In a video sent to donors on Friday, David Plouffe, Barack Obama’s campaign manager, claimed that the Senator received 100,000 contributions in the wake of a new McCain campaign ad portraying Obama as an out-of-touch celebrity. The ad, which juxtaposes images of Obama against images of Britney Spears and Paris Hilton and which calls Obama the “biggest celebrity in the world,” drew ire from the Obama campaign. Plouffe told donors that, of the 100,000 contributions they received on Thursday, over 1/3rd were from first-time donors....

Former Texas Senator and McCain economic advisor Phill Gramm told the Washington Times on Wednesday that the economy is merely in a state of “mental recession” and that the United States has become a “nation of whiners.”...

No passport required for U.S. citizens. Including Hillary. Finally - someone from the Bush White House makes a little sense. South Carolina G.O.P. snubs the shrub. Florida shares some of its really great election karma with Michigan. Vatican: vagina = total deal breaker. In the world of fashion, either you're in or you're out. Cosmos, manolos and sex. Oh my....

Obama wins big in North Carolina; Clinton ekes out Indiana Cyclone deaths in Myanmar may top 22,000 New Russian president sworn in; Putin to become prime minister 96 arrested in San Diego State University drug bust Sprint, Clearwire team up on plans for national high-speed wireless network Team readies artificial beak for wounded bald eagle Lakers' Kobe Bryant named NBA Most Valuable Player......

Clinton wins in Pennsylvania; North Carolina and Indiana next up World food prices soar; threaten the poorest nations Violent days in Chicago: 36 shootings, 9 homicides PETA offers $1M prize for lab-grown meat Mysterious lights in the sky over Phoenix spook residents Bear from Will Ferrell movie kills trainer 15-year-old Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) to write memoir......

Before we let Texas fade off the political radar for a while, let's take a look at the Texas Democratic elite who will likely have the final say in who their nominee for president will be. ...

There's a Joke in Here Somewhere: Clinton Campaign Stations Media Next to Toilets At yesterday's "Texas-sized Town Hall" at the Austin Convention Center, Senator Hillary Clinton's media entourage was forced to work out of a men's bathroom in a nearby community center. "It was immediately interpreted as something of a metaphor for the Clinton campaign's attitude to the press: With Sen. Hillary Clinton at Austin's convention center for 'a Texas-sized townhall,' her media entourage......

Admittedly, the Democratic delegate selection process in Texas is ridiculous, especially to casual voters who don't hold a particular allegiance to either candidate—or, in this case, the exact type of swing voters that each campaign is now clamoring to bring to the polls next Tuesday. ...

Today both the Clinton and Obama campaigns announced upcoming town hall meetings. Obama's will take place tomorrow at the Austin Convention Center, while Hillary's sounds like more of a "virtual" town hall meeting - on TV the Monday before election day....

The Black Crowes are accusing Maxim Magazine of writing a review of their record without actually listening to it. When Busey Attacks: Gary Busey crashes the Oscars, much to the chagrin of Ryan Seacrest. Over the weekend, Hillary Clinton provides the public with further evidence that she's basically already lost by doing the one thing she shouldn't do: Go even MORE negative. Check this video footage from Rhode Island last Saturday... Ralph Nader's running for President again. We guess he's just bored or something. What other reason could he possibly have?...

Photos from last night's historic CNN/Univision Debate between Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton. All photos by Steve Hopson for Austinist.com. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.......

Michael Olsen could get his job back with APD on a technicality. Man's body found near North Campus area; police say he fell off the roof. Obama's rally tomorrow night will close down roads downtown, so don't say we didn't warn you. Hillary trying to nab the Longhorn vote by wearing burnt orange today?...

Photo from the Austin History Center archives Since so many of you wrote in asking about places to watch the Democratic Presidential Debate, we went ahead and called around town. Below are your best options if you missed out on the Alamo's watch parties or the Texas Democrats' party—both are now sold out. We still recommend calling ahead to make sure the folks below haven't changed their minds, and feel free to share any that......

Former Austin mayor and current Texas State Senator Kirk Watson made an appearance on MSNBC last night after officially endorsing Senator Barack Obama. When asked by Chris Matthews to list just a few of Obama's legislative accomplishments, Watson looks stumped, and then only manages to respond with a weak, 'Well, I am not going to be able to name you specific items." From the Huffington Post: But he was unable to answer Chris Matthews......

AT&T Marathon this Sunday morning; watch out for street closures. Early voting starts next week, but you can't vote at Northcross! Bill Clinton will visit Hillary's new Austin campaign headquarters on Saturday night. Ack! 26,000 people so far have entered the raffle for the 100 seats at next week's debate. UT Associate Athletic Director Douglas George Wilson being investigated by Travis County and UT for possible theft of $60,000....

Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are both spending an estimated $1 million on TV ads airing across Texas this month. Two recent polls show two different plausible outcomes for our March 4th primary — a Texas Credit Union League poll conducted just days ago shows Clinton ahead 49% to 41%, whereas a poll released this morning by The American Research Group shows Senator Barack Obama leading Hillary Clinton 48% to 42%. Things are certainly getting interesting ......

After taking statements and checking evidence, APD thinks that Tevin Park-Flowers' death at NYOS was accidental. 3-year-old rescued from meth lab home in South Austin. Fire in neighboring building that damaged the Austin NAACP's office last night ruled to be arson. Flame-themed bar coming to E. Sixth Street, brought to you by the 36-year-old owner of Qua and Vicci. Catholic church leaders angry at St. Mary's University in San Antonio for housing a Clinton rally last night....

At least it has a cool roofUPDATE: The Statesman has just released information from Hector Nieto of the Texas Democratic Party that attendance to the Feb. 21 Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton debate will be by invitation only. Well, while we were all was guessing The LBJ Library, Hogg Auditorium or The Frank Erwin Center, UT has announced that the February 21 Democratic Debate will officially be held at The Recreation Sports Center. Yes, this no name......

Meanwhile, both Obama and Clinton are pulling out all the stops to appeal to our state's Hispanic population, which account for as much as 25% of Texas' eligible voters, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. Obama today launched a Spanish radio ad (mp3) stressing his humble working-class roots. Each campaign is also spending upwards of $1 million on TV ads that began running this week....

Hillary Clinton says we really matter! Texan self-esteem at an all-time high (and that's saying something). GM wants to buy out every single one of its United States hourly workers. Texas beats No. 3 Kansas in basketball, 72-69, in front of a sold-out Erwin Center. By 2050, one in five Americans will be foreign-born, survey saith. ...

After eight years of having Texas be a no-contest state for all presidential hopefuls, this election year it could play kingmaker for one of the two Democratic candidates. The Ohio and Texas primaries on March 4 have already been dubbed Super Tuesday Two by many news outlets. Between the two states, close to 400 delegates are at stake. Texas with 126 and Ohio with 140 (not counting superdelegates). Austin accounts for 8 of the total Texas delegates....

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Barack Obama win South Carolina. Like most Americans, I like Barack Obama. And, like most Americans, I'm not sure why....

Roy Spence, the Austin advertising legend and co-founder of the GSD&M ad agency, has recently taken a more prominent role in the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton....

More talk of the coming recession: "The question is not whether we will have a recession, but how deep and prolonged it will be." Meanwhile, Austin's economy may be uniquely positioned among the nation's cities to withstand a potential recession....

The week's news on arts, books, film and music....

Hillary Clinton's win last night in New Hampshire shows that as much as the media hates to admit it, the Democratic candidacy is still up in the air. And McCain beat Romney in New Hampshire's GOP primary. That both party's nominations are still so unsure gives possible campaign donors pause. Video: Obama campaign workers appear paranoid in this Guardian story. The situation in Kenya post-election isn't improving. Stolen paintings, including a Picasso, recovered in......

Having won the Iowa Democratic Primary, U.S. Presidential candidate Barack Obama appears to be rocking and rolling with new momentum. The latest numbers show Obama leading the pack in the New Hampshire Democratic Primary, with Hillary Clinton lagging in second place by a 10 point gap. What's going on here?...

From our sister site in Boston: A man has taken people at the headquarters for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign hostage in Rochester, New Hampshire, and he wants to speak to Hillary Clinton. Check Bostonist for the latest updates.......

Hillary Clinton compares Dick Cheney to infamous science fiction character. Guess which one. Thousands are gathering in Jena, LA today in support of the 'Jena 6.' Republican representative claims just too many mosques in this country. The UN's General Assembly is next week and Iranian President Ahmadinejad asked to lay a wreath at Ground Zero. The NYPD is not having it. One heck of prank or one heck of a hangover. 100,000 cans of......

While SFist cringed at the fatal dose of crime littering the Bay Area, it found solace in Hillary Clinton's San Francisco campaign headquarters opening, which featured loads of exposed mammary glands. In other news, SF Taxi Commission ruled that Satan's cab must keep its (in)famous medallion number, 666; and in an un-fashion-forward frenzy, San Francisco Fashion Week (chortle) bars bloggers from covering and getting smashed at their shows and parties, respectively. Also, they found a......