Posted: 28 Oct 2010 10:53 AM PDT

Part of complete coverage on

By Jim Acosta and Bonney Kapp, CNN

Political sleeplessness in Seattle

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Democrat Sen. Patty Murray facing tough re-election bid in Washington
Murray's Republican opponent, Dino Rossi, has made federal spending his top issue
The close race could make for a long night for East Coast election-watchers

Seattle, Washington (CNN) -- She went to Congress 18 years ago as a self-described soccer mom and senator in tennis shoes. Now, Patty Murray is running for her political life. Her fate in deep blue Washington state could tip the balance of power in Washington, D.C.

In a brief speech aimed at firing up a Democratic call center outside Seattle, Murray dismissed the conventional wisdom that her party is suffering from an election "enthusiasm gap."

"I have four words for you: Come to Washington state," Murray told the crowd.

And unlike other Democrats, Murray isn't running away from the president or the White House message that it's the Republicans who wrecked the economy.

But in an interview, Murray conceded that her party is in trouble.

"People are hurting. Their house is underwater. They've lost their financial future. They've lost their pension. They're insecure about where the country is going. I understand that," Murray said.

Explore the Senate races

Murray, an unabashed champion of earmarked pet projects, has tailored her election message to reflect deep concerns in her state over the deficit.

"As Democrats, we are the fiscally responsible party," Murray told the call center crowd.

But Murray's Republican opponent, Dino Rossi, a twice-unsuccessful candidate for governor, has made federal spending his top issue. He points to Murray's votes for the bank bailout, the economic stimulus and health care reform.

Rossi also vows that he will never accept an earmarked pet project in office.

The deficit, Rossi says, "is the moral issue of this campaign, because what they are doing is morally reprehensible."

Rossi didn't specify where he would cut the budget. But he differed from other Tea Party-backed Republican candidates who have advocated closing whole departments of the federal government. Rossi maintains that he would not seek to privatize Social Security.

"You really have to go line by line by line. I've actually written budgets before. I've balanced budgets before. I know how this works," Rossi said.

On the airwaves, Rossi is getting help from special interest group ads attacking Murray's votes on spending. One spot run by the American Action Network shows a senator in sneakers stepping on the backs of voters, even kids.

But some voters appreciate Murray's efforts to "bring home the bacon." Her earmarks to help fund the state's beloved ferry system have earned Murray the nickname "ferry godmother."

"That's her job," ferry passenger Toni Lysen said.

The close race in this state could make for a long night for East Coast election-watchers. Just picture the newspaper headline now: "Sleepless over Seattle."

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Taylor Swift tells kids: Read for a better life - Yahoo Finance

Posted: 28 Oct 2010 06:21 AM PDT

Hillel Italie, AP National Writer, On Thursday October 28, 2010, 9:26 am EDT

NEW YORK (AP) -- Studying hard can bring sweet rewards, like screaming "We love you!" to Taylor Swift from seats that match the color of Clifford the Big Red Dog.

The Grammy Award-winning superstar stopped by the headquarters of Scholastic Inc. on Wednesday and chatted and performed at the publisher's downstairs auditorium, where about 200 grade-schoolers and middle-schoolers, most of them girls, had received a break from class to see Swift talk about reading and writing. The children had been selected by their schools because of improvement in their reading scores.

"I think that smart kids are the coolest kids," Swift, wearing a dark-blue cotton dress with red and white flowers and two-tone high heel shoes, said to much delight as she was interviewed on stage by "America's Got Talent" host Nick Cannon.

The 20-year-old singer-songwriter, who has been busy promoting her new CD, "Speak Now," shared songwriting tips (imagine you're writing a letter, she advised), childhood reading memories and repeated plugs for books as a path to a better life.

"(Without books) You can let little things pass you by, little details," she said. "Like, say you're driving down the road and there's just this really beautiful autumn tree and it has these gorgeous orange leaves. You might just let that pass you by if you have never read books that describe how beautiful they are, from somebody else's perspective."

Swift did more than talk. She sang a few lines from one of her favorite songs, Faith Hill's "This Kiss," and was joined by her band at the end to perform her new single, "Mine."

The children made their own music, spontaneously singing along when Swift's "You Belong With Me" was played on the house sound system before she arrived.

Swift, a native of Wyomissing, Pa., whose first record came out when she was 16, said she had always been a reader and was encouraged by her parents and teachers. She started writing poetry in second grade and by fourth grade had enough courage to enter a poem, "Monster in My Closet," in a national poetry contest. (She didn't win, she says, but she did place.) Studying "Romeo and Juliet" in ninth grade helped inspire her Top 10 single "Love Story."

She also said she loved "Sesame Street" books growing up and was inspired by the stories of Dr. Seuss because of their rhymes.

"A lot of people who gravitate toward music are really, really sort of drawn to poetry because the words all have a rhythm and it comes together just right," she said. "I love poetry, because if you get it right, if you put the right rhymes at the right ends of the sentences, you can almost make words bounce off a page."

