Sandra Fish -- Politics Daily

Published: 03/11/11

Women in Politics: Groups Aim to Increase the Numbers in 2012

With the 2012 elections in mind, several groups are gearing up to recruit and train women candidates after a mixed showing in 2010. The 2010 census means districts for the U.S. House of Representatives and for state legislatures are being redrawn, creating the potential for more open seats, more competitive races, and possibly more women in office. "We have to take advantage of that once-a-decade opportunity," said Mary Hughes, a California political strategist who is founder and director of the 2012 Project, a nonpartisan group trying to recruit women candidates. On the conservative side, ...

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Published: 03/1/11

Tucker Carlson Insults Sarah Palin; Bristol's Book Deal Is Real

It's the month of March, time for Dana Milbank's month of silence about Sarah Palin to end, and the Palin family is helping him by getting back in the news. First, there's Bristol Palin's upcoming book. Then, there's Daily Caller Editor Tucker Carlson's snide tweet about Bristol's mom, the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential candidate, that's generating plenty of heat among conservative women and Palin supporters. We'll go with the controversy first. Sometime last night, Carlson tweeted this: "Palin's popularity falling in Iowa, but maintains lead to become supreme commander ...

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Published: 02/28/11

No Christine O'Donnell, No Politicians on Next 'Dancing With the Stars'

Former Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell has turned down an invitation to be on "Dancing With the Stars" after teasing fans with the prospect last week. "I'm honored to have been invited to participate in one of the few uplifting TV shows out there," O'Donnell said in a statement on her website. "The physical challenge made it all the more appealing. Meeting challenges head-on makes us stronger. Yet, for now, I have another challenge before me; to complete a book that tells the story of the 2010 election cycle with the dignity and respect it deserves." The move comes as a bit of ...

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Published: 02/27/11

Will 'Dancing With the Stars' Land Christine O'Donnell?

Whether it's Christine O'Donnell, Todd Palin, Eliot Spitzer or Tipper Gore, "Dancing With the Stars" needs a politician when the season 12 lineup is announced Monday night. Why do they need a politician? Well, look at the popularity boost the show got last fall when a politician's daughter -- Bristol Palin -- made it to the finals of the show. Many quibbled with the selection -- what made Bristol a star? Her claim to fame was as an unmarried, teenage parent whose mother, Sarah Palin, is the former governor of Alaska and the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee. She wasn't the greatest dancer, ...

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Published: 02/26/11

Colorado Lawmaker Meets Constituents at a Safeway, Post-Giffords Shooting

LAKEWOOD, Colo. -- Safeway shoppers vied with a long line of citizens hoping for a word with their congressman Saturday morning. Rep. Ed Perlmutter held the first "Government at the Grocery" event at a major supermarket since a gunman killed six people and severely wounded U.S. Rep Gabrielle Giffords and a dozen others in Tucson, Ariz., on Jan. 8. Several Lakewood police officers, Safeway security officers and Safeway executives milled about as a line of people wound past Starbucks to the store entrance. More than 100 people showed up for the event; 80 individuals or families signed up to ...

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Published: 02/19/11

Planned Parenthood Defunding: Family Planning's Not a GOP Family Value?

When it comes to family planning, apparently the ability to decide whether or when to have a child isn't part of Republican family values. That's the message the GOP-controlled House sent by voting to cut not only all of Planned Parenthood's $75 million in federal funding for family planning but also the entire $317 million Title X budget. Title X money helps pay for birth control, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, breast and cervical cancer testing, prenatal care, sex education and vasectomies for men. About 4.7 million Americans get health care from clinics funded ...

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Published: 02/16/11

Colorado Congressman to Hold Public Meeting for First Time Since Giffords' Shooting

Colorado U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter will hold a public meeting at a Safeway store on Saturday for the first time since Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot at a similar event Jan. 8. Perlmutter, a Democrat, started his "Government in the Grocery" event after taking office in 2007, holding more than 70 open meetings at supermarkets. He postponed an event earlier this month because of the Giffords' shooting. A news release by said the congressman and Safeway have consulted with law enforcement to ensure the safety of everyone involved. As Giffords held a similar meeting at a Tucson Safeway, a lone ...

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Published: 02/11/11

Groupon Yanks Controversial Super Bowl Ad on Tibet

Groupon is pulling its Super Bowl ad featuring Tibet -- as well as ads that feature endangered Brazilian rainforests and whales -- after backlash against the spots. Groupon CEO Andrew Mason, in a blog post on Thursday, said the company will stop running the ads as soon as possible. "We hate that we offended people, and we're very sorry that we did -- it's the last thing we wanted," Mason wrote. "We've listened to your feedback, and since we don't see the point in continuing to anger people, we're pulling the ads." Mason noted the company thought it was poking fun at itself, "but clearly the ...

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Published: 02/8/11

Colorado GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams, 'Tired of the Nuts,' Steps Down

Saying he's "tired of the nuts who have no grasp of what the state party's role is," Colorado Republican Chairman Dick Wadhams won't run for re-election, setting up a potential free-for-all for the top job in one of the few states where GOP results were mixed in the 2010 midterms. The departure of Wadhams, a political fixture in what's become a purple state, could mean trouble for the GOP going into the 2012 presidential election. With tea party activists fired up to take control of the party operations, despite failures of their annointed candidates in the U.S. Senate and gubernatorial ...

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Published: 02/7/11

Groupon's Tibet Ad: When Edgy Goes Overboard

Groupon's Super Bowl ad debut featuring Tibet made a splash, but not the kind the company perhaps expected. After spending big bucks -- about $3 million -- for the spot, plus the cost of a trendy ad firm, Groupon won not kudos but criticisms for its efforts. Now, the company is trying to explain the ads and repair the damage at the same time as it prepares for an initial public offering. The ad began with scenes of the Himalayan land in the western part of China. Tibetans have protested their lack of freedom under the Chinese government, with many Tibetans imprisoned as a result. "The ...

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