Confidence in Strategy Keeps Obama Cool

And yes, there's a Sarah Palin character

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama's 2008 campaign is the subject of Hope!, a musical set to premiere Jan. 17 in Frankfurt. The production features musical-theater versions of the major players: Michelle, Hillary—looking quite young—John McCain and even Sarah Palin, who sings a solo surrounded by scantily clad dancers. Writer and composer Randall Hutchins, who is American, tells Der Spiegel he got the idea for the production "right at the start of Obama's electoral campaign. I found the atmosphere exciting and that was my inspiration." More»

Obama's birth certificate is 'fair game' in prez race

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin supported "rightful" concerns by so-called birthers that President Obama was not really born in the US during a radio interview yesterday. Asked by conservative radio host Rusty Humphries if she would make Obama's birth certificate an issue if she ran for president in 2012 she responded: "I think the public, rightfully, is still making it an issue. I don't know if I would have to bother to make it an issue, because I think enough members of the electorate still want answers." More»

Provision in health care bill opened the door to end-of-life rationing: McCain

(NEWSER) - John McCain offered qualified support for Sarah Palin’s notorious “death panel” comment—defending, at least, the substance of his former running mate’s remarks in an interview with George Stephanapoulos for ABC News: “Look, I don't think they were called death panels, don't get me wrong,” McCain said. “There was a provision in the bill that talks about a board that would decide the most effective measures to provide health care for people.” More»

McCain team wrote 'palling around with terrorists' line: book

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin was actually on message when she attacked Barack Obama’s relationship with former Weatherman Bill Ayers during last year's campaign, the Atlantic reports. A new book, The Battle for America, reveals that Palin received an email from top McCain staff suggesting she use the Ayers attack. It even specified the approved language. Strategists also planned to run a similar TV ad. More»

(NEWSER) - Time has unveiled its latest tallying of the world’s 100 most influential people, and yes, of course, Barack Obama is on it. But the other 99 choices aren’t as obvious. Bernie Madoff makes the list, as do Rush Limbaugh, George Clooney, and 4Chan’s Moot. And as usual, Time has snagged some celebrity writers, making for some great pairings, like JK Rowling on Gordon Brown, Ashton Kutcher on the Twitter guys, and Arnold Schwarzenegger on uncle-in-law Ted Kennedy. More»