Posted Aug 18th 2008 9:16AM by TMZ Staff
John McCain is a thief, shamelessly stealing from the TMZ playbook to get elected. This according to a little thing called TIME magazine.
Columnist James Poniewozik ridicules McCain for "running a TMZ campaign," saying McCain's tactics are akin to TMZ publishing "DUI write-ups and nipple slips." Bum rap, we think. Click here for nip slips and mugshot galleries.
Poniewozik claims the ad showing Obama with a zillion flash bulbs going off is a cheap shot: "Like a snarky blog, the McCain campaign argues that Mr. Thinks He's All That is overexposed." The dude says McCain's ad "implies that Obama is an empty suit, a D lister," framing him like TMZ and others "frame celebrities like [Britney] Spears by appealing to a mix of fascination and resentment."
For the record, we have not come to bury Britney, we have come to praise her.
Filed under: Prez Election 2008
Posted Aug 15th 2008 3:06PM by TMZ Staff
After laughing it off when a fan called him the country's "first black president" to his face, Bill Clinton's reaction when another fan gave him props for being from "the hood" is priceless!
Filed under: Paparazzi Video, Wacky & Weird, Prez Election 2008
Posted Aug 14th 2008 3:08PM by TMZ Staff
Guess elephants have some serious short-term memory issues! Everyone knows singer Jackson Browne is a serious liberal, everyone except, apparently, John McCain. Now Browne is fighting mad and has filed suit against McCain and his party, alleging they falsely suggested he was on their side.
Browne claims the GOP used his epic hit "Running on Empty" in an ad for McCain without his permission, adding that the ad mocks Barack Obama, which Browne ain't none too happy about.
The suit wants the ad to stop running -- STAT -- and is seeking damages. Browne's lawyer Lawrence Iser says this ain't the first time McCain has done this -- he did it with ABBA's "Take a Chance on Me" and well-known Democrat John Mellencamp's song "Pink Houses." Iser says "In light of Jackson Browne's lifelong commitment to Democratic ideals and political candidates, the misappropriation of Jackson Browne's endorsement is entirely reprehensible."
McCain's rep Tucker Bounds shoots back "This was not a McCain campaign ad, but rather a local state Republican party ad. It is clear that the suit was mis-filed by an overeager Barack Obama supporter and it's 'running on empty;."
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Prez Election 2008
Posted Aug 9th 2008 12:00PM by TMZ Staff
Former Presidential candidate John Edwards spoke about his crazy affair with ABC's "Nightline" last night, and his robotic and well prepared answers would make Bill Clinton blush.
Edwards flat out denies he had a baby with his former mistress Rielle Hunter, although he has yet to participate in a DNA test. He also claims his lord and wife have since forgiven him.
Hopefully that will still be the case after he undergoes a paternity test. Paging Maury Povich!
Filed under: Prez Election 2008
Posted Aug 8th 2008 4:42PM by TMZ Staff
He's a liar! Former Presidential candidate John Edwards has admitted to lying about having an extramarital affair with a former staffer.
In an interview with ABC's "Nightline" that airs tonight, Edwards admits he had a sexual affair with 44-year-old Rielle Hunter, but claims he did not love her.
Edwards does say, however, that he knows he is not the baby daddy of Hunter's little girl based on the "timing" of the kid's birth in February of this year. He claims the tryst ended too soon for him to be the dad, although he has not taken a paternity test.
And the story gets better ...
Click here... it's not over yet
Filed under: Prez Election 2008
Posted Aug 6th 2008 4:13PM by TMZ Staff
Minnesota Gov. and rumored McCain VP front runner Tim Pawlenty has seen Paris' video and still believes she's leaning for his team. Did he not see the part where she called the Republican hopeful a "wrinkly white haired guy?"
Filed under: Paris Hilton, Prez Election 2008
Posted Aug 5th 2008 7:20PM by TMZ Staff
John McCain's mouthpiece has responded to Paris Hilton's stinging retort -- but he's not attacking Hiltie!
In the unkindest cut of all, McCain's spokesperson Tucker Bounds tells TMZ that on the subject of energy, Paris is deeper than Barack. He says, "Sounds like Paris is taking the 'All of the Above' energy approach that John McCain has advocated -- both alternatives and drilling. Perhaps the reality is that Paris has a more substantive energy plan than Barack Obama."
Just hours ago, FunnyOrDie posted a video of Paris calling McCain "wrinkly" and pitching a hybrid energy policy.
Filed under: Paris Hilton, Prez Election 2008
Posted Aug 4th 2008 9:30AM by TMZ Staff
John McCain isn't exactly shying away from boobs -- actual ones, not Paris and Brit -- at a campaign stop today.
