Media-Whore D'Oevres



"In interviews with several associates and aides, Mr. Obama was described as bored with the campaign against Mrs. Clinton and eager to move into the general election against Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee. So the Obama campaign is undertaking modifications in his approach intended to inject an air of freshness into his style. In strategy sessions last week, advisers concluded that Mr. Obama, of Illinois, needed to do a better job reminding voters of his biography, including his modest upbringing by a single mother and one of his first jobs as a community organizer helping displaced steel mill workers. He also has to sharpen his economic message, they said, to improve his appeal and connection with voters in hope of capitalizing on the sensibilities that served him well in Midwestern states." (NYTimes)

"At the Newsweek/Washington Post party we were greeted at the entrance by Lally Weymouth in a fire engine red long dress and Newsweek’s editor Jon Meachem. This was said to be one of the more prestigious collections of media/politico humanity. Henry Kissinger was chatting it up with Brent Scowcroft and greeting old friends a well-wishers. Felicia Taylor was taking it all in. A lot of us were just looking around for familiar faces (or the bar). The mood was as it was everywhere else – anticipatory." (NYSocialDiary)

"Kate Moss hit the town Wednesday, but this time it wasn't for a fashion show or nightclub opening. Rather, the supermodel was on hand at the James Hyman Gallery to join friend Stella McCartney at the opening of the first major UK photography exhibition of the designer's late mother, Linda McCartney. 'I'm here to support Stella and remember her mum,' Moss said, deflecting further questions. Joining Sir Paul McCartney was a star-studded crowd, including George Michael, Ringo Starr, Sam Taylor-Wood, Tracy Emin, and Twiggy." (Fashionweekdaily)

"Carly Fiorina, the millionaire former head of Hewlett-Packard Co., traversed crumbling and shuttered pockets of the country last week with Sen. John McCain, following the likely Republican presidential candidate's every cue. She rode a ferry in rural Alabama, waved politely to crowds in Youngstown, Ohio, and even sang a duet with the senator on a bus ride in Appalachia. Ms. Fiorina, 53 years old, is the Republican National Committee's 'Victory' chairwoman, a role that includes fund raising and get-out-the-vote activities. She's one of a trio of tech giants who support Sen. McCain, joined by John Chambers, head of Cisco Systems Inc. and Meg Whitman, former chief executive of eBay Inc." (WSJ)

"On the stump, the former President dispensed idiosyncratic political analysis. 'One of the reasons that she won Ohio that nobody wrote about,' he said, without explanation, 'is that Ohio has a plant that produces the largest number of solar reflectors in America.' He offered commentary about his wife’s earlier limitations as a candidate: 'I think Hillary’s become a much better speaker.' But, most of all, Bill Clinton talked about Bill Clinton." (TheNewYorker)

"For decades, since the modern primary process began taking shape in the 1970s, Democratic leaders have refused to play the role (Howard) Dean has this year, and the result has been a primary season that has begun earlier and earlier—Iowa and New Hampshire actually flirted with scheduling theirs for December—with states tripping over each other to move their dates up and loudly carping about being deprived the kind of attention that little New Hamphire and Iowa receive every four years. Dean actually showed considerable leadership and foresight when, nearly two years ago, he pieced together a compromise calendar that sought to expand the number of influential early states to include more diverse Nevada and South Carolina. Those two states, plus New Hampshire and Iowa, would host the first four contests in a two-week period in late January 2008. No other state could hold a contest before February 5. It wasn’t perfect, but it was an improvement from the past and a sound basis for further tinkering in future cycles. It was also agreed to by every single state. The chairman, it seemed, had warded off what could have been a major distraction." (Observer)

"The newly elected Pakistani government is seeking to change its lobbying ties in Washington. With the party of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto now in power, several lobbying contracts signed under President Pervez Musharraf’s government will be terminated. One of Washington’s top lobbying firms, Van Scoyoc Associates , will see its contract with the Pakistani Embassy end on May 22. Public relations giant Ogilvy will also see its contract canceled in coming weeks." (TheHill)

"When we headed over to the main stage for the Breeders set I spotted Rosanna Arquette. She was wearing a big orange dress and a sun hat and had a TV crew in tow. I hoped silently to myself at that moment that she was not doing a reality TV show." (RollingStone via BrooklynVegan)

"The other change is the after parties. Credit here goes to Graydon Carter and Vanity Fair, who did for the after-party what Mike Kelly did for the guest list. The VF party started as a small after-party at the apartment of Christopher Hitchens and his wife, Carol Blue. In the mid-90s Carter moved it to an imposing mansion a mere one block walk from the Hilton. It was, as all VF parties tend to be, a glamorous soiree, certainly way ahead of the curve for Washington." (WashingtonSocialDiary)

"Barack Obama's supporters are giving him more than just record amounts of cash. They also are providing personal information that may make his donor list the most powerful tool in U.S. politics. Even if the Democratic presidential candidate doesn't succeed in his White House bid, this data will make Obama a power broker in the party for years to come. For the interest groups or Democratic candidates he chooses to sell it to, it would provide a gold mine of information and access to potential donors." (Bloomberg)