Hadiya Pendleton's Mother to be Schneider's Guest at State of the Union

Hadiya, 15, was a Chicago honors student who was shot and killed last month. Schneider invited her mother as his guest. She will now be sitting, along with Hadiya's father, with Michelle Obama during the president's speech.

Chicago shooting victim Hadiya Pendleton's mother will be Congressman Brad Schneider's guest at Tuesday's State of the Union Address, according to his office. Hadiya, 15, an honors student at King College Prep in Chicago, was gunned down in a park last month about a mile from President Obama's Kenwood home. She had recently returned from his inauguration, where she had performed with her school band. Schneider invited her mother, Cleopatra Cowley, to attend Tuesday's State of the Union Address last week. The Chicago Tribune reported Monday that Cowley and Hadiya's father, Nathaniel A. Pendleton, will sit with First Lady Michelle Obama during the speech. Regardless of the seating arrangements, Cowley will be there as Schneider's guest, …

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Sully

5:48 am on Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Wow, I never would have predicted that response, Vicky. You're just so clever.   more ›

Betsy and Sal

Michelle Obama's Fruit-Flavored Fashion Problem

It doesn't matter that it's spring, clothing the color of produce should never be worn.

Maybe it’s because I hail from a climate with no spring. Maybe it’s because I grew up with a holiday celebrating gefilte fish rather than jellybeans. Either way, year after year I find myself shrinking in dismay as retailers put forth their collections of clothing in a palette of pastels no thinking woman should ever wear.   So it was with a failing heart that I checked into my favorite website, Mrs-O.org, to see that my hero, first lady Michelle Obama, has succumbed to the allure of fruit-flavored clothing. “Mrs. O wears a melon, doubleface stretch wool crepe sheath dress and one button blazer, both by Michael Kors.”  A heavy sigh of despair follows. Alas. No one above the age of consent should wear anything described as "melon" to work. …

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