By Jonathan Miller, on Thu Mar 14, 2013 at 1:30 PM ET
Everybody loves Oscar-winning Kentucky native Jennifer Lawrence, right?
How can you dislike the charmingly candid and brassily sassy young A-lister?
Well, Jamie Lee Curtis Taete of Vice’s Fightland (no, I have never heard of them either) put J-Law’s popularity to the ultimate test: asking disgustingly-bigoted hate groups — such as the Nazi party, the Westboro Baptist Church and the League of the South — their opinions of the actress.
The result? Hilarity. Here’s an excerpt:
THE WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH
Who are they?
Those guys who show up whenever anything sad happens with signs about how much God hates good things/loves bad things.
What do they think about Jennifer Lawrence?
VICE: What do you guys think of Jennifer Lawrence? Steve Drain, Westboro Baptist Church: You talking about the Hunger Games woman?
Yeah, that’s the one.
You want a statement on Jennifer Lawrence? From the Westboro Baptist Church?
Yes, please.
I don’t know enough about her. You know, we focus on things that we see in front of us. I haven’t really taken a look at Jennifer Lawrence from a religious perspective or from a how-great-of-an-actress-she-is perspective. But I was taking a tour at NBC when I was in New York, and she was practicing a skit for Saturday Night Live.That’s about as much as I know about her.
Oh. So you got to see her in real life?
I think that’s who they told me it was. I didn’t even really know what she looked like until I started seeing trailers for Silver Linings Playbook.
You didn’t see Silver Linings Playbook yet?
I didn’t see it yet, I’d like to see it! I’ve been kinda busy picketing. I saw some of the movies nominated for Best Picture, though. What was the one with Ben Affleck?
Argo.
Yeah. That was a good flick. I feel good for Ben Affleck because he was kinda on the out, you know what I mean?
Yeah. So you guys are into Ben Affleck?
No, man. You’re looking for some kind of a salacious quote to put in your story. All I’m saying is that I thought Argo was a darn good flick.
OK. But what about Jennifer Lawrence?
OK. Jennifer Lawrence… I think that most of the young people in our church saw Hunger Games. And I think they all liked that… She just kinda bursted onto the scene, didn’t she? She doesn’t have a very long film career, does she?
She got nominated for some awards a couple of years ago for Winter’s Bone.
Oh! That’s her? Winter’s Bone rocked! That was a great flick.
Yeah.
I like Winter’s Bone quite a bit. I think she did a very nice job there. Yep.
By Jonathan Miller, on Wed Mar 13, 2013 at 5:00 PM ET
Lexington’s alternative newspaper, Ace Weekly, dedicates its issue this week to speculation on an Ashley Judd U.S. Senate candidacy. Here’s an excerpt from The RP’s contribution: “Ashley Judd Makes Joke. Film at 11.”
As Judd has maintained a low profile while she considers challenging Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for his U.S. Senate seat in Kentucky in 2014, the media has applied Talmudic scrutiny onto every rumored utterance by the actress. When she finally spoke publicly, many national and local news sources latched onto one phrase she used to explain why she hadn’t participated in a particular anti-poverty trip. Reported CNN:
Some of her not-so-politician-sounding moments didn’t go unnoticed by her would-be competition. Brad Dayspring, a strategist at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, jumped on a comment Judd made about how she once told the musician, Bono, that she and her then-husband would travel during the winters.
“We winter in Scotland,” she said. “We’re smart like that.”
Dayspring wasted no time: “A true woman of the people,” he posted on Twitter, referring to her comment.
“I wonder if Ashley Judd will ‘winter in Scotland’ this year,” he also wrote. “Tough to run a #KYSEN campaign from the UK.”
Political Wire posted the offending clip, claiming that Republicans argue it is damaging.
And Politico seized on the anecdote — mentioning the quote in the lede of its article about the event — in a piece originally entitled, “Judd Talk Bizarre, Poignant.” (Editors ultimately changed the headline to read “Ashley Judd Gives Poignant Talk at DC Forum,” although the word “bizarre” remains in the URL link.)
