Note to Right: Hyde Park Is Neither Liberal nor Elite

(NEWSER) - President Obama’s campaign has set up a new take on its old “Fight the Smears” concept… only this time it’s a lot less friendly looking. Gone is the white-and-blue motif, replaced with an ominous red-and-black site called " Attack Watch "—and conservatives appear to find it hilarious. Seemingly every tweet using the suggested #attackwatch tag has been a conservative either mocking the site, or decrying it as a scary Big Brother exercise, the Wall Street Journal reports, offering examples:

• “@thorninaz I saw someone purposely squeeze the Charmin in the grocery store”
• “@Drill_Thrawl Hey Kids, are mommy and daddy talking bad about Obama? Be sure to report them at #attackwatch #1984"
• “@JLMandl I’m still using REAL LIGHT BULBS. Come get me!”

Site tries to fight perception of social ineptitude

(NEWSER) - The University of Chicago may be known as a bastion of sexless nerd-dom, but some undergrads are changing that with UChicago Hookups , a website that allows students to meet up for, well, whatever they might have in mind. Entries read more or less like the casual-encounters section of Craigslist: people drop notes looking for casual sex, just makeouts, or even a "cuddle buddy," the Chicago Tribune reports. More»

First reelection bid outside DC in recent memory

(NEWSER) - President Obama’s reelection campaign will likely be based in Chicago, not Washington—a rare move for a sitting president, and one that his advisers hope will help him rekindle the energy of 2008, Politico notes. Usually, campaigns are kept close to the president’s DC home, where they’re easily accessible, said a Democratic consultant: "In modern presidential history, this is kind of revolutionary." More»

White House hasn't given it 'a second' of thought

(NEWSER) - President Obama is far more concerned about a second term than his legacy—but two cities are duking it out to host his presidential library, Politico reports. Four groups at the University of Hawaii, in the state where Obama was born, are already hard at work on the matter, hoping to entice officials with a beautiful mountain or ocean setting (they'll pick the final location in the next few months), while the University of Chicago aims to capitalize on Obama’s ties to both the school and the city. "It’s like bidding for the Olympics," says the professor leading the University of Hawaii's effort, "except there are no rules and no formal criteria." More»

Hint: It's not exactly fun

(NEWSER) - Home renovations are always a pain, but never more so than when your home is right next door to the president’s. The Moynihans, who bought the house adjacent to the Obamas' place in Chicago, are going through all sorts of non-typical construction experiences, reports the New York Times in a look at the project: blockades; background checks; no food, coffee, or smoking allowed; and, of course, the Secret Service watching workers clean the Port-a-Potties. More»