Posts Tagged ‘presidential election’

Hasselbeck Wants Obama Back on ‘View’

October 27th, 2008

Following Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s appearance at a Sarah Palin rally over the weekend where she introduced the Republican vice presidential candidate and, among other things, spoke her mind about recent digs at Palin’s expensive wardrobe, The View co-host  is speaking her mind again. This time, she’s asking Senator Barack Obama to return to the show’s hot seat.

In an interview airing tonight on Fox News Channel’s Hannity & Colmes, Hasselbeck opens up about what she calls the media’s bias against Palin and the important questions she wants to ask Obama before Nov. 4.

"My main focus now is to hopefully get Senator Obama back on the show," the notorious Republican told Hannity. "The focus is more on why hasn’t he come back? Is he afraid to face tough questions again? What’s there to hide? I say, come back, answer the questions."

Hasselbeck also revealed her views on Sarah Palin’s wardrobe "scandal," telling Hannity that she feels the media has been "incredibly sexist."

"I don’t think anyone can deny the fact that the media has been incredibly sexist in their attacks against her," she said. "Some of the ones going on right now… I’m finding a little peculiar that they’re focused on her shoes…And can’t find the reporter who had ousted Tony Rezko’s place."

In response to recent polls showing Obama ahead of McCain, Hasselbeck says she’s still hopeful.

"There has been such enormous support for this team that I have a feeling that it’s going to be closer than everybody thinks, I really do," she says, adding, "I know this is a cause close to my heart. I believe in this team. I believe we need – we need them right now. We need them to create jobs."

Cover Story: Inside Obama’s Family Life

September 2nd, 2008

During his acceptance of the Democratic Party’s nomination for president on Aug. 28, Barack Obama made politics the focus of his speech. But he also made sure to address an even more important subject: Family.

"To the love of my life, our next first lady, Michelle Obama, and to Malia and Sasha I love you so much," he announced, "and I’m so proud of you!"

If anything captured the historic importance of this election year, it was perhaps the smiling and excited faces of the Obama’s two young girls, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, who clapped and cheered their dad on as he gave his acceptance speech.

"They were so excited!" says OK!’s Wynter Mitchell, who was in the crowd that night, about the Illinois senator’s two daughters. "Neither of them could sit still!"

After the speech, the three lovely Obama women joined Barack on stage. He scooped up Sasha, and Malia wrapped her arms around him. Then Michelle joined in, and they shared a two-minute group hug. "It was," says Mitchell, "an amazing moment."

Amazing, yes, but not out of the ordinary for the tight-knit Obamas, who, according to insiders, are such an all-American family that they almost make the Brady Bunch look dysfunctional: mom goes to bake sales, dad balances the checkbook, and the girls love Harry Potter.

"Barack is a great family man," friend and neighbor Rabbi Arnold Wolf tells OK!. "He always makes sure to say hello when he’s in the neighborhood. You would never think he was running for president! And Michelle is extremely bright. I think they work well as a team because they are pretty much equals."

Life at home in suburban Chicago is equally as normal. Both girls have a strict bedtime of 8:30 p.m. are expected to make their own beds and get a dollar each for doing chores around the house.

37_COVER_LoRes

But there’s always time for fun! Like most kids their age, they enjoy playing Uno, hula-hooping, dancing, and diving into their favorite books.

"Right now, we encourage and support reading," Michelle explains. "Every night when Barack is home, they’re reading the whole Harry Potter series."

Television is watched in moderation in the Obama household and Barack rarely watches at all! Both Sasha and Malia love SpongeBob SquarePants and Hannah Montana, and, like their mom, are huge fans of American Idol. In fact, the Obama girls even participated in their own election process by backing runner-up David Archuleta during last season’s competition.

"A vote was cast," recalls Barack. "They were very excited about it."

37_BACK_LoRes
CLICK HERE to check out OK!’s special cover story on Republican VP hopeful Sarah Palin!

Obama’s Presidential Physical Fitness

August 24th, 2008 / Author: OK! Staff

You might think logging hundreds of hours on the campaign trail making speeches and getting to know voters would leave zero time for staying in shape.

 

If you did think that, you’d be wrong: Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama "is religious about working out,"’according to his campaign spokesperson, Nick Kimball. "He demands that he has time to work out."

 

Barack often hits the gym on his trips around the country, including a recent visit to Equinox Fitness in Miami Beach, Fla. Says certified personal trainer Kellie Williams. She say she started with a 30-minute warm-up of running and walking on the treadmill, followed by 45 minutes of arm work, then lunges and leg presses.

 

His sweat session "wasn’t too intense," she says. "It was intense enough that he was sweating and resting in between. He was focused an in sync with his routine."

 

But when Barack can’t get to a gym, he opts for biking with his family in Chicago, or hitting the basketball courts."When he has time to do that, he gets in some hoops," says Kimball.

 

Don’t expect to see the presidential hopeful on an NBA team any time soon, however: As Barack himself has said, "I love basketball, but my love for the game always exceeded my talents."

 

That’s okay Barack, no one can be good at everything!

AD FPO