Keli Goff

Like an overwhelming majority of Americans I am a Michelle Obama fan.

For anyone reading this who just said to himself, "Well I'm not one so how dare you say an 'overwhelming majority' of us are," I have a newsflash for you: You're very much in the minority. According...

When you're a writer, being pitched stories inspired by various conspiracy theories by friends, family and total strangers, becomes a fact of life.

So does ignoring most of them.

So when I first began hearing murmurs that there may be more to the political battle over contraception than simply...

Hillary Clinton has endured more criticism in her two decades on the national stage than most of us will in two lifetimes. There was the early insinuation that she wasn't a real woman, since she had the audacity not to stay home and "bake cookies," as she...

Days ago civil rights legend Julian Bond was honored at an all-star gala featuring tributes from Dave Matthews, Wanda Sykes, Stephen Colbert, and others. In addition to celebrating Bond's contributions to the fight for racial equality, the evening served as a fundraiser for a professorship to be endowed in his...

As with every White House Correspondents' Dinner, at this year's soiree the president found himself in danger of being overshadowed by even more dazzling stars in his orbit. I'm not referring to Hollywood stars like George Clooney or Kerry Washington, who were in attendance. I'm referring to his wife.

Between the Trayvon Martin tragedy and the recent spate of high-profile hate crimes, there has been plenty to keep those of us who care about civil rights busy in the Obama era. But it's always refreshing when fellow advocates for equality and justice call attention to those major civil rights...

For fans of The Good Wife, this season has been full of surprising plot twists and unexpected cliffhangers: Will Peter run for governor? Will Alicia support him if he does? Will Chandler from Friends remain a recurring character or disappear abruptly just like that blonde girl who got the job...

It's been said that a gaffe in politics is when someone accidentally tells the truth. I was reminded of that expression recently when fellow talking head Hilary Rosen found herself in a bit of trouble -- at least according to the political chattering classes. For those of you who lead...

Flying the friendly skies always feels a bit like playing a game of Russian roulette. There are the real life-and-death worries, like hoping and praying that you and your plane arrive at your destination in one piece. Then there are the worries that only feel like life-and-death, like hoping that...

For many people with elderly relatives, the joy of knowing that your family member has enjoyed a long life is often mixed with fear of what the future may bring regarding his or her health. Not to mention the fear of someone possibly harming him when he's too vulnerable to...

There is no perfect thing to say in the wake of a tragedy, particularly one that involves the loss of a young person. Entire etiquette guides are devoted to telling us what not to say when someone is grieving, with "I know how you feel" being...

As we suffer through what has officially been dubbed the most partisan era in the history of American politics (next to the Civil War, perhaps?), it seems there is little left that Americans can agree on. Even contraception, which used to be the fallback issue of consensus among...

During her remarks at this year's Newsweek/Daily Beast Women in the World Summit, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright reiterated one of her favorite maxims: "There's a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."

According to a new study, it looks like the...

By now the five remaining people on the planet who didn't know that Rush Limbaugh embodies the very worst in politics, pop culture and possibly all mammals ever, have joined the rest of us in this knowledge. But for those of you that have been under a rock in recent...

Hitting the lottery once in a lifetime will never happen to most of us, but Brian Brockington just hit the criminal justice system jackpot, not once, not twice, but three times. DNA evidence has linked him to three sexual assaults, but lucky old Brian will soon be released from prison...

Each year, shortly after we have made and already begun to break our New Year's resolutions, Americans become captivated by sports' most competitive contest. No I am not referring to the Super Bowl, but the contest for who will grace the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Landing...

A few years ago at a book signing with fellow congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi shared an anecdote about the sometimes strange experience of being a woman in the still predominantly man's world known as Congress. She recalled how early in her career she and another female...

All of us have survived the awkwardness of a friend's breakup or divorce and having to endure the inevitable social pressure to choose sides. Perhaps the only thing more awkward than telling one friend that you won't be attending his upcoming wedding to the woman he left your other friend...

Every presidential race has a few key moments and phrases that define it years after the race has come to an end. The 1980 campaign had the question, "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" The 1988 campaign had the Willie Horton ad....

Whenever he was asked about the impact of his race on the 2008 election, President Obama would predict that while his race may cost him some votes, it might gain him some votes, just like a lot of other characteristics over which he has little to no control. Of course,...