Bill de Blasio, Dante and Dante's afro appearing at Sunday's campaign announcement.

One of the breakout stars of Bill de Blasio's mayoral campaign announcement last weekend was his son Dante's prodigious afro. In the days since Mr. de Blasio's kickoff rally at his home young Dante's hairstyle has earned coverage in the New York Times and inspired a parody Twitter account. Politicker spoke with Mr. de Blasio during his marathon first day on the campaign trail Monday and he revealed Dante's hairdo may have its roots in classic rock.

Mr. de Blasio brought up his son's now famous 'fro after we overheard him telling a campaign volunteer he attended Bob Dylan's concert at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn last November.

"I love Dylan," Mr. de Blasio said when asked about his musical tastes. "I've been listening to a lot of Jimi Hendrix lately because my son, Dante, is a huge Hendrix fan. I think that's part of the inspiration for the afro, the afro of huge proportions."

In addition to his penchant for classic rock, Mr. de Blasio said enjoys a variety of other musical genres.

"I like a lot of things; big Talking Heads fan, big Bob Marley fan," he said. "I've been listening to a lot of Third World lately, so I'm eclectic."

Mr. de Blasio didn't say whether Dante shares his predilection for reggae. If he does, perhaps we will see him sporting some even more impressive hairstyles in the near future.

An image from the flyer for the Downtown 4 Democracy debate party.

Downtown 4 Democracy, the anti-Tea Party "hipster PAC" is teaming up with Vice magazine to host a watch party for the first presidential debate on October 3 with well-appointed "swag bags" chock full of politically-themed goodies from several big name designers and chefs. The event, which will be held at the Jane Hotel, will also include a DJ set by the "experimental pop duo" Tanlines.

Tickets for the debate party start at $25, but the "swag bag" will only be available to attendees who fork over $250 for "VIP seating." The  gift bag will feature goodies from Opening Ceremony, 3.1 Philip Lim, Rizzoli, Momofuku Milk Bar, The Smile and Neistat Studio along with t-shirts designed by Chrissie Miller, Andrew Kuo, Deer Dana and Curtis Kulig. Guests who opt for the "swag bag" will also receive political buttons made by Elizabeth Peyton and Rirkrit Tiravanija.

Downtown 4 Democracy was founded in 2003 to "organize artists around the Bush/Kerry presidential election." The group has three goals for this year's election; raising "awareness in the creative community," registering voters and raising money "that will go towards unseating a targeted list of Tea Party incumbents who won office in 2010." So far, Downtown 4 Democracy's 2012 events have drawn an eclectic mix of celebrities and liberal wonks including; chef Mario Batali, rapper Mos Def, Girls star Lena Dunham, Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson and MSNBC host Alex Wagner.

View the full flyer for the Downtown 4 Democracy debate party below. In keeping with the evening's theme, it's a remix of an old gallery advertisement for a show with downtown darlings Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Anna Wintour (Photo: Getty)

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour is one of President Barack Obama's biggest cash cows. The New York Times published a ranking of Mr. Obama's top bundlers for the current election cycle this week. Ms. Wintour came in fourth on the list of these influential power fundraisers who accumulate checks from friends and business associates.

As of May, Ms. Wintour bundled $2,682,001 during 2011 and 2012. The three people ahead of her on the list for the current cycle are the Democratic National Committee Treasurer Andrew Tobias, retired JP Morgan VP Azita Raji and P.R. exec Michael Kemper. In addition to her status this year, counting her numbers for the last election cycle, Ms. Wintour is one of the four top Obama presidential campaign bundlers ever with a grand total of $5,448,371 raised.

Along with the money she's gathered from friends and minions, Ms. Wintour personally gave President Obama the maximum donation of $5,000 for this election cycle. Last time around, she gave him $750. President Obama isn't the only beneficiary of Ms. Wintour's political largesse. Federal campaign finance reports show she has made $96,450 in political donations since 2004.

