As Barack Obama Fires Up N.Y., Michelle Obama Talks Iowa Strategy

At a stump speech in New York's Washington Square Park, Sen. Barack Obama joked about knowing Greenwich Village's bars and tried to deflect criticism about his inexperience. "There are those in this race for the presidency who are touting their experience working the system, but the problem is that the system isn't working for us," Obama said, in New York to chip away at his rival Hillary Clinton's lead. While Clinton is expected to carry New York, the state splits its delegates proportionally. So the percentage of the vote candidates get equals the percentage of the delegates they can count in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Obama believes he can pick up enough delegates in New York and other states to make a difference. Read this story from The New York Times.

Michelle Obama spent the morning of her husband's New York rally talking about strategy. "If Barack doesn't win Iowa, it is just a dream. If we win Iowa, then we can move to the world as it should be," Michelle told a crowd of Democratic Iowa voters.

But some in her husband's camp are downplaying the importance she put on Iowa's upcoming primary election. "Let's not make too much of this. She was just firing up the troops in Iowa, which she is excellent at doing," Bill Burton, an Obama spokesperson, told CNN. Obama is running third in Iowa behind Clinton and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. A recent Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll showed Clinton will likely get 28 percent of the vote, Edwards will likely get 23 percent, and Obama will likely get 19 percent.

(See also: What's 'Black Enough?' Michelle Obama Fed Up With Debate and Michelle Obama Spills Barack's Personal Secrets)

Victory for LGBT Rights! Senate Passes Hate-Crimes Bill

The U.S. Senate passed The Matthew Shepard Act, also called the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, on Thursday, expanding the federal hate-crimes coverage to include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability. The hate-crimes amendment was first introduced 10 years ago after the murder of Matthew Shepard. FBI statistics show that hate crimes declined slightly in 2005 to about 7,163 from 7,649 in 2004. Nearly 14 percent of hate crimes were committed against LGBT people. But New York City, Phoenix, Alabama and Mississippi were among cities and states that did not report their hate crimes, so the FBI's report is incomplete. Read this story on CivilRights.org.

(See also: Gay-Rights Legislation: Will the President Use His Veto?)

DREAM Act Blocked

The DREAM Act, which would give legal status to undocumented immigrants who are high-school graduates, failed to pass on Wednesday. Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., had sought to offer the measure as an amendment to the Defense Department authorization bill. Republicans rejected the measure as amnesty for undocumented immigrants. Click here to read this story from The New York Times.

Bush Citizenship Test Called 'Unfair'

Can you explain why the colonists fought the British or what the "rule of law" is and outline one constitutional amendment concerning the right to vote? If not, then you could not pass the Bush administration's new citizenship test. Applicants are asked 10 questions and must answer at least six correctly to pass. "This is a naturalization test, which genuinely captures the applicant's knowledge of what it is he's about ready to be, a United States citizen," said Emilio T. Gonzalez, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, to the Los Angeles Times. "It's no longer a test about how many stars are on the flag or how many stripes; it's a test that genuinely talks about those things that make America what it is." Immigrant advocates say the test is unfair. Citing the recent 69 percent increase in the citizenship application fee to $675, immigrant advocates say the test is another barrier for legal permanent residents hoping to become Americans.

(See also: Latino Population Growth in Untraditional Areas Shows Benefit to Economy)

Giuliani Gets Endorsed By Ward Connerly's Crony

Former California Gov. Pete Wilson, who helped Ward Connerly ascend state politics and ban affirmative-action policies from University of California schools and state regulations, has endorsed former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Wilson also supported a law that blocked undocumented workers from most government services, Prop. 187. But because of Wilson's ties to anti-affirmative-action issues and Prop. 187, the endorsement could drive Latino voters away from Giuliani, as Wilson's support of Prop. 187 is blamed for driving Latinos from the GOP in California. His endorsement could help Giuliani among the conservative voters who are likely to cast ballots in California's Feb. 5 primary. While Prop. 187 passed, the law was quickly overturned by the courts and never took effect. Wilson won reelection after Prop. 187 but he was a pariah in the Latino community. Click hereto read this story on FOX News.

