Is Nick Clegg the new Obama ?

He is relatively unknown and by general consensus stands very little chance of making it all the way to number 10, the Prime Minister's official residence. His party, the Liberal Democrats, has for decades has been viewed politically as second class citizens lorded over by the dominant Labour and Conservative parties, and at best were seen as a junior partners to whomever emerged as the leader.

Last night technology may have changed all that. Britain's first election debate on TV gave Nick Clegg an equal platform with the Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Conservative opposition leader David Cameron and boy did he make the most of it.

His charisma, poise and composure marked him as the clear winner form the debate.

Like Obama's coming of age moment in Iowa, Nick Clegg has seized the the baton in this race, the question is can he carry it all the way to the finish line.

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Yes it might sound crazy, a Liberal Democrat Prime Minister but that's what they said about Obama and unlike in America where it was a seemingly endless marathon the British election campaign is a quick sprint and it will be all other by May 6, making it easy to sustain early momentum.

Prime Minister Nick Clegg anyone? Or is just a pipe dream....

Sasha and Malia Obama adjusting well to White House life.

President Obama has revealed in an interview that his two daughters are adjusting extremely well to life in the White House.

The President had a big pat on the back for his young daughters on Tuesday, saying they have taken swimmingly to life in the White House.

After more than a year at the US presidential mansion, Malia Obama, 11, and Sasha Obama, 8, have made their dad proud with their ability to balance their private life with life in the public eye, he told NBC television.

"The happiest thing about the past year and a half has been the girls' adjustment. They have just been terrific. They're doing well in school," Obama said.

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"They're not as constrained. They can wander around. Their Secret Service protection is a lot more low key," he explained. "So they've got soccer, they've got basketball, they go sleep over at their friend's houses.

"Sometimes I've got 12 little girls screaming on the third floor of the White House. And they made a great adjustment."

Restaurant Nora : Michelle Obama's favourite restaurant

Today was Michelle Obama's 46th birthday and as a gift her hubby, President Obama to you and me, took her out for a surprise dinner at her favourite DC restaurant, Restaurant Nora.

Being Nosey we've had a look at well.

The restaurant describes itself as

...America's first certified organic restaurant. This means that 95% or more of everything that you eat at the restaurant has been produced by certified organic growers and farmers all who share in Nora's commitment to sustainable agriculture....

Sounds very "green", is it the sort of place where you guaranteed healthy but not necessarily tasty food? Well what do the crtics say?

The Washington Post

The homey space is decorated with quilts and has a formal, but familiar feel. A bit over-traditional for hipsters, it's parent- and grandparent-friendly.

You'll pay for the quality. The tasting menu is $75 and $65 for vegetarians. A la carte entrees cost around $30.

Reviews from actual diners on the traveller review forum TripAdvisor was somewhat mixed but still good enough to rank 22nd of the 1000+ DC restaurant ranked.

The reviews ranged from

We had a nice bottle of pinot noir that he recommended. We loved the beef carpaccio that we had for a starter and we both loved our salads (his: spinach & arugula; mine: caesar). Ditto for our mains (his: beef; mine: veal curry). I never order veal due to the mistreatment of the animals - however, these are happy calves! It was quite a treat - many different flavors on one plate. We also ordered dessert (his: chocolate chocolate mousse cake with raspberry sauce and vanilla ice ream; mine: the best apple pie I have ever had with rum raisin ice cream). It was an extraordinary meal. We lingered and did not feel rushed. Our check for all of this was $200 - a little pricey but comparable to other restaurants of this quality and style. I highly recommend Nora!

(Clearly appealing to the more "concious" diner)

to the somewhat unimpressed

I understand their focus on serving organic food, but they go a little overboard. Is it really necessary that the menu state that their waiters are dressed in shirts made of 100% certified organic cotton?

Bottom line: go here only if you're not price-sensitive. For my money, I'll go elsewhere to get the same quality of food at a much lower price.

Well if you fancy finding out what it like to dine like the First Family you can head over to Restarant Nora at 2132 Florida Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008


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She's back! Susan Boyle takes Birmingham by storm.

Susan Boyle (SuBo) is back and what a roller coaster she's been on. Heavily tipped to win the TV reality show Britain's Got Talent (BGT) after her performance in the shows auditions wowed millions of TV viewers across the United Kingdom and the world. Her explosion into the spotlight saw her gathering many celebrity fans including Oprah Winfrey, Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and US President Barack Obama.

As we all know (or should know) there is an ugly side to fame, the lack of privacy, the pressure, the media intrusion, the self-questioning, the critics. All these seemed to come together in an assault on Susan and she reacted badly, allegedly enduring a series of mini-breakdowns in the run up to the finals of the show.

Her mental state, a growing public backlash all seemed to come to a head in BGT final which saw a surprise victory by dance group Diversity with Boyle as runner up. The drama didn't end there as the next day the news came out that Doctors were assessing her under the "mental health act" and she was later admitted to the famed (or should that be infamous) Priory Hospital in North London.

Cue a media frenzy over a whole range of issues, exploitation of reality TV contestants, is Susan Boyle's career over, did the British public build her up just to knock her down, etc.

Last week Susan Boyle was released from the Priory and there were lingering concerns as to whether she'll ever get back onn track and in particular will she make the BGT Winners tour but the woman it seems is more resilient that we have been led to believe as she not only made a appearance at the first date of the 29-venue tour, but put in a show stopping performance.

Reviews of her performance were overwhelmingly positive.

“She came out and did great — she really was fantastic. She performed brilliantly and it was such a good night. After I heard she had come out of rehab, I had no doubts that she wouldn’t turn up.”

“I’m a massive fan, I think she is fantastic and I think she should have won. After the concerns that she might not turn up, everybody was so pleased to see her. She looked more confident than usual, but compared with others out there she didn’t look that comfortable — she still looks very aware of the stardom.