Anna Wintour (Photo: Getty)

Vogue editor in chief Anna Wintour is using her reputation as a demanding fashion editrix to raise money for President Barack Obama. On Sunday, Ms. Wintour sent an email with the subject line "I take deadlines seriously" reminding Obama supporters of the contest for donors to win a chance to attend Sarah Jessica Parker's fundraiser for the president this month.

"There's simply no excuse to let this slip," Ms. Wintour wrote with her trademark dose of mild menace. "I don't do this sort of thing often--get involved with politics, that is. But I'm doing everything I can to support President Obama this summer and fall because it's important that we all do."

Though Ms. Wintour says she doesn't generally get involved in politics, federal campaign finance reports show she has made $96,450 in political donations since 2004. The beneficiaries of Ms. Wintour's largesse include John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Hillary Clinton's 2005 Senate campaign, the unsuccessful congressional bid of former Houston Mayor Bill White andLong Island Congressman Tim Bishop.

Since 2008, Ms. Wintour has given $71,200 to the DNC. In 2008, she gave President Obama $750 for his White House bid. This time around, Ms. Wintour gave President Obama $5,000.

Read Ms. Wintour's fundraising email below.

"I take deadlines seriously.

I'm writing to remind you that you're facing one tomorrow: your last chance to join President Obama, the First Lady, and me for dinner at Sarah Jessica Parker's home in New York on June 14th.

There's simply no excuse to let this slip:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Night-in-New-York

I don't do this sort of thing often -- get involved with politics, that is.

But I'm doing everything I can to support President Obama this summer and fall because it's important that we all do.

Nights in New York like this one are a happy side benefit.

I hope to see you there.

Anna Wintour"

President Obama at Barnard.

In his commencement speech at all-women's Barnard College today, President Barack Obama mentioned the importance of focusing on "studying" rather than "our pop culture obsession with beauty and fashion." Afterward, he quickly added his wife, Michelle Obama might have something slightly different to say about coutoure.

"Now, Michelle will say you can care about it a little," he said. "You can be stylish and powerful too, that's Michelle's advice."

Much of the president's speech at Barnard focused on women's issues. He credited the women in his life with defining and supporting his career. He also emphasized the growing number of women and minorities taking roles in business and government.

"Whether it's starting a business, running for office, or raising an amazing family, remember that making your mark on the world is hard," he said. "Whenever you feel that creeping cynicism, ... whenever somebody tells you to set your sights lower, the trajectory of this country should give you hope."

Alexander Wang's sweatshirt designed for the Obama campaign. (Photo: BarackObama.com)

A $95 sweatshirt currently being sold in President Obama's campaign store is the work of Alexander Wang, a designer who's facing a class action suit in federal court for allegedly running a sweatshop where garment workers were forced to work 100 hour weeks in a factory with conditions "comparable to those of third world countries" while being subjected to racial discrimination, verbal abuse and threats. C.K. Lee, the lead attorney representating the workers who are suing Mr. Wang told The Politicker he thinks the presence of the sweatshirt is "inappropriate."

"Hopefully, the campaign would be more educated on the background of Alexander Wang and his sweatshop facilites and the abuse of worker's rights," Mr. Lee said. "I wish Obama would be more--or at least his campaign would be more in tune with what's going on."

Mr. Wang's Obama sweatshirt is part of the "Runway To Win" collection, which includes Obama campaign gear made by 22 other designers including Vera Wang and Marc Jacobs. Runway To Win was announced in January, before Mr. Wang's legal troubles began, but his contribution to the project was never removed from the campaign store once the allegations came to light. Mr. Wang's sweatshirt for the project features the phrase "Let Us Be Clear" emblazoned along the zipper.

Alexander Wang (Photo: Getty)

The lawsuit against Mr. Wang began in March when he was sued for $50 million by thirty workers in Queens Supreme Court. At the time, a spokesperson for Mr. Wang vehemently denied the allegations. The case was subsequently discontinued and taken over by Mr. Lee who refiled in federal court.

