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Even politicians have to get away every once in a while ... and Vice President Kamala Harris took advantage of her Hawaiian vacay by going on a hike -- with protection right behind her, of course.

Eyewitnesses tell TMZ ... the VP hit up Haena State Park last week on the island of Kauai -- all smiles as she walked down the narrow trail, wearing an outfit that screams, vacation mode!

She was leading the charge of about 20 others ... some of whom were Secret Service, dressed down as they shadowed her. We're told the Veep was in good spirits during her time on the trail.

Air Force 2 reportedly touched down at the Lihue Airport Monday ... sources told Hawaii News Now her unannounced trip is for pleasure, not business -- she's supposed to be on the island for a week or so.

Bill Maher has a warning ... online shopping is taking a not-so-hidden toll on America ... and he makes a case that going OG shopping is better for your head and the planet.

The "Real Time" host went scorched earth on people who like to order 9 pairs of pants to find the one that fits just right ... only to return the other 8. Those boxes go somewhere ... yep, landfills, oceans ... not good.

The visual tells the story ... buy a small item, it comes in a big box. Buy 3 items ... you get 3 big boxes. When you add it up, it's kind of an environmental disaster.

And, then there's the human toll ... Americans don't leave their homes like they used to because it's easier to push a button than to start a car and drive to a mall. Thing is ... Americans have become way more isolated, and it's taking a mental toll, because we are social creatures who increasingly have stopped socializing.

Thing is ... Kanye West may have figured all of this out with his latest creation at Gap stores ... the containers in which you find his designs have attracted customers ... people who might otherwise just sit on their sofa and order away.

NBC's Capitol Hill Correspondent Ali Vitali says our political system was not set up to elect a female president ... but understanding the bias might help the nation finally cross that hurdle.

Vitali joined "TMZ Live" Friday ... to talk about her upcoming book, "Electable: Why America Hasn't Put a Woman in the White House ... Yet," and she's very clear ... a big reason why women haven't inhabited the Oval is misogyny. Fact is ... many countries have had female heads of state -- Germany, Finland, England, Argentina, India, Israel, among others.

Ali says the Hillary Clinton is living proof women are viable candidates .. .but they seem to hit a wall when it actually comes to getting elected.

We ask about one woman in particular ... Michelle Obama, who has said as clear as day she's not interested in the job, but Ali has opinions.

And what if the first female president is a conservative Republican -- would this be celebrated among women and men of a different political persuasion? Ali's answer is interesting...

Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin might be a party animal, but it's all drug-free ... so says the PM herself who says she can prove it!

The 36-year-old PM dropped the news she took a drug test Friday. She said he's expecting the results sometime next week.

As we reported, the PM found herself in hot water after a video leaked of her going hard at a party with other musicians, TV stars, and fellow politicians. The vid was posted on a private IG Account ... and it caused quite the stir.

Finnish Member of Parliament Mikko Kärnä called her out on her party animal behavior ... insisting that she take a drug test. The PM said she was drinking but never took drugs. BTW, she said she was not drinking heavily.

Marin said, "Everyone needs a fun and relaxed evening," adding "I have danced, sung, celebrated, done legal things."

In Friday's conference, she said, "I did nothing illegal ... even in my teenage years I have not used any kind of drugs."

Recently-leaked videos show Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin having the time of her life ... and now politicians are calling on her to take a drug test, claiming her wild behavior is a major red flag.

The clips show the 36-year-old PM partying with Finnish musicians, TV stars, and fellow politicians -- it was found on an unknown, private Instagram account.

Finnish Member of Parliament Mikko Kärnä went after her when the video leaked ... calling on her to take a drug test -- and to put the results on display for all to see.

The Prime Minister addressed the blowup Thursday during a press conference, saying she was drinking, but never took drugs ... she's got no problem taking a test, but adds "I also think it's quite special that something like this is required."

She claims she knew she was being filmed, but had hoped the clips would remain private -- admitting it "feels bad" that it's out there now.

Marin, who's been called "the coolest Prime Minister in the world" by Bild, a publication company in Germany, has been in hot water before for having a good time.

Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul are forever enshrined in bronze in the city of Albuquerque -- something conservatives there are up in arms about, claiming the statues glorify meth.

Late last month, Mayor Tim Keller unveiled 2 statues to honor the 'Breaking Bad' stars -- they're now on display at the Albuquerque Convention Center -- after a ceremony where BC and AP were actually on hand to pose with their metal counterparts.

It was a kitschy, fun thing that seemed fairly innocent -- as a shout-out to the actors and show for putting a spotlight on their city and state -- but now, some Republicans in the state are fuming over the honor.

Conservative radio host Eddy Aragon and state representative Rod Montoya say the statues send the wrong message about who should be glorified in the community.

Montoya says "meth dealers" shouldn't be the shining example in Albuquerque, and Aragon adds ... "It’s not the type of recognition we want for the city of Albuquerque, or for our state."

