Most expensive re-election campaigns

Most expensive re-election campaigns

Most Expensive Re-Election Campaigns
President Barack Obama has announced he'll run for office again in 2012, launching speculation about how much he'll spend. We've rounded up past incumbents who spared no expense in defending their political posts.

Barack Obama
The president has officially announced his 2012 re-election campaign, and some say it'll be the most expensive in history. What is the early fundraising rumor?

Michele Bachmann
Last November, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. beat her challenger to retain this congressional district. The race earned a high-dollar distinction.

Barbara Boxer
In last year's U.S. Senate race, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., beat her wealthy opponent. It's been reported that the senator spent nearly everything she'd raised — how much was that?

Michael Bloomberg
Bloomberg was named mayor of New York City the third time in a row (how did he do that?), having bested his 2009 challenger. How much did the Big Apple cost?

Harry Reid
Democrat Sen. Harry Reid went all out to secure his Nevada Senate seat last year (against whom?). This meant aiming for a lofty goal. It was the second-most-expensive Senate race — which state was first?

George Pataki
Pataki was re-elected New York's governor in 2002, after spending somewhere in the ballpark of this large sum.

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Then-New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton reportedly spent more than any other Senate candidate when she ran against her 2006 opponent. How much was it?

John McCain
During the last midterm elections, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is estimated to have spent more on a successful bid than any other Senate candidate. What did he spend on the primary alone?

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celebrity memoirs

Notable celebrity memoirs

Notable celebrity memoirs
Sometimes they’re funny, sometimes they’re sad. One thing is certain: The lives of celebrities are rarely dull. This month a famous actress revealed family pain in her new memoir. Read on to learn about compelling autobiographies that’ll have you laughing, crying and yearning to read more.

Ashley Judd
The film star wrote her recently released memoir, “All That Is Bitter And Sweet,” to talk about the humanitarian causes she supports around the world. But revelations about her dysfunctional childhood rose more than a few eyebrows. Find out what she revealed.

Portia de Rossi
Her long struggle with a serious disorder threw the “Ally McBeal” and “Arrested Development”  actress into a dark hole. In “Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain,” she writes glowingly about the long climb out and the important person who helped pull her up.

Barack Obama
“Dreams From My Father” was published in 1995, the year President Obama began his political career. It was hailed as an evocative, lyrical memoir of his life up until the time he entered a prestigious Eastern university.

George W. Bush
The former president explains the processes he went through to make major “Decision Points” that established national policy. Bush recalls the aftermath of his administration’s reaction to a natural disaster that tarnished his tenure.

Carrie Fisher
Funny, candid and self-deprecating, the memoir penned by a former movie princess and current novelist is chock-a-block with juicy gossip and lacerating send-ups of Hollywood culture. She writes of her bouts of drug and alcohol addiction and much more in “Wishful Drinking.”

Carnie Wilson
In two separate memoirs, “Gut Feelings” and “I’m Still Hungry,” the singer/songwriter describes her battle with morbid obesity and her decision to undergo surgery to help control it.

Anne Heche
Another in a long line of Hollywood actresses who grew up with abuse, Anne Heche details the violations she withstood as a child and young adult and the strength she invoked to rise above them, in her 2001 biography, “Call Me Crazy.”

Frank Zappa
In “The Real Frank Zappa Book,” the rock guitarist lays it all out on the line: his hilarious, dagger-wielding take on the music industry, raising kids, capitalism and art. He dispels a few myths about himself, and he flings more than a few Zappaesque zingers on deserving prey.

Condoleezza Rice
The former Secretary of State writes tenderly of her parents in her 2010 book, “Extraordinary Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family.” She recounts how they raised her to rise above the racism and sexism she encountered in her hometown.

Roman Polanski
The film director’s 1984 book, “Roman by Polanski,” catalogues the self-destructive behavior he indulged in, especially after the untimely demise of his beautiful wife

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Bing The top Bing searches for 2010

Bing The top Bing searches for 2010

Pregnancies, affairs and mischief kept the celebrity news abuzz on Bing in 2010. Also this year, people continued to have unrest about this fragile part of American society, which is how "free" and "Wal-Mart" sneaked onto the list. It could also be why a resurgence by this party had many evaluating the job President Barack Obama's doing. Here's a look at the top Bing searches of the year.
Kim Kardashian

Rank on Bing Engine: No. 1
It seems that it's hard to keep up with the Kardashians, even in the world of search. The reality star was the most-searched-for topic on Bing for 2010, beating out this former reality TV queen, among others.

Reasons folks searched for her:

Her love life
Her changing appearance
Her foot fetish business
Her foray into the credit card business
Watch the 'SNL' skit mocking her


Sandra Bullock

Rank on Bing Engine: No. 2
She's been a sought-after Hollywood success since starring in this early-'90s action movie and recently took her career to a new level with her role in a football biopic. Bullock was the second-ranked topic on Bing in 2010.

