will go on sale when its Paris flagship store opens on Thursday. The 100 women's items and 40 men's pieces won't include the designer's name but will bear a white label reading "+J". [WWD]
• Scientists are developing new hi-tech textiles including fabrics that spray on, respond to temperature changes, and release hormones to attract the opposite sex. [The Telegraph]
• The Obama commercial boom may be over. You can still find Obama merchandise - like tees - in D.C. tourist areas, but there's less demand across the country now that he's started actually leading rather than just talking about it. [AP]
• Miuccia Prada likes to have "intellectuals" at her shows and in her clothes. A staffer explains, "She only dresses people who interest her." Warning: Don't click the link unless you're prepared to see Paul Krugman's face Photoshopped on a runway model. [N.Y. Magazine]
• Shares of Liz Claiborne Inc. and Jones Apparel Group Inc. fell yesterday, after a Goldman Sachs analyst said their stock is fairly valued and downgraded the companies to "neutral." [Crains New York]
• Designer Nanette Lepore and other fashion advocates met at the office of California Representative Diane Watson to discuss their support for the creation of a Fashion Caucas in Congress. They say the government needs to be more involved in securing intellectual property rights for designers, creating enterprise zones to promote local talent, and preserving New York's garment district. [N.Y. Magazine]
• Anna Dello Russo wore Peter Dundas' green and white cut-out sequined long sleeve mini dress "better than a model ever could," according to Fashionista. [Fashionista]
• The European Commission is considering extending duties and tariffs on Chinese and Vietnamese shoes to protect Italian and Spanish footwear manufacturers. Most retailers and EU member states oppose the measure. [Times of London]
• Sources say contrary to earlier report, Tommy Hilfiger is not planning to work with Sarah Ferguson. [WWD]
• Tommy Hilfiger's daughter Ally is going to work on her aunt's Ginny H line, fueling speculation that she's being groomed to take over her dad's brand. When asked if she may some day replace him she said vaguely, "It's such a big company that it's not only one person that can run the company. There are just so many people. I don't know how much control I'd have or help I would be." [Stylist]

A Times profile by Mark Leibovich makes Liz Cheney sound like the Hobgoblin to her dad's Green Goblin. Says Mary Cheney,

I think you'd be hard-pressed to find any daylight at all between Liz's and my father's views. It's not because she's been indoctrinated. It's because he's right.

Right about what, exactly? Well, she told Sam Donaldson that "waterboarding isn't torture." And in the Larry King clip above, she says the reason birthers are so angry is that Obama isn't defending America. Cheney echoed this sentiment at the Nashville Smart Girl Summit, an event for conservative women also attended by such luminaries as Michelle Malkin. In her speech there, she asked,

Mr. President, in a ticking time-bomb scenario, with American lives at stake, are you really unwilling to subject a terrorist to enhanced interrogation to get information that would prevent an attack?

Cheney is currently helping her dad write his memoirs, which she says will occupy her until 2011, but she won't say whether she'll run for office after that. Since Dick Cheney is remembered by many as basically evil incarnate, it's not clear whether she would be a viable candidate — Leibovitch mentions "the question of whether the 'Cheney message' on national security - which essentially translates to an aggressive and interventionist approach - is something the Republican Party should be trumpeting, or burying." But the former VP's approval rating has actually risen since he left office, and some are calling his daughter a promising young "rock star." Conservative blogger Fingers Malloy says she's "one of the fresh faces of our movement," and Republican foreign-policy adviser Dan Senor says, "I think Liz is ably representing the next wave of voices."

It's hard to see someone whose views are identical to Dick Cheney's as a "fresh face," especially since neoconservatism now seems, despite its prefix, hopelessly dated. Nonetheless, Liz Cheney's pro-torture hawkishness and criticisms of Obama are clearly popular with the xenophobic set, if no one else. It's possible to imagine a pretty terrifying 2012 ticket with Sarah Palin at the top and Liz Cheney as VP. We'll take Meghan McCain over that any day.