Was the reference to “winters in Scotland” a “bizarre” rookie slip-up by a Hollywood icon already being pilloried by the GOP as too elite for Kentucky?
Of course not. It was a joke.
Had Judd referred to winters in St. Bart or the Cayman Islands, perhaps there might have been a political cause of action.
But as anyone who’s looked at a map — or watched the British Open — understands, Scotland’s weather stinks, much worse than even its infamous cuisine of haggis, neeps and tatties. However, since Judd’s soon-to-be-ex husband, IndyCar series driver Dario Franchitti, hails from the Land of Scots — and spends his spring through fall months on oval tracks around the globe — naturally, the couple would take some winter vacation time with his family in the British Isles. ”Wintering” in Scotland is Judd’s absurdist reality, much like “summering” in Phoenix, or de-toxing in Las Vegas.
Admittedly, “winters in Scotland” isn’t LOL funny. But it was a clever, self-deprecating remark from a trained humorist, mocking both the celebrity culture of consumption, as well as the over-the-top scrutiny of an obsessed media.
I’m confident that her political opponents and the media scolds will continue to take jokes like this out of context to further illustrate their narrative that Judd is out-of-touch with the needs of real Kentuckians. And perhaps her political team will give her the same advice that I received to tone down the humor.
But I hope that’s not the case. And knowing Judd a little, I’m pretty sure that this actress could never be scripted like the talking-point-reciting automatons who dominate American politics.
Indeed, I don’t think she needs to be concerned. As I argued recently in The Daily Beast, Judd’s celebrity — and the media circus that will follow her — offer the actress a unique opportunity to transcend the current political construct of 30-second paid commercials and meagerly parceled out, 15-second, free media soundbites. As the cameras chase her — unlike the reverse with typical politicians — Judd will have the opportunity to engage in detailed, nuanced discussions of complex issues and will enjoy more than sufficient opportunity to share her comprehensive vision with voters. Critically as well, the abundance of free media will also provide Judd a wealth of opportunities to explain her past statements or any of her jokes that had been taken out of context.
At a time when Americans are fed up with politics and politicians — when Congress’ approval is at all-time lows, even below that of Brussels sprouts, and only a tad higher than root canals — we all could use a little more intentional humor mixed in with our policy debates. And I for one hope that Judd is never discouraged to keep her humor held high when all the world around her is losing theirs.
By Patrick Derocher, on Wed Mar 13, 2013 at 3:00 PM ET
The seagull sitting on top of the Sistine Chapel has become an unlikely celebrity during the ongoing Papal Conclave.
We’ve moved into the second day of voting for a new Pope in Rome. If you’re looking for a last-minute primer on the process, here are some good places to start.
– An American Pope? There are two possible contenders (both, admittedly, longshots): Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, and Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston. Cardinal Dolan is already a fairly public figure, gaining attention as the media-savvy leader of the country’s largest diocese–last fall, he appeared alongside comedian Stephen Colbert in an event at New York’s Fordham University. (Go Rams!) Cardinal O’Malley has received less attention, but has his own interesting story: his communication, Terrence Donilon, is the younger brother of National Security Advisor Tom Donilon (his second brother, Michael, is an aideto Vice President Joe Biden). Though unlikely, the prospect of the Donilons working for the most powerful political and religious leaders is certainly an interesting one.
– Cardinals Dolan and O’Malley aren’t the only possibilities for Pope, of course. NBC News has a good overview of just about everyone who’s received pre-conclave buzz.
– Something to stump your friends with on Obscure Trivia Night (which may or may not exist outside of my immediate family): While multiple Cardinals, most notably Ghana’s Peter Turkson, have been talked up as a potential first African Pope, that title in fact belongs to Pope Victor I, who was the Bishop of Rome from 189
– In case you ever wanted to know what it’s like to partake in the Papal Conclave (don’t lie; you know you have), CNN will tell you. (Hint: It’s actually not all that intriguing.)
