Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Aug 9, 2011

Election 2012: Posturing, Posing and Press Releases:

California's Gov JERRY BROWN has signed a bill that would award all of the state's 55 electoral college votes to the winner of the national popular vote in presidential elections.
That makes California the eighth state to sign on (plus the District of Columbia), giving the effort 132 of the nation's 270 votes required to capture the presidency.
That means most California voters could choose one candidate, but the state's electoral votes could ultimately go to the competitor; however," notes the San Francisco Chronicle, "it also would make it impossible for a president to win an election without a majority of support nationally."
The movement, now some 10 years old, isn't going to impact the 2012 election. But the gist of the idea is to try and wean candidates from focusing exclusively on battleground states. The thinking is that a national popular vote would force candidates to actually campaign in states that are routinely ignored (as California often is since it's a lock for Democrats. --Maiman)

Conspiracy Corner:

CAROLINE KENNEDY has ok'd the release of audio tapes in which her mother --the late former First Lady JACKIE KENNEDY-- reportedly says that she thought LYNDON JOHNSON and his supporters were behind the assassination of JOHN F. KENNEDY. The tapes were supposed to be sealed for 50 years after Jackie's death, but her daughter has ok'd the early release.
The former first lady reportedly made the tapes within months of her husband's assassination. The tapes were recorded with historian ARTHUR SCHLESINGER, and were then sealed in a vault at the Kennedy Library in Boston. (Pacelli)

Sucks to be you:

Some actresses dream of belting out tunes on Broadway, but OLIVIA WILDE ain't one of them. AbsoluteNow.com reports the white-hot star used to dream of becoming a singer, but admits she can't hold a tune to save her life. (Lee)

Gossip Central: Tabloids:

What's hot in Hollywood from Star magazine:
--Native Union POP old-fashioned phone handset for your cell. $30 bucks at www.nativeunion.com
--Groundswell by KATIE LEE, ex-wife of BILLY JOEL $25 dollars at www.amazon.com
--Rock Star Baby babyand toddler gear from Bon Jovi drummer TICO TORRES at www.rockstarbaby.com
--Drybar, the new blow-dry salon in LA. www.thedrybar.com (Myers)

Broadcast, cable and video news:

Daily Variety says ABC has a pilot in the works based on MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY's hit film, "The Lincoln Lawyer." The film was about a criminal defense attorney who uses a chauffeured Lincoln Town Car as his office. It made $58 million at the box office when it was released in March.

Grace notes from Vinny Marino:

Artwork by MICHAEL JACKSON will be on the walls of Children's Hospital in Los Angeles. His mother KATHERINE, and his three children: PRINCE, PARIS and BLANKET were at the hospital yesterday to unveil the 12 sketches drawn and signed by Michael along with a photographed portrait of him. Michael's sister, La TOYA, said the artwork will bring joy to the kids at the hospital. (Marino)

Idiots or Insane:

A daredevil in China walked across a high-wire between two hot air balloons 100-feet above the ground.
Orange.co.uk says SAIMAITI AISHAN had to sit down halfway across the 50-foot wire after briefly losing his balance. But, after that, he got back up and finished the stunt, setting a new world record. Aishan says he now plans to do the same thing between two flying helicopters. (Still)