Reasons folks searched for her:

Her split from Jesse James
Her new family addition
Her high Hollywood salary
Her first Oscar win

Tiger Woods

Rank on Bing Engine: No. 3
The once glossy image of Woods was sullied in late 2009 when it was discovered he had cheated on his wife. As the fallout continued into 2010, Woods' name stayed at the forefront of people's curiosity as it was constantly in the news.

Find out what people wanted to know about Woods in 2010:

His cheating scandal
His divorce settlement
His public apology
His return to golf

Lady Gaga

Rank on Bing Engine: No. 4
The reigning queen of pop not only dominated the Billboard charts, but she also worked her way into the top five overall searches on Bing.

Reasons people searched for Gaga:

Her Monster Ball tour
To sing along to her hits
Her wacky fashion
Her "attack" on Santa
Her stance on gay rights

President Barack Obama

Rank on Bing Engine: No. 5
For many, 2010 was a chance to evaluate the president's job as he approaches the two-year mark of being in office. Obama rounds out the top five most-searched topics on Bing.

Reasons people searched for President Obama:

Health care
Tax cuts
His fat lip
State of the Union address
Oil spill

Hairstyles

Rank on Bing Engine: No. 6
This past year was one of evolving fashion statements, and perhaps none more than hairstyles. In the era of the iGeneration, people are always looking for ways to be unique, and that usually starts with the right hairstyle.

Reasons people searched for hairstyles:

Celebrity 'dos
Snooki
Retro
Inverted bob
Wedding
Prom

Kate Gosselin

Rank on Bing Engine: No. 7 overall, sixth-most-searched-for person
Kate moved up, after ranking here in the top 2009 Bing searches. It seems people can't get enough of the celebrity television star. Gosselin's rocky personal life continues to dominate tabloids as she stays in the top 10 of most-searched-for topics on Bing.

Reasons people searched for her:

Her camping trip with Sarah Palin
The expulsion of her children
Her hair
Tummy tuck
Bodyguard
"Dancing With the Stars"

Wal-Mart

Rank on Bing Engine: No. 8
A store with these types of deals often finds itself both in the throes of controversy and still at the top of many consumers' shopping destinations.

Reasons people searched for Wal-Mart:

Racist announcement
Class action lawsuit
Black Friday
Declining sales
To find the nearest location

Justin Bieber

Rank on Bing Engine: No. 9 overall, seventh-most-searched-for person
Bieber fever continues to sweep the world. The pop star has turned the music industry on its head since this megastar artist discovered his homemade videos in 2008.

Reasons people searched for Justin Bieber:

His hair
His hit single 'Baby'
His ties to Kim Kardashian
Twitter
American Music Awards
Watch Bieber videos

Free

Rank on the Bing Engine: No. 10
The experts say this troubling time is over, but in good times or bad there's nary a more pleasant word, in the ears of the American consumer, than "free."

Reasons people searched for 'free':

Online games
E-cards
Ringtones
Music downloads
Credit reports

Jesse James

Rank on the Bing engine: No. 11 overall and the eighth-most-searched-for person on Bing
Prior to 2005, James was known mostly for this monster hit reality show. In 2005 he married this actress, but how did a reality show host work his way into the top 15 Bing searches in 2010?

Reasons people searched for Jesse James:

Affair
Divorce
New girlfriend
Motorcycles

Lindsay Lohan

Rank on Bing engine: No. 12 overall, and the ninth-most-searched-for person on Bing
The 24-year-old actress, singer, model and target of these celebrity chasers continues to fascinate the American public, essentially for this reason alone.

Reasons people searched for Lohan:

Jail time
Rehab
Hit-and-run
Her alleged stalker
See pictures of Lohan

Jennifer Aniston

Rank on the Bing Engine: No. 13 and the 10th-most-searched-for person on Bing
Her popularity rose as a star of this friendly show, and it's clear that Aniston has stayed just as popular, even a decade later. Fans continue to be curious about her love life and just how she manages to look so young.

Reasons people searched for Aniston:

Pregnancy rumors
Her party with a prince
Her friendship with Chelsea Handler
See pictures of Aniston

Michael Jackson

Rank on the Bing Engine: No. 14 and the 11th-most-searched-for person on Bing
A year after his mysterious death, the King of Pop continued to be a hot topic. In 2010, details concerning his death continued to unfold, and fans continued to pay tribute to the man who revolutionized the pop music scene and dominated its charts for more than three decades.


