Open Thread

Besides stopping by for an appearance with Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" yesterday, President Obama held an undisclosed meeting with high-level Hollywood executives and celebrity representatives.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the event was not a fundraiser and attendees were not expected to donate to Obama's campaign, but those in attendance were all previous Obama supporters and are considered "'influencers' with the ability to help Obama shape the national political conversation heading into...2012."

What do you make of the secretive Hollywood meeting? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

This time four years ago, Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana was elected as the first Indian-American governor, instantly becoming a rising star among Republicans. This Saturday, in yet another conservative victory, Jindal was reelected in a landslide win, garnering 66% of the vote among nine other candidates and winning every parish in Louisiana.

What do you think was most instrumental in Jindal's reelection? Do you think he will run for president after his second terms as Louisiana governor? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

The rising cost of college has put a damper on many students' educational plans, but in an effort to continue attracting students, many schools have begun turning their campuses into miniature resorts. From upscale dining facilities to rock climbing walls, it turns out that some of the costs of college have nothing to do with learning, and much of the bill is still left for the taxpayers to foot.

Check out a video of Andrew S. Rosen, author of Change.edu, explaining the costs of college after the break, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Earlier today, officials confirmed that Gaddafi has been killed at the hands of National Transitional Council forces near his hometown of Sirte. The former Libyan leader was found hiding with bodyguards beneath a road near the city. He had been injured by a NATO airstrike, and died from wounds suffered during his capture.

How do you think Libya will proceed without Gaddafi? Do you think Obama will lessen American involvement with NATO forces? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Are you watching the GOP presidential debate tonight? If so, consider joining us live here at NB as we watch the event. It airs at 8pm tonight on CNN as well as on the CNN website. We'll be posting videos and fact-checks throughout the night but if you want to add your own analysis or snark, this is the place to do it.

As with all NB live events, you are expected to abide by the NewsBusters terms of service. Vulgarity and general obnoxiousness will get you kicked from the chat room.

It comes as no surprise that Occupy Wall Street protesters continue to be arrested due to their disruptive and violent behavior, but according to a new video released by EAGtv, it seems as though being paid to protest is not the only Occupy Wall Street scam. The video captures protestors pre-arranging who in the crowd is going to be arrested so cameras can catch the most dramatic footage of the scene.

Check out the video after the break, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

The Obama administration has announced it has given up on one of the more controversial aspects of ObamaCare, known as the CLASS Act (Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act). The CLASS Act was portrayed as a cost-saving scheme in ObamaCare, but as House Speaker John Boehner's spokesman Michael Steele explained, "We have always known that this program was a naked scam — cooking the books trying to cover up the unsustainable cost of Washington Democrats' government takeover of health care."

After much criticism from congressional Republicans and centrist Democrats who called the CLASS Act a financial gimmick, do you think the rest of ObamaCare will continue crumbling? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

October 17, 2011 will be President Obama's 1000th day in office. At the beginning of his term in office, in a February 1, 2009 interview with Matt Lauer, Obama said "If I don’t have this [economy fixed] in three years, then there’s going to be a one-term proposition."

At 1000 days in, do you think Obama will see reelection? Check out a comprehensive report card of his first 1000 days after the break and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Economic Freedom, the group behind this successful video on the relationship between economy and quality of life, has come out with a second video on economic freedom in the world today, placing America behind nine other countries that are more economically free than us. As they explain, "for years the United States has been a world leader in economic freedom. But runaway government spending and burdensome regulations have caused a decline in economic freedom in the United States."

Do you think with the widespread media approval of continued government spending and endless regulations will contribute to further decline in American economic freedom? Check out the video after the break, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Tomorrow, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is meeting to consider a major postal reform plan. Postal unions across that nation have launched a national ad campaign against the reforms, and now the Oversight Committee has struck back with a video demonstrating that USPS requires reform if taxpayers are to avoid footing the bill for an eventual bailout.

Check out the video after the break, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

In early May of this year, Attorney General Eric Holder told Rep. Darrell Issa's House committee that he was "not sure of the exact date" he learned of Fast and Furious, but that he "probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks.

Now, CBS News has obtained documents showing that Holder was sent briefings on the controversial operation as early as July 2010, nearly a year before he claimed to Congress to have known about the gunwalking program. While the Justice Department claims that "Holder misunderstood that question from the committee – he did know about Fast and Furious – just not the details," the video of the May 4 committee meeting suggests otherwise.

Do you think the media coverage of Holder's lie to Congress will be as minimal as their coverage of the Solyndra scandal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Even with efforts by both parties to delay early presidential primaries and caucuses, states trying to exert heavier influence on the primary outcome are again pushing their contests into early January.

Under RNC rules, only Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina are allowed to hold their primaries or caucuses before Super Tuesday. Florida announced earlier today that it will move its primary to January 31, potentially prompting the other four states to leapfrog each other to earlier dates.

Do you think Florida made the right move and should have more of an influence in picking the presidential nominee? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

President Harry Truman signed the Housing Act in 1949, giving unprecedented power to federal, state, and local governments to reshape entire communities through the abuse of eminent domain. One method of doing so was called urban renewal, which permitted governments to destroy communities they deemed as slums, destroying approximately 2000 communities through the 1950s and '60s, and forcing 300,000 families out of their homes, often most affecting blacks.

One of the first examples of urban renewal was the destruction of six blocks of "slum" on the Upper West Side of New York. The valuable land was then contracted to private developers hand-picked by the city: members of Democratic political clubs, given as political favors, to build middle-class housing developments. With little financial incentive to build quickly, though, the buildings often sat vacant for years.

ReasonTV put together a video telling the story of the destruction of this New York City neighborhood. Check out the video after the break, and let us know your thoughts in the comments.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is speaking tonight at the Reagan Library on the theme of American Exceptionalism, and despite repeated denials that he is running for president, many hopeful Republicans are hoping for a change of heart with tonight's speech.

Former New Jersey governor and close Christie adviser, Tom Kean, maintains that Christie is "very seriously" considering a presidential bid still, while others are denying his potential run. Do you think Christie will change his mind? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

During the 2008 election cycle, small donors were the symbol of President Obama's campaign. This time around, though, Obama's low approval ratings have underscored a major problem with his 2012 campaign: the growing disillusionment from his former grassroots supporters. With their disillusionment and poor economy also comes a significant drop in the number of small donations Obama is receiving.

Do you think the drop in small donations signals problems for his campaign? Or are big donors really all that matter? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.