Common sat down with Jon Stewart this week and talked about the media firestorm surrounding his White House visit back in May. more ›

One Dixon resident told the Sauk Valley newspaper “My friend called me this morning and said ‘Sally, Sarah Palin’s up at the Reagan house,’ so what did I do? I hopped in the car.” more ›

No doubt you've heard about Sarah Palin's take on Paul Revere in Boston. We are bummed she won't be coming to town so we can hear her take on our local historical figures... more ›

First Lady Michelle Obama and Chicago’s own Common incurred the ire of Fox News, Sarah Palin and the New Jersey Police after the First Lady invited the rapper and actor to the White House to participate in a poetry reading. Yesterday, The Daily Caller posted the lyrics to the poem “A Letter to the Law” alongside Emily Dickinson’s “I’m Nobody! Who Are You?,” which was supposed to be read at a 2003 poetry event hosted by then First Lady Laura Bush. Bush cancelled the event after several invitees declined the offer to read, some of which joined poets from across the globe to instead read verses in protest of the war in Iraq. more ›

The national fervor surrounding Arizona’s controversial immigration legislation shows no signs of tapering off. While Sarah Palin is urging states to follow Arizona down the road to a “papers, please” society, even some officials who have closer ties to the issue question the state’s recent immigration law. The Tribune reports in a visit to Chicago yesterday, John Morton, head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Arizona’s new law is not “good government.” In a meeting with the Trib’s editorial board, Morton also said that his agency may not process illegal immigrants arrested in Arizona under the new law. While he did say that his agency would step up enforcement of immigration laws, he said “the best way to reduce illegal immigration is through a comprehensive federal approach, not a patchwork of state laws.” more ›

• The above is a piece of graffiti that some think is yet another example of Banksy's work. It was photographed in Pilsen earlier this week by Molly Kolecki and like that earlier work, appears on his own website in the "outdoors" section. For an interesting counter-point to the Banksy craze, check out what TOC's Laura Weinberg had to say.
• Former Blago Chief-of-Staff John Harris pleaded guilty to fraud charges for a second time.
• Add Midwest Bank to the list of failed banks taken over by the feds.

We told you how Sarah Palin addressed the Highland Park High basketball trip controversy at her speaking engagement last night. But this afternoon, Palin has taken to, what else, Facebook to further address the issue and her support of the girls' right to travel to Arizona for the tournament. In the note, Palin takes umbrage with the district's decision to make a political stance as well as the fact that the school is sending another group of students to China. Palin even started a Facebook group with WIND 560's Amy Jacobson to support the team. more ›

Sarah Palin made an appearance in Rosemont last night, and we're interested in what she had to say to those of us that don't live in the part of America that she views as "pro-America." So, without comment, here's a run down of the highlights of her address last night, from around the media: more ›

Even more local Republican candidates are finding other things to do to avoid attending next week's fundraiser with Sarah Palin. more ›

Mark Kirk will be skipping Sarah Palin's May appearance in town as there seems to be a little tension between the two. more ›

Plenty happened over the weekend while you were out flying kites or watching our local sports teams lose. more ›

Former Republican vice presidential candidate (and Tea Party darling) Sarah Palin was in Washington, Illinois yesterday to speak at a fundraiser banquet. Around 1,100 attendees were at the banquet to hear Palin speak. Although Palin's speech wasn't completely centered around assessing the actions of the Obama administration, her speech was not without some backlash against President Obama. Mentioning criticisms of Obama's policy on healthcare and other issues during her speech, the meat of Palin's discontent came at a question and answer session right after her main address. Palin seemed to be bothered by Obama's remark that the United States is a global military power, "whether we like it or not". Obama's remark came during the final moments of the nuclear security summit in Washington, D.C. this past week. Questioning Obama's reasoning, Palin was not without comment at the banquet: more ›

