Steven Chu: Energy Secretary, Nobel Laureate, Zombie
You sort of have to like a U.S. cabinet secretary and Nobel Prize winner who knows how to have a little fun while getting out a message.
That would be Steven Chu, who posted a picture of himself as a green-faced, blood-dripping zombie on his Facebook page. Just in time for Washington’s scrupulously-observed Halloween weekend, Chu used his own zombification as a platform to point out power-sucking appliances — energy vampires, he called them.
“Garlic doesn’t work against these vampires,” Chu wrote. “But by taking some simple steps – like using power strips or setting your computer to go into sleep mode – you can protect yourself, and your wallet.” Then he linked to the Energy Department’s “energy star” page .
Perhaps it’s a profile-raising approach?
Chu’s got nearly 15,000 Facebook followers but he’s near the bottom of a recent accounting in Politico about which cabinet secretaries can claim the highest media profile. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tops the list, based on how often her name showed up in major newspapers, network evening television news shows, the White House blog and its Flickr feed in the last year. Only Gary Locke, Hilda Solis, Shaun Donovan and Eric Shinseki ranked lower than Chu (you can see which departments they lead by clicking on the link in this paragraph).
But how did Chu come up with the zombie angle? Turns out that my alert colleague Tom Doggett, who reports on energy issues, saw the zombified version of Chu online last week and passed it along to Energy Department spokeswoman Stephanie Mueller. To soften the blow, Tom urged her to tell Chu not to take it personally: “I hear (Interior Secretary Ken) Salazar looks much worse.” She wrote back: “Your email inspired a Facebook posting … The Secretary loved the zombie website. Be sure to check out his Facebook page.”
And even though Halloween has passed, you can still see what you’d look like undead by going here .
Darth Vader, as played by Robert Gibbs
We saw a lot of photos over the weekend of President Obama and his wife, Michelle “Catwoman” Obama, handing out Halloween treats at the White House on Saturday night.
But we didn’t see one of the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, who had dressed up as Darth Vader to join in the festivities.
So check out the photo. He is without his glasses, so he probably couldn’t see a thing. We imagine it would be tempting for him to bring the light saber to his daily news briefing and zap offending questioners.
Politico.com has video of Robert “Darth Vader” Gibbs putting on the mask — scary!
Of course it wasn’t that long ago when another White House denizen had been called Darth Vader. “I’ve been asked if that nickname bothers me, and the answer is, no. After all, Darth Vader is one of the nicer things I’ve been called recently.”
Remember who said that? None other than Dick Cheney.
Obamas turn White House into Halloween central
The White House glowed pumpkin orange on Saturday when the Obama family turned 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue into Halloween central, complete with a giant stuffed spider dangling from a web above its front door.
More than 2,000 local area children and their families were invited for the traditional trick-or-treat event.
The Obamas spent about 30 minutes handing out cellophane bagfulls of boxed red, white and blue M&M’s. The boxes bore the presidential seal. Also tucked in was a home-baked orange-glazed cookie and, in a nod to Michelle Obama’s efforts to promote healthy food, dried apricots and cranberries.
The president didn’t wear a costume for his first Halloween in the White House. Michelle Obama went as a cat woman, complete with leopard-print top and furry ears on a headband. Daughters Malia and Sasha were there for the fun, but were not stuck with any candy line duties.
The scene was worthy of a Hollywood extravaganza. Bubble machines blanketed the North Portico, the ceremonial entrance to the White House. Pumpkins, some carved and candle lighted, lined the marble steps. Behind Obama stood a white-helmeted storm trooper character from “Star Wars,” along with the film’s Chewbacca, the hairy, apelike “wookie.”
Entertainers from the Chicago-based Redmoon Theater and other companies wove their own thrills and chills for those in line. A brass band clad in skeleton suits belted out a free jazz-style funeral stomp. Outsized figures on stilts simulated moving trees. Women in butterfly suits maneuvered inflatable, 10-foot (3-meter) snow-globe-like spheres on the White House lawn.
To heighten the Halloween effect, the White House was flood-lit through orange filters. Giant pumpkins weighing as much as 1,000 pounds (450-kg) dotted the 18-acre (7-hectare) grounds. And the big, black spider hung hauntingly between the tall white columns framing the front door.
When someone writes who cares how much did the big Halloween Party cost, then they must have a job and can do things with their children. However many of us do not have the luxury to throw a big bash when you are out of work. If the Obamas were not worried about the cost and what the rest of unemployed tax payers thought then why would they not advertise the fact they were having a big splashy Halloween Party. This is just typical of Obama who says one thing and does the opposite. Like when he said, “We all need to sacrifice.” Just when has he sacrificed anything? Trips to Europe, Hawaii, Martha’s Vineyards, England, Brazil, etc. all paid by the tax payers who have been out of work for years and not a vacation in years, yet the messiah has had plenty of vacations on the tax payers dime. This reminds me that Obama will not show anyone his passport records, kindergarten records, Punahou School records, Occidental College records, Columbia University records, Columbia thesis, Harvard Law School records, Harvard Law Review articles, University of Chicago scholarly articles, Illinois State Bar Association records, Illinois State Senate records/schedules, medical records, Obama/Dunham marriage license, Obama/Dunham divorce documents, Soetoro/Dunham marriage license and adoption records. If he has nothing to hide why keep it all locked up?
