CBS NEWS/ AP/ ROLLING STONE

President Barack Obama is once again the feature story in the latest edition of Rolling Stone Magazine.  I’m certain you’ll all be tripping over one another to run out and buy a copy.  Truth be told, I might.  It may be worth something if it’s his last interview with the once-iconic magazine before leaving office in January.  Either way, I’m still thumbing through it and will share highlights when and if I find them.

Just in case you forgot.  Here are a few of the “probing” and “pointed” questions the magazine asked the president the last time he graced the cover…

Rolling Stone Magazine (October 2010)

• When you came into office, you felt you would be able to work with the other side.
• When did you realize that the Republicans had abandoned any real effort to work with you and create bipartisan policy?
• How do you feel about the fact that day after day, there’s this really destructive attack on whatever you propose?
• Does that bother you?
• Has it shocked you?
• What do you think the Republican Party stands for today?
• What do you think of the Tea Party and the people behind it?
• Do you think that it’s being manipulated?
• What do you think of Fox News? Do you think it’s a good institution for America and for democracy?

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Highlights from Ready for the Fight

Gotta love this…

The hourlong discussion was the longest and most substantive interview the president has granted in over a year. When executive editor Eric Bates and I joined him in the Oval Office, he began by signaling his staff to push back his schedule. “Just call Secretary Clinton’s office and tell her we’re going to be about 10 minutes late,” he said.

Dude has more time for Rolling Stone than anyone else???

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At least we know the folks at Rolling Stone are consistent… (See Above)

• Let’s talk about the campaign. Given all we’ve heard about and learned during the GOP primaries, what’s your take on the state of the Republican Party, and what do you think they stand for? 

• Doesn’t all of that kind of talk and behavior during the primaries define the party and what they stand for? 

• How does that shape the tone and tenor of the debate that’s going to take place during the campaign? 

• In working with the Republicans in this term, it seems clear that the traditional rules of give-and-take politics have changed – that the Republicans have been playing a “lose-lose” game with you. What’s your relationship with the GOP leadership at this point? A little frosty? 

• Is there any way to break through that obstructionism by Republicans? 

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In fairness to Rolling Stone and JANN S. WENNER - who wrote the article/conducted the interview – the questions turn away from direct Republican bashing after that.  I think it’s also worth mentioning that she and Rolling Stone are in the business of selling magazines.  I say that because if there wasn’t a fair amount of political red meat thrown in there, folks like me would have never read the article in the first place and certainly would not be sharing them with their readers.  I get it.  Doesn’t mean I have to like it; but I get it.

I also “get” why the president decided to do this interview.  And I’m certain it’s no coincidence that it is hitting the shelves the same week he’s on a three-state pander to the youth vote tour.  The day after he slow-jammed on Jimmy Fallon, he’s the cover story of Rolling Stone…  I think someone’s maneuvering hard for the 18-25 vote.  Well played, sir.

Only problem: getting them out of bed to actually vote.

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Subsequent topics of note:

• The “War on Drugs”
• Marriage Equality
• Racial Politics and Race Relations
• Occupy Wall Street
• Syria, Israel, Iran
• What shows do you watch?
• What’s it like being told every day how bad you’re doing?
• Do you read Paul Krugman?
• Playboy?

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Here’s one Q&A you’ll most certainly be hearing more about…

Earlier today, as I signed off and headed out for a run, I said that I would not be watching the President on Jimmy Fallon.  I guess I lied.  I watched it.  Every Tuesday can’t be Fat Tuesday around here.  I was bored.

Yes, I watched it; and since I’m a country-loving patriotic American, I actually got a little excited when I realized the president was about to come on stage – even though I disagree with just about everything he’s says, does, thinks about, or says that he thinks about doing.  It’s the President of the United States for crying out loud.  And it’s late night television.  For a dude that sleeps about 3.5 hours a night, that’s like catnip.

In full disclosure, I’m also a bit of a fan of Jimmy Fallon.  I wasn’t exactly pleased to hear that he would be taking part in the president’s “Pander to the Youth Vote” three-state tour to promote continuing low interest rates on Stafford loans re-election bid; but I like the guy, and typically find his show funny more often than not – despite the Michele Bachmann bashing his house band The Roots and lead drummer Questlove did during the early primary season.

As I’m sure you’ll see on half a million sites in the days to come, the President opened his appearance with a “Slow Jamming the News” segment that was neither funny nor entertaining.  I’ll spare you the political details I’m certain you’ll find elsewhere; but let’s just say I’m pretty sure both Sasha and Malia were screaming “Lame” at the television while they were watching from 1600.