Aragon goes on to gripe about how city officials tore down a controversial statue of Albuquerque's first Spanish governor, Juan de Onate, because he was a conquistador ... but now turn around and throw these two fictional characters as proverbial beacons.

This sort of backlash was actually expected, Mayor Keller warned of this when they were first getting unveiled, saying he understood, but defended having Jesse Pinkman and Walter White statues because of the cautionary tale they represented, and the jobs they gave to NM.

First Lady Jill Biden has tested positive for COVID ... catching the virus just a couple of weeks after her husband caught it.

Her Communications Director released a statement Tuesday, saying she developed "cold-like symptoms" Monday evening, hours after originally testing negative during her normal cadence.

It continues, "She tested negative again on a rapid antigen test, but a PCR test came back positive."

First Lady Biden is double-vaxxed and got boosted twice -- she's also been prescribed some Paxlovid, a pill that was granted an emergency use authorization by the FDA to combat the virus.

She'll remain isolated at a spot in South Carolina until she tests negative 2 consecutive times -- she was spotted riding a bike along the beach with President Biden Sunday while on vacation in SC.

Bill Maher made an incredibly strong case Friday night that Hollywood is ruining itself by pigeonholing actors into narrow lanes based on their heritage, sexual orientation, identity, etc.

The "Real Time" host made his case and, frankly, you gotta listen to it because it cuts to the core ... that casting directors now take their cues from the casting cops.

He lays out his case, beginning with John Leguizamo, who was incredulous James Franco was picked to play Fidel Castro, saying "No more appropriation Hollywood ... Boycott! This f'd up."  Bill noted John, a Columbian actor, ain't Venetian but he played one ... nor is he a little French man nor an Italian plumber ... but yeah, he played them too.

As he says, "People become actors so they can spend their lives not being who they are."

He notes Sean Penn snagged an Oscar for playing gay activist Harvey Milk ... that was once considered courageous ... now it's the opposite.

Eddie Redmayne played a transgender woman, but he now calls that a mistake. Bill asks if the logical conclusion to that is transgender people can only play transgender people, yet that's clearly not something they would want.

Ditto straight people playing gay people ... something Tom Hanks says he now regrets. So can gay people play a straight romantic role? The idea is to get rid of the prejudice, not the roles, and for that allies are necessary.

On on the subject of Hanks ... should he have played Forrest Gump, who was mentally challenged?

Donald Trump and the Dept. of Justice may be playing a nuclear game of chicken, because Trump has just taken the Justice Dept's offer to advocate for the release of the Mar-a-Lago search warrant ... this after a Washington Post report that some of the documents secreted at the Florida estate contained information related to nuclear weapons.

Trump said late Thursday ... he wouldn't object to the release of the warrant. As you probably know, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday he would go back to court and ask the judge who signed the sealed warrant to make it public, citing, among other things, intense public interest.

Trump said on his social media Thursday, "Not only will I not oppose the release of documents related to the un American, unwarranted, and unnecessary raid and break-in of my home in Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago, I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents."

Given that both parties are now on board, it would seem likely the judge would unseal the warrant.

Garland was under pressure to release the docs after Republicans questioned the legitimacy of the raid, suggesting it was more political than legal. The A.G. took the highly unusual step Thursday to call for the release of the warrant, but even if that happens it may not fully answer all the questions. It's unclear if the judge will also release the affidavit attached to the warrant would establish probable cause that a crime was committed. That information could fill in the blanks.

That said, the search warrant should at least mention the scope of the search and the documents that are being sought. All eyes will be on a reference to documents related to nuclear weapons if that indeed was part of the raid.

There are reports the documents placed in the wrong harm could create "grave" danger to the U.S.

The classified documents Donald Trump allegedly took from the White House to Mar-a-Lago include information on nuclear weapons ... according to a new report on the FBI raid.

FBI agents tore though Trump's Florida resort looking for classified info on nukes, the Washington Post reports, with the feds concerned the documents might be in danger of being seen by the wrong eyes.

It's unclear if the docs contain info on United States nuclear capabilities, or a foreign nation ... or if these alleged docs were even recovered from Trump's Florida home in Monday's raid.

If Trump did have material on nukes at Mar-a-Lago, it would be unprecedented ... those documents are super sensitive and typically only a small number of government officials have access ... and former Presidents aren't in that privileged group.

As you know ... the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump's resort Monday, with Trump grousing that agents broke into his safe and turned out Melania's wardrobe.

Beto O'Rourke is done playing nice guy -- especially when it comes to people who laugh about the massacre at Robb Elementary -- shutting one man down with a brash insult.

O'Rourke was at a campaign stop Wednesday in Mineral Wells, Texas ... a town about 260 miles from Uvalde. The Governor-hopeful brought up the shooting that killed 19 students and 2 teachers, railing on AR-15 rifles -- which O'Rourke says have no business being in the hands of civilians.

