Arnold Schwarzenegger mugging for the cameras at McNally-Jackson (Photo: Kara Bloomgarden-Smoke)

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger held an impromptu book signing at indie bookstore McNally-Jackson in Nolita this afternoon. Mr. Schwarzenegger announced the surprise signing via Twitter and in a note on Facebook leading a crowd of over 100 almost exclusively male fans to rush downtown to shake the Governator’s large hand and have him sign copies of his tome Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story.

Mr. Schwarzenegger's arrival was preceded by a surprisingly mellow soundtrack featuring Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel and Leonard Cohen. Just about five minutes after the scheduled start of the signing, Mr. Schwarzenegger strolled in, wearing a dark suit, cowboy boots with an Americana pattern and a skull ring nearly as large as his finger. The body builder-turned-politician then sat down to autograph his autobiography at a table next to a cardboard cutout of him in his prime (i.e., flexing in a bikini).

“Thank you so much for putting this together so quickly,” whispered a publicist from Simon & Schuster, the book’s publisher.

Although the Governator’s handlers claimed the event was planned last night, bookstore staff told The Observer they were given a head’s up about the signing late last week.

“You working out? You look pumped up,” Mr. Schwarzengger said as he shook hands, signed books and posed for pictures with fans.

“You know anything about watches? This is a Legacy,” Mr. Schwarzenegger told one fan who complimented the timepiece sticking out from the cuff of his suit jacket. Apparently, the Legacy watch is a good choice for those with large forearms, as it dwarfed Mr. Schwarzenegger’s sizeable wrist.

The Governor was not supposed to pose for pictures or sign anything other than books, but he generously did both.

Reporters were allowed in a small roped off area adjacent to Mr. Schwarzenegger's table and informed they would not be permitted to ask questions. One brave soul from Inside Edition attempted to circumvent the ban.

“You were great on GMA,” she yelled before being gently reminded the Governor was not speaking with the press.

Probably due to the crackdown on reporters, the only remote reference to the love child scandal Ms. Schwarzenegger endured last year at the signing was a fan who said to him, “What happened happened...You are doing the right thing.”

“Thanks. Have a nice day,” the Governor mumbled, before posing for yet another cellphone picture.

Outside the event, where the line of Mr. Schwarzenegger's admirers snaked around Prince Street and more media staked out the signing, it was a different story. Another Inside Edition reporter and a cameraman interviewed fans who exited the signing and asked their thoughts on the Governator's past transgressions.

"You can't judge somebody," said one man who identified himself as a member of an online Schwarzenegger fan club.

"Yes you can!" shouted another man who had been standing in the street watching the proceedings.

An earpiece-clad member of Mr. Schwarzenegger's security team kept watch over the line, enforcing a rule that only those who purchased books could have an audience with the Governator and helping several bewildered patrons who showed up to shop at McNally-Jackson with no idea they were walking into an autograph signing. At one point, we overheard him on the phone with a colleague saying, "Find me a cigar store."

Knowing Mr. Schwarzenegger is a big fan of fine, hand-rolled cigars, we piped in and recommended nearby Mulberry Street Cigars in Little Italy. The security staffer dispensed Mr. Schwarzenegger's personal assistant to check out the cigar shop.

Inside, all 162 copies of Mr. Schwarzenegger’s memoir in stock at McNally-Jackson sold out before the line finished. Fans who were unable to buy books asked if they could pre-order with the store or online and still get pictures with the Governator. The security team informed them there wouldn't be enough time, but, in an attempt to alleviate the disappointment, Mr. Schwarzenegger posed with his last remaining admirers.

One of his handlers told him he had to retake the picture because it was too blurry.

“So don’t shake,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said. “Somebody is schvitzing.”

“Don’t worry, he’ll be back,” somebody said, as the Governor and his entourage departed the bookstore.

Outside, Mr. Schwarzenegger entered his car without taking questions from any of the assembled media. Thinking that, perhaps he and his team had taken us up on our cigar store recommendation, we headed down Mulberry Street to see if we might have another shot to speak with the Governator.

When we arrived, we found Mulberry Street Cigars had the lights off and was closed for the day. It seemed both The Observer and the cigar store missed our respective shots at having a moment with Mr. Schwarzenegger.

