The documentary will appear on HBO this coming November 3rd. Watch the trailer below:

It’s safe to say that the Nobel committee is betting on America to help lead on a number of issues. The award this morning of President Barack Obama for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize is more an affirmation of the hope and diplomacy such a person can bring to the world, and less a pat on the back for his past achievements. Whether or not this complicates Obama’s agenda is an entirely different matter. One thing we do know is that committee also recognized the President for his position on climate change. “Thanks to Obama’s initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting,” they stated.

Of course, the Copenhagen climate talks haven’t even started yet — but as the Wall Street Journal points out, “Europeans, like the Nobel committee, put more weight on intentions. Americans tend to focus on achievements.” Even the best intentions mean “jack squat” if nothing comes out of them — but as Obama said this morning in reaction to winning, he would accept the award as a “call to action” for all nations to address global challenges.

“They include peace in the Middle East, the threat from nuclear weapons, global warming, and the battles against poverty, disease, and injustice,” he added.

Only time and action will show how prescient the Nobel committee’s decision truly was.

Putting the whole Fly-Gate thing behind them, PETA is now asking President Obama to join the “Meat-Free” Mondays campaign and give the White House a greener vibe.

In a letter to Obama, PETA Prez Ingrid Newkirk says that this wouldn’t be the first time an American President has urged the nation to reduce its intake of meat. “As you no doubt know, on October 5, 1947, in the first televised White House address, President Truman asked Americans to refrain from eating meat on Tuesdays and poultry on Thursdays to help stockpile grain for starving people in Europe,” she writes. “Today, the number of starving people in the world is on a par with the number of obese people in the U.S., and a restriction on meat and dairy-product intake could help tip those scales for the better.”

To read the full letter, hit the jump below.

Dear Mr. President,

Sir Paul McCartney is in town this weekend and has launched an initiative called “Meat-Free Mondays” to help stave off climate change, lessen the suffering of animals, and promote a diet healthier than the artery-clogging, obesity-inducing one that is a major cause of the soaring health-care costs and worker absenteeism in this country.

As you no doubt know, on October 5, 1947, in the first televised White House address, President Truman asked Americans to refrain from eating meat on Tuesdays and poultry on Thursdays to help stockpile grain for starving people in Europe. Today, the number of starving people in the world is on a par with the number of obese people in the U.S., and a restriction on meat and dairy-product intake could help tip those scales for the better.

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, the city of Ghent in Belgium, parts of Israel, and, this fall, many schools in the U.K. are among those embracing the concept of “Meat-Free Monday.” It’s one-seventh of where we should be, but it’s a great start. If you institute this program in the White House, it will be a giant step forward in transforming it to a green house, and it will set a wonderful example for people nationwide?or worldwide?who look to you for leadership when it comes to a kinder, environmentally friendlier, and more health-conscious approach to life.

Respectfully yours,

Ingrid E. Newkirk
President, PETA

This beautiful painting comes from the mind of artist Dan Lacey — who also features the famous President in a bunch of other interesting nude poses. If saving the world from nuclear annihilation isn’t your thing, perhaps you should check out the one where he battles Rush Limbaugh or instills confidence in Ugly Betty.

Either way, Neil Patrick Harris would be proud.

via Treehumper

The White House flickr stream provided this amusing photo of President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama participating in tree plantings at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington on April 21st. Based on Michelle Obama’s look, our President probably should have considered wearing something a bit more appropriate for tree planting.

Photo credit: Pete Souza

Here on the Razz we’ve certainty showcased many of Obama’s green initiatives since taking office over 100 days ago. From planting an organic garden to offering hybrid tax credits, the Obama clan have proved that they are taking the environment seriously.

Our friends at TheDailyGreen.com have compiled a list of 100 things the new administration has done to help make this world a cleaner place.

Here are two of my favorites:

1. Home Energy Tax Credits
President Obama’s first legislative victory in Congress was a massive economic stimulus bill that makes unprecedented investments in the environment and renewable energy. For homeowners, the biggest and most direct reward came in the form of credits for home energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments like highly efficient windows and doors, insulation, solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling systems and the like. Homeowners can claim thousands of dollars in tax credits, and pay less on energy bills for years to come.

6. Declaring Greenhouse Gases Dangerous
In acknowledging the by-now obvious — greenhouse gas pollution causes global warming, and our environment, health and well-being is threatened by global warming — Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency set the stage for the first national carbon regulations on cars and power plants. Whether that regulation comes from the EPA, Congress or both remains to be seen, but for the first time the price of fouling the climate will be factored into the cost of doing business, and ultimately that the U.S. will confront the threat of global warming. Though the costs of higher energy or other regulation may be a short-term burden, Obama and many economists believe that the cost of doing nothing will prove far costlier.

To check out the entire list, scoot on over to TheDailyGreen.com!

With TMZ breaking the news early Saturday that President Obama was planning on adopting a White House dog from a kennel instead of an animal shelter as promised, we could only hope that this was some classic form of gossip. Alas, it’s now true that the first dog will come from a breeder in Texas — and sentiments across the web have echoed disappointment in the choice.