From HuffPO:

One of the highlights of the night came when the president was fielding questions from Twitter.  Of course, the first question was about legalizing marijuana – which he kinda sorta punted on with the a token apathetic liberal response.  He was then asked why anyone should vote for him; rather than presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

The President proudly boasted that he could give an answer in 140 characters or less.   That turned into about three minutes of talking.  Fallon estimated and called it 3000 characters.

The President quipped that it was a Tweet that “referred you to a Facebook Wall.”

Redemption…

I thought the most telling moment of the evening came as Fallon said goodbye to the president and thanked him for taking the time to make an appearance.  Jimmy said, ”We dont’ take sides politically on this show, but it was great to have the president of the United States with us.”

The crowd cheered.

And then a promo for “Tomorrow’s Guests” appeared on the screen.

“Cast of 30 Rock, Reverend Al Sharpton…”

Need I say more?

That’s Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, and Al Friggin Sharpton.  Can you really claim impartiality when you have the trifecta of Hollywood liberalism on your show the night after you devote an entire program to President Obama and Slow-Jamming the news
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From Lady Liberty:
#WarOnStudents Continues; Adds Our Ears To Casualty List

Eat Green to Go Green!

You’ve gotta admired those Lefty Leaf lovers…  I can’t think of any cause in the Right-Wing universe that would compel attractive women to get naked to show their support.  Not to self… come up with one, ASAP.

Lisa Edelstein, of House fame, says she hasn’t eaten meat in three decades.  That’s a really long time to be hungry.

Came across this headline over at Drudge this morning.

63 SPY-PLANE LAUNCH SITES IN 20 STATES...

Can’t say I’m all that surprised to see that it’s the Daily Mail UK that is running the story; and not a domestic outlet.  How could the MSM possibly spin a story like this with a Democrat in the White House?

In full disclosure, I’m anything but a Little Black Helicopters fear-monger.  The use of drones to search for drug crop installations or to carry out unmanned missions for the purpose of tracking potential terrorists are perfectly justifiable from where I sit – regardless of the “privacy” fears they may elicit in some.  What makes this story extremely intriguing, to me, is that if President Bush was still living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the MSM and the Left would be apoplectic.

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Check out the map of drone sits over at Google Maps.  I guarantee you that there’s one closer to your house than you’d ever expect.

Host of MSNBC’s Hardball Chris Matthews, Former Bush administration Press Secretary Dana Perino, host of Fox News Sunday Chris Wallace, CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Former Obama Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, and NY Times columnist Tom Friedman are among the contestants that will be competing for the title of Political Talking Head Jeopardy Champion.  Actually, I’m not sure that’s the angle the network is playing; but I think you probably get the picture.

Actually, I’m not really sure how they put the cast together.  The addition of Kareem Abdul-Jabar has me scratching my head a bit.  When I think of the NBA great, I tend to think basketball, but his role as Global Cultural Ambassador, I suppose, warrants his inclusion.  Lewis Black and Dr. Oz, on the other hand, not so much.

While I would have loved seeing Charles Krauthammer in the field, I do very much look forward to seeing if Tom Friedman can prove what we all know he thinks – that is he, of course, the smartest man on the Flat, Hot, and Crowded planet….

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The tournament will air May 14-18

Jeopardy: Power Players (list of contestants)

How are they preparing?

H/T Politico…

I’m not exactly a Michelle Obama fan per se; but that really has little to do with her and a lot to do with her husband and her current residence.  Political wives and families are off limits in my book – just so long as they stay out of the political debate.  This First Lady is certainly no exception; even though aspects of her big government nanny state agenda tends to blur the lines from time-to-time.

That said, there comes a point where one can simply grow tired of seeing a political candidate’s other half.  If we’re not directly voting for her and we can’t criticize her; should we really have to see her every time we turn on the television?  This woman makes more appearances than Justin Bieber and the Karashian clan combined.

This First Lady and her handlers just don’t seem to “get” that.  Maybe they think it’s working?

In fairness to the First Lady, many of these appearances have been part of promoting her Let’s Move campaign against childhood obesity.  I support that, I suppose.  And any time Michelle Obama wants to talk about “moving” I’m 100% behind her.  I’m told Chicago is nice in the Spring.

For those of you that are new here, I’m a graduate of the esteemed St. John’s University School of Law.  I say esteemed, you say something else.  Tomato – Tomato.  Either way, I’m proud of my legal education.  And by “proud,” I mean I’d like it to be worth what it was worth on the day of my graduation – five, ten, or twenty years from now.  It was an investment; and one that cost as much as a house in my home state of Tennessee.  Trust me when I tell you – you can’t live in a house made of student loans.

