America Ferrera in News

Obama, Clinton’s Latest Spat

Amy Chozick reports from Santa Barbara, Calif.After a surprisingly civil Democratic debate Tuesday night, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are at it again.A Spanish-language radio ad airing in Nevada and paid for by one of Obama’s labor allies calls Clinton 'shameful” and says she 'does not respect our people.”The ad, produced by the textile and hotel workers’ union UNITE-HERE, aired the ad in response to a lawsuit filed by Clinton supporters that failed to shut down the special caucus sites on the Las Vegas strip, where most of the union members would go to vote. 'Hillary Clinton should not allow her friends to attack our people’s right to vote this Saturday. This is unforgivable; there’s no respect,” the ad says. 'Sen. Obama is defending our right to vote. Sen. Obama wants our votes. He respects our votes, our community our peopleÂ… Vote for a president who respects us.”In response the Clinton campaign called a press conference with Dolores Huerta, an iconic Hispanic labor leader and Clinton supporter. She suggested the ad was prompted by Obama’s lack of Hispanic support. 'It’s pathetic and it’s sad and it’s unfortunate that they have to stoop so low,” Ms. Huerta said, adding that in all her years of organizing Latino workers she never met Obama. Winning the Hispanic vote is a huge part of the Clinton campaign’s strategy to win in Nevada on Saturday and California on Feb. 5. The campaign has attracted many high-level Hispanic endorsers including former US Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros. Over the past two days in Nevada and Southern California, Clinton has appeared at events with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and 'Ugly Betty” star America Ferrera. The ad also managed to enrage candidate John Edwards. In Iowa, Obama came down hard on the Edwards campaign for accepting negative advertising from so-called 527s or non-profit groups that seek to influence elections. 'He loudly and repeatedly attacked independent ads by unions in Iowa as the product of special interests. But when a different outside group starts running ads on his behalf in Nevada, there’s not a peep from him or his campaign,” said deputy campaign manager Jonathan Prince.'Obama believes, and has said clearly, that campaigns should fund themselves and discourages supporters from spending outside the campaign,” an Obama spokesman said.

Chelsea raises money for mom

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The former First Daughter, who has been stepping up her campaign trail presence in recent weeks, sent an e-mail this morning soliciting donations to her mom's campaign.The note from Chelsea Clinton is part two of the fundraiser to be Clinton's guest at next week's debate in LA.Dear Friend,Contribute today and you could join us at the January 31 debate in Los Angeles!I love talking to people who are thinking about supporting my mom -- about why I believe in her and why I support her as a young American, a woman, and her daughter!I also love talking to people who already support my mom's campaign. Every day, when people tell me they're voting for my mom, putting their faith in her, using their voice to encourage others to support her and working hard for her, I grow more proud.I've been campaigning with her across the country -- and I'm definitely planning on being at the next debate. Would you like to join me? The campaign is picking an online supporter to watch the January 31 debate in Los Angeles with me and to meet my mom. I know she'll be thrilled to meet you -- she is so grateful for how much every supporter has done for her campaign.With the biggest day of this campaign in just 12 days, there has never been a more important time to contribute. I hope you'll help my mom's campaign prepare for February 5!Enter before midnight on Saturday, and you might join me at the next presidential debate!I get a lot of questions from friends and people I meet about what they can do to help my mom win. Of course, I tell them that they should vote, tell their family and friends about my mom and why they support her, and volunteer if they can. But I also send them to the website and ask them to make a contribution if they can.Today, I'm asking you the same thing. I've knocked on doors, made calls, visited our field offices, and joined my mom at rallies. I can tell you firsthand that my mom is doing a great job, and that we have a big job ahead of us; she needs help from every last one of us right now.Please contribute now, when she needs your support the most, and help her change America and our futures for the better.Enter before midnight on Saturday, and hopefully you will join me to watch the next presidential debate!Thank you so much for all you're doing for my mom's campaign. I'm so proud she has so many wonderful people like you with her!Thank you again,ChelseaHere's some video of the younger Clinton campaigning in Nevada with "Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera.Also, Brian DeBose and I have a story in today's paper from the campaign trail here yesterday. - Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times

Hughley boosts his Image

Comic D.L. Hughley will host the 39th annual NAACP Image Awards, which air Feb. 14 (Fox, 8 p.m. ET/tape PT) from Los Angeles. The show will feature appearances by Ugly Betty's America Ferrera and Vanessa Williams, as well as Regina...