While Beto was describing how the weapons were designed for warfare, a man in the back of the crowd, who reports say was a supporter of Gov. Greg Abbott, started laughing obnoxiously.

Without a beat, Beto turned, addressed the man and said, "It may be funny to you, mother f****r, but it's not funny to me." The crowd erupted.

Of course, O'Rourke has challenged Abbott and Texas Republicans since the day of the shooting to take action, and create stricter gun laws -- even showing up at a press conference Gov. Abbott held to urge him to do something.

Rep. Eric Swalwell got a vile, hateful, racist, homophobic voicemail from a Trump supporter who advocated the beheading of him, his wife and kids.

The voicemail embodies the violence being advocated by some people on the far right who have advocated violence and even civil war in the wake of the raid on Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home this week.

The caller is straight-up racist when he drops Vice President Kamala Harris' name, and it's hard to even describe the vitriol toward numerous other Democrats, including the President and the Speaker of the House.

The San Francisco Congressman posted the voicemail on his Twitter account, saying, "LISTEN to this death threat against my children. Since the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, Trump, McCarthy and MAGA Republicans are stoking violent rhetoric against lawmakers and law enforcement. Someone is going to get killed."

Andrew Yang is questioning the FBI raid on Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort ... he says the feds better find some compelling dirt on the former President, or it's a horrible look.

The former Presidential and NYC Mayoral candidate joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we asked him what we makes of the FBI's unprecedented move against Trump.

Andrew says the only way this turns out well for the FBI is if agents seized some really strong evidence against Trump, who is under investigation for allegedly removing boxes of classified documents from the White House and taking them down to Florida.

Yang says if the FBI raid turns out to be a big nothing burger, it looks like a political attack on Trump ... and he thinks most Americans agree it would create some really bad optics.

TMZ broke the story ... the feds waited until Trump was away from Mar-a-Lago to raid the place. In the aftermath, Trump has ripped the FBI, claiming agents ransacked Melania's closet while looking for the docs.

Andrew, who is leading the charge to create a new political party called the Forward Party, says the FBI raid might even help Trump become the GOP nominee in a 2024 rematch against Joe Biden, an outcome he says most Americans do NOT want.

The way Andrew and the Forward Party sees it ... a Trump vs. Biden sequel would push even more voters away from the two-party system in search of other choices, to the Forward Party and others.

Jon Stewart's efforts to get health benefits to veterans came full circle Wednesday ... he was on hand to watch President Biden usher in a bill guaranteeing exactly that, with a shout-out from POTUS himself.

The former 'Daily Show' host was one of several people in attendance at the White House to watch 46 sign the PACT Act into law ... and you could tell he was emotional to see it reach the finish line after a hard-fought battle. The Prez made sure to acknowledge his good work, saying the bill wouldn't be before him if it wasn't for everything he'd done.

JS took it all in humbly, and throughout the ceremony ... was also hugging vets who were able to make it in person, rubbing shoulders with politicians in the room, and getting pats on the back by pretty much everybody around. It's well deserved.

As we all saw over these past couple weeks, Jon was on the front lines in getting U.S. Senators to vote for PACT -- even after many of them, mostly Republicans, flip-flopped at crucial points in the legislative process ... nearly torpedoing it all together.

There was a lot of handwringing over verbiage -- including claims that Dems were trying to play a budgetary game in terms of the type of spending this would fall into long-term -- but Jon always stuck to his guns and called out misinformation left and right in a variety of ways.

He spoke directly to reporters in very impassioned terms a few times on Capitol Hill ... and even got into some shouting matches with people he considered trolls acting in bad faith.

Of course, Jon also used social media pretty creatively -- and in the end, it paid off. Just goes to show ... the guy knows how to get stuff done in D.C. when he puts his mind to it.

The FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago and Donald Trump's visit to New York City were not coincidental ... the feds timed the raid so there would not be a confrontation between agents and the former President ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

Sources involved in numerous FBI searches tell TMZ ... even if there were not a confrontation, protocol in raids like the one Monday would go like this ... the FBI would swoop in and, if the target of the search warrant was in the house, agents would typically handcuff the target until the property was secured. The target would not be arrested, but rather detained.

Once the property was secured, agents would remove the handcuffs but the target could not reenter the premises until the raid was completed.

This would present an extremely awkward situation for the feds, and it would become a political hot potato.

Not long after former President Donald Trump was raided in Florida -- his daughter was seemingly having a ball in Minnesota -- grabbing dinner and flashing a smile with her hubby.

Ivanka Trump, DT's former senior White House advisor, was out in downtown Rochester Monday night with Jared Kushner ... about 2.5 hours after her pops got an unwelcome visit from the FBI at Mar-a-Lago, where they executed a search warrant.

In photos obtained by TMZ, you can see IT and JK departing Bleu Duck Kitchen, we're told -- where witnesses say they had a table to themselves and apparently a bit of vino. Both looked to be in great moods, despite what was happening with 45.