The above photo is a living replica of the Statue of Liberty, painstakingly recreated with 18,000 people at Camp Dodge in Des Moines, Iowa. The image is from 1918, and is one of many "living photographs" by Arthur Mole and John Thomas, who attempted to "recover the old image of national identity at the very moment when the United States entered the Great War in 1917." Flash forward to present day, shed some clothes,......

Mayor Bloomberg still claims he's not running for President, but he's spending thousands of dollars to run a full page ad in The Des Moines Register--Iowa's largest circulation local paper--with his face on it. One can see the full ad here. The Mayor also placed an identical ad in The New Hampshire Union Leader. We're running this ad to the Bat Cave, to see if there are any subliminal "Mike Bloomberg '08" messages! According......

Oprah Winfrey introduced one of her favorite things people at what the NY Times called "the largest spectacle of the campaign cycle" - the Oprah for Barack Obama rally in Des Moines, Iowa. Winfrey said, "For the very first time in my life, I feel compelled to stand up and to speak out for the man who I believe has a new vision for America," and told the audience of 15,000 said, "I am......

When Gothamist friend and barbecue champion Adam Perry Lang of Daisy May's BBQ invited us to a party, how could we say no? It had been way too long since we had last enjoyed Adam's sweet and sticky Kansas City ribs and his tender smoky brisket, not to mention that we had to hear about his latest escapades. Aside from becoming the Grand Champion at the BarbQlossal contest at the World Pork Expo in Des......

In case you had any doubt about the importance of swing states in this, the last full day of campaigning in the 2004 election, Gothamist refers you each candidate's schedule for today. (Via The Note.) President Bush: 7:30 am Wilmington, OH 9:30 am Burgettstown, PA 12:30 pm with the Oak Ridge Boys and Brooks & Dunn at the U.S. Cellular Arena, Milwaukee, WI 3:05 pm Des Moines, IA 5:20 pm Sioux City, IA 8:45......

As the area's favorite Knick turned Senator, Bill Bradley, endorses Howard Dean, Gothamist decided to read about the Democratic debate in Iowa yesterday. The Times' David Halbfinger noted the absence of Al Sharpton, "For sheer comedic appeal, the Democratic presidential debate on Sunday was short a Sharpton..." Ah, Lorne Michaels was so on the ball in asking the Reverend to host SNL. Unintentional funniness seems to have come from one John Kerry supporter held......