New Cheney Taking Stage For The G.O.P. [NYT]

• Speaking of Palin and "broad", the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner is really sorry for calling Sarah Palin a "broad" in a front-page headline. In their defense, it was a pun ("A Broad In Asia"), but editor Rod Boyce has apologized for printing "offensive language." • The Guardian reports there has been a sudden increase in the number of female headteachers, who often make over £100,000. However, although 70% of elementary school heads are women, the few men who do work with young children are more likely to be in senior management positions than women. • According to a recent survey, swearing is "so common" in the UK that one in three Britons claim they hear a curse word every five minutes. Maybe we're just foul-mouthed Americans, but that doesn't sound that bad. • Researchers have found that your personality type may influence your success at weight loss. This sounds totally obvious, but they also claim that more optimistic people have a harder time keeping weight off. • A new study has found that taking anti-depressants early on in pregnancy may increase the risk of giving birth to a child with a heart defect. Researchers note that the risk is still relatively small, and that Zoloft, Prozac and Celexa carry a higher danger than other drugs. • After a "disastrous marriage," Robina Niaz started Turning Point for Women and Families, an organization that helps abused Muslim women in New York. She says domestic violence is no more common among Muslims than non-Muslims, but that cultural norms can make it harder to confront. • 10% of homeless veterans are now women, and their numbers are rising — many suffer from PTSD resulting from combat or sexual assault by other service members. • If new vaccination and screening programs are implemented, some say cervical cancer could disappear within 50 years. • Tufts University has instituted a new policy instructing students not to have sex while a roommate is in the room, or to allow their sex lives to affect a roommate's "privacy, study, or sleep." Translation: don't be an asshole. • Susan Atkins, follower of Charles Manson and killer of Sharon Tate, has died of brain cancer at the age of 61. • Women have long been barred from serving on submarines, supposedly because space concerns make separate bathrooms impractical. But now an admiral thinks that should change. • Hugo Chavez says "I laugh when I see people from Fox News" that President Obama smells like hope. • A new study has found that gay parents are just as fit to adopt as heterosexuals. Children raised by same-sex couples had no more emotional problems than those raised by straight parents. •

In an interview that makes her sound extremely likable and charmingly humble, Sotomayor tells C-Span about the bizarre experience of waiting around for Obama to call. She says that her family had boarded planes to Washington before she got the final answer from Obama. She had been told Obama would be making the call that day, but at 5:00 p.m. Obama still hadn't called. Her family was anxious, so she told them to go on ahead.

Sick of waiting, Sotomayor called up the White House and asked, "Well you're getting my family to Washington, have any of you given any thought about how I'm going to get there? And:

"And they stopped and said, 'Oh I guess we should figure that out, shouldn't we?' Literally, that was the response. What I was told was that the president had gotten distracted with some important other business that was going on at the time, and that he would call me at about 8 p.m. but that I should go home and pack to come to Washington, and that they would prefer that I didn't take a plane."

The Washington Post notes that the other business Obama was busy with his Memorial Day appearences and North Korea's decision to detonate a nuclear device, so we suppose he has a good excuse. But in a strange way, the rest of the story sounds kind of like a particularly nerve-wracking first date. Sotomayor recalls holding her hand over her chest, "trying to calm my beating heart, literally," right before she got the call. And once she did? She admits to breaking down in tears: "And I said to him — I caught my breath and started to cry and said, 'Thank you, Mr. President.' That was what the moment was like." We can only imagine.

Sotomayor Describes Day Of Supreme Court Selection For C-Span [Washington Post]

Confusingly, Chris Frates of Politico says, "legislation making its way through Congress would allow a government-run insurance plan to cover abortions, and that sets the stage for conservatives to launch what is likely to be the next big, cable-ready fight in the health care debate." He also quotes a Factcheck.org report that says Obama "goes too far when he calls the statements that government would be funding abortions ‘fabrications.'" But in fact there's already a plan in place to keep the government from funding abortions. A proposal by Rep. Lois Capps, recently passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, would require that only private money pay for abortions. Robin Abcarian of the LA Times explains,

Under any insurance purchased with federal help, individuals would pay the portion of premiums used for abortion services. Federal money, in theory, would not pay for the procedure.

How? Separate accounts would be created to keep federal dollars from co-mingling with an individual's contributions. So, in essence, federal dollars would not support abortions, even if they pay for other health coverage.