But enough of that.  I’m a St. John’s graduate; and accordingly, I’m a fan of all things Red Storm related.  That even includes Metta World Peace – formerly Ron Artest.  As I mentioned above, I’m an attorney; so that means I’m compulsively compelled to clarify and qualify.  I’m a “fan” of Ron Artest – I mean Metta World Peace – inasmuch as I believe that he’s the definition of an over-achieving hardworking journeyman that has risen from the ashes and resurrected his career after making more personal judgment errors than anyone in sports since Michael Irvin.

He’s a flawed dude and he’s anything but the brightest crayon in the box.

On Sunday afternoon, he had what some would call a “setback.”  Others would call it a “relapse.”  I call it an elbow to the head of James Harden that probably cost me a bonus room or a pool in the house that is the debt from my legal education.

Say Queensbridge!!  Just say Queensbridge ya’ll!

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Oh, you wanted to see the Metta World Peace elbow to the head?

Would Jeremy Lin do this to Harvard?

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I was watching the game live; and as much as I wanted to see how it could have been an “accident”, I’m not batshit crazy.  Dude meant to throw a bow.  He’ll probably be suspended and the story will continue to get kicked around for at least another week.  Words can’t describe how much I’m praying  for another “Ozzie Guillen praises Fidel Castro“ story Monday morning.

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David Gregory’s Press Pass segment of his Meet the Press program had a relatively unusual guest this week – none other than host of the Tonight Show Jay Leno.  As a man that has interviewed every major presidential candidate for the last two decades, he’s got quite an interesting take on Republicans and Democrats, generally.

“Democrats and Republicans are interesting because Republicans really laugh at themselves more.”  

Can you say that and keep again on NBC?

“Like when Bush came on it was uh we want to do this skit to kinda make it funny – yeah go ahead; yeah fine.  And we went up to Al Gore and we want to do this skit- hang on and media people came up and where will Al be sitting?”

It’s just about making people laugh, right?

“Doing this stuff, it’s like dealing with the mafia.  Don’t go after the wives or the children; but as long as you just hit the candidates, I think anything’s fair and open game.”  

The next contender…?

“I like the fact that I can do weeks of Mitt Romney jokes; and then Mitt Romney comes here because I haven’t insulted his religion; I mean I’ve made fun of him; but I haven’t questioned his patriotism, his loyalty, or his family.”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Just in case I’ve never made this clear, there are not many things in politics that annoy me more than moderate dem-appeasing Republicans.  Among those rare and extraordinary things are moderate dem-appeasing Republicans with really annoying voices.  Exhibit A:  Susan Collins (R?- ME)

Can’t you just hearing her singing the opening to All in the Family?

Boy the way Glen Miller played
Songs that made the hit parade.
Guys like us we had it made,
Those were the days.

And you knew who you were then,
Girls were girls and men were men,
Mister we could use a man
Like Herbert Hoover again.

Didn’t need no welfare state,
Everybody pulled his weight.
Gee our old LaSalle ran great.
Those were the days.

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Oh, the interview; or “debate” as ABC called it…

Three questions.  Well, four actually.  1)Who is Representative Carolyn Maloney?  2) Is she related to Nancy Pelosi or do they just see the same plastic surgeon? 3) Do all Dems attend the same Debbie Wasserman-Schultz How to be Condescending, Confrontational, and Contradictory on Sunday Morning Political Programs workshop?

Congresswoman Maloney is sitting on a set with the most down-the-middle legislator in the Senate; and she still felt the need to play the hard party angles and compulsively spew Obama talking points?

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There are few things in life that make me happier than college football season.  Literally, the list is very short.  Because of that, Spring Football, Spring practices, and Spring games may be among the highlights of any still-young year.  It’s a chance to see what the college football landscape may look like in the Fall; and for a Buckeyes fan, this year it also means a first look at new Head Coach Urban Meyer’s offense in the Scarlet and Gray.

I know the demographic breakdown of RR readers, and I certainly realize that many of you are Southerners like myself.  Because of that, I must apologize both for this post and for the gloating I plan to do in the coming years as OSU returns to the top of the mountain.

Just a taste from the annual Scarlet and Gray game… (H/T Bleacher Report)

How awesome was this?  Do you hear that sound?

That’s the sound of recruits faxing in Letters of Intent.

More video from the game at Bleacher Report