Happy birthday, Mr. President

President Barack Obama will mark his 51st birthday on Aug. 4 with "a little celebration" at his Chicago home.

First lady Michelle Obama says in a fundraising email to supporters that the campaign is planning a fundraiser at their house in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood and grass-roots donors can win a chance to get on the guest list.

Supporters who give $3 or more to Obama's re-election campaign automatically will be entered into the contest to join Obama at the fundraiser.

Michelle Obama says her husband's birthday will be "one of the last opportunities he'll get for a little downtime before the final weeks of the election."

Of course, after Nov. 6 he may get another opportunity for a little downtime.

The brothers Romney

The Romney brothers could soon become America's first sons. Ranging in age from 31 to 42, their names are Craig, Ben, Josh, Matt and Tagg, but you may have seen them spoofed on "Saturday Night Live" as Taggart, Tanner, Tigit, Targalac and Tic-Tac.

They are all married and have a combined 18 children. If Romney wins, he will have more grandkids than any sitting president in U.S. history.

Three received their MBAs from Harvard, just like their father. And all five followed their father's footsteps by going overseas on two-year missions to spread their Mormon beliefs.

But when it came to Romney's second run for the White House, four of his five boys didn't want him to run.

Along the way, they have heard about how their father has struggled at times to connect with the public. The campaign hopes the sons can help explain some of their father's more idiosyncratic moments, for example, when Romney told an audience, "It just feels good being back in Michigan. You know, the trees are the right height."

"He's a little goofy," said Tagg. "That's part of his charm, I think."

Weiner takes all

In recent days, with the tiniest poke of a toe in the political waters -- a few comments to news organizations about the recent Supreme Court ruling on President Barack Obama's health care law -- former congressman Anthony Weiner has set off a frenzy of speculation that he may be planning to run for mayor of New York in 2013.

At first glance, a second political act for Weiner might seem impossible. It was a little more than a year ago that the liberal Democrat crashed and burned on national television, tearfully resigning after right-wing bloggers exposed his bizarre habit of sending raunchy photos and messages to strangers.

But he's being taken seriously in New York political circles -- an acknowledgment of his considerable energy and talent for championing middle-class values and a testament to the city's habit of tolerating and rehabilitating fallen pols.

But when asked in an interview with People magazine whether he is considering a bid for mayor, Weiner said he is not planning a campaign -- but he didn't rule out a run for political office in the future.

Is this a great country or what?

Nanu nanu

Robin Williams as Ike? Frankly, we're not seeing the resemblance, but apparently Lee Daniels thinks otherwise.

The "Mrs. Doubtfire" star has been cast as former president Dwight D. Eisenhower in Daniels' upcoming film "The Butler," joining a cast that already includes Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Vanessa Redgrave, John Cusack and Jane Fonda.

Based on the life of White House servant Eugene Allen -- who worked for eight first families over three decades -- it begins shooting in New Orleans later this month.