It's not totally clear if this means that individuals would have to pay the full cost of their abortions, or if abortions would be covered by a pool of private money. If the latter, would anti-choicers be able to refuse to pay into the pool? Regardless of these concerns, the proposal and Obama's general stance that "no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions" is conservative enough that reproductive rights advocates aren't happy. Egalia of Tennessee Guerrilla Women writes,

In his speech on health care reform, President Obama effectively threw women's reproductive rights under the bus when he indicated his support for the Hyde Amendment. That 1976 law forbids women from accessing their legal right to abortion through Medicaid and all other federally funded programs

And Nancy Northup of the Center for Reproductive Rights says, "It is lamentable that during a major speech on healthcare reform, the President chose to reinforce a longstanding barrier to women's ability to obtain abortion." Of Capps's compromise proposal, she says,

The Capps Amendment — which means that no federal monies will be used for abortion, but does secure access to the service—is a defensive move primarily intended to ward off hostile Congressional amendments to women's abortion coverage. The amendment still segregates abortion from the larger field of healthcare, and should not be mistaken as sound policy. After healthcare reform is enacted, we look forward to a forthright dialogue that puts women's healthcare needs above politics.

That last sentence may signal a willingness to support health care reform even if it doesn't perfectly jibe with Northup's views on abortion. This willingness sets Northup and the Center for Reproductive Rights apart from anti-choicers like the National Right to Life Committee. Its legislative director Douglas Johnson calls the Capps proposal a "phony compromise" and says, "We think there is a very active effort to muddy the waters and to put out disinformation, and regrettably, the president has been part of that." Johnson also said,

This is going to be a real important issue in the weeks ahead. By the time they try to bring a bill to the floor of the House, anybody who's paying attention is going to know that this bill creates a huge abortion program run by the federal government.

Given that the health-care reform bills are still in progress, it's a rather odd statement. It sure sounds like Johnson's saying that his group is going to make sure "anybody who's paying attention" knows that the bill "creates a huge abortion program" regardless of what the bill says. There's no mention of working with the administration to produce an abortion-neutral solution (as anti-abortion health-care reform advocate Jim Wallis is doing). Johnson's mobilizing his supporters to block the bill before they are even sure of its final form. Both sides of this debate are talking about "common ground" — but it seems like one side is a lot more open to compromise.

Abortion Foes Aren't Buying Obama's Assurances [LA Times]
Abortion Rights In Hillary's 1993 Public Plan, But NOT In Obama's 2009 Plan [Tennessee Guerrilla Women]
Abortion Funding Next Big Showdown? [Politico]
President Obama Regrettably Closes Door On Conversation About Abortion Access In Healthcare Debate [Center for Reproductive Rights]

The alternative, reports the New York Times, would be a system of "nonprofit cooperatives," set up to provide a choice for citizens who can not afford the costs of private health insurance. "I think there will be a competitor to private insurers," Sebelius says, "That's really the essential part, is you don't turn over the whole new marketplace to private insurance companies and trust them to do the right thing. We need some choices, we need some competition." [NYTimes] [AP]

Weaver has previously talked to Joe Biden, Dwayne Wade, and Oprah, among others, and started off this interview with questions about education. The President gave what may be a preview of his upcoming Sept. 8 speech on the issue, saying that the federal government, state governments, and parents need to come together to improve kids' performance. They also discussed school lunches, which Obama promised to make healthier. He deemed Weaver's suggestion — french fries and mangoes for everyone — to be tasty but perhaps impractical, as mangoes don't grow well in northern climes.

Obama looks pretty graceful throughout — especially when he answers a question about whether he gets "bullied" a lot as President — but Weaver obviously steals the show. His charm and self-possession have been on display since the beginning of his campaign to interview Obama, and he comes off as smart as well as adorable. Some of this interview is pure cuteness — like when Weaver sums things up by saying Obama is very "tall and nice" — but Weaver is also an apt spokesman for some real issues. Coming from struggling Pahokee, Florida, Weaver asked Obama what he would do to help schools in poor neighborhoods. And in an earlier segment on 20-20, Weaver says, "I worry about what's happening to my community," and "that's why I'm telling you my town's story, so more people don't die."

Weaver is a passionate advocate for his family and his home, as well as living proof of the promise that exists in kids all over the country, not just in places with money. He dreams big — in the 20-20 segment, he says he wants to be "a journalist, and a football player, and a pilot, and a person who trains whales, and President, and a senator, and a commissioner." He's already the first one — but Obama and America have the responsibility to make sure that he, and his brothers (one says he wants to be "a football player, or if that doesn't work I'll be a lawyer or a doctor"), and the other kids in his town, have the opportunity to achieve all of their dreams. In his remarks on education, Obama says "setting a really high standard for kids" is important. Damon Weaver is doing just that.

