Politix

Joe Biden's celeb-packed State of the Union address preview was a stroke of genius -- this according to political heavy-hitters, Lis Smith and April Ryan.

We spoke to both on 'TMZ Live,' Thursday ... with Lis telling us that whoever in Biden's camp came up with that idea deserves a serious raise, 'cause these speeches can be a major snooze-fest ... so making politics cool for those who might not care is a big deal!

Lis goes on to say that if more folks in politics injected a little fun and humor into the mix, maybe we wouldn't be so stressed out all the time.

She's also saying the positives of that clip and Biden's approach totally outweigh any negatives ... adding that people throwing shade at it were probably never gonna vote for JB in the first place.

April -- the White House Correspondent for TheGrio -- also backs Lis' sentiments ...  saying Joe's team dropped that video to connect with everyone and show he's in touch with people's everyday struggles despite sitting in one of the most important buildings in the world.

She also tells us it's a smart move on his part 'cause becoming the U.S. President ain't just about domestic policy issues ... it's about playing on the global stage, too.

By putting out that video of him hilariously seeking advice from former President actors Morgan Freeman, Bill Pullman, Geena Davis, Michael Douglas, and Tony Goldwyn ahead of his super serious speech ... he's painting a winning picture and showing confidence, rather than highlighting setbacks.

Of course, Joe's definitely had his fair share of criticism during his presidency -- especially when it comes to concerns about his age.

Joe Biden is going all out to make sure his State of the Union address resonates with Americans ... 'cause he's taking tips from former Presidents -- albeit, fake ones!

POTUS posted this video Thursday ahead of his SOTU later this evening, and he's zooming with a bunch of actors who've portrayed presidents in film or TV roles -- and yeah, he's got some big names here chatting with him.

Morgan Freeman -- who played President Tom Beck in "Deep Impact," as well as Pres. Trumbull in "Angel Has Fallen" -- reflects on his character having to deal with a looming meteor threat ... saying amid the crisis, people found solace in his message of hope.

Bill Pullman -- known for his role as President Thomas J. Whitmore in 1996's "Independence Day" -- looks back on his character's battle against invaders from outer space ... noting fear and chaos had a unifying effect on people.

As for Tony Goldwyn -- who played President Fitzgerald Grant III in "Scandal" -- he admitted his character behaved pretty badly while in office. But here's the kicker ... he advised Joe that if he just told the general public they made him a better man, they'd eat it up.

Michael Douglas, meanwhile, had some poignant advice to share ... emphasizing that love and compassion are strengths, not weaknesses, and urged Biden to utilize his first lady, Jill, to his advantage. He played President Andrew Shepherd in "The American President."

Geena Davis -- famous for her role as President Mackenzie Allen in the TV show "Commander In Chief" -- revealed that every week her character faced a new crisis, and the number one lesson she learned was that there's no crying in politics.

JB was clearly impressed by GD's portrayal, telling her she did one helluva job. And with a touch of humor, expressed his hope that his politics wouldn't make anyone else cry. The one big actor he was missing from the lineup is obviously Martin Sheen ... 'West Wing' anyone?

Chuck D has joined the fight initiated by Fat Joe and many others to tackle the U.S. medical industry's hazy pricing methods ... which he says is public enemy #1 to the average American citizen.

We kid of course, but Chuck was deadly serious while talking to TMZ Hip Hop about this issue -- which he thinks is going to bite Americans in the ass the longer it goes ignored.

The legendary rapper joined Joe, The Foo Fighters, French Montana, Busta Rhymes, Method Man, Valerie June and several other music stars this week for the Power to the Patients' concert in Washington D.C. to further pressure lawmakers to pass legislation to combat the healthcare price transparency issue.

FF frontman Dave Grohl called Chuck his "hero" during their performance, noting how Chuck and Public Enemy set the tone long ago for using their platform to raise social awareness among fans.

We ask if celebrities can still sway the vote at this point in time but Chuck points out that hip hop is now 50 years old -- with rock being even older -- and both communities are well-traveled enough to speak facts. Remember, artists are voters too!!!

Chuck rallying in Washington is one of the many precursors to the 2024 election -- with all signs pointing to a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump -- two unappealing candidates from Chuck's POV.