“She was first on after the interval and she got a standing ovation. All in all, it was a really good night.”

Even more importantly after cynical TV bosses had forced her to maintain her dowdy Scottish spinster look through out the competition this was the first opportunity for fans to see what a rejuvenated Susan Boyle could look like and it was an incredible transformation, she si almost unrecognisable.

Leona Lewis says "no" to Obama

How can a recent winner of a reality TV show tell when they've made it ? When you are too busy to to have dinner with the President of the United States that's when.

Leona Lewis winner of ITV reality program X-Factor in 2006 has turned down an invitation to have dinner with President Obama, according to a report in the Daily Mirror.

The 24-year-old singer was flattered by the offer but is currently too busy recording her second album in Los Angeles.

A source told the newspaper: "Leona was thrilled to be invited to dinner by Obama. She really wanted to meet him and his wife Michelle - who is a big fan and has her Spirit album.

"They both think she is a strong, inspirational and talented young woman who is a fantastic role model for children. They would love her to get involved in some of their charity projects. But it was really unfortunate that it clashed with her tight schedule to get her second album done."

The insider added: "Leona has had studio sessions in L.A. booked for months and has been working day and night getting things perfect. So there was no way she could make the trip to the White House as it would have put back recording by a week and she's desperate to get it all finished."

Clintons marital bliss defies the naysayers

In some quarters (read mainly Republican ) it was felt that the reportedly strained marital arrangement between ex-President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary was a sham and a product of ruthless political calculation. Stories and snipes about the marriage reached a peak in the run up to the Democratic Presidential nomination which Hillary eventually lost to Senator Barack Obama (now President Obama).

To the chargrin of the naysayers there seems to be a new blossom in the relationship, and the The Times reports citings of the pair at intimate dinners in up market eateries such as New Yorks's Cafe Carlye and moonlight strolls along the MacAthur Boulevard in Washingotn DC, the US capital.

This has confounded critics of the pair who had long held that the couple were always one step away from divorce. Initially it was sure to happen after they left the White House in 2001, then it became the day after Hillary secured her Senatorial seat, and then it became the day after Hillary conceded the democratic race to Barack Obama.

All these days have come and gone and the couple seem to be defying the cynics, whose lastest claim is that they are holding out in case Obama fails to secure a second term nomination. However the answer may be simpler, maybe after all the ups and downs of the last two decades the Clintons just enjoy each others company.

Portuguese Water dog for Sasha and Malia

We all know politicians can be slippery with their promises, but Barack Obama made one promise he'd do almost anything not to break and he hasn't. Yep, the puppy for Presidential daughters Sasha and Malia is on its way.

In an interview with the People Magazine Michelle Obama has revealed that they have finally settled on a choice for the girls. It is to be a Portuguese Water Dog.



It must be a Democratic Party favourite as Party Grandee Senator Ted Kennedy also owns two of these poodle look alikes. The Obama's are going to adopt one from an animal shelter and it is will move into the White House in April.

Michelle does Vogue, now Barack does Vanity Fair

It looks like the US First Couple (Barack and Michelle) might be moonlighting as magazine cover models. Next month two of the biggest style magazine are both featuring one half of the First Couple on their March Covers.

We reported on Michelle appearing on next month's cover of Vogue, now Barack Obama would have appeared to have decided 'what Michelle can do, I can do as well' as he is featured on the cover of the March edition of Vanity Fair. Like Michelle's Vogue cover the President's pictures were taken by the legendary celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz.



March's cover is the second time Barack Obama has appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair having done so previously in July 2007 in a strikingly similar pose.



It will be interesting to see who does the better numbers Vogue or Vanity Fair :-)

Sasha and Malia face "celebrity" ban

For the Obama daughter's Sasha and Malia, the last few days have been a whirlwind of fun, fame and celebrities and boy what a load of celebrities.They mingled with Beyonce at one of the inauguration concerts and were surprised in the White House by their favourite bands the Jonas Brothers.

All good things however must come to an end and Mum Michelle has decided like all Mum's do that maybe they are having too much of a good thing and for now has decided that they are to be no more celebrities in her daughter's lives for the time being.

US Weekly reports that ban has come into place to keep the girls grounded as they settle in the new home and hew school - Sidwell Friends School.

Probably a good thing because we all know Barack has a tough job with the economy and Iraq and all, but it can't be underestimated how challenging a job it will be for Michelle to chaperon these two girls through four (or even eight) years of insane publicity that is sure to follow and ensure they come out at the other end sane and balanced individuals.

Senator Oprah Winfrey ?

The political circus surrounding the Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich got a little more surreal when he revealed this morning that he had considered selecting Oprah Winfrey to replace Barack Obama as one of the two Senators representing the state of Illinois.

In an interview with ABC's Good Morning America he said that although he considered offering the position to Oprah he knew she probably would not have accepted it.

In response Oprah speaking on SIRIUS XM (see audio below) confirmed that she would not have been interested if approached.



Rod Blagojevich faces an impeachment hearing over allegations that he had tried to sell the Senate seat vacated by Barack Obama on becoming US President, and looks likely to lose his post as Governor.

Did Mariah Carey storm out of Obama inauguration?

Wow there are Divas and then there are DIVAS!. According to stateside reports it is claimed that Mariah Carey stormed out of Obama's inauguration ceremony allegedly upset that she wasn't seated close to the new First Couple.

A spy said, "Mariah was in the VIP area, where every celebrity, like Jon Bon Jovi, Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Bruce Springsteen, was seated. But somehow she thought she'd be up with the Obama family. When she realized she wasn't, she bailed."

Hmmmh....The Audacity of Divas, eh!