Student Reporter Damon Weaver Interviews President Barack Obama [YouTube]
Reporter, 11, Grants Obama Homeboy Status [CBS]
Young Pahokee Journalist Interviews Obama [ABC]

• Chris Brown tried to sit next to Mariah Carey during a private reception after Michael Jackson's memorial. She quickly informed him that she would rather he sit at another table. [Perez Hilton]

• Some have taken Jermaine Dupri's absence from Michael Jackson's funeral as confirmation of the rumors that he and Janet Jackson have split, but a pal says Dupri just "doesn't attend funerals." [Us]
• Janet Jackson has offered to raise Michael Jackson's kids... according to a random Inside Edition reporter. [CBS News]
• Debbie Rowe is suing the woman who sold Extra the emails in which Rowe said she doesn't really want custody of Michael Jackson's kids for defamation and invasion of privacy. Rowe says the emails are fake and she hasn't spoken to the women recently. [AP]
• Sources say lawyers for Debbie Rowe and Katherine Jackson are close to working out a custody settlement. It looks like Katherine will have custody of the children if a judge agrees. [TMZ]
• Hundreds of stuffed animals and other memorabilia left outside the Motown Historical Museum after Michael Jackson's death were buried in two vaults at Woodlawn Cemetary in Detroit. The cemetary, where Rosa Parks is buried and Diana Ross and the Four Tops have plots reserved, donated the vaults to Jackson along with a granite headstone memorial. [AP]
• The Iowa Fair let people vote online to decide whether or not there would be a butter sculpture made of Michael Jackson. Sixty-five percent voted no so plans for the sculpture have been cancelled. [UPI]
• The song "Home", which LaToya Jackson previously recorded to honor her family is being re-released as a tribute to Michael Jackson. The song will be the first single or LaToya's new album. The proceeds will got to AIDS Project LA. [AP]
• Marlon, Randy, Tito and possibly Jackie Jackson will do a paid performance of Jackson 5 songs at Reggae Sumfest in Jamaica next week. [TMZ]
• Prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation after the collapse of the stage being constructed for a Madonna concert in France killed two men and injured eight others. [Entertainment Tonight]
• The same company built the stage for the Madonna and Britney Spears concert at Dodger Stadium in November, which also collapsed. The company released a statement saying, "We were incredibly saddened by the tragic accident ... Two of our Directors have flown out to Marseille to visit the injured and to get a better understanding of what caused the accident ...There is absolutely no technical or other connection between the incident at the Dodgers Stadium in November 2008 and the tragic accident yesterday (July 16 2009) at the Velodrome in Marseille." [TMZ]
• Ne-Yo got sick and left the stage crying during a concert in Manchester, England. People thought he was crying because he was singing a tribute to Michael Jackson, but then he was struggling to move and clung onto a table onstage to keep from falling over. A presenter said he had "a really bad fever." [UPI]
• Lady Gaga was asked to wear a less revealing outfit and not dance provocatively for an appearince on Britain's GMTV yesterday mornign. A source says, "She finally agreed to tone it down. The nation would have been coughing up cornflakes if she'd had her way." [The Daily Express]
• Mark Ronson, who produced Back To Black says, "I heard Amy [Winehouse] was back in town, but I haven't spoken to her yet. I'm working on a new record now, but I would love to work with Amy again. I would definitely like to hear what Amy's been working on - she's an amazing artist, so I would be interested in anything she does." [The Daily Express]
• Eva Longoria Parker went camping in Normandy with husband Tony Parker, who is French. An onlooker said, "Sleeping under canvas obviously agreed with her. She looked gorgeous!" [The Daily Express]
• Security has been tightened on the set of The Fighter after an intruder startled Amy Adams in her trailer. "Amy was getting ready to leave the set when the guy climbed the steps right outside her trailer and said: ‘I'm looking for my cousin,'" said a source. "Amy, who was fully dressed and was with a production worker, yelled out: ‘What the hell are you doing?' and the guy quickly climbed down the stairs before running off." [Radar Online]
• Leelee Sobieski is engaged to menswear designer Adam Kimmel. [Us]
• Ivanka Trump gushes about her new fiance Jared Kushner: "Jared is my best friend for many reasons, largely because I've allowed him to see who I truly am and he still loves me... He's a bit of a hero of mine. His ability to remain focused - he lacks an anxiety that's natural for someone his age handed so much responsibility … Sometimes I catch myself looking at him and being thankful that I have grown to a level of personal maturity that I would value so much the qualities he has." [N.Y. Magazine]
• Ivanka Trump's mother Ivana Trump says, "I am so thrilled about Ivanka's engagement. She and Jared have been a serious couple for a long time, and their happiness has grown as their relationship has deepened." [People]