Mr. Lee's complaint claimed Mr. Wang's garment workers suffered "inhumane working conditions" in his factory on Broadway which was described as a windowless space "about 200 square foot in size, with more than twenty garment workers working inside at any given time." According to the complaint, workers were "required to work inhumane hours ... in excess of 100 hour weeks at times (15 hours per day for 7 days per week)," particularly during the lead up to the four seasonal Fashion Week shows in New York. Workers were allegedly not paid overtime, given proper breaks, or sick leave. One plaintiff, Wenyu Lu, described being hospitalized for 12 days after they "passed out at the work station" after a working "25 hours with no break" and being "pressured" to "continue to work or be fired." A spokesperson for Mr. Wang later claimed Mr. Lu was fired for "serious harassment issues."

In addition to the brutal conditions at Mr. Wang's factory, the lawsuit also claims workers faced "intentional affliction of emotional distress" including being "regularly called 'lazy,' 'stupid'" and other names and being subjected to "disparaging references" to their "national origins." Workers were also allegedly told that  "if anyone complained they would be summarily terminated" leading to constant "fear of retribution and retaliation." The complaint also accuses Mr. Wang, who is of Taiwanese descent, of multiple counts of racial discrimination for because their managers were allegedly all white while "all garment workers are exclusively Asian or Latino immigrants ... because such minorities are easily controlled and fearful of losing their jobs."

A spokeswoman for Mr. Wang told us the sweatshirt was "just designed by him" and not produced at his factory and that he is "not planning on creating any other designs for Runway to Win." The Obama campaign has not responded to a request for comment on this story.

The "Peace Through Strength" T-Shirt. (Photo: GOPStore.com)

According to a list of "hot items" in the Republican National Committee's online store, the top seller on the site right now is a t-shirt that features the peace sign made out of a B-52 Bomber. Accompanying this illustration is the old Ronald Reagan campaign slogan "Peace Through Strength."

There are also stickers and buttons with the "Peace Through Strength" bomber logo in the RNC store as well as a cornucopia of other exciting items like an inflatable GOP elephant, and a jigsaw puzzle featuring a painting of George W. Bush playing a game of cards with his father, Reagan, Richard Nixon, Dwight Eisenhower, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.

Gerald Holtom designed the peace sign in 1958 to serve as the logo of the British Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). He chose the shape in the middle that the RNC has replaced with a B-52 because it represented the combination of the shapes used to represent N and D (short for nuclear disarmament) in flag semaphore. By adding a B52 to the peace symbol, the RNC replaced a signal that stood for nuclear disarmament with the exact type of plane the U.S. uses to drop nuclear bombs.

This isn't the first instance of conservatives taking a shot at the peace sign. In 1970, the ultraconservative John Birch Society published an article that claimed the peace sign had roots as a pagan medieval "symbol of the antichrist." The John Birch Society also had stickers that dubbed the sign the "Footprint of the American Chicken."

Oscar de la Renta (Photo: Getty)

Fashion designer Oscar de la Renta is endorsing Adriano Espaillat in the race for the 13th congressional district. In a statement announcing his endorsement, Mr. de la Renta, who is from the Dominican Republic, called on Democrats and Latinos in particular to back Mr. Espaillat in his quest to become the first congressman of Dominican descent.

"I am proud to endorse Adriano Espaillat for Congress and I call on all Democrats, particularly the Latino and Dominican communities, to join me in rallying behind Adriano’s historic run to change the political landscape of this country," Mr. de la Renta said. "Our communities are at a crossroads and we need leadership that can help us meet the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Senator Adriano Espaillat's record clearly indicates that he will bring bold, new ideas to move our communities forward. I am fully committed to add my voice to help elect Adriano to Congress."

This endorsement isn't Mr. de la Renta's first foray into politics. The designer's dresses have been favored by occupants of the White House for decades. Mr. de la Renta has also made ample contributions to Hillary Clinton, former Democratic House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee.

For his part, Mr. Espaillat said he was "humbled" to have the couturier's support.

"We are humbled and energized by the support of Oscar de la Renta, who has joined voters in Manhattan, the Bronx, and beyond, in recognizing that our communities need change," Mr. Espaillat said.