– Rome is between 5 and 8 hours ahead of the US (more if you don’t live in the Lower 48), so the new Pope may well be selected while you’re in bed. If that happens, you can count on the Pope Alarm to let you know when the white smoke rises out of the Sistine Chapel.
By Jonathan Miller, on Wed Mar 13, 2013 at 2:15 PM ET
At a time when our political system seems broken at the national and statehouse level, this newly found picture of the final day of the 1988 Al Gore for President campaign (h/t to my friend Jackie Shrago) brought me back to a time when politics was fun — when political debates were spiced by good-natured exchanges (and often Kentucky-brewed spirits), when campaigns were the stuff of young people with big dreams and unmuddied ambitions.
I don’t mean to mythologize 1988. A few months later, the world would learn who Willie Horton was; Lee Atwater would be revered as the premier practioner of the political black arts; and Democrats would draw a lesson from the unsuccessfully “soft” Dukakis for President campaign that we had to hit back with two fists when we were punched with one.
But despite the fact that I’ve been involved in dozens of campaigns since Gore’s aborted run — some much more successful, a few with my own name on the ballot — I will always remember my first as my favorite, and remember these as the halcyon times of my American politics. Just check out the goofy smile on my face (I’m two rows directly behind the broad-shouldered guy with the purple tie standing to Tipper’s left.)
Indeed since I posted this piece on Friday that commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Super Tuesday Southern 1988 primaries — which were both Gore’s coming out party and his ultimate undoing — I started an email chain that has grown to over 100 fellow alumni of that seminal campaign. We’ve shared a lot of fun stories and fond remembrances — ranging from hilarious to R-rated to quasi-criminal — and have begun making plans to hold a live, in-person reunion this year. Of course, as the youngest Gore 88 staffer (my fellow No Labels co-founder Nancy Jacobson calls me the “campaign mascot”), I’ve had the pleasure of trying to put the band back together again; as Elwood Blues would have said: “I’m on a mission from God.”
Can politics ever be fun again? Maybe not for this burned-out middle ager. But this picture — and our Gore 88 virtual reunion — reminds me that when young people join to try to change the world, good things can happen, great memories can be made, and enduring friendships can be started — that will all last a lifetime.
By Jonathan Miller, on Wed Mar 13, 2013 at 1:30 PM ET
If you haven’t yet subscribed to The Recovering Politician‘s KY Political Brief (click here RIGHT NOW to do so — It’s delivered daily to your inbox FOR FREE!), here’s what you missed over the past few days about the potential epic 2014 U.S. Senate battle between Ashley Judd and Mitch McConnell, as well as the potential 2016 presidential bid of Rand Paul:
MITCH McCONNELL to air reelection ads – POLITICO’s James Hohmann – “Mitch McConnell plans to begin running television commercials in Kentucky on Thursday, 20 months before the election. The Senate Minority Leader, who polls suggest is perhaps the most vulnerable Republican incumbent up in 2014, is targeting women older than 25 in Louisville and Lexington with a six-figure buy. A source that tracks media buys told POLITICO that McConnell will be up for one week. The McConnell campaign confirmed the buy, saying they will run a positive spot and noting that there is an accompanying radio component.” [POLITICO]
—McConnell’s wife leads start to 2014 campaign, blasts offensive tweets – WHAS-TV’s Joe Arnold – Mitch McConnell’s first television ad of his 2014 Senate re-election campaign cites racially charged Twitter messages against his wife as an example of political attacks against him. McConnell’s wife, former U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, appears in the 30 second commercial two weeks after Progress Kentucky, a Democratic Super PAC, apologized for the offensive tweets which said Chao’s Taiwanese heritage and link to McConnell “May explain why your job moved to #China!” [WHAS]
ASHLEY JUDD ‘a great candidate’, says Trump – “Donald Trump thinks actress Ashley Judd would make a “great” Senate candidate, the real estate mogul tweeted on Tuesday. … “All reports indicate Ashley Judd will be running for Sen. McConnell’s seat,” Trump wrote. “She’s going to be a great candidate. …Re: Ashley Judd: Keep @KarlRove away. He already made her a viable candidate.”” [POLITICO]
—Ashley Judd Is a 30-Second Ad Waiting to Happen [National Journal]
—Matt Wyatt: Some Advice for Ashley Judd From a Kentucky Political Consultant [HuffPost]
—Can Ashley Judd win? HuffPost Live discussion, featuring Jonathan Miller [Video]
RAND PAULto Millenials: “I believe in a Republican Party that is more tolerant,“ writing in op-ed today published by PolicyMic: “Last week, a Senate colleague of mine said that when I questioned whether or not the President could order a drone strike on American citizens on American soil, that I was just catering to “libertarian kids in their dorm rooms.” Standing up for the Bill of Rights and the Fifth Amendment was not a political stunt designed to appeal to certain audiences. I took an oath to protect the Constitution and it is an oath I intend to keep.
