Obama Gets Knocked for Bad Science

(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»

Tune into Ellen and The View for TV's most penetrating look at politics

(NEWSER) - The days when politicians could take refuge on daytime TV, hiding behind softball interviews and happy talk about favorite recipes, are over, Rebecca Traister writes for Salon. Tracing the trend from soaps through Phil Donohue to Oprah and Ellen to the unrivaled supremacy of The View, she observes, "It has recently become more common to see politicians, especially John McCain, made uncomfortable by the directness of the conversation on daytime television." More»

Outside groups rev up negative flyers, phone calls

(NEWSER) - Round two looks nastier already. As the presidential candidates swarm New Hampshire, a more aggressive wave of attack ads—from outside groups and the candidates themselves—is evident, the Washington Post reports. Labor and teacher unions, along with anti-tax and pro-life groups, have spent $4 million in recent months on mailings and phone calls, taking advantage of a change in campaign finance law. More»

Oscar Ortega-Hernandez: I'm the 'modern-day Jesus Christ'

(NEWSER) - Glimpses into the disturbed minds of accused assassins do not usually come in the form of audition tapes made for Oprah Winfrey. But alleged White House shooter Oscar Ortega-Hernandez bared his soul in just such a tape, Fox 5 DC reports. Wearing a black suit and a rosary, Ortega-Hernandez begs Oprah to put him on TV so he can spread God’s word. “It’s not just a coincidence that I look like Jesus,” he says in the video, shot two months ago. "I am the modern day Jesus-Christ that you all have been waiting for." More»

Hillary Clinton, as 'buyer's remorse' plagues a third of the country

(NEWSER) - The most popular politician nationwide is the one that got away: Hillary Clinton. Nearly two-thirds of the country sees the secretary of state favorably, and a third are battling what Bloomberg terms “buyer’s remorse” over not electing her president. Just over a year ago, only a quarter of Americans felt that way. “Looking back, I wonder if she would have been a stronger leader, knowing the games and the politics and all that goes on,” says a Florida woman. “I don’t think she would have bent as much.” More»