You have to appreciate all that Diddy has done for American politics. His "Vote Or Die" campaign ignited a fury of publicity and, hopefully, new voter registrations. He got young people genuinely interested in the political process and selecting the nation's leaders.

It's sad, then, to see this video — his best effort at punditry, criticizing John McCain's VP pick Sarah Palin.

If he's trying to reach America's youth with talking points to take on the GOP, Diddy failed. He did succeed, however, in making us nauseous and working in at least two Ciroc vodka plugs.

Robert Cavalli is a dick. The designer who made a career out of dressing models in bondage stilettos and drapery is now turning around and biting the malnourished hand that feeds him.

"For me, models are just pieces of wood that I carve to make clothes look beautiful," said the gnarled human tree trunk. "There are thousands of models like all other models. Naomi Campbell is the same way."

Indeed, he hates models. So who does Cavalli love? Artists. Artists like — insert air quotes — Diddy.

Let's put aside for a moment the creepy Buffalo Bill-esque metaphor of "carving" up women (let's blame that on the language barrier) and look at what's really bothersome:

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How ever did we miss this most important bit of news from the weekend? Yeah, yeah, Hillary Clinton sorta conceded and all, but also, this: Sean "Diddy Combs has returned to "Puff Daddy," telling fans, via coded message in a new Suge Knight song, "I'm about to back on that Puff Daddy sh*t." He even updated his MySpace page about it: "This is your boy Puff Daddy!!! Yes Puff Daddy." Then his rep started denying the name change, perhaps making this story neither true, nor relevant. [Us]

As a reward for needlessly sullying Diddy's reputation, Los Angeles Times reporter Chuck Philips will keep his day job. [NYT]

The Los Angeles Times has officially retracted its "Diddy knew about that attack on Tupac" story from Chuck Philips, admitting it got duped by imprisoned conman James Sabatino, hoping to save itself from a lawsuit, and making clear its reporting standards do not deserve Pulitzer Prizes. [LAT]

After publishing an article accusing Sean Combs of knowing about an 1994 assault on Tupac Shakur before it took place, based on facts later outed as completely false, the Los Angeles Times might find itself in a courtroom with Diddy's lawyer. Or at least a conference room, working out a settlement agreement over defamation charges. Nothing is certain yet, but in a statement, Diddy's attorney Howard Weitzman hinted legal action might be the next step: The "apology is