Minority Voters Could Support California Gay Marriage Ban

By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES
Oct. 28, 2008

In 2003, Rev. Roland Stringfellow, who had served as pastor of a fundamentalist Baptist church in Indiana for a decade, resigned quietly rather than face his African-American congregation and explain that he was a gay black man.
Proposiion 8 and California voters
Cultural observers say newly registered African Americans and Latino voters who are drawn to presidential candidate Barack Obama could help enact Proposition 8, a ban on gay marriage.
(ABC News Photo Illustration)

“At that time, the best thing was not to proclaim it,” Stringfellow told ABCNews.com. “When it comes down to being a black man, oftentimes we are forced to make a decision, ‘Is my community or family more important than my own well-being?’ We choose to live in silence and play the role, living on the down low.”

Today, 39, and living in San Francisco, Stringfellow belongs to a more socially liberal church and hopes to be married one day. He is openly fighting California’s Proposition 8 – a ballot initiative to outlaw recently legalized gay marriage – and cultural prejudices in his own community.

But Stringfellow’s views may not be typical of most minorities in California, who could hold the key to the future of gay marriage in the most populous state in the nation. If passed, it will amend the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman.
Related
Gay Marriage More Than a Piece of Paper
Calif. Court to Decide Gay Marriage Case

In this historic presidential election year, political observers say high voter turnout for Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama — who is predicted to draw record numbers of church-going African Americans and Latinos — may spell the demise of legal gay marriage in California.

read more here:
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=6124148&page=1

SNL Image Boosted With Political Content

By Melissa Olson

For the Herald Friday, October 24, 2008 1:29 PM CDT Last week’s episode of Saturday Night Live was the highest-rated SNL since the spring of 1994.

The host wasn’t Tom Cruise or Julia Roberts, either, it was Josh Brolin, a lesser-known character actor. And to be honest, the regular cast wasn’t spectacular: since Tina Fey and Maya Rudolph left the show, “SNL” has been hit-or-miss with its casting, with a few reliably great players (Amy Poehler, Krsitin Wiig, Bill Hader), lots of interchangeable supporting actors, and one or two who just can’t seem to pull off more than a one-note joke.

And yet, in its 34th season, “Saturday Night Live” has somehow gotten cool again, and everybody’s talking. The reason is incredibly simple: it’s an election year. Beginning last season, when Amy Poehler’s Hillary Clinton ran amok and Daryl Hammond introduced his looney John McCain, “SNL” started to produce consistently relevant, hilarious material for the first time in ages. Add in a few non-political recurring characters like Kristin Wiig’s over-exaggerator Penelope and the “McGuyver” parody McGruber, and momentum started to build.

This momentum got some attention, and suddenly it became really cool to visit “Saturday Night Live.” This year Cameron Diaz, Queen Latifah, Demi Moore, and iconic “SNL” veteran Bill Murray have all appeared on the show without actually hosting, not to mention presidential candidate Barack Obama.

In the last few weeks alone, the most exciting special guest in years has actually turned out to be former “Saturday Night Live” head writer Tina Fey, doing a shockingly spot-on impression of Governor Sarah Palin.

Every time she appears, executive producer Lorne Michaels (who by now must spend his spare time sitting on a throne made of $1,000 bills) gets just a little bit richer, and SNL’s buzz gets a little bit louder.

Election years have always been good to this show, but for the first time in American history, we also have sites like YouTube ensuring that even the earliest risers never have to miss a single skit, and more media-savvy candidates who actually don’t mind having a little fun poked at them.

Last Saturday, in fact, Governor Sarah Palin herself showed up on SNL, where she didn’t do too much except show she’s a good sport (and get in a nice dig at special guest Alec Baldwin — when he “mistakes” her for the actual Tina Fey, Palin coolly points out that William was always her favorite Baldwin).

As the election gets closer and closer, SNL has taken on the ultimate snowball effect: after all, everybody loves a good sport. The presidential candidates like to visit because it increases their profile and shows off a sense of humor.

Guest actors like Baldwin (and, hilariously, Mark Wahlberg) like to cameo because it they gain a positive good-natured reputation and lets them plug their own projects (yes, “Max Payne” and “30 Rock” both got a mention), and in return, the writers have more to work with, more viewers are tuning in, and the excitement and fun just build and build. That’s how episodes like Saturday’s end up being the highest rated in almost 15 years.

read more here:

www.chippewa.com/articles/2008/10/24/entertainment/doc490213d35ad35305015263.txt

Halloween Politiking In Full Swing

Americans are taking Halloween political this year with everything from pumpkin portraits of Barack Obama and Sarah Palin, to life size politcal player figures staged in elaborate front yard scenes.

Scenes around the country include a web catching Hillary, corn mazes resempling McCain and Obama from the air, and even Joe Plumber the plumber has been spotted out on the lawn.

Halloween politicking is in full swing. Witch candidates do you like in the presidential election?

$150,000 Wardrobe For Sarah Palin’s Family

Sarah Palin has a new $150,000 wardrobe. The Republican National Committee spent bout $150,000 on clothing and accessories for Palin and her family since John McCain asked her to become runing mate. The tab includes $50,000 at Saks Fifth Avenue, $75,000 at Neiman Marcus, $5,000 on hair and make-up expenses. Purchases also extended to the Palin clan, with infant son Trig received a $196 outfit. $5,000 was also spent at a high-end men’s clothing boutique.

Other recent example of outrageous campaign expenditures were John Edwards $400 haircuts in 2007.