Ben Jealous embarrasses self, NAACP at Gridiron Dinner.

Via Hot Air comes this Dear God, but I wish there was video unforced error at last week’s Gridiron Dinner.

The distinguished-looking gentleman told [NAACP President Benjamin] Jealous he thought the NAACP Legal Defense Fund lawyer, Debo P. Adegbile, had done a fine job arguing that [certain elements of the Voting Rights Act] needed to be continued[*].

Sure, but what happened to the solicitor general? Jealous wondered aloud, he was just awful.

Well, I am the solicitor general, Donald Verrilli Jr. replied.

Ben Jealous missed a bet, here.  If you’re going to be stuck in this kind of socially awkward situation, you might as well blast on through to the other side.  Of course, that would imply that you have a certain strength of character and willingness to stand by your inadvertent speaking truth to power, which from what I gather more or less disqualifies Ben Jealous right there. Continue reading Ben Jealous embarrasses self, NAACP at Gridiron Dinner.

Leno over the Gridiron.

After deciding to stay away from the Gridiron Club – where everything is off the record, on both sides of the equation – the President has decided to go on Jay Leno:

Obama to appear on Leno – will he bring a teleprompter?

The news that President Obama will appear on Jay Leno’s show Thursday night could be told in a couple ways depending on what type of site you’re on.

More right-leaning: Faced with plummeting polls and Boston Tea Party-like rebellions popping up all over the country, President Barack Obama is attempting to save his faltering presidency by going to the last place that still accepts him: Hollywood.

More left-leaning: With rock solid poll numbers (higher than Reagan at this point in the presidency), President Barack Obama has the courage to leave the Washington echo chamber and talk to the common man.

Via Glenn Reynolds, who notes that the headlines have been getting less respectful of the President lately. Given the ludicrously over-enthusiastic treatment that the man got from them, it’s not before time. The sooner that the President gets it through his head that he’s just a man, the better off we’re all going to be. Continue reading Leno over the Gridiron.