The adult industry in the US isn’t waiting to find out whether or not Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin makes it to the White House next month or not. They’re cashing in on her popularity and good-looks right away.

There are already several ‘Sarah Palin’ X-rated videos waiting to be released, hundreds of fake nude images are cluttering the internet and there’s even a realistic VP blowup doll for her fans!

We’ve got a collection of behind-the-scenes images from the much-anticipated Hustler flick Who’s Nailin’ Paylin? where the Governor finally grabs some foreign policy experience with neighbors from across the Pacific.

This time the Russians really are coming :)

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President Obama has a peculiar talent for enraging his critics while deflating the enthusiasm of his friends, on full display in the Manhattan mosque controversy.

His first intervention, at a White House dinner for Ramadan on Friday, was an unqualified defense of both religious liberty and religious tolerance, implying that opposition to a mosque near Ground Zero violated both. In his second intervention, in an unplanned exchange with a reporter on Saturday, he insisted that he was not commenting "on the wisdom" of building the mosque, merely affirming the right to a construction permit. It was not a contradiction, but it was a marked change in tone. Obama managed to collect all the political damage for taking an unpopular stand without gaining credit for political courage.




But being hapless does not make the president wrong.

Though columnists are loath to admit it, there is a difference between being a commentator and being president. Pundits have every right to raise questions about the construction of an Islamic center near Ground Zero. Where is the funding coming from? What are the motives of its supporters? Is the symbolism insensitive?

But the view from the Oval Office differs from the view from a keyboard. A president does not merely have opinions; he has duties to the Constitution and to the citizens he serves -- including millions of Muslim citizens. His primary concern is not the sifting of sensitivities but the protection of the American people and the vindication of their rights.

By this standard, Obama had no choice but the general path he took. No president, of any party or ideology, could tell millions of Americans that their sacred building desecrates American holy ground. This would understandably be taken as a presidential assault on the deepest beliefs of his fellow citizens. It would be an unprecedented act of sectarianism, alienating an entire faith tradition from the American experiment. If a church or synagogue can be built on a commercial street in Lower Manhattan, declaring a mosque off-limits would officially equate Islam with violence and terrorism. No president would consider making such a statement. And those commentators who urge the president to do so fundamentally misunderstand the presidency itself.



An inclusive rhetoric toward Islam is sometimes dismissed as mere political correctness. Having spent some time crafting such rhetoric for a president, I can attest that it is actually a matter of national interest. It is appropriate -- in my view, required -- for a president to draw a clear line between "us" and "them" in the global conflict with Muslim militants. I wish Obama would do it with more vigor. But it matters greatly where that line is drawn. The militants hope, above all else, to provoke conflict between the West and Islam -- to graft their totalitarian political manias onto a broader movement of Muslim solidarity. America hopes to draw a line that isolates the politically violent and those who tolerate political violence -- creating solidarity with Muslim opponents and victims of radicalism.

How precisely is our cause served by treating the construction of a non-radical mosque in Lower Manhattan as the functional equivalent of defiling a grave? It assumes a civilizational conflict instead of defusing it. Symbolism is indeed important in the war against terrorism. But a mosque that rejects radicalism is not a symbol of the enemy's victory; it is a prerequisite for our own.

The federal government has a response to American mosques taken over by advocates of violence. It investigates them, freezes their assets and charges their leaders. It does not urge zoning decisions that express a general discomfort with Islam itself.

Here again, this debate illustrates a gap in perspective. A commentator can speak with obvious sincerity of preventing American hallowed ground from being overshadowed by a mosque. A president not only serves Muslim citizens, not only commands Muslims in the American military, but also leads a coalition that includes Iraqi and Afghan Muslims who risk death each day fighting Islamic radicalism at our side. How could he possibly tell them that their place of worship inherently symbolizes the triumph of terror?

There are many reasons to criticize Obama's late, vacillating response to the Manhattan mosque, and perhaps even to criticize this particular mosque. But those who want a president to assert that any mosque would defile the neighborhood near Ground Zero are asking him to undermine the war on terrorism. A war on Islam would make a war on terrorism impossible.

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OBAMA IN KENYA, AFRICA

US President Barack Obama befriends a camel in the animal market of rural Wajir during a visit to Kenya in 2006.

Obama has visited Kenya three times and met many of his paternal relatives for the first time in 1988. His estranged late father was Kenyan.

Kenya is home to some of the best safaris in the world and has an array of spectacular wildlife.

OBAMA IN KAILUA BEACH, HAWAII

Obama looks at ease as he enjoys a relaxing stroll down on the sand with friend and campaign treasurer Marty Nesbitt, at Kailua Beach in Hawaii during a family vacation last year.

Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1961 and it has remained close to his heart.

Renown for its surf beaches, Hawaii is the ideal destination if you're looking for some fun in the sun.