The First Draft: Gripes and Goblins
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton griping about Pakistan while in Pakistan.
She says it was “hard to believe” that no one in Pakistan’s government knew where al Qaeda leaders were hiding. She talked about her tough talk in a series of morning television interviews, and said on CNN “trust is a two-way street.”
Top military brass coming over to the White House this afternoon. President Barack Obama meets with the military Joint Chiefs of Staff on Afghanistan and Pakistan this afternoon in the Situation Room (so you know it’s important).
Vice President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Robert Gates are also down to attend the meeting where they are all expected to go over recommendations on troop strength and strategy.
No definitive word yet on when Obama will issue his decision on a new U.S. strategy on Afghanistan, so the waiting continues…
On the economic front, consumer spending fell in September and sentiment turned gloomier, underscoring the fragile nature of the economic recovery, while signs emerged that manufacturing activity may be picking up.
And it’s Halloween weekend so there will be plenty of ghosts and goblins out on the streets, may all your spirits be friendly ones…
Just like in Iraq, the Pakistanis won’t rat out their Muslim brothers and expect to escape the wrath of Allah. Until the Weatern powers understand Islamic thinking they will never win a war in the Middle East if they expect the aid of the locals.
Halloween: Washington political fright night costume ideas
It’s Halloween this weekend. In Washington that can turn into political fright night.
So we thought we’d scare up some costume ideas to help those who are stumped.
One idea came from a comment on our Obama: “Skinny but tough” blog post from afuller who writes “Best new Halloween Idea: Socialist Mop!!!” We’re thinking red body outfit and crazy wild hair.
Another inspiration from a friend suggesting going as a teabagger (the protesters against all policies Obama). That should be fairly easy — cover yourself with tea bags — and it has the added benefit that if you get a bit parched and find some boiling water you’ve got all the makings of a thirst quencher.
The Daily Show on Comedy Central has come up with a clever costume for Cap’n Trade — think comic book hero like Captain America.
We’re still trying to figure out how to do the public option trigger.
Backstage, Inc., a costume store in the Capitol Hill area, says among the most popular political figures this Halloween are President Barack Obama and former Vice President Dick Cheney. Asked whether Sarah Palin was in the mix, store employee Rip (as in R.I.P) Clossa says: “I haven’t had anyone ask about her.”
Jill Biden ‘rats’ out husband in Halloween joke
KETTERING, Ohio, Oct 31 (Reuters) – Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden got publicly “ratted” by his Halloween prankster wife Jill at a rally in Ohio on Friday.
After introducing her husband of three decades to supporters in this suburb of Dayton, the community college teacher slipped a toy black rat onto the podium.
“Some things never change,” laughed Biden when he saw it. “I probably should never let the press know this but Jill walked back up here a moment ago and you know what she did, she put a little rat on the podium. Everything is Halloween with this lady. Happy Halloween.”
Despite receiving a small rat from his wife, the Delaware senator said he had never heard her say such wonderful things about him as she had on the campaign trail.
“Some of you guys can appreciate that. It is hard enough getting it in private, but this is worth the trip man to have my wife stand up and say all those wonderful things about me. I love you Jilly,” Biden gushed.
Earlier in the week, Biden poked Halloween fun at Republican presidential candidate John McCain, proposing an “agent of change” costume was a poor fit for his fellow senator, whose policies he said were indivisible from those of the Bush administration.
Jill Biden is adorable !
I can’t wait to see more of her in the upcoming years.
Biden pokes Halloween fun at McCain
SUNRISE, Florida – With two days until Halloween, Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden has offered Republican presidential hopeful John McCain some costume suggestions.
As the Nov. 4 election looms, the Delaware senator poked fun at McCain’s promise that his policies differ from Republican President George W. Bush.
“I know Halloween is just around the corner. Folks, John McCain, dressed as an agent of change, that costume doesn’t fit,” Biden said as he warmed up the crowd for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in Sunrise, Florida, late on Wednesday.
“John McCain, who bragged about voting 90 percent of the time with George Bush. There is not one single substantive difference.”
Biden used the same joke earlier at a stump speech in Jupiter, Florida. No word on what Biden plans to wear for Halloween.
Predictor of who will win Nov. 4, or just scary Halloween masks?
WASHINGTON – As Halloween approaches, the quadrennial exercise has begun to determine whether the presidential candidate mask that sells the best will predict the actual winner on Nov. 4.
The Web site buycostumes.com says it has accurately predicted the outcome of the last two presidential elections based on which mask sold the best, and so far 2008 sales are roughly in line with current opinion polls.
Its initial tally is trending towards Democratic hopeful Barack Obama versus rival John McCain, 54 percent to 46 percent. Of course the Web site encouraged shoppers to buy as many masks as they like, and so the scientific nature is in question. The masks go for 99 cents.
Amazon.com is also conducting its own sales survey and found similar results, 54 percent for Obama to 46 percent for McCain. That result, as of Thursday evening, comes despite Obama’s mask costing about $5 more than the McCain one. (Don’t ask us why please, ask Amazon.)
The RealClearPolitics average of polls finds that Obama is ahead by about 7.5 points as of now.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
Image credit: buycostumes.com
come on, don’t ruin this funny article with campaign rhetoric!