Responding to student questions, Swift said she enjoyed authors who had a "a very conversational style to their writing" and was drawn most to books that dramatized history, perhaps about a "girl during the Revolutionary War." She said reading made her a better songwriter because it helps you with "understanding metaphors" and "how to paint a picture with a song."

Asked how to encourage children who don't like to read, she suggested not taking on too much, perhaps starting with a short story or even a newspaper.

"It doesn't have to be a big, thick, long book," she said. "You don't have to pick up something that looks scary."

On stage, Swift cited Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" as a favorite. Interviewed briefly at a post-show reception, Swift said she loved the novel, set in the South in the 1950s, because of how it was narrated from a child's point of view.

"The main character didn't exactly know what was going on, but the reader does," she said. "It's all portrayed in an interesting way, all the huge issues in the book, like civil right, come from a children's perspective. It's an interesting way to tell a story."

Swift is part of a new Scholastic promotional campaign, "You are What You Read," for which authors, celebrities and public figures from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to "Percy Jackson" novelist Rick Riordan choose favorite books. Swift's picks include E.B. White's "Charlotte's Web" and Elizabeth Gilbert's memoir on divorce and recovery, "Eat, Pray, Love," not a surprising choice for a songwriter known for her romantic laments and explorations.

Swift said during the reception that she was enjoying Gilbert's most recent book, "Committed," in which the author marries the Brazilian man she met in "Eat, Pray, Love."

"Listening to her talk at seminars, especially one that I YouTubed, where she was talking about trying to create her followup project, it made me cry," Swift said. "It was so inspirational."

Alle-Kiski Valley kids buy coats with Steelers' help - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Posted: 28 Oct 2010 04:48 AM PDT

ROSS — The children's coat department in the Ross Park Mall Macy's was hot, crowded and noisy Tuesday evening, but there were no complaints from almost 50 Alle-Kiski Valley kids choosing their winter gear.

Having the Pittsburgh Steelers serve as their personal shoppers likely had a lot to do with their good cheer.

About half the team, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, teamed up with the New Kensington Salvation Army and Project Bundle-Up to provide coats, hats, gloves and shoes to needy children from Arnold, Lower Burrell and New Kensington.

"This is the best day of my life!" Javon Wade, 9, of Arnold, said as he waited for defensive end Brett Keisel to sign one of the promotional Steelers programs distributed to all the kids.

Wide receiver Hines Ward escorted Wade — clad in a No. 86 jersey — to the coat department. Ward started to question Wade's favorite color, but the boy headed straight for the black-and-gold gear.

Most of the children soon followed: "I guess we've got to wait in line," said offensive tackle Chris Scott.

After Wade selected a coat, Ward encouraged him to model his selection for the volunteers and media.

"Pose — give me a pose," Ward said. "Like you're on the catwalk. That's my man!

"I want to put them in style because I'm a stylish guy," Ward joked.

Wade enthusiastically described the experience: "Spectacular."

Ward was among the first of the Steelers to arrive and, as one of the most easily recognized players, received a hearty cheer. Many of the children had difficulty identifying the players, who weren't wearing football jerseys.

When three young boys didn't know the name of safety Ryan Clark, he joked that he was the team's water boy.

"Let me size you up," he said, lifting 10-year-old Logan Pierce from Lower Burrell into the air. "Running backs are a lot heavier than you are."

Clark urged the boys to make sure their coats were roomy: "That's what I learned when I was a kid — buy big, and you can wear it again next year."

Salvation Army Capt. Elvie Carter said he learned a few weeks ago the New Kensington branch was selected for the annual Steelers shopping spree.

He said the first 45 children ages 6 through 12 whose parents had signed up for Project Bundle-Up participated in the Steelers event.

"We're glad the Pittsburgh Steelers stepped up to help the kids, especially those outside the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County," Carter said. "I'm glad New Kensington, Lower Burrell and Arnold were remembered."

Carter said Tuesday's program will help make a dent in the services the New Kensington branch provides each winter, when hundreds of children need winter gear and other amenities.

"We are already short for Project Bundle-Up," Carter said. "The demand is always greater than the funds available."

Heather Hannan, a spokeswoman for Macy's, said the company has been participating in Project Bundle-Up since 2001.

"It's an event this store embraces," Hannan said.

Each child received a $75 gift card to buy a hat, coat and gloves. Hannan said players have paid for additional items, too.

Carter said the children would choose shoes from the nearby J.C. Penney store.

Elizabeth Holmes, 12, of New Kensington picked out several pairs of gloves in addition to her pink coat and hat: "I lose a lot of gloves."

Holmes frantically went from player to player, ensuring they signed her program. She said she watches the team play every Sunday.

She couldn't pick just one player she was most excited to see in person: "Everybody, actually. I'm so happy to meet them all."

Kids Shoes

Thursday, October 28, 2010

“'Senator in tennis shoes' running for her political life - CNN” plus 2 more

“'Senator in tennis shoes' running for her political life - CNN” plus 2 more

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