OBAMA IN AMMAN, JORDAN

Barack Obama travelled to the Amman Citadel in Amman, Jordan, last year for a press conference, and he was greeted with a spectacular backdrop.

Amman is a fascinating city with a unique blend of old and new and is situated on a hilly area between the desert and the fertile Jordan valley.

OBAMA IN INDONESIA

A charter boat off the coast of Mentawai Island, Indonesia.

Obama spent four years in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta as a young boy with his mother and stepfather.

Indonesia is a popular getaway and you'll find a variety of well-known surf beaches at your fingertips.

OBAMA IN PHILADELPHIA-WASHINGTON, US

Barack Obama and wife Michelle enjoy some sightseeing onboard a vintage train bound for Delaware.

The symbolic ride tracked Abraham Lincoln's historical journey in 1861 from Philadelphia, where the Constitution was written, to Delaware, where it was ratified, and finally to Washington. It's a must-see route for tourists passionate about American history.

OBAMA IN COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, NEW YORK, US

Obama at Columbia University, where he majored in political science and graduated in 1983.

He went on to graduate from Harvard Law School in 1991, where he was the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review.

Columbia University is one of the top academic research institutions in the world. Plus there's plenty to see and do in New York.

OBAMA IN WASHINGTON DC, US

The Obamas now call the White House in Washington DC home. Previously the Obamas lived in a condominium in Hyde Park, Chicago, before moving to a $US1.6 million house in nearby Kenwood in 2005.

The White House has 132 rooms and is more than 51 metres long. So go on, check out the White House for yourself and get a dose of US history!

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Just over a week into his new digs, and Barack Obama is already shaking things up in the White House. He's changing up the dress code and having a small shindig for Congressional machers.

President Obama in a meeting last week in the Oval Office, where his predecessor required a coat and tie at all times.

He's ditched the jacket-and-tie-only rule for the Oval Office that his predecessor George W. Bush mandated , while also instituting a weekend business casual dress code for the White House staff. Time to open up that L.L. Bean catalog, Obama staffers, and pick out your perfect Saturday khakis.

Obama has also using the space to entertain a little. On Wednesday evening he held a cocktail gathering for some House and Senate movers and shakers of both parties he'll desperately need in the coming months was reportedly a success. According to Slate, he's part of a long tradition of presidents who gets things done by unhitching a notch or two in the evening hours :

" Harry Truman favored bourbon and branch water. (As vice president, Truman had just arrived to have a bourbon with House Speaker Sam Rayburn when he got the call that FDR had died.) When he was president, LBJ came to the Capitol on several occasions for an after-work drink with Senate Republican leader Everett Dirksen. [...] FDR won the presidency on a platform of ending Prohibition. Every evening, including during the war, Roosevelt mixed drinks in the Oval Office from behind his desk, before him a tray equipped with whatever he needed for the martinis or old fashioneds he was mixing. "

While it may be traditional, Obama is now taking some lumps for sipping libations while the economy burns. News that wagyu beef was served at the cocktail party has raced around the conservative blogosphere today, raising questions of why the president would serve something that can cost up to $100 per serving when hundred of thousands are losing their jobs. Typical is this comment from ThatSamIam at Michelle Malkin's blog :

" Anyone surprised? Of course they will spend big on everything. That’s what socialist progressive liberals do because they consider our money their money. "

If the Obama White House is going to be a more casual affair, could we suggest maybe something a bit more low-key for the next shindig? Some deviled eggs and one of the Safeway vegetable plates, perhaps.

Source

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Freeze and thaw ... a man passes by an ice sculpture entitled "Main Street Meltdown," in New York in 2008.

Diehard ... an elderly man holds a placard protesting against President Bush outside the White House in Washington on January 17.

Collector's edition ... people line up outside the Washington Post newspaper to purchase special election editions.

Welcome to the party ... an invitation and tickets to the presidential inauguration to be handed out to Congressional members on view at the Capitol in Washington, DC.

Keep your friends close .... Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was tapped by Barack Obama to lead the State Department after he defeated her in the Democratic primaries last year.

V for victory ... a doll of Barack Obama is displayed for sale ahead of his inauguration at a shop in Washington.

Under fire .. Treasury Secretary-designate Timothy Geithner looks on as Barack Obama meets members of his economic team at his transition office in Washington.

Family first ... Mr Obama with daughters Malia and Sasha as they meet at the Honolulu Zoo on December 30, 2008 .

Tarred by the same brush ... a Lebanese leftist protester, is seen between two anti-US posters featuring USPresident George W. Bush, and US President-elect Barack Obama.

On the shoulders of giants ... President-elect Barack Obama speaks at the Lincoln Memorial during an inaugural concert in Washington, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009 .

