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Archive for May 1st, 2008

Barbara Walters Reveals Past Affair With Senator

In Politics, Television, Washington D.C. on May 1, 2008 at 5:19 pm

From the AP:

After three decades of keeping mum, Barbara Walters is disclosing a past affair with married U.S. Senator Edward Brooke, whom she remembers as “exciting” and “brilliant.”

Appearing on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” scheduled to air Tuesday, Walters shares details of her relationship with Brooke that lasted several years in the 1970s, according to a transcript of the show provided to The Associated Press.

A moderate Republican from Massachusetts who took office in 1967, Brooke was the first African-American to be popularly elected to the Senate. Both he and Walters knew that public knowledge of their affair could have ruined his career as well as hers, Walters says.

At the time, the twice-divorced Walters was a rising star in TV news and co-host of NBC’s “Today” show, but would soon jump to ABC News, where she has enjoyed unrivaled success. Her affair with Brooke, which never before came to light, had ended before he lost his bid for a third term in 1978.

Winfrey asks Walters if she was in love.

“I was certainly, I don’t know, I was certainly infatuated.”

“Infatuated.”

“I was certainly involved,” Walters says. “He was exciting. He was brilliant. It was exciting times in Washington.”

Wow. Somehow this doesn’t surprise me. But who cares? Obviously she does because she’s trying to promote her new book and I’m sure she’s hoping that this little bit of juicy scandal will help book sales.

No thanks Barbara.

Ron Paul: Only member of Congress to vote against bill

In Congress, Election 2008, GOP, Law and Legislation, Politics, Ron Paul, Washington D.C. on May 1, 2008 at 5:04 pm

Wired has a story today about an anti-genetic discrimination bill that is expected to be signed by President Bush.

The bill (H.R. 493), blocking companies from using a person’s genetic information to set insurance premiums or determine eligibility, was passed today by the House. The bill would also state that employers could not use genetic information in hiring, firing or promotion decisions.

The vote was 414-1. Who was the lonely on standing in the corner? Yup, that would be Texas’ own Ron Paul.

Voting against a bill like this? And he want to be President…

Paul is also pimping promoting his new book, The Revolution: A Manifesto on his campaign blog and at book signings.

From his April 30th blog post:

Today is an exciting day for our campaign and our movement: my new book, The Revolution: A Manifesto, is officially released.

Although a short book, it is the product of many years of thought and action. It is a defense of the principles to which you and I have devoted our lives.

My friends are calling it “Ron Paul’s legacy.”

These principles – individual liberty, sound money, the Constitution, and the foreign policy of the Founding Fathers – have had no home in American politics for a very long time. With The Revolution: A Manifesto, I’m letting the establishment know we’re not going away.

Finally, Americans can hear and judge these great American principles for themselves, instead of through an unfriendly media filter. And they can learn once and for all that they need not be satisfied with the phony choices the system offers them every four years. Another way really is possible.

Two days ago I did a book signing in New York at the Borders on Wall Street. All 530 copies had been sold before I even arrived.

They had underestimated you again.

Imagine the attention our cause and our principles could attract with a fantastic opening day today, with people marching into bookstores across the country for their copies. If it should become a publishing phenomenon, The Revolution: A Manifesto can fuel our revolution for a long time to come. You can make that happen.

I hope you enjoy this book, which was a real labor of love for me. Please spread the word.

And may the future be ours.

For liberty,

Ron Paul

D.C. Madam Found Dead

In Washington D.C., news on May 1, 2008 at 4:19 pm

Deborah Jeane Palfrey, a.k.a. the D.C. Madam, has committed suicide. She was found hanged in a storage shed today. Suicide notes have been found but police have not released details about those notes.

She was found guilty April 15 of money laundering, racketeering and mail fraud and faced a maximum 55-year prison term at her sentencing, which was scheduled for July 24. She had vowed that she would never go to prison for running the high-end Washington prostitution ring.

Palfrey has denied that her escort service was involved in prostitution.

Breaking news HERE from CNN.com