Watch out Santa. A new poll from Public Policy Polling shows 47 percent of Americans believe there is a “War on Christmas.” For years conservative pundits, particularly Fox News host Bill O’Reilly, have argued that secularization efforts including encouraging generic “holiday” celebrations rather than Christmas festivities amount to an assault on the Christian holiday. Read More
Late Tuesday night, Andrew Cuomo’s girlfriend, celebrity chef Sandra Lee, set the internet abuzz when she tweeted a photo of an ornate Christmas tree at the home she shares with the governor in Westchester. However, that tree, which came complete with a silver-plated tiger statue that cost up to $4,432.80, was just the beginning. Ms. Lee made another post last night indicating she decorated six other trees in their home.
“Mantle is wonderful and matches tree!! I did 7 tree’s again this year! White room done! Family room next,” Ms. Lee wrote. Read More
Sandra Lee, the cooking show host and girlfriend of Andrew Cuomo, just posted a picture of the Christmas tree in the Westchester home she shares with the governor on Twitter.
“Merry Christmas! Our tree just went up! So exciting. Happy holidays,” Ms. Lee wrote.
Ms. Lee was not exaggerating. The tree is indeed quite an exciting sight. It’s an epic all-white model featuring internal lighting and, most impressively, a massive silver tiger at it’s base. Read More
September 17 is the anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street protests, but it is also Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, a day when observant Jews are supposed to go to temple and refrain from a whole host of activities. Because these religious obligations might prevent Jews from participating in the protests planned for the Occupy-iversary, a group called Occupy Judaism is planning an Occupy Rosh Hashana service in Zuccotti Park on September 16. According to the Facebook invite for the event, Occupy Rosh Hashana will include, “a potluck dinner,” a “nondenominational holiday service” with “Occupy Torah” and, of course, the requisite apples and honey.
“Using Jewish holidays as a way of calling for social and economic justice is in line with what the prophets envisioned, as far as what an act in the service of God is,” Occupy Judaism founder Dan Sieradski explained to Politicker. “God wants you to pursue justice, not to talk about it in a book, to go out and pursue it.” Read More
This morning, President Barack Obama spoke to a group of soldiers, veterans and family members of fallen troops gether at Arlington National Cemetary for Memorial Day. The president took note of the fact this is the first Memorial Day in nine years since the end of the Iraq War.
“For the first time in nine years, Americans are not fighting and dying in Iraq. We are winding down the war in Afghanistan, and our troops will continue to come home,” he said. “After a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon.” Read More
Mitt Romney marked the Memorial Day holiday today with the release of a new web video entitled “Thank You” in which he praises veterans and pledges to “keep America strong, and worthy of the great sacrifice of America’s veterans.”
“We rightly call our fathers and mothers the greatest generation, but every woman and every man who has or now defends amer liberty share in their heritage of greatness every veteran is the greatest of his generation,” Mr. Romney says in the video. “It’s time for us to come together and to carry our message across this country, we’re restoring those principles that made America the great nation that it is.” Read More
WASHINGTON — Rick Santorum’s campaign manager, Michael Biundo, responded to the growing controversy over a Hanukkah card signed by “S.C. Team Santorum” inscribed with a New Testament bible verse that implies non-Christians will “walk in darkness.”
“It certainly wasn’t an authorized graphic that they sent out. I’m not even sure who did it, you know, the South Carolina office is not even–you know, not together at this point,” Mr. Biundo told The Politicker at the Conservative Political Action Conference today. Read More
At a press conference at Silvercup Studios in Queens today, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he doesn’t support the push to make Lunar New Year a holiday in New York City public schools.
“No. I mean, You cannot have … a day off from school for every single holiday or we’d have no school,” Mayor Bloomberg said in response to a question from The Politicker. Read More
State Senator Daniel Squadron and Assemblywoman Grace Meng celebrated the Year of the Dragon by sending Mayor Michael Bloomberg a letter asking him to make the next Lunar New Year a holiday in city public schools.
“According to Asian customs, all the members of a family gather together on the eve of the New Year to prepare a giant feast and perform certain rites. Because of these important customs, a school holiday would allow Asian American children to celebrate the holiday with their families,” they wrote.
Currently, public school students receive an “excused” absence if they give written notification they’re missing class for Lunar New Year, but those absences still count on their record. Read More
Mayor Michael Bloomberg flipped the switch to launch the Times Square ball drop and ring in 2012 last night with the help of Lady Gaga and an awesome, patriotic sweater. Happy new year from all your friends at The Politicker!
