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Thursday, October 11, 2007

Latino youth meet “Fez”

By Whitney Boyd | Thursday, October 11, 2007, 04:25 PM

Actor and producer Wilmer Valderrama reminded Latino youth leaders at a luncheon on Thursday to be grateful for their rich heritage. Valderrama, most recognized as the quick witted Fez on That 70’s Show, emigrated from Venezuela to America when he was 13.

fez.jpgRepresenting the American dream story, Valderrama advised the young audience to recognize their strength as Latinos in America, saying, “When I came to this country, I could not speak English, now look how far I have come. We are a strong people that can do anything.”

Actress Rosario Dawson, who has had leading roles in Men in Black II and Rent, also attended the event.

More than 100 young Latino leaders from across the country flew into Washington, D.C., to attend the luncheon in collaboration with the Hispanic Heritage Awards Celebration. The event provided a platform for young Latino leaders to network and share their personal stories of obstacles overcome to achieve success, although some of the female participants trailed off to meet with actor Valderrama.

The luncheon also recognized the eight winners of this year’s Hispanic Heritage Youth Award. Winners were selected from 13,000 applicants and received scholarship money for college.

One winner, Miami resident Fabian Poliak, graduated as the valedictorian of his high school class and is now in his first year at Harvard University. Moving from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to America when he was 10 years old, 19-year-old Poliak said being a Latino immigrant has given him an edge over his classmates.

“Knowing where I come from, I know I can never settle,” Poliak said. “My parents sacrificed a lot to get me here and I know I always have to do my best.”

While at Harvard, Poliak said he is working to eliminate ethnic and cultural barriers that separate racial groups at his school.

Another award recipient, Daniel Lage, is also in his first year at Harvard. As a Miami resident, Lage said his greatest challenge since moving from Cuba has been starting school not knowing English. After graduation, Lage hopes to be a medical director and expand healthcare for the underserved Hispanic community throughout Florida.

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White House demotes Carter

By Ken Herman | Thursday, October 11, 2007, 01:35 PM

White House reaction to former President Carter’s harsh assessment of Vice President Cheney? Not much, other than a demotion.

This today from Press Secretary Dana Perino:

“I haven’t talked to the president about the recent comments by VIce President Carter. Obviously, he’s an American citizen and free to express his views. Personal attacks on the vice president are just something that we’re not going to comment on. And if the former president chooses to engage in that, we’ll let him do that on his own.”

For the record, Carter told the BBC today that Cheney has been a “disaster” for the U.S.

“He’s a militant who avoided any service of his own in the military and he has been most forceful in the last 10 years or more in fulfilling some of his more ancient commitments that the United States has a right to inject its power through military means in other parts of the world,” Carter told BBC World News America.

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Dan Bartlett’s free speech

By Ken Herman | Thursday, October 11, 2007, 10:33 AM

It costs up to $30,000 to get former White House Counselor Dan Bartlett to speak at your function. But, thanks to the speakers bureau that represents him, you can see the speech free here http://www.leadingauthorities.com/24384/Dan_Bartlett.htm

Click on the Chamber of Commerce link to see video of Bartlett’s recent speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It includes his less-than-flattering remarks about some of the GOP presidential candidates.

Also watch for Bartlett’s recollections about sitting in on President Bush’s meetings with Russian President Putin. “Each of them become a little bit more bizarre,” Bartlett said of Bush-Putin summits, noting that Russian leaders “still work in the old KGB group think about America.”

That showed up, Bartlett said, when Putin told Bush that the U.S. sends to Russia only poultry from “bad chicken plants.”

Bartlett also talks about what it’s like to deal with Vice President Cheney up close and personal. “The Cheneys aren’t into small talk,” Bartlett said, adding, “What you see publicly is basically what you get privately with the vice president. It’s a very matter-of-fact conversation usually with him.”

And watch for a pretty good Bush impression when Bartlett talks about Putin showing off his bigger-than-Barney dog.

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