dingell

It's official, John Dingell is now the longest-serving representative in Congress. And to make it really official, Governor Granholm has issued a proclamation declaring today, February 11, 2009, John Dingell Day. Mr. Dingell has served over 53 years (19,420 days and counting) in Congress. (Only Senator Robert Byrd has served longer.) Dingell will be a special guest on NPR's Political Junkie today. PJ is part of Talk of the Nation at 2 p.m. on Michigan Radio.

inauguration

Since George Washington's inauguration in 1789, the transfer of presidential power has become an American tradition. If the upcoming festivities have you curious about this time-honored ceremony, check out Presidential inaugurations for a light, yet concise, history of each president and their beginnings. (This book is great for fans of presidential trivia) The upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama, the 44th president, will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln with the theme "A New Birth of Freedom". For related historical information check out Lincoln's greatest speech : the second inaugural from the AADL's collection. Visit Barack Obama's official inauguration website if you seek more information about Tuesday's upcoming events. If you find yourself wanting to relive history, Bartleby.com has the full text of ALL Inaugural Addresses of the Presidents of the United States from George Washington to George W. Bush. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

Hillary Clinton

With less than two weeks until Election Day, hopefully Hillary Clinton is taking some time out from supporting the Democrats to celebrate her birthday. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born in Chicago, October 26, 1947) is the junior United States Senator from New York, and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination in this 2008 presidential election. She is married to Bill Clinton—the 42nd President of the United States—and was the First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. If you seek more information beyond this common Hillary knowledge, check out her autobiography Living History. (Do I really need to warn you that Hillary fans will find this interesting and Hillary opponents will not find the revelations they seek?) Hillary is also the author of numerous other works including An invitation to the White House : at home with history and It takes a village : and other lessons children teach us.

Pulp Tree

Michael Moore will be at the Michigan Theater today to talk a bit then premiere his latest film "Slacker Uprising". The film is about Moore's tour of the US during the 2004 presidential campaign.

Doors open at 4 p.m. Film at 6:20. Admission is free.

passport

Beginning today, travelers crossing into the United States via land will be required to show identification documentation. Also effective January 31, 2008, U.S. and Canadian citizen children ages 18 and under will be expected to present a birth certificate issued by a federal, state, provincial, county or municipal authority. The Dept. of Homeland Security website includes an FAQ for travelers.

Come to think of it : notes on the end of the millennium

Daniel Schorr, an institution at CBS for decades and a twenty-year mainstay of NPR joined Diane Rehm 12-13-07 on her radio show to talk about his life in journalism and the state of politics in America today and his recently released book "Come to Think of It: Notes on the Turn of the Millennium"

A few weeks ago I spent a morning handing out flyers for the Kerrytown BookFest at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. I stood alongside the usual political demonstrators, with their pins and t-shirts, among them a group with a rather unconventional premise: convince former vice president Al Gore to run for president in 2008. The group’s affable volunteers persevered despite mixed responses from the market-goers; some pushed past their table, eager to reach the caffeine and pastries at Sweetwaters. Others scrunched up their faces and made rude remarks. A decent number of shoppers, however, seemed pleased to see the group, and many of them signed their petition.

So, this afternoon while perusing the most-emailed articles on the New York Times, I was not at all surprised to see the group mentioned in an article detailing the national phenomenon of support for Gore sans Gore.

…what do you think? Should Al give it a go? Thoughts on candidacy without a candidate? Discuss!

gonzalez

In the days of yore, libraries waited months, years and sometimes forever for newsworthy documents to arrive from federal and state governments. Now, the Internet has made access almost instantaneous. Late last night, the Bush Administration released thousand of additional pages of emails regarding the firing of eight U.S. attorneys. By 9:00 a.m.today, most of those are available for public review at the U.S. House Judiciary web site. For real-time government in action, watch committee hearings and speeches live on C-Span web site.

Coming in at #7 this week on the New York Times hardcover bestsellers list is Elizabeth Edwards' memoir, Saving Graces. Edwards, the wife of former vice presidential candidate John Edwards, has written a fascinating account of her life in law and politics, and an uplifting account of how she has survived both the tragic loss of her son Wade and her recent fight against breast cancer. You might also want to check out John Edwards' account of his legal career and family life in Four Trials, or take a look on-line at the Wade Edwards Foundation, which provides computer labs and other learning resources for schoolchildren.

If you're planning a trip outside the U.S. after January 7, 2007 that includes re-entry through an airport or seaport, remember that U.S. citizens will need a passport for travel to and from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean. This new rule could mean a 6 – 12 week processing wait so start your preparation now.