Reasons people searched for Michael Jackson:

His new album
Neverland Ranch
His father
His children
The doctor charged in his death
Watch classic MJ videos

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Biggest Political Lies of 2010

Obama's Promises

Presidents and promises have been comrades since the birth of our nation. Sometimes, the vows have been bold: Lyndon B. Johnson pledged to eliminate poverty in his 1964 State of the Union Address. Obviously, that didn't happen. Other times, the promises have been mostly fulfilled, as when Roosevelt announced his historic New Deal. Throughout his campaign, President Obama made more than 500 promises to our nation, according to PolitiFact, a service from the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times that assesses the truth behind politicians' statements. Here is how PoliFact says the president is doing.

Foreclosure prevention fund
'The Fund will not help speculators, people who bought vacation homes or people who falsely represented their incomes.'
PolitiFact rating: Compromise

Repeal the Bush-era tax cuts for those making more than $250,000 (couple) or $200,000 (single)
'At a time when Americans are working harder than ever, we are taxing income from work at nearly twice the level that we're taxing gains for investors,' Obama said. 'We've lost the balance between work and wealth.'
PolitiFact rating: Stalled

Require health-insurance
coverage for all children
'Barack Obama and Joe Biden will require that all children have health-care coverage … [and] expand the number of options for young adults to get coverage by allowing young people up to age 25 to continue coverage through their parents' plans.'
PolitiFact rating: Promise Kept

Build an electronic health
information system
'Barack Obama and Joe Biden will invest $10 billion a year over the next five years to move the U.S. health-care system to broad adoption of standards-based electronic health-information systems, including electronic health records. They will also phase in requirements for full implementation of health IT and commit the necessary federal resources to make it happen.'
PolitiFact rating: In the Works

Assure that the Veterans Administration budget is prepared as 'must-pass' legislation
'Obama will meet early in the budgeting process each year with congressional leaders and the nation's leading Veterans' Service Organizations (VSOs) to ensure the VA budget is always given 'must-pass' status.'
PolitiFact Rating: Promise Kept

Begin drawing down combat
troops from Iraq
'Barack Obama will work with military commanders on the ground in Iraq and in consultation with the Iraqi government to end the war safely and responsibly within six months.'
PolitiFact Rating: Promise Kept

Deploy additional troops to Afghanistan
'As Obama removes our combat brigades from Iraq, he will send at least two additional brigades to Afghanistan, where the Taliban is resurgent. He will also provide our armed forces with the reset capability that they need. He will replace essential equipment, and he will ensure that our men and women in uniform get the care and support they have earned.'
PolitiFact Rating: Promise Kept

Close Guantanamo Bay
'As president, Barack Obama will close the detention facility at Guantanamo. He will reject the Military Commissions Act, which allowed the U.S. to circumvent Geneva Conventions in the handling of detainees. He will develop a fair and thorough process based on the Uniform Code of Military Justice to distinguish between those prisoners who should be prosecuted for their crimes, those who can't be prosecuted but who can be held in a manner consistent with the laws of war and those who should be released or transferred to their home countries.'
PolitiFact Rating: Stalled

End the use of torture
'Barack Obama will end the use torture without exception. He also will eliminate the practice of extreme rendition, where we outsource our torture to other countries.'
PolitiFact Rating: In the Works

New rules barring paid lobbyists from serving as administration officials
'No political appointees in an Obama-Biden administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years. And no political appointee will be able to lobby the executive branch after leaving government service during the remainder of the administration.'
PolitiFact Rating: Promise Broken

Require full disclosure and a waiting period for budget earmarks
'The Transparency and Integrity in Earmarks Act will shed light on all earmarks, disclosing the name of the legislator who asked for each earmark, along with written justification, 72 hours before they can be approved by the full Senate.'
PolitiFact Rating: Compromise

Create tough new financial regulations
'I'll put in place the common-sense regulations and rules of the road I've been calling for since March--rules that will keep our market free, fair and honest; rules that will restore accountability and responsibility in our corporate boardrooms.'
PolitiFact Rating: Promise Kept

Provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants
'Obama and Biden support a system that requires undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.'
PolitiFact Rating: Stalled

Create 5 million new 'green industry' jobs
'Obama and Biden will invest $150 billion over 10 years to advance the next generation of biofuels and fuel infrastructure, accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of commercial-scale renewable energy, invest in low-emissions coal plants and begin transition to a new digital electricity grid. A principal focus of this fund will be devoted to ensuring that technologies that are developed in the U.S. are rapidly commercialized in the U.S. and deployed around the globe.'
Politifact Rating: In the Works

Create a cap-and-trade system to control global-warming emissions
'As president, I will set a hard cap on all carbon emissions at a level that scientists say is necessary to curb global warming--an 80 percent reduction by 2050 … These reductions will start immediately, and we'll continue to follow the recommendations of top scientists to ensure that our targets are strong enough to meet the challenge we face.'
PolitiFact Rating: Promise Broken

Increase funding for national parks
and forests
'As president, he and Joe Biden will repair the damage done to our national parks by inadequate funding and emphasize the protection and restoration of our National Forests.'
PolitiFact Rating: Promise Kept

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