Mr. Espaillat is one of four candidates who are attempting to unseat veteran congressman Charlie Rangel in the 13th district, which includes Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx. Mr. de la Renta's fellow designers Marc Jacobs and Donatella Versace have yet to weigh in on the race.

Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin in "Game Change." (Photo: HBO Films)

Sarah Palin's former stylist, Lisa Kline, appeared on a pro-Palin internet radio show dedicated to debunking HBO's controversial 2008 election drama "Game Change" today to say her boss took fashion very seriously in spite of the way she's depicted in the movie. Ms. Kline gave "Game Change" a generally positive review, but she quibbled with a scene that showed the actress Julianne Moore portraying Ms. Palin mispronouncing the name of fashion designer Jimmy Choo and taking a cavalier attitude toward her clothing.

"The only specific scene that I have a problem with is when Julianne as the character Sarah mispronounced Jimmy Choo. It was only a small dramatic license, but that never happened, and they also portray Sarah as having fun with the clothing and the real Sarah took it more seriously," Ms. Kline said in her appearance on "Sarah Palin Radio."

Ms. Kline, who said she played "a small part" in "Game Change," was invited to watch the movie at the splashy New York City premiere last night. "Sarah Palin Radio" is "an independent program that supports Gov. Sarah Palin." The show's host, LaDonna Hale Curzon, said she invited Ms. Kline to come on as part of a series in which she's conducting "interviews with several people who were portrayed in the movie" as part of an effort "to get to the truth of the matter and expose 'Game Change' for what it really is, an attempt to smear Sarah Palin." Ms. Kline said a scene showing her dressing Ms. Palin was "inaccurate."

"The actual scene was inaccurate. Sarah did not have fun with the clothes," Ms. Kline said. "The scene, which you'll see when you see the movie, has music and it looks as though she's enjoying the clothing, as though it was some form of a small party, when indeed, she really did take the clothing seriously and her appearance, as do all women."

Though she objected to "Game Change's" depiction of Ms. Palin's sartorial sensibilities, by and large, she gave the movie a thumb's up.

"The movie, as a movie, was very well directed and the actors were amazing in the roles in which they played. Julianne Moore did a superb job as her portrayal," Ms. Kline said.

“Game Change” is based on a book of the same name by journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, which presented a behind-the-scenes look at the election. Danny Strong, who wrote the screenplay, also did his own reporting, Ms. Kline said Ms. Strong had "a brief discussion" with her as part of his research. Despite her gripe with the tone of the clothing scene, Ms. Kline said she was pleased Mr. Strong didn't place too much emphasis on Ms. Palin's fashion choices.

"I think they were actually fair in not to devote so much time in the movie to the wardrobe and I tried to emphasize that in my meeting with him," Ms. Kline said.

Ms. Palin, who has not seen the movie , is none too pleased with "Game Change." Last week, she released a video to supporters calling the film "fiction" and accusing HBO of "manipulating facts" to push a "biased agenda."

"Game Change" premieres on HBO March 10. Listen to Ms. Kline's appearance on "Sarah Palin Radio" below.

Diane von Fürstenberg speaks at Mayor Bloomberg's press event.

Fashion legend Diane von Fürstenberg attended Mayor Michael Bloomberg's press event celebrating New York's fashion industry and the initiatives his administration has taken to promote couture. Of course, The Politicker, always ready to tackle the tough questions, asked Ms. von Fürstenberg if she had any fashion tips for Mr. Bloomberg.

"He's so hot, he doesn't need any," she responded as Mr. Bloomberg did a huge eye-roll.

The Mayor then pointed to his tie. "Thank you, my new tie was a gift."

Mr. Bloomberg, it should be noted, has not been spending what we can only assume to be his fairly large fashion budget on shoes.

Ms. von Fürstenberg's isn't alone in her praise for Mr. Bloomberg's good looks. Even pop star Lady Gaga was unable to resist the mayor's charms on New Year's Eve and, last month, Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer called him "dashingly handsome."

"Coming from a gay man, that is a big compliment," Mr. Van Bramer made sure to add.