They were a study in contrasts behind their respective podiums: One conciliatory, holding back a deep sadness as he graciously accepted defeat. The other jubilant, smiling as he promised a new dawn for American politics.

President-elect Barack Obama and Senator John McCain no doubt had a lot of different emotions going through their heads as they each gave a speech after the election finally ended. Odd, then, that they both turned to the same man for support, the same man who could express so easily what they never could in words.

And that man was — Denzel Washington?

Movie lovers might have noticed that each man chose music from a Washington movie to play while walking offstage after their respective speeches. And, not for nothing, but we think they both made the perfect choice. Read more...

Ok, granted -- Harry Potter is underage. Harry Potter is British. And Harry Potter is, above all these things, fictional. But the Harry Potter Alliance, a social activist network which, among other things, runs Wrock the Vote, has been out there encouraging fans of the series to register to vote, and to vote in the spirit of J.K. Rowling's series.

Organizer Andrew Slack told MTV News that the Wrock the Vote initiative, in addition to registering "close to 900” voters, has been contacting "tens of thousands" of voters in each state about various ballot initiatives, both by phone and by text. The HP Alliance, however, is not endorsing a Presidential candidate, but they are endorsing "keeping love legal," Slack said.

"We are asking people to vote on on propositions that would take away same-sex marriage," Slack explained. Read more...