Footage from Gary DeLong's new video show the alleged "stalker" following him and his family. (Photo: YouTube)

Gary DeLong says he, his wife and his six year old daughter are being stalked by operatives working with his rival in a California House race. Mr. DeLong released a web video today documenting what he says is his family being tailed through the streets by "a tracker" sent by his Democratic opponent in California's 47th Congressional District, Alan Lowenthal. Footage in Mr. DeLong's ad shows him walking around Long Beach's annual Greek Festival with his wife and child while being closely followed by a young, blonde woman wielding a video camera.

"The lady following Gary? That's not his videographer," text explains in Mr. Delong's video. "Unfortunately Lowenthal and his party bosses felt it necessary to intrude on Gary's quality family time by sending a tracker to record his every move."

Mr. DeLong is a Republican member of the City Council in Long Beach. Mr. Lowenthal is a Democratic California State Senator. Republicans around the country have complained that Democratic House candidates backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee have become overly aggressive in their use of "trackers" this election cycle.

"Trackers" are operatives who follow candidates to obtain damaging video footage. They have long been a part of political campaigns, but in recent months, Republicans have accused the DCCC of crossing the line with round-the-clock tracking and filming of candidates' homes that some have described as a safety risk.

Mr. DeLong told Politicker the Greek Festival was the first time he believes he was tracked by the Lowenthal campaign. Though he was initially unfazed by the tracker, but decided to publicize the footage after seeing how other people reacted to the story of his experience with "the stalker."

"It didn't get to me that much, but we saw a lot of people who found it repugnant that that's what my opponent feels he needs to do to win elections," Mr. DeLong explained. "Whether you're a Republican or a Democrat, people are looking for the problems to be solved. When you're doing this kind of stuff, it's not about solving problems. It's disgusting and just inappropriate for 2012."

Though he doesn't know the name of his "stalker," Mr. DeLong said he has seen her several times since the Greek Festival, which occurred on Labor Day weekend.

"That was the first time, but I've seen her many times since. She gets right in your face. She doesn't do it from fifteen feet away. You're talking to your wife and she's just two feet away," said Mr. DeLong.

We reached out to Mr. Lowenthal to inquire about the stalking allegation. As of this writing, we have yet to receive a response.

Watch Mr. DeLong's video about his "stalker" below.

A still from Jorge Robles' campaign video. (Photo: YouTube)

Jorge Robles is running against Democratic California Congresswoman Linda Sanchez in today's primary and he thinks she should be removed from office. He let his supporters know why with a video entitled "Take Linda Sanchez OUT!" where he repeatedly refers to Ms. Sanchez as a "HOT MESS!!" and uses a machine gun to help make his point.

Mr. Robles' video begins with a standard title screen and a pair of photos of Mr. Robles. After momentarily flashing on a jerky shot of a local restaurant, Tacos Don Chente, a computer animated Uzi-like gun appears on the screen and begins shooting. The bullets blast away at a concrete wall to reveal the text "Jorge Robles For Congress--TAKE LINDA SANCHEZ OUT OF OFFICE." This machine gun computer animation repeats three times in the five-and-a-half minute video.

The Politicker spoke with Mr. Robles' campaign manager, Robert Davis and asked why Mr. Robles chose to use the gun imagery in his ad. Mr. Davis said the ad was "just a way to get our message out" and pointed to Mr. Robles' career as a state parole agent.

"There's nothing into that. Mr. Robles is in law enforcement, if you're not aware of that, so I think it's his way of just kind of sending our message. We're going after Linda Sanchez, not in the way that portrays it to be if you're thinking like that," Mr. Davis said. "We're very strongly against her policies, and her programs and people really need to understand what she's about."

After the first footage of the machine gun, Mr. Robles appears standing in front of Tacos Don Chente. As ominous music plays in the background, he explains why he feels Ms. Sanchez must be removed from office.

"Linda Sanchez has not provided a job or created any jobs like she says she does. Her record speaks for itself," Mr. Robles says. "She always claims that she's pro-business, yet her record speaks for itself."

As the dramatic soundtrack continues to play, footage of Ms. Sanchez appearing on MSNBC during last years budget crisis begins to play. The MSNBC host is shown asking Ms. Sanchez if she'd join other lawmakers and forgo her paycheck in the event of a government shutdown.

