Goodmorning everyone! It’s Audra (Alisyn’s intern) blogging for Alisyn this morning since she is on vacation. This morning in the greenroom everyone is sharing some of their favorite Tony Snow memories and discussing what a great man Tony was…I thought it would only be appropriate for all of us to talk about the same on the blog today.

This is a picture of me and my wife Larson. We have smiles on our faces because it is a rare moment when we don't have our children with us.

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Good morning!  Care to take a stab at a t-shirt slogan for Hillary Clinton?  Her campaign started a contest for the best t-shirt message.  You can help her retire her campaign debt by buying one for $50.  For my money, the winning one is way too long.  Check it out: 

So let’s improve on it.  Any suggestions for a better Hillary t-shirt?  And while we’re at it, let us know your ideas for ANY t-shirt or the funniest one you’ve ever seen.  

Wanna talk about John McCain’s top economic advisor Senator Phil Gramm’s comments about us being only in a ”mental recession” and the country being filled with whiners?

Also, I hate to break this news here but…I’m going on vacation for the next 9 days.  I know, I know, how can I be so selfish?  Don’t worry, I promise to check in with you guys even during my sojourn.  And I’ll send some photos too.  Just as soon as I figure out how.

So here’s an interesting twist we’ve been batting around in the Greenroom this morning.  Rev. Jackson is no media novice, he knows his way around an open mic.  Is it possible that he didn’t mind his comments about Barack Obama being heard?  On the flip side, he did whisper it to the guest sitting next time him, so maybe it really was NOT for public consumption.  Is EVERYTHING that happens during a political campaign by design?  Or are we newscasters too cynical?  Yes, you can answer ALL OF THE ABOVE.

ALISYN IN THE GREENROOM:

Did you hear us talking this morning about the end of the world? It wasn’t a FOX News Alert, rather a theory held by thousands of people worldwide that the Apocalypse is coming and the year will by 2012. Some say a polar reversal that year will cause devastating earthquakes, massive tidal waves and volcanic eruptions. Their belief is based on the ancient Mayan cyclical calendar which expires (with catastrophic consequences) in 2012. The ancient Egyptians viewed 2012 as a watershed year as well. And so does NASA, which predicts a sharp increase in solar activity like sunspots and flares that will cause electrical havoc in 2012. So here’s the question: if the world were really to end in 4 years, what would you do differently today?

P.S. — I’m still have some problems with wordpress. It won’t let me respond to any of your comments. I’ll keep trying! Stay tuned. I see some great responses.

Anybody having a problem with wordpress this morning?  I’m having a hard time getting into our Greenroom site.  Of course, “operator error” is always a possibility.

Oh wait, here it is.  OK, problem over.  So…here are the topics getting the most buzz in the Greenroom this morning:  canidates’ economic plans and celebrity divorces.  Both about money, of course.  Feel free to share your two cents.

When I revealed my youthful fascination with Jay Thomas, I didn’t expect this to be his response. But I tend to get carried away when telling stories.

And … Jay Thomas Talks (and you don’t need a radio)!

 So imagine this:  a 12-year-old surburban Jersey girl listens everyday to her favorite radio station to hear the voice of her favorite d.j. Jay Thomas.  He’s hilarious and sarcastic.  He pokes fun at celebrities and rock stars.  One time he has a charity auction of celebrity items and this starry-eyed adolescent schemes, along with her bestfriend, that they’ll bid a whopping $25 on Shawn Cassidy’s jacket.  She really just wants the opportunity to talk to Jay Thomas on the phone and she figures they can scrape together some cash if they win.  But she’s so flummoxed when Jay Thomas actually answers the radio station phone that she bids $100 dollars!  Ahh…I remember the fear it like it was yesterday (please don’t do the math).  My friend and I spent the next hour praying we’d loose the bid before having to confess my impulse bid to our parents (we were thankfully outbid).  After that phone call, I imagined that some day, somehow I could actually meet Jay Thomas.  And then that day happened.  He had an autograph signing at the mall in our little town.  There was Jay Thomas in the flesh and my and I were wildly starstruck.  He actually playfully bantered with me over the mall’s loudspeaker.  I kept that 8×10 glossy up in my room forever.  And this morning in the Greenroom I once again had the opportunity to chat with Jay Thomas (ok, stalk).  I recounted all of this for him and he, of course, remembers none of it.  In fact, he seemed somewhat petrified by my vivid recollections.   But he did pose for a photo with me.

So nice to have a long weekend!  We visited my sister-in-law in the burbs.  We ate great bbq chicken and soaked in the tranquility and quiet.  It was lovely, though not what I would term “relaxing”.  Teaching toddlers to swim is not a “stress reliever,” it’s a “stress creator.”  Luckily the twins have taken to the water like tadpoles.  They leap in fearlessly (again, not good for their mother’s bloodpressure).  How was your weekend?  Feel free to share some photos.  Just click on the box in the upper right corner that says “Hit us with Your Best Shot.”  I’ll do the same shortly.