Look Closer....

(caption on a poster in front of a character in, and the tag line of American Beauty)

Hillary set bait, and Obama was gentleman enough and went for it hook line and sinker. In the final moments of the debate tonight in Texas, Ms. Clinton started talking about how in the end ‘We’ll all be fine.” And she put her hand on the dais just a bit toward Obama. Note, it was not lifted, just out there. Bait set.

Then, Mr. Obama, in a gesture that was very much being a gentleman, in both the arena of how one ought to treat a woman, and gentleman as in “The Gentleman from Illinois” as I hope they are in formal debate in Washington, extends his hand out for her to shake. She then lifts her hand, and shakes with him. BTW. Too similar to comments made by John Edwards. (thanks www.Politico.com)

Tell me, who won that moment?

I’m guessing that somewhere this week, the same consultant that feed her the “Change you can Xerox” comment taught her that move. (BTW, Hillary, Xerox is a copyrighted word, not a verb.) How to set her hand out at exactly that moment, and what to say and how quickly to respond with a handshake. Every move planned like a ballet. And, Obama, being a true gentleman politician, saw truth in what she said, and offered his hand out, which she clasped. She set the bait, he went for it.

I’m not saying this put him in a bad light, I just have to wonder how much of Hillary was planned this evening?

It’s our turn now...

Today I have the privilege of voting in the Wisconsin Primary for President of the United States. I will cast my vote for Barack Obama. I can’t remember the last time I was so excited to go to the voting place and put my vote in. I see a great future for the US with Barack as our leader, and I see the world becoming a better place. You might say that for once I have Hope in our political future.

Speaking of voting.

American Idol will broadcast it’s first voting show tonight for this it’s 7th season. Let me state that this is only the second year that I will be watching, having taken up till last year to catch the Idol bug.

The problem is; I’m less than excited about it, really.

Carly Smithson, with her story of trying a second time from scratch was interesting, until I learned that she already had her shot, having a record contract and failed badly, selling less than 400 copies. Keven Federline should feel he is in good company.

The show's video profile on Smithson, now 24, acknowledges that she competed two years ago in Season 5 before she was disqualified over visa problems. But her on-air biography made no mention of her past relationship with MCA Records.

Nor did it mention that her 2001 debut album on that label, ironically titled "Ultimate High," was such a spectacular flop that it was profiled in the Wall Street Journal as a case study in the shortcomings of music industry marketing.

Despite solid reviews and more than $2.2 million spent by MCA producing and marketing the album, the CD sold fewer than 400 copies in its first three months of release, according to the Journal.

MCA still has an official Web site devoted to Carly Hennessy -- she took her husband's surname, Smithson, after getting married -- that outlines her career as a child performer in Ireland.”

From: http://tv.yahoo.com/american-idol/show/34934/news/urn:newsml:tv.reuters.com:20080216:idol_dc__ER:3862;_ylt=AkV7h5PNWqYa06rED0mBgbi6v9EF
Josiah’s fall from grace was a study in how going too far will keep you from, well, going too far. I hope he does better with his future.

I was impressed with the folks who were in the 24 last year. None of them had had a prior shot at Idol fame, or a contact. A few had been with a band, but nothing national or with a record label like MCA such as Carly was. Some, such as Blake had contacts with folks in the industry, but made it up the ladder on their own merits. Melinda Doolittle had been a background singer, on tour and part of recordings, but not the frontman for a band or a solo artist.

I’ve read that others in this group of 24 have been part of bands that recorded and toured and had contracts before. i.e.: they were already ‘discovered’.I want to see raw talent. Common people who take to being on stage and have a great singing voice. Not washed up have-beens.

One more touch of deception on the part of Idol. Hollywood Week is not really a week of all you see on the show. A woman in the entertainment reporting business told Keith Olberman last week Friday night that actually, they have the three days of auditions, then they send everyone home. That was last October. Then, 4 weeks ago, they call everyone back in again and have the 'walking the green mile moment' with them. During the inbetween each potential finalist is vetted for legal problems, drug use, scandle such as one might recall last years topless photos of one of the top 24 females, (turned out to be something photoshopped) etc. I suppose that the way they present it is more dramatic, but well, there is the truth.