He laughed off Trump's recent string of promos ... slangin' sneakers and shirts with his mugshot photo have caused a stir but Chuck says Americans shouldn't believe the hype, 'cause it's the same 'ol scenario.

Tim Tebow spent Wednesday morning fighting for victims of child sex abuse ... taking on the global epidemic while delivering an impassioned and emotional speech in front of the House Judiciary Subcommittee.

The 36-year-old Heisman Trophy winner, who heads the Tim Tebow Foundation, was part of a larger panel at the “Voice for the Voiceless” hearing ... and opened up his statement with a quick description of his organization, followed by an ice-breaking joke about his sports career.

"[The Tim Tebow Foundation] exists to bring faith, hope and love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. To sum it up, we strive to fight for people who can't fight for themselves," Tim told the subcommittee members.

"Some of you may know me from sports. but honestly, more of you probably know me from getting cut from a bunch of sports teams," Tebow joked.

But, things quickly got serious as the 2x National Championship-winning quarterback passionately spoke about the global epidemic -- the tens of thousands of unidentified children who are the victims of sexual abuse -- while calling on lawmakers to pass a bill intended to put together a rescue team for the kids.

"This bill really has one goal. To build a rescue team, because there's so many front-line warriors and heroes, but there's just not enough. And we need to support them, and we need more of them, to get to these 50,000 boys and girls."

Tebow continued, explaining the goal of the bill is to build a "rescue team" that is of adequate size as far as manpower, as well as the training and technology to help.

The most emotional part of the speech came when Tim read a letter written by a young girl while she was being held captive, raped nearly nightly for 7 years, where she begged for help.

As you'd expect, Tebow had trouble keeping it together while reading the excerpt.

TT was eager to provide his testimony ... as he explained Wednesday morning shortly after reaching Capitol Hill.

"So grateful for the chance to testify this morning before the House Judiciary Committee, meet, and talk with representatives on both sides of the aisle on behalf of some of the most vulnerable people — children who are victims of sexual abuse and exploitation," the signal caller wrote on X.

Nikki Haley acaba de retirarse de la carrera presidencial después de recibir una paliza de Donald Trump durante el Super Martes, pero si usted piensa que ella va a besar el anillo ahora, te equivocas.

La ex gobernadora de Carolina del Sur, que era la última candidata del Partido Republicano que quedaba tratando de ganar votos contra Trump en las primarias republicanas en los últimos tiempos, acaba de anunciar el miércoles que suspende su campaña por la Casa Blanca después de una decepcionante derrota esta semana.

Hubo un montón de estados que votaron por los candidatos de sus partidos y Nikki solo ganó uno de ellos contra Trump -en Vermont- en todos los demás, el expresidente ganó por goleada.

Durante su discurso de salida, Nikki dijo que estaba agradecida de tener la oportunidad de postularse para Presidente y se comprometió a seguir hablando sobre los temas que le apasionan.

Más interesante, sin embargo, fue el hecho de que ella se negó a apoyar a Trump, incluso ahora.

Ella dice que depende de Trump para ganar los votos de las personas que no lo apoyaron y suena como ella piensa que tiene mucho trabajo que hacer en ese departamento, incluso para ella misma. Nikki dice que Trump debe hacer un mejor trabajo al tratar de sumar más republicanos a su causa.

Nikki Haley just bowed out of the presidential race after taking a licking from Donald Trump during Super Tuesday -- but if you think she's gonna kiss the ring now ... you'd be wrong.

The former South Carolina governor -- who was the last remaining GOP candidate trying to win votes against DT in the Republican primaries as of late -- just announced Wednesday that she's suspending her campaign for the White House following a disappointing loss this week.

There were a lot of states that voted for their party's candidates ... and Nikki only won one of them against Trump, and that would be Vermont. Everywhere else, he won in a landslide.

During her exit speech, Nikki said she was grateful to have the opportunity to run for President ... and vowed to continue speaking on the issues she's passionate about.

More interestingly, though, was the fact she refused to endorse Trump, even now.

She says it's up to Trump to earn the votes of people who didn't back him -- and it sounds like she thinks he has a lot of work to do in that department, including for herself. NH says Trump should do a better job at embracing more Republicans/conservatives into his cause.

Hollywood once again is emptying its collective pockets this election season -- donating generously to the campaigns of several Democrats vying for a highly coveted U.S. Senate seat.