• Oprah's ratings have slipped by nearly a third since 2004. Some suggest people are suddenly tired of her after 20 years and others think it's an Obama backlash... since Obama is so unpopular right now. [N.Y. Post]
• John Goodman will star in The Station a new FOX comedy about CIA agents trying to install a new dictator in Central America. Sounds hilarious! [Media Week]
• Adrian Grenier showed up late to Live With Regis And Kelly yesterday. "I didn't realize it was live! I thought they just tape it," he said. [The Observer]
• Russell Crowe is in negotiations to reprise his role of Jack Aubrey for a Master and Commander sequel. [Yahoo]
• Mischa Barton may be released from psychiatric evaluation on Saturday. "A 5150 is considered a psychiatric emergency, when a person is deemed a danger to themselves, to others or is gravely disabled," says a psychiatrist who doesn't treat her. "A serious risk of suicide is a primary reason for the hold, as well as those suffering from severe depression or schizophrenia." [People]
• Jon Gosselin has moved into a two bedroom apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side. [People]
• Russell Simmons says his favorite New Yorker is Rev. Al Sharpton. [N.Y. Magazine]
• Here's an analysis of why the ads for Funny People mention that it's a Judd Apatow film but don't print Adam Sandler or Seth Rogan's names. [L.A. Times]
• Kid Rock debuted his American Badass Beer at a his concerts in Detroit this week. He said, "I'm American, that's what I like to drink, and from looking around the parking lot before my shows, I know that's what my fans drink." [UPI]
• Derek and Julianne Hough both received Emmy nominations for a dance they choreographed and performed on Dancing With the Stars I can't think of a better person to be nominated with," said Julianne. "My first time being nominated for an Emmy last year was surreal and awesome, but this time around is more special because Derek and I choreographed to fit our personalities and not the celebrities we dance with on the show." [People]
• Q: You do "hot topics." Doesn't that come from The View?
  Wendy Williams: Yeah. They're the topics and they're hot. What else would I call them?
  Q: You also have a member of the audience introduce you, just like Rosie O'Donnell did.
  Wendy Williams: Are you accusing me of being a thief? Rosie's not using it anymore. Stop being so observant! [Newsweek]
• Marc Anthony scheduled a news conference with the Miami Dophins for next Tuesday. When Gloria Estefan arranged a similar news conference last month she announced that she was becoming a minority owner. [Yahoo]
• Here's the first image from the Broadway production of After Miss Julie, which Sienna Miller and Jonny Lee Miller will star in this fall. [Entertainment Weekly]
• Did you know Vin Diesel has been working behind the camera? He says: "For the mass public I think they probably aren't aware of my directing history but I think when you do the research it becomes super-clear. I think people that know me solely for XXX or Fast And Furious might be a little surprised but I directed a short film called Multi-Facial that was in Cannes," the actor explained. [The Star]
• Taylor Lautner says of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart: "The whole cast is really close. It would be difficult for our characters if we weren't. It's a love triangle, and we need to understand each other. So the fact that we're close and can talk things through in rehearsals, and if we're out at dinner, we'll just randomly start talking about the scene we're shooting the next day . . . If we weren't able to do those things, I don't know where we'd be. [The L.A. Times]
• Here's a video of Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind performing a song he says is about being in love with a lesbian [Gothamist]
• Zooey Deschanel says of the soundtrack to 500 Days of Summer: "If they were bonding over some shitty band, that would actually make me close the script. But the fact that they liked music that was approved by me, because they're bonding over the Smiths, I was, like, ‘Well, obviously!'" [Rolling Stone]
• Zooey Deschanel gives a more detailed assessment of the soundtrack to 500 Days of Summer here: [Esquire]
• "When I first started acting and auditioning, people wanted me to be as generic as possible. When you're going out for the part of 'High School Girl #2,' people want you to be a stereotype. But I was never easily categorized. It was always difficult to reduce me to two sentences. Casting agents don't want unique-they want, 'That girl looks like a bitch,' or, 'That girl looks like a princess.' Eventually, though, you end up building your career on things that are different from other people, but in the beginning it was frustrating. I just try to be myself and as honest as possible-but I have limits." — Zooey Deschanel. [Black Book Magazine]
• An Oompa Loompah was detained by security guards at Florida's Westfield Broward mall earlier today. He had been promoting an upcoming comedy show, but a security officer cuffed him and detained him for several hours. Onlookers laughed and screamed, "Let the Oompa Loompa go!" [Peopel]