"I have to tell you that I live paycheck to paycheck like most Americans," Ms. Sanchez replies.

In the video, bits of Ms. Sanchez's response are repeated multiple times as text flashes across the screen saying she "makes $173,000 a year" and the sounds of a shouting, angry mob play in the background. The words "HOT MESS!!" also flashes across the screen twice as the MSNBC clip plays.

Jorge Robles (Photo: Facebook)

Following the MSNBC footage, the machine gun animation plays for the second time before more footage of Mr. Robles standing in front of the restaurant criticizing his opponent.

"She doesn't understand that, to create jobs, is to reduce the regulations and startup fees and, as your congressional representative, that's what I plan to do," says Mr. Robles.

The ad continues with photos of Mr. Robles and footage of him meeting with local business people. For the grand finale, the machine gun animation plays one final time.

On his campaign website, Mr. Robles describes himself as having a "career in law enforcement." He is a first-time candidate running as a Republican. In California's 38th District, which is located in the Los Angeles metro area, Republicans and Democrats primary against each other with the top two vote-getters moving on to the general election. Another first-time Republican candidate, Benjamin Campos is also running against Ms. Sanchez. The district leans heavily Democratic, so Ms. Sanchez, who began serving in the House of Representatives is highly likely to win re-election, but she will probably have to face off against Mr. Robles or Mr. Campos in the general election.

In the past, political candidates have drawn criticism for using gun imagery or other implied threats in campaign materials. Last year, Sarah Palin's PAC sparked a high profile controversy after using gun sights to indicate the Democrats in Congress they were targeting for removal. In 2010, Arizona congressional candidate Jesse Kelly hosted an event where he invited supporters to “shoot a fully automatic M16″ to “get on target” and “remove" his opponent, Gabrielle Giffords. Mr. Kelly's event was thrust into the spotlight last year after Ms. Giffords was the victim of an assassination attempt by a deranged gunman.

As of this writing, Ms. Sanchez hasn't responded to a request for comment on this story.

Watch Mr. Robles' machine gun campaign ad below.

George Clooney (Photo: Getty)

There were 150 supporters at the fundraiser including two women who won an online contest after making small donations online. The rest of the crowd paid $40,000 apiece to attend the dinner, which was held under a tent set up on Mr. Clooney's outdoor basketball court.

Mr. Clooney said the event was put together with the help of DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg. Other attendees of the dinner included Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Salma Hayek, Tobey Maguire, Barbra Streisand (who, according to then pool reportwas "looking serious throughout"), Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Billy Crystal.

President Obama told the crowd he saw one of his famous "HOPE" posters from the 2008 campaign hanging in Mr. Clooney's house.

"People don't realize that the photograph of me is actually me sitting next to George," the president said referring to an event where Mr. Clooney was discussing the situation in Darfur. "This is the first time that George Clooney has actually been photo-shopped out of a picture. Never happened before, will never happen again."

President Obama concluded his remarks by telling the crowd to expect a tough, close election.

"I will just close by saying this is going to be harder than it was the last time. This is going to be harder than it was last time, not only because I’m older and grayer and your HOPE posters are dog-eared. 2008 in some ways was lightening in a bottle," he said. "That’s not going to be replicated and we shouldn’t expect it to. I’ve been president for three and a half years but part of the reason it’s going to be harder is because folks are still hurting out there and those frustrations with Washington and with the nonsense they see on the news is making them more cynical than they were in 2008."

President Obama said he and his supporters would have to fight against this "cynicism and the belief maybe things can’t happen and maybe the game is rigged" to win the election.

"We’re going to have to keep those fires burning all the way through November and beyond because I’m not interesting in just winning the election," he said. "I’m interested in making sure we can finish what we started in 2008."

"The passage of Amendment One is a profound injustice. Singling out a class of citizens for discriminatory treatment is unfair, unlawful and violates basic American values," Mr. Umhoefer said. "Gay and lesbian Americans, like their fellow citizens, want nothing more than to marry the person they love. Committed, loving couples and their families should not be denied this most fundamental freedom."

AFER is dedicated to "achieving full federal marriage equality." The foundation is currently sponsoring Perry v. Brown, a court case challenging the constitutionality of California's gay marriage ban, Proposition 8. In February, a three judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on the case and decided Proposition 8 was unconsitutional. The case is expected to reach the Supreme Court on appeal.

