GOP Celebrity Task Force plan falls apart due to lack of GOP celebrities

Politico: The Republican National Committee is meeting this week in the most touristy part of Tinseltown, but it’s apparent the “Celebrity Task Force” recommended by last month’s “autopsy” report isn’t going to happen.

The proposed task force was the most mocked of 219 suggestions from a five-member committee tasked with looking into why the party fared so poorly in 2012.

“The Party is seen as old and detached from pop culture,” the group said. “Establish an RNC Celebrity Task Force of personalities in the entertainment industry to host events for the RNC and allow donors to participate in entertainment events as a way to attract younger voters.”

The problem here is summed up in one paragraph:

Courtney King, identified as an “actress” on the schedule, appeared on a panel later in the afternoon about “winning the women’s vote.” But it’s not clear who she is or what she has appeared in.

This is all hilarious and, by all means, indulge in all the schadenfreude you want. But it’s more than just a “point and laugh” story. It also indicates a real lack of planning on Reince Priebus’ part. it seems like the Celebrity Task Force was an idea developed without doing any research at all, which really ought to make people question the rest of Reince’s big plan. Apparently, this whole rebranding effort is based on a bunch of ideas someone jotted down on a cocktail napkin during a brainstorming session at TGI Fridays.

They might’ve taken the time to check and see if any of these ideas were actually workable.

Wyclef Jean in Haiti

Not surprisingly, Haitian-born musician Wyclef Jean is in Haiti, helping to deal with the aftermath of the massive earthquake in that country. The clip's too wide for my center column, so you'll either have to deal with my popup by clicking below or go watch it on Youtube.


Click for video

That info again is "Text: YELE @ 501501." The White House has also set up a page to help people give.

Notice that after he gets done talking to the foxbot, Jean goes off to find another news crew to keep getting the word out.

Good on him.

McCain Caught in Hypocrisy-Fest

clipped from yglesias.thinkprogress.org As Andrew Golis says, this is why Rachel Maddow matters. As of last week, had a liberal journalist like Ari Berman broken a news story like this it would have been published on The Nation, picked up in some blogs, and then it would have died. Now, it’s on television: Long story short, John McCain who hates lobbyists and celebrities decided to spend his seventieth birthday partying on a yacht off the shore of Montenegro with an Italian con man and his movie star girlfriend, a meeting organized by a lobbyist who also happens to be McCain’s campaign manager.

I'm so glad Rachel's on the TV machine now. I'm sure I'm missing a hypocrisy here, but we've got:

1. McCain hanging with the hated lobbyist.
   
2. McCain hanging with the hated celebrity.
   
3. McCain being all elitist on a yacht in Montenegro.
   

I'll bet they served arugula and lattes.