Obama brings out his Hollywood buddies

An unprecedented number of Hollywood personalities and rock stars being lined to play a role in the Denver convention, where Mr Obama will formally receive the party's nomination at the end of the month.
The decision to let some of them take to the centre stage is a calculated gamble by Mr Obama to stick to his guns in courting the celebrity vote. It comes after his Republican rival John McCain landed a telling blow last week, mocking him as the "Paris Hilton" of the White House race in a so-called "attack ad".
Mr Obama's strategists have concluded that the publicity gains from rubbing shoulders with actors like George Clooney, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon will outweigh the risks of appearing lightweight.
The list of those approved for credentials to attend the event includes the actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who recently filmed a campaign advertisement for Mr Obama, who is expected to bring her friend Madonna.
Hollywood royalty, including Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, Warren Beatty, Susan Sarandon, Forrest Whitaker and Scarlett Johansson, will also be in Denver, as well as singers Kanye West and Wyclef Jean. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones may also put in an appearance.
It is a high risk strategy in a country where Hollywood is associated with the liberal values despised by many in Middle America.
Anyone impressed yet?
Obama and Clooney have an newly formed friendship he wants to be Obama adviser.

Lets Accomodate the Muslims

Thanks to the Heads up from our fellow blogger DD2, I found this story.
A new contract approved by members of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union at the Shelbyville, Tenn., plant last November includes the change to accommodate Muslim workers.
"The negotiating committee made the holiday a top priority in contract talks," the union's Alabama and Mid-South Council Representative Randy Hadley said in a statement issued in June. "And we were able to get management to commit to it."
The change, which does not affect the company's 118 other plants, exchanges Labor Day for the Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. The new contract, negotiated last fall, also gives Muslim workers a prayer room.
"Eid al-Fitr is one of eight paid holidays for all team members covered by the contract, while Labor Day is not a paid holiday," Gary Mickelson, Tyson's media relations director, told the Shelbyville Times-Gazette.
But Tyson spokeswoman Libby Lawson told FOXNews.com that employees who are not a member of the union at that plant would still be eligible for Labor Day as a paid holiday.
The seven additional paid holidays are the employee's birthday, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, Mickelson said.
"Given the nature of our work, many, many, many times we have to work holidays anyway, and Labor Day is usually one of those holidays that our workers have to work," Lawson said. "And, of course, they are paid holiday pay when they have to work any holiday that is recognized at our facility."
Tyson officials said that approximately 250 of the plant's 1,200 employees are Somalis who entered the United States as political refugees. Most, if not all, are believed to be Muslim — among them, Abdillahi Jama.
"This new contract is good because it allows me to work on the second shift and still pray when I need to," Jama said in the union's press release. "It’s very important to us, and the Eid is one of our most sacred holidays. It shows how the union helps us."
Lawson said that the Shelbyville plant is one of a handful that have designated prayer areas that can be used by groups of all faiths.
News of the holiday change has prompted some anger on local Web message boards, with some writings urging readers to contact the AFL-CIO and boycott Tyson products.