Crowd pleaser ... people listen and watch the "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration At The Lincoln Memorial" at the National Mall in Washington DC, January 18.

Bestseller ... Barack Obama's book The Audacity of Hope on display at a publishing house in Beijing on November 14, 2008, where young Chinese editor Han Manchun was responsible for the book's domestic release.

High flyer ... Barack Obama's stepmother Kezia Obama is presented with a birthday cake by Virgin Atlantic staff Candice and Sam as she leaves London's Heathrow Airport to travel to Washington where she will watch her stepson become the new President of the United States.

Law maker ... former US Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, President-elect Barack Obama's nominee to be Attorney General, is sworn in for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington January 15, 2009.

Popular culture ... this undated handout photo provided by Marvel Comics shows the cover of "Spidey Meets the President!" a five page story featuring Spider-Man and Barack Obama on inauguration day in "Amazing Spider-Man #583."

Double B ... Barack Obama's room is labeled on the Georgia 300, a private rail car owned by John "Jack" Heard, from Fernandina Beach Flag, Thursday, January 15, 2009, at the rail yard in Washington.

Headlong ... The brand new office portrait of Barack Obama.

Day one ... Barack and Michelle Obama get their daughters Sasha and Malia ready for their first day of school at Sidwell Friends in Washington, January 5.

World of thanks ... Mr Obama spoke by telephone with the leaders of nine US allies to express thanks for their congratulations .

The long walk ... days before handing the reins to Barack Obama, US President George W. Bush leaves after delivering his final farewell speech to the nation at the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 15.

Shatterproof ... Mr Obama waves as he makes his way onto the stage to address supporters at the War Memorial Plaza in Baltimore on January 17.

Safeguarding the future ... Barack Obama and Chicago Public Schools Chief Arne Duncan, his nominee for secretary of education, talk to school children at the Dodge Renaissance Academy in Chicago December 16, 2008.

Out with the old ... a wax figure of Mr Obama, right, is on display at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, as workers carry a wax figure of George W. Bush outside the building in Amsterdam, Netherlands, on January 15. Five days prior to his inauguration, Obama's figure was also unveiled at Madame Tussauds in London, Berlin, New York and Las Vegas.

Old ties ... USA Democratic Presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton after they arrived for a Democratic debate at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

Centre of attention ... Mr Obama speaks to the media after a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and vice president elect Joe Biden at the US Capitol in Washington.

Historic words ... Barack Obama's speech on the great American conundrum of race bearing his signature, is on display at the new black history exhibit, "AmericaIAm: The African-American Imprint" at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Life in miniature ... historic scene depicting Barack Obama taking the presidential oath of office on the steps of the Capitol in Miniland Washington DC, in Legoland park in Carlsbad, California.

Vision of the Future ... "Barack Obama," a mixed media collage by Shepard Fairey, is installed in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. Fairey's large-scale, mixed-media stenciled collage was the central portrait image for the Obama campaign and was previously distributed as a limited-edition print and as a free download.

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A new book, President Obama : The Path to the White House (David & Charles / TIME £9.99), showcases the photographs of Callie Shell, who began covering Obama for Time Magazine in 2006 when his travelling party numbered just three people in a van: the driver, Obama and Shell. Her photographs reveal Obama's private, unguarded side, his repose with his family, and capture the awe and excitement his campaign generated .

November 7 2007 : Ready for showtime. Drumming up support in county after county, Obama, in a rare solitary moment, waits in a stairwell before addressing a crowd in Muscatine, Iowa.

January 1 2008 : Strategist. To create his army of volunteers, Obama worked to energise groups like this one, at a gym in Davenport, Iowa.

January 6 2008 : Mr Cool. With two days to go before the New Hampshire primary, while facing sharp attacks from Hillary Clinton, Obama kicks back on the campaign bus

January 6 2008 : Rest for the weary. In the middle of a long day of events in New Hampshire, Obama grabs a quick nap on his campaign bus as he heads to another rally.

March 1 2008 : Footsore. His shoes worn down by campaigning, Obama conducts press interviews on the phone after a rally at Rhode Island College in Providence.

April 5 2008 : Competitive streak. Not to be outsone by two aides who each did a pair of pull-ups, Obama does three before stepping out to address the crowd at the University of Montana.

April 21 2008 : Explaining his health plan. Obama pops in to greet locals, including this curious young man, at a diner in Scranton, a day before the Pennsylvania primary.

April 22 2008 : Fuelling up. With Michelle (and a large press corps) on hand, Obama grabs a bite at a Pittsburgh diner on the morning of the Pennsylvania primary.

July 4 2008 : Hooping it up. Even at the height of the campaign, there were moments of levity, as at this Independence Day picnic in Butte, Montana.

November 4 2008 : Grand entrance. The newly-elected First Couple walk onto the stage at Grant's Field, Chicago.

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