TMZ combed through the Federal Election Commission filings and found that most of Tinseltown's elite kicked their financial support toward the campaigns of Adam Schiff, Barbara Lee and Katie Porter ... who are facing off for the chance to fill the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein's seat.

Former MLB star Steve Garvey, who's running as a Republican, seemingly got no donations from people identifying with the FEC as an actor, musician or athlete. With that said, polls have him doing pretty damn well.

This cannot be said for Dems in the primary race. We should note ... this might not be a complete snapshot of donations, and some of the celebs may have donated more than the number listed.

For Schiff:
- Robin Dearden ($6600)
- Herb Alpert (at least $3,300)
- Barbra Streisand ($1500)
- Holland Taylor ($1,000)
- George Takei ($750)
- Lily Tomlin ($350)
- Jackson Browne ($400)
- Joan Jett ($275)
- Diane Lane ($235)

As for Barbara Lee ... Ben Affleck seems pretty passionate about her candidacy, as he dropped thousands on her run -- and even his daughter, Violet, shelled out a pretty penny too.

For Lee:
- Ben Affleck (at least $6,600)
- Violet Affleck ($3,050)
- Jackson Browne (at least $3,300)
- Graham Nash ($2,500)
- Kal Penn ($500)

For Porter:
- Graham Nash ($3,300)
- Bonnie Raitt ($2,000)
- Susan Sarandon ($500)
- George Takei ($500)

Several celebrities double-dipped ... with George Takei donating for both Porter and Schiff. Similarly, Graham Nash dropped some dough for Porter and Lee. Jackson Browne made sure to contribute to both Schiff and Lee's campaigns.

Some celebs are doing more than donating money ... some are lending support on social media -- like John Legend, who publicly endorsed Lee,

In fact, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is even narrating an ad that's running for Schiff.

A Super Tuesday voter has gone viral for his explicit explanation of why Nikki Haley shouldn't be president -- according to him, it's 'cause she' is missing a scrotum.

Check out this video that features a North Carolina resident -- identified as Emmett Martin -- confessing to NBC News that he never even considered the former governor of South Carolina as a candidate over the simple fact that she's a woman.

The way he puts it is pretty rich in misogyny ... he says, she "has no balls to scratch."

Emmett says that since the ex-Gov. didn't have male private parts ... she shouldn't be a contender in the Republican primary race. We're not sure what genitalia has to do with running a country ... but it's clearly important to this constituent.

BTW, it isn't just Nikki that the voter disapproved of ... it's all women, apparently who he said are only good for "having babies and taking care of the house."

He did backtrack slightly -- suggesting that there are women out there who know what they’re doing ... but added they need a bit of guidance from someone like Donald Trump.

Shaquille Brewster -- the correspondent who interviewed Emmett ... said this isn't the first time that voters have told him they wouldn't vote for Nikki based on her gender. However, it is the first time the response was so bluntly said on camera.

Charles Barkley tiene un mensaje mordaz y algo violento para cualquier afroamericano que apoye a Donald Trump simplemente porque fue arrestado... resulta que te va a noquear.

El integrante del Salón de la Fama de la NBA emitió la advertencia el lunes por la noche en su programa de CNN con Gayle King, mientras discutían el reciente comentario de Trump donde afirmava que le agradaban más los afroamericanos desde que lo arrestaon en Georgia por intentar anular los resultados de las elecciones presidenciales de 2020.

Trump llegó a presumir de que los afroamericanos "se pasean con la foto de su ficha policial" estampada en sus camisetas.

Nada de eso le sentó bien a Barkley, que dijo: "Si veo a una persona negra paseándose con la foto de la ficha policial de Trump, le voy a dar un puñetazo en la cara".

Barkley explicó que siente que los comentarios de Trump son "un insulto a todos los afroamericanos", porque está comparando su arresto con los siglos de discriminación que la comunidad negra ha enfrentado.

La leyenda de la NBA no es ajena a criticar a Trump y ha acusado al candidato presidencial republicano por usar una "retórica pseudo-racista" cuando se habla de inmigración.

Trump no se ha dejado intimidar por cualquier reacción de Barkley o cualquier otro crítico, ya que sigue siendo el favorito para la nominación republicana. El martes de primarias en 15 estados y un territorio podrían dejar fuera a Nikki Haley.