J-Mac will be stumping at the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota today. After the Senator pays tribute to Vets at the event, that well-known upholder of moral virtue Kid Rock will rock the main stage. Tans and tatas will be competing in the Hawaiian Tropic contest nearby.
And as the Huffington Post reports, the other entertainment on offer includes "Ringin' Wet & Wild" women's wrestling event and a Fake Orgasm Contest.
Just the kind of thing the religious right would love.
Filed under: Prez Election 2008
Posted Jul 31st 2008 2:50PM by TMZ Staff
Paris Hilton is pissed at being a joke in John McCain's ad campaign, but not for the reason you might think. 
A rep for Hilton tells TMZ, "Miss Hilton was not asked, nor did she give permission for the use of her likeness in the ad and has no further comment."
So if she got paid for it, would it have been OK?
Filed under: Paris Hilton, Prez Election 2008
Posted Jul 30th 2008 6:19PM by TMZ Staff
Now it's a story.
Former Paris Hilton impersonator Natalie Reid is weighing in on the new McCain commercial scandal. She tells TMZ, "McCain is obviously jealous cuz Obama's hot."
You may now continue with your day.
Filed under: Prez Election 2008
Posted Jul 30th 2008 5:37PM by TMZ Staff
It appears that Barack Obama is going to have to distance himself from yet one more supporter.
Ludacris has just released a new rap where he calls Hillary Clinton a "bitch" and says John McCain "don't belong in any chair unless he's paralyzed" and also throws insults at Jesse Jackson and George W. Bush. The only logical explanation has to be that Ludacris is a McCain mole!
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton issued a statement, condemning Luda for his ridiculous lyrics.
Click here... it's not over yet
Filed under: Wacky & Weird, Prez Election 2008
Posted Jul 30th 2008 3:59PM by TMZ Staff
This has gotta hurt. We did some digging and found Rick and Kathy Hilton gave the John McCain campaign $4,600 this year, and Johnny boy has now taken a shot at their lil' girl.
According to the Federal Election Commission website, the Hiltons contributed the dough last March. Initially, Rick put up all the $$$ but in April it was split between him and his wife.
Now McCain is taking a shot at Obama, using Paris as his ditzy weapon.
Filed under: Prez Election 2008
Posted Jul 30th 2008 3:50PM by TMZ Staff
T.I. is finally admitting he has a problem -- telling unregistered voters in D.C., "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." He should have thought about that before pleading guilty to felony weapons charges and officially forfeiting his right to vote.
Still, the Hip Hop Caucus selected the rapper as their official spokesperson and justified their decision by saying, "T.I. can't vote in this election and to come and encourage others to vote, especially young folks from disenfranchised communities, while he still is in the system, is an act of courage and great leadership. Felon disenfranchisement is a major issue that particularly impacts communities of color."
Filed under: Prez Election 2008
Posted Jul 30th 2008 2:42PM by TMZ Staff
John McCain has defended his latest campaign ad, not-so-subtly comparing Barack Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.
In the ad, you see images of Paris and Brit flash across the screen for a split second, then Obama, as the announcer says, "He's the biggest celebrity in the world, but is he ready to lead?" The unspoken implication: another famous flake.
McCain's peeps just came out with this statement: "This ad obviously also addresses a unique facet in Barack Obama's campaign that is unlike any other campaign we've seen in modern political history. A campaign that is focused on the development of an enormous image of celebrity status."
The statement continues, "These images of celebrity status and the way he has conducted his campaign ... owe more to the development of an international celebrity status than it does to a traditional campaign for President."
Translated, McCain is comparing Obama to a woman who shaved her head in a fit of craziness and another who skanked up the screen with a sex tape.
Filed under: Prez Election 2008
Posted Jul 30th 2008 12:58PM by TMZ Staff
It is on now!
Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor just released this statement about John McCain's new political ad, comparing Mr. O to Britney and Paris:
"On a day when major news organizations across the country are taking Senator McCain to task for a steady stream of false, negative attacks, his campaign has launched yet another. Or, as some might say, 'Oops! He did it again.' Our dependence on foreign oil is one of the greatest challenges we face.
In this election the American people have a real choice -- between Obama's plan to provide tax rebates to American families while creating a renewable energy economy in America that frees us from our dependence on foreign oil, and Senator McCain's plan to continue the same failed energy policies by handing out nearly $4 billion in tax breaks to oil companies while investing almost nothing in the new energy sources that represent our future."
Filed under: Prez Election 2008