“This is a missed opportunity to set a pet-adoption trend among Americans,” says Abbie Moore, executive director of Adopt-a-Pet.com. “With pet relinquishment up 20 to 30 percent due to the poor economy, pets in shelters can use all the help they can get.”

As an obvious preemptive counter to the growing chorus of people chanting “Bummer!”, the Obama family have pledged a donation the United States Humane Society in Washington D.C. (Actually, there’s some debate as to what Humane Society might benefit. From what we can tell, it will either be the Washington Humane Society or a branch of the HSUS. TBD. From the organization’s website,

The Humane Society of the United States congratulates the Obamas on bringing a new dog, Bo, into their family, and thanks them for taking in a second-chance dog. Bo is a Portuguese water dog who was apparently returned by the family that originally purchased him. “Americans can follow this positive example by visiting their local animal shelter or breed rescue group, and giving another dog or cat a second chance at a loving home,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS.

“And President Obama can do even more for animal protection through the policies of federal agencies that deal with the welfare of millions of pets, helping us enforce existing animal welfare laws and cracking down on the national shame of rampant puppy mills in America.”

At the very least, we thank President Obama for drawing attention to the plight of shelter dogs — and for making a donation to the Humane Society. We’re sure Bo will have a most-loving family and equally beautiful life at the White House. Obviously, we wish that the pup could have come from a shelter, but hope the promotion and support of animal rescue shelters and organizations around the country continues to be a part of this administration.

But seriously — what a bummer.

[UPDATE: PETA's response....]

[UPDATE 2: We've collected some comments from around the animal world here...]

If true, this is some severely disappointing news. TMZ is reporting that the Obama family White House dog will arrive this coming Tuesday. But unlike all of the reassurances these past few months from President Obama that the dog would be rescued from a shelter, it now appears that it will come from a breeding kennel in Texas. From the article,

The pooch will make its grand entrance on Tuesday, and it’s coming from a prominent Texas kennel, with the help of Senator Ted Kennedy’s family. The black dog — a male — is approximately six months old. We’ve learned it was bred at the kennel and sold to someone who gave it back. The kennel is now “re-homing” the dog to the Obamas. The dog was named Charlie, but the Obamas will rename it.

Now here’s where the Kennedys come into play. The kennel has sold the Kennedys three Portuguese Water Dogs in the past, all from the same lineage. The dog the Obamas will be getting is from the same lineage as the Kennedy dogs. The Kennedy family will be presenting the new dog to the Obamas, but it’s really coming from the kennel.

Now, we’re taking this news as a half-truth since a.) it originated on TMZ and b.) nobody else has confirmed any of this. But seriously, if this is the Obama family’s definition of a shelter dog, then we’ve been having our chain yanked the entire time. More details as we get ‘em.

What previously we thought might only grace the small screens of those with HBO is now coming to a theater near you. Edward Norton’s Obama documentary — now officially titled: BY THE PEOPLE: The Election of Barack Obama — will be receiving a theatrical release from HBO Documentary Films. In addition, SONY Pictures has acquired from HBO all media rights internationally (excluding UK television) and domestic home entertainment rights.

As we write earlier, Norton was inspired by Barack Obama’s speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention and felt moved to capture someone from his generation — and not his parent’s — inspiring so many and rising in leadership. Since 2006, starting with Obama’s trip to Africa, Norton and his Class 5 Films production company have had the cameras rolling every step of the way. The whole project was kept fairly secret — since neither the campaign nor Norton wanted it to fuel any criticism of Obama’s ‘celebrity’.

“Obama’s election was, clearly, a global event which people all over the world felt deeply about on both political and emotional levels. From the start, it was very important to us to share this film with as broad an international audience as possible and we’re really thrilled to be partnered with Sony in trying to achieve this because no company has more experience or reach in both the world markets and home video,” said Producer Edward Norton.

Regardless of what side of the political spectrum you fall into, this film will offer a really fascinating look at the behind-the-scenes of American politics — especially as it pertains to someone seeking the Presidency. I’m looking forward to it. Are you?

Source

Back in 2006, while he was still a junior Senator considering a run for President, Barack Obama penned a letter to PETA expressing his outrage over the annual Canadian Seal Hunt and pledging his support to help stop it.

“I share your concerns about the Canadian seal hunt,” Obama wrote to a member of People For the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, in the letter, dated April 13, 2006. “As you know, Canada annually opens its eastern waters to commercial seal hunting. The United States and European Union have been unified in their opposition to the slaughter of seals by passing legislation decades ago to restrict the sale of seal-based products within their borders,” Obama wrote. “I certainly believe in the spirit of these acts; the U.S. should not condone this recent Canadian action.”

PETA recently rediscovered the letter in files it keeps of correspondence with the US government and released it today in an effort to drum up support for ending the hunt and remind Obama of his previous sentiments. “The rediscovery of this letter came as a surprise. But we are not totally shocked by what Obama said because so far he has been very responsive on animal rights,” said Dan Mathews, senior vice-president of PETA said to The Star. “But there is obviously an opportunity now for Obama to use his good office to renew and fulfill this pledge. We are anxious to hear a response from the White House.”

So far, no comment from the White House — but it’s great to hear that Obama is already on board for ending this inhumane hunt. Let’s see if his Presidential power moves us any closer to stopping it once and for all.