North Carolina's gay marriage ban, Amendment One, was backed by about 61 percent of voters. Supporters of the ban included a majority of both Republican and African American voters.

"My ability to speak clearly and forcefully on the issues has been greatly diminished by the hyper-partisan discussion of personal issues that sometimes comes from a presidential campaign," Mr. Grenell said in a statement announcing his resignation.

This story has led to a fresh batch of questions about whether or not gays and lesbians have a place in the Republican party. Mr. Grenell may have been the only openly gay person to take a prominent role on Mr. Romney's campaign, but there is a growing number of openly gay Republicans gaining prominence in the GOP.

Read on to acquaint yourself ten of the top power gay Republicans.

Opponents of Proposition 8 celebrating outside the 9th Circuit Court today. (Photo: Getty)

Proposition 8, the ban that ended California's brief, four-month-long flirtation with same-sex marriage in 2008, was struck down today by a federal appeals court. The three judge panel of the ninth circuit court ruled 2-1 in favor of overturning the voter-approved measure.

"Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California," judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote in the ruling.

The ruling, which only applies in California, says communities are permitted "to enact most laws they believe to be desirable," as long as there is "at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently."

Proposition 8 was declared unconstitutional by a federal judge in 2010, but the ninth circuit ordered a stay on the ruling that kept the ban in place during the appeals process. Because of this, Gays and lesbians hoping to get married in California will have to wait a while longer as supporters of the ban say they plan to appeal to a larger ninth circuit panel and take the case to the Supreme Court if necessary.

A coalition of conservative groups including the National Organization for Marriage has been backing the legal fight to uphold the ban. A gay couple, Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo, and a lesbian couple, Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, are the plaintiffs in the case against Proposition 8. They are being represented by a team of lawyers headed by David Boies, who represented Al Gore in the 2000 election recount suit, and Theodore B. Olson, who was George W. Bush's solicitor general from 2001 until 2004.

Michael Grimm and Loretta Sanchez. (Photo: YouTube)

Republican Congressman Michael Grimm, who represents the 13th District in Brooklyn and Staten Island, will be sitting next to his frequent television sparring partner, Democratic California Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, at next week's State of the Union address.

"While Congresswoman Sanchez often has opposite views and tries to hog the camera in interviews, I am pleased to be sitting with her," Congressman Grimm said in a joint statement announcing their State of the Union date. "The country expects and deserves Members of Congress to work together, find common ground, and put America first.”

Congresswoman Sanchez said she was looking forward to sitting next to Congressman Grimm "even though I'm constantly having to correct Michael on his positions during our joint interviews."

“I always enjoy a good, bipartisan spirited debate with him and we need more of that in Congress,” she said. “I look forward to us attending the State of the Union together and look forward to discussing an agenda with Michael that will move our country forward in 2012.”

This is the second straight year that lawmakers have agreed to promote a spirit of cooperation by having bipartisan seating at the State of the Union. Last time around, MSNBC's Chris Jansing asked the pair if they would agree to sit together during one of their interviews. Congressman Grimm had already agreed to sit next to Congressman Gregory Meeks. 

Former Comptroller Alan Hevesi was denied parole and will spend another year behind bars for his role in a pay-to-play pension fund corruption scandal.

Speaking of comptrollers, advisors for Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer reportedly hope he'll take advantage of John Liu's troubles and run for comptroller rather than entering the tougher mayoral race. 

Governor Cuomo's administration and legislators in Albany might have a special session to talk about an economic package that includes new taxes for wealthy New Yorkers.

In closing arguments, lawyers for City Councilman Larry Seabrook described the government's "so-called evidence" presented at the councilman's corruption trial as "a shell game."

Albany's holy trinity--Governor Cuomo, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos all support expanded casino gambling in New York.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver lost a battle with a pothole.

Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg teamed up to support same sex marriage.

Should Kirsten Gillibrand's low approval rating make her sweat?

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to President Obama's health care reform.

Newt Gingrich gained ground on his Republican rivals this weekend.

Former President Bill Clinton and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair started their own hedge fund.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan's top legal advisor resigned on Twitter due to his concerns of her handling of Occupy Oakland.

Utah's Republican Senator, Orrin Hatch, got the TMZ treatment in Los Angeles.