Taylor Swift está saltando en las presidenciales 2024 durante este Super Tuesday, pero se está guardando de entregarle su codiciado respaldo al presidente Joe Biden o a cualquier otro candidato, en este caso.

Taylor dio la voz de alarma el martes por la mañana con un post en sus historias de IG, que decía: "Amigos, quería recordarles que voten por las personas que más los representan en el poder. Si aún no lo han hecho, hagan un plan para votar hoy".

Los expertos en política se han puesto manos a la obra para discutir el potencial de Taylor para influir en esta campaña electoral, después de ver lo extremadamente leales que son sus fans. Basta con preguntarle al comisionado de la NFL, Roger Goodell.

La administración Biden ha sido abierta sobre su deseo de obtener un respaldo de Taylor, como lo hizo en 2020, y el propio Joe se ha inclinado por la posibilidad de que lo respalde.

El equipo de Donald Trump, mientras tanto, le ha declarado la "guerra santa" a la cantante y los Swifties, según han informado algunos medios, insistiendo en que el ex presidente es "más popular" que ella y tiene fans más leales.

Taylor no está respaldando a nadie hoy, y la mayoría de los analistas políticos no esperan que lo haga hasta que nos acerquemos al día de las elecciones en noviembre.

En su llamado a los Swifties en IG, Taylor instó a todos a ir a vote.org para encontrar información sobre los lugares de votación y los tiempos, si están en alguno de los 16 estados o territorios donde se votan primarias hoy.

Charles Barkley has a pointed, somewhat violent message for any Black person backing Donald Trump simply because he got arrested ... he's gonna knock you out.

The NBA Hall of Famer issued the warning Monday night on his CNN show with Gayle King as they discussed Trump's recent remark about Black people liking him more after he was arrested in Georgia for attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

Trump went on to brag about Black people "walking around with his mug shot" on t-shirts.

None of that sits well with Barkley, who said, "If I see a Black person walking around with Trump's mug shot, I'm [gonna] punch him in the face."

Barkley explained he feels Trump's comments are "an insult to all Black people" ... because he's comparing his arrest to the centuries of discrimination the Black community has faced.

The NBA legend is no stranger to slamming Trump ... as he's previously called out the Republican presidential candidate for using "pseudo-racist rhetoric" when discussing immigration.

Trump has been undeterred by any backlash from Barkley or any other critics, as "The Apprentice" alum remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination -- and the Super Tuesday primaries in 15 states, and one territory, could put the race nearly out of reach for Nikki Haley.

Taylor Swift is leaping into 2024 presidential politics on Super Tuesday, but she's stopping short of that coveted endorsement of President Joe Biden ... or any candidate, for that matter.

Taylor sounded the alarm early Tuesday morning with a post on her IG story, writing a note that says, "I wanted to remind you guys to vote the people who most represent YOU into power. If you haven't already, make a plan to vote today."

Political pundits have had a field day discussing the potential power of Taylor to swing campaigns this election season, having seen the power of her extremely loyal fan base. Just ask NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about it.

The Biden administration's been open about its desire to get an endorsement from Taylor -- as she did in 2020 -- and Joe himself has leaned into the possibility of her backing him.

Donald Trump's camp, meanwhile, has reportedly declared "holy war" on the singer and Swifties ... insisting the former prez is "more popular" than her, with more loyal fans.

Taylor's not endorsing anyone today, and most political analysts don't expect her to do so until we get closer to election day in November.

In her IG call out to Swifties, Taylor urged everyone to hit up vote.org to find info on polling places and times ... if you're in one of the 16 states or territories voting in today's primaries.

Solid advice.

Amanda Seales ain't holding back when it comes to sharing her thoughts on President Biden's approach to the Israeli conflict in Gaza, and she firmly believes it could cost him the election.

We got the "Insecure" actress Monday at LAX, and she says the Biden administration needs to tune in to what the majority of Americans are demanding -- pushing for a permanent ceasefire and ensuring Palestinians aren't living under constant threat of violence and death anymore.

Amanda adds that she's lost confidence in Biden due to what she sees as a lack of action on his part -- and, at this point, she thinks a lot of people might only vote for him because they're settling for the "lesser evil."