‘I believe a Republican Party that is more tolerant and dedicated to keeping the government out of people’s lives as much as possible would be more appealing to the rising generation … Most young people I encounter simply have no desire to tell other people what to do or how to live.
‘Young Americans — conservative, libertarian, independent — are as fed up with big government as their parents and grandparents. A Republican Party willing to address their unique concerns could build a new majority that might finally turn this country around.” [PolicyMic]
ASHLEY JUDD : Eastern Kentucky Coal Clouds Potential Judd Senate Bid – Roll Call – “Ground zero for Judd will be places such as Pike County, a rural area with a population of about 65,000. Voters in the largest county in the Bluegrass State by area are mostly registered Democrats who are socially conservative and pro-coal. Democratic Gov. Steven L. Beshear and a handful of other statewide Democrats easily won Pike County in 2011. But President Barack Obama lost it in 2012 by more than 50 points. And the county’s top elected official said he has deep doubts about Judd. … “Ms. Judd would have to change her stance on coal to win any of the eastern Kentucky coal-producing counties in a statewide election. She needs these counties to win,” Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford, a Democrat, said in statement to CQ Roll Call.” [Roll Call]
AL MAYO: Judd is in – Time for Democrats to get it together, writing for KY Political Brief: “All signs are now pointing to a certain Ashley Judd candidacy for the U.S. Senate, and if that is truly the case, Kentucky Democrats must figure out a way to avoid an extended primary battle. How they go about it, is the key to whether Judd–or any Democrat–actually has a chance to unseat Republican Mitch McConnell in 2014.” [KPB column]
McCONNELL Stands With (and Raises Money Off) Rand Paul – NYTimes – “After opposing his bid for Kentucky’s Republican Senate nomination in 2010, Senator Mitch McConnell is ready to Stand with Rand, Paul that is. Oh, and he’d like you to join Team Mitch while you’re at it. In a fund-raising e-mail from Team Mitch, Mr. McConnell’s 2014 re-election campaign, the Republican leader showered praise on Mr. Paul, the junior senator from Kentucky, for his 13-hour filibuster last week of President Obama’s nominee to head the Central Intelligence Agency, John O. Brennan. Mr. McConnell, of course, had to slip in his own role in helping Mr. Paul through the ordeal, a brief appearance in the guise of an extended question that gave his fellow Kentuckian a break.” [NYTimes]
‘RAND PAUL 2016’WATCH — Cathy Bailey hosts “meet and greet” for Rand Paul in Florida that brings in $25k – CN|2’s Nick Storm – “Cathy Bailey, the former U.S. ambassador to Latvia under President George W. Bush, held a “meet and greet” for Kentucky U.S. Sen. Rand Paul at her Palm Beach, Fla., home over the weekend. Those attending made some “spontaneous donations” to Paul’s political fund, according to an advisor within the Paul camp. Many of the donations were inspired by Paul’s 13-hour filibuster last week on the nomination of John Brennan to be head of the CIA until Paul got more information on the administration’s drone policy. The adviser, who declined to be named, said the gathering brought out three or four times the number of people staff was expecting. Paul collected about $25,000, although the advisor couldn’t say whether the donations went toward Paul’s 2016 campaign or RANDPAC, which is Paul’s leadership PAC that he used to spread to political allies as well as to the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission.” [CN|2 Politics]
Ashley Judd might be taking on Mitch McConnell for his U.S. Senate seat. Everyone will ask if she’s ready for the Senate. But is the Senate ready for her?