(See also: Who Is Paying to End Affirmative Action?)

'I Hate Gay People': Tim Hardaway 'Gets Educated' About LGBTs

Former NBA all-star Tim Hardaway is one of the last people you would expect to hear discussing ways to keep transgender children safe. Only seven months ago, Hardaway answered "I hate gay people" when a radio host asked how he'd respond to having a gay teammate. In response, the NBA banned Hardaway from its all-star weekend and he became the poster boy for homophobia in the league. But now Hardaway is working with LGBT-advocacy groups. He's declined interviews on his change of heart saying he doesn't want it to appear like a publicity stunt. Thursday he did talk to The Associated Press, however. "I just wanted to go in and get educated, that's all. Get educated on what I said and why I said those things," Hardaway said. "I'm working on understanding it now. I'm not really trying to make amends. I've been there trying to get help."

(See also: Ex-NBA Star Declares 'I Hate Gay People' and Furor Over Hardaway's 'I Hate Gays' Comments: What Our Readers Said)

Some Justice in Jena

Mychal Bell, one of the black teenagers in Jena, La., accused of beating a white classmate, was released from custody Thursday after a juvenile court judge set his bail at $45,000. Bell, 17, was one of six black Jena teenagers who were originally charged with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy for a schoolyard brawl in which the six beat a white teenager unconcious. The white-male teenager was treated at the hospital for a black eye, cuts and bruises and was then released, according to CNN. Bell was the only one of the group to still be jailed. He was convicted of conspiracy to commit second-degree battery, but a district judge earlier this month tossed out that conviction, saying it should have been handled in juvenile court. The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeal in Lake Charles did the same with Bell's battery conviction in mid-September.

(See also: No More Nooses: Thousands Storm Louisiana Town to Free Jena 6)

'Grey's Anatomy' Star: 'I've Learned So Much'

"I feel I've learned so much this past year, so I'm grateful for that," T.R. Knight said on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," about him being openly gay, according to a story from People.com. Knight was motivated to reveal his orientation a year ago after his then co-star Isaiah Washington used a homophobic slur on the set. "Everyone has their own path," Knight said to People.com. "You just have to respect that ... I don't think it's right to force that. It's impossible to know. There's just a lot of soul searching you have to do."

(See also: 'Grey's Anatomy' Star Isaiah Washington Makes Amends With Gay Community)

Where Is a Public Kiss With Richard Gere Illegal?

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty is still dealing with the ramifications of the on-stage kiss actor Richard Gere planted on her cheek at a public AIDS awareness event in New Delhi in April. Shetty was in tears Wednesday after immigration officials at Mumbai airport briefly detained her because they said she is still wanted for obscenity charges filed after Gere kissed her, her publicist told The Associated Press. The obscenity charges were overturned by India's Supreme Court but the ruling didn't show up in the immigration department's computer system. After the April kiss, Gere apologized for the offense. Shetty was flying to to Berlin where the musical "Miss Bollywood" opens this weekend. Shetty plays the musical's lead role.

War Against Medical Marijuana Hurts Children

Raids on medical-marijuana dispensaries throughout California on July 17 by federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents sent the signal that the federal government was escalating its war on medical-marijuana dispensers who walk the line between federal enforcement and local laws. Often people nabbed did not look like drug dealers but looked like Ronnie Naulls, a medical-marijuana patient, a churchgoing family man, and a small-business owner in the IT and real-estate industries, who also owned two dispensaries, reports AlterNet. DEA agents not only raided Naulls' home and office, but the county child-protective services took his three daughters, ages 1 to 5, and charged Naulls and his wife with child endangerment. Federal versus state enforcement of drug laws is becoming a hot-button issue. All Democratic presidential candidates are against federal intrusion in states that permit medical marijuana. Republican presidential candidates Texas Rep. Ron Paul and Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo are also strong supporters of states' rights to establish medical-marijuana laws.  

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