Yesterday, U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sarah Palin got together and rallied like it was 2008 in support of McCain's senatorial reelection efforts. The event had sound bites galore (personal favorite: Palin's "lamestream media" comment), but it was McCain who caught our ear with a comment he made regarding the recently passed health care reform. Just as he did when the bill was first approved by the Senate back in December, McCain called the bill, "sleazy Chicago-style sausage-making," a message he's been plugging all week. How long Sen. McCain plans on channeling Sinclair only he knows, but when coupled with the First Lady's opinion of Chicago-style pizza, it creates an anti-Chicago food movement that's a bipartisan effort we just can't get behind. more ›

• Tonight's episode of Law & Order apparently mirrors the ongoing trials and tribulations of Medill's Innocence Project.
• Amos Israel made his 64th arrest a memorable one; police tasered him as he tried to hide in and then leave the State Street Macy's.
• The Feder-Michaels feud continues.

• Best wishes for a speedy recovery to the city's first lady, Maggie Daley, who had a foot-long titanium rod inserted into her right leg today.
• A look at the city's recycling program and the contracts at its center.
• Strange happenings at the Art Institute this morning.

Rahm, kicking ass through Andy Samberg. more ›

An internet poll shows that our own President Barack Obama is the most favored choice of celebrity neighbors. Most interesting is the tie for second place: Sarah Palin & entertainment's lesbian power couple Ellen & Portia. What celebrity do folks NOT want to live next to? Octomom. But the best moment of the entire run-down comes from Obama's real-life Hyde Park neighbor, Bill Grimshaw, who said, "Personally, I'd go for some hot babe, for sure. "But the prestige of living next to the president is wonderful. And the main thing is the security. I don't lock my doors any more." Win. more ›

• With police reiterating that their investigation is still early and ongoing, the Cook County Medical Examiner's office officially ruled the death of CPS Board of Education president Michael Scott a suicide.
• The aftershocks of the beating death of Derrion Albert continue to be felt as today a federal judge gave the okay for students at Fenger High to transfer if they felt unsafe.
• An young Aurora man with Autism was found safe this morning after he went missing from his home late yesterday; he was found safe but in Crest Hill which is 20 miles from Aurora.

It's the appearance that got people talking. The Rogue and the Daytime Queen. And it's almost time to see what has been wrought upon- Okay, we'll stop. Chances are, it'll be a pretty paint-by-numbers appearance. But, still, we'll be checking out former Alaska Governor and rogue patriot Sarah Palin's appearance on Oprah (taped yesterday, airing Monday). And a clip is already out and about for your enjoyment perusal. [via] more ›

Chris Cilizza, writing for The Fix at the Washington Post is reporting today that Senate candidate Mark Kirk is courting an endorsement from America's Sweetheart, Sarah Palin. According to Cilizza, Kirk fired off a memo to GOP bigwig and Berwyn-born Fred Malek, hoping to nail down a friendly howdy-do from Palin. more ›

It was bound to happen sooner or later: Sarah Palin, the Republican ex-girlfriend who just won't go away and stop posting on your Facebook page, is going to visit Oprah. You might remember a little over a year ago when rumors swirled about Palin appearing on Oprah ahead of the 2008 election and that Oprah said no due to her support for Obama, a claim that Oprah fully denied. This time, however, it's definitely happening as Palin makes the rounds to support her new tome, Going Rogue. According to a press release from Harpo, Inc., the "world exclusive" will be Palin's first talk ahead of the book release and the show will air live on Monday, November 16; Palin's book hits shelves the next day. Will we be watching? You betcha'. more ›

Remember those vitriolic, frightening days of fall 2008, when Sarah Palin was a contender for the #2 office in the executive branch and everybody (except your crazy, racist uncle, who was crushin' hard) made funny YouTubes and Photoshops about her? One of the most popular spoof jobs was the vlog series done by New York City comedienne Sara Benincasa, who captured the former Alaska governor's essence like no one else on the Internetovision. Since the election, Benincasa has been hard at work writing a book, doing a Cosmopolitan Radio show, and performing her one-woman show, AGORAFABULOUS! — the one-woman show she'll perform on Saturday, Sept. 19 (i.e., tomorrow) at Chicago's Playground Theater, 3209 N. Halsted; get tickets here. Recently we talked to Benincasa about her career, panic, and her show. more ›

Thanks to Basil Tydings for the image