Search starts for photo of Schwarzenegger’s secret child
The figure could skyrocket if someone snaps an image of the former California governor with the child, adds entertainment publicist Matthew Hiltzik.
STORY: Long-held secret breaks Arnold’s family apart
PHOTO: Schwarzenegger, Shriver split after 25 years
“Any context to (Schwarzenegger) increases the price — if he’s in the photo, any way to demonstrate closeness to him. Arnold’s global profile creates greater value for any photos or materials relating to the scandal,” Hiltzik says.
The high price tag for the photo comes from the combination of Schwarzenegger’s political role and international fame, the notoriety and family connections of his estranged wife, Maria Shriver, and curiosity, of course.
“There’s huge interest . You want to see what this kid looks like,” Maryannakis says. “People want to see what he looks like and whether he resembles (Schwarzenegger’s) other kids.”
Mildred Baena, the woman reported to be the mother of Schwarzenegger’s child, has a MySpace page that contains family photos, including a couple of her with a boy baring a resemblance to Schwarzenegger. But Schwarzenegger’s camp declined to confirm or deny Baena is the mother, which has been reported by People magazine and ABC.
Obama pays Christmas visit to Hawaii Marine base
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle took time from their Hawaii vacation to drop by a Marine Corps base on Saturday, where they greeted service men and women during Christmas dinner.
Obama, who has otherwise kept a low profile during the 11-day family holiday and stayed almost completely out of public view, visited the same base last year and the year before on Christmas Day.
The president and first lady shook hands, posed for pictures, admired babies and chatted with Marines and their families in the mess hall decked out in Christmas decorations for about 40 minutes.
“Did you get everything you wanted?” Obama asked one little girl, who brandished a bracelet, prompting the president to point out a presumably new bracelet on Michelle’s wrist.
The United States currently has around 100,000 troops on the ground in Afghanistan fighting Islamic militants. Obama said earlier this month his surge of troops into Afghanistan had made enough progress to begin withdrawing forces in July.
The Obama’s own Christmas dinner at their oceanfront vacation home will consist of steak, roasted potatoes and green beans, with pie for dessert, the White House said.
Colorado Democrat Bennet escapes anti-incumbent mood
Democratic Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado bucked a national anti-incumbent mood to defeat an insurgent challenge on Tuesday, and a Tea Party-backed conservative narrowly led the establishment favorite in the state’s Republican Senate primary.
Bennet, who had been endorsed by President Barack Obama, beat liberal former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff to escape the wave of anti-establishment voter anger that knocked off two Senate colleagues earlier this year. Romanoff had been endorsed by former President Bill Clinton.
In the Republican Senate race, former prosecutor Ken Buck rode the backing of conservative “Tea Party” groups to a narrow lead over former Colorado Republican Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton with about three-quarters of precincts reporting.
The Colorado Senate races were the highlight of primary voting in four U.S. states. Voters in Connecticut, Georgia and Minnesota also chose candidates to square off in November.
Democratic control of Congress and the ability to push Obama’s legislative agenda will up for grabs in the elections, when all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 37 Senate seats and 36 governorships will be on the ballot.
2010 UK Election Results: British Election Update
Here’s the latest update about this year’s United Kingdom Election Results, also known as the British Election Results for the year 2010. Today, May 6, 2010 is the General Election 2010 and also known as the British Election 2010. After four taxing weeks of heavy campaigning, Brits head to the poll Thursday to determine the historic results of the 2010 elections.
Although the results of the British election of 2010 are not yet released, analysts think this will be the closest election in the UK in 35 years.Whereas, the candidate for Prime Minister are incumbent Gordon Brown, representing the Labor Party, and Conservative Party favorite David Cameron.
Furthermore, a third contender is Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrat party. On the other hand, the enthusiasm aroused by the Liberal Democrat party in the first half of the election campaign predicted the end of bipartisanship in Britain forcing electoral reform from various social sectors to run out of steam.
How Obama revived his health-care bill
It was the Barack Obama the American public rarely sees — irritated and wondering if he had arrived at the moment of defeat. — Shortly after 6 p.m. on Jan. 19, with a political crisis about to explode, the president summoned the two top Democrats in Congress to the Oval Office for a strategy session. — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) sat alongside Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.), the tension in the room acute.
Obama wasn’t waiting for the polls to close in Massachusetts at 8 that evening. He already knew that his Democratic Party was about to suffer an embarrassing loss. In the bitterest of ironies, the Senate seat held for nearly 47 years by Democrat Edward M. Kennedy, who had been the leading voice in Congress for universal health care, was about to fall into Republican hands.
Health care victory for Obama in House
WASHINGTON — The House delivered Sunday night on President Obama’s top priority, a historic restructuring of the nation’s health care system that has eluded his predecessors for more than a century.
The 219-212 House vote, coming after a tumultuous day of protests and rancorous debate, paves the way for Obama to sign the major portion of his 10-year, $940 billion plan early this week. The House was to vote later Sunday on a package of changes and send it to the Senate for final passage.
The vote assured that about 32 million Americans will gain health insurance coverage and millions more will win protections against losing theirs. The legislation will raise taxes, largely on the wealthy, and reduce future Medicare spending by about $500 billion.
“This legislation will lead to healthier lives,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California said in the final floor speech before the vote. “This is an American proposal that honors the traditions of our country.”
The Democrats on the floor chanted, “Yes, we can!” when they got the votes to pass the bill.
ON POLITICS: White House reaches deal with anti-abortion Democrats
TIMELINE: Road to health legislation
It also gave Obama a major political victory, but Republicans who voted unanimously against the health care overhaul predicted it would come back to bite Democrats at the polls in November — and in the form of repeal efforts as soon as next year.