PETA’s new rejected Super Bowl ad is causing quite a stir on various blogs but I was surprised when I navigated to CNN.com this morning and saw that “Vegetable Ad Too Hot For TV” was one of the top items on their “Latest News” section. Despite what you think about PETA or their exploitation of women (or men), they are by far the best at getting big time media coverage for animal rights. The CNN link takes you to a short video clip of their anchor Christi Paul fielding reactions from the “general public.” It’s worth watching the video to see how shocked (shocked!) and insulted people are about the video, never mind that two years ago they had Paris Hilton washing down a Bentley for Hardees or the girl from GoDaddy.com busting out of her top that got rave reviews. Well, I’m insulted that the “general public” thinks “exploitate” is an actual word. Maybe if they were having better sex they wouldn’t be so easily irritated. You can see the CNN video here or the original PETA ad here.

This story was picked up by all the major news outlets just in time for Thanksgiving. Sarah Palin might have inadvertently done something positive for the animal rights cause with this publicity nightmare:

Former Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin is causing a stir for an interview she gave after pardoning an Alaska turkey Thursday, during which one bird was being slaughtered in the background.

The video and full article can be seen on CNN’s website.

Buried deep in this news item on CNN.com is this nugget from Paul Roberts.

Every time an American bites down on a steak or hamburger, they’re contributing to global hunger, Roberts says. As other countries become more affluent, they’re copying our meat-heavy diet. The problem: It takes so much grain and other resources to produce meat, he says.

This article is now sitting at #1 on their “Most Viewed” list (even higher than “Pregnant Man Interviewed!”). It’s great to see this stuff coming up regularly in the mainstream media but it’s too bad Americans still aren’t making the connection between their diet and world hunger. You can read the full article here.