Not exactly a proud position for the Prez to be in, according to AS.

Now, mind you, VP Kamala Harris did make a very direct call on Sunday for Israel and Hamas to reach an "immediate ceasefire," and for Israel to increase the flow of aid to Gaza.

Still, Amanda's not pulling any punches with the administration on this issue. She's labeling the whole situation demoralizing and inhumane, and calling for some real action and empathy from the top.

Donald Trump permanecerá en la boleta electoral en Colorado para las elecciones presidenciales de 2024, y eso va para todos los demás estados. Esto es algo que el Tribunal Supremo acaba de establecer.

Los nueve jueces fallaron por unanimidad el lunes a favor de Trump en su apelación contra el Estado de Colorado, que había tratado de arrancarlo de su boleta electoral de noviembre, citando la cláusula de insurrección en la Constitución y decidir que había participado en una el 6 de enero.

El alto tribunal no se pronunció sobre si eso era cierto o no, lo único que decidió aquí fue sobre si inhabilitar a funcionarios federales por una insurrección le correspondía al Congreso y no a los Estados. En otras palabras, dijeron que Colorado malinterpretó la ley.

Escriben en su opinión: "Por las razones expuestas, la responsabilidad de hacer cumplir la Sección 3 contra los titulares de cargos federales y candidatos corresponde al Congreso y no a los Estados".

Continúa: "La sentencia del Tribunal Supremo de Colorado allí no puede mantenerse". Continúan diciendo que la decisión de Colorado de inhabilitar a Trump ahora es revocada, y que obviamente sentará un precedente con otros estados que también intentaron hacer esto los últimos meses.

Maine e Illinois también le prohibieron a Trump aparecer en sus papeletas, citando la misma cláusula de insurrección.

Donald Trump will remain on the ballot in Colorado for the 2024 presidential election, and that goes for every other state as well ... something the Supreme Court just set in stone.

All nine Justices ruled unanimously Monday in favor of DT in his appeal against the State of Colorado -- which had tried to boot him from their November ballot ... citing the insurrection clause in the Constitution and deciding he had, in fact, participated in one on Jan. 6.

The high court didn't weigh in on whether that was true or not ... all they decided here was this issue of disbarring federal officials from office over an insurrection was for Congress to decide, and not for the States. In other words, they said Colorado misinterpreted the law.

They write in their opinion ... "For the reasons given, responsibility for enforcing Section 3 against federal officeholders and candidates rests with Congress and not the States."

SCOTUS continues, "The judgment of the Colorado Supreme Court there cannot stand." They go on to say that Colorado's decision to disqualify Trump is now reversed, and that'll obviously set a precedent with other states that attempted to do this in recent months too.

Maine and Illinois also barred Trump from appearing on their ballots -- citing the same insurrection clause -- but now that the Supreme Court has weighed in ... they lose as well.

A super rare, historic 1945 report on the development of the atomic bomb, signed by 24 Manhattan Project contributors like Oppenheimer, Fermi, Lawrence, Chadwick, Urey, and Rabi has hit the auction block.

RR Auction got their hands on that historic report titled "Atomic Bombs: A General Account of the Development of Methods of Using Atomic Energy for Military Purposes Under the Auspices of the United States Government, 1940-1945" by Henry D. Smyth.

The historical report was privately printed in August 1945 and written before the testing of the first bomb at the Los Alamos "Trinity" test site.

The report is signed in ink on the cover by 24 prominent scientists and administrators engaged in developing and deploying the most dangerous weapon ever created.

The names include J. Robert Oppenheimer and Nobel Prize winners Enrico Fermi, Ernest Lawrence, James Chadwick, Harold Urey, and Isidor I. Rabi.

The author's signature is also displayed on the title page in fountain pen ... 'cause he played a crucial role in the early development of nuclear energy, including participation in the Manhattan Project, membership in the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), and served as U.S. ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Gen. Leslie Groves' War Department secretary in Washington, Nellie V. Sanderson, obtained all the signatures.

This report was first released days after the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and is likely the very first publicly available report on the creation of the bomb.

The creation of the nuclear bomb in the United States culminated in a successful test of the doomsday weapon in July 1945.

Weeks later, America dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively, putting an end to World War II. The villages were obliterated, with roughly 200,000 people killed.