Originally aired on Huffington Post Live March 12, 2013
By Jonathan Miller, on Mon Mar 11, 2013 at 1:30 PM ET
If you haven’t yet subscribed to The Recovering Politician‘s KY Political Brief (click here RIGHT NOW to do so — It’s delivered daily to your inbox FOR FREE!), here’s what you missed over the past few days about the potential epic 2014 U.S. Senate battle between Ashley Judd and Mitch McConnell, as well as the potential 2016 presidential bid of Rand Paul:
ASHLEY JUDD : Actress, Activist Planning To Declare Candidacy, Sources Say – Howard Fineman – “Judd told one close ally that she plans to announce her run for the Democratic nomination for the 2014 race “around Derby” — meaning in early May when the Kentucky Derby brings national attention to Louisville and the Bluegrass State. … “I know she knows she has to declare soon,” said one source, a highly placed elected official who declined to be identified because he was discussing private plans. …”She could always change her mind,” he added. “I changed my mind twice before I finally declared. But as of now it is a done deal.” She has discussed her plans, sources say, with former Gov. Wendell H. Ford, the 88-year-old dean of Kentucky Democrats, among others.” [HuffPo]
—How Ashley Judd Can Win – BuzzFeed – “If Ashley Judd wants to get serious about running for U.S. Senate, she’ll have to do in Kentucky what her predecessors — and she has many — did before her to get out of Hollywood and into politics. Clint Eastwood and Sonny Bono; Arnold Schwarzenegger and Fred Thompson; Al Franken and, of course, Ronald Reagan all faced the same suggestions that they were just lightweights playing their latest roles. But they all won, according to the people who ran their long-shot races, by following roughly the same formula: starting early, staying local, and preventing their celebrity from weighing “like a huge tire around the neck” on the campaign trail.” [BuzzFeed]
—Ashley Judd Will Have to Launch Charm Offensive to Overcome Liberal Past [US News & World Report]
—What Ashley Judd could learn from Al Franken [National Journal]
2014 DERBY — Are Clinton and Ford holding out for Grimes as the Democrats’ 2014 Senate candidate? [CN|2 Politics]
—Possible McConnell challenger denies any role in trading scandal at former firm [The Hill]
RAND PAUL op-ed: My filibuster was just the beginning – The Washington Post – “If I had planned to speak for 13 hours when I took the Senate floor Wednesday, I would’ve worn more comfortable shoes. I started my filibuster with the words, “I rise today to begin to filibuster John Brennan’s nomination for the CIA. I will speak until I can no longer speak” — and I meant it.
‘I wanted to sound an alarm bell from coast to coast. I wanted everybody to know that our Constitution is precious and that no American should be killed by a drone without first being charged with a crime. As Americans, we have fought long and hard for the Bill of Rights. The idea that no person shall be held without due process, and that no person shall be held for a capital offense without being indicted, is a founding American principle and a basic right. …
‘At about 6:30 p.m., something extraordinary happened. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), who has been recovering from a stroke, came to the floor to give me something. I was not allowed to drink anything but water or eat anything but the candy left in our Senate desks. But he brought me an apple and a thermos full of tea — the same sustenance Jimmy Stewart brought to the Senate floor in the movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” That was a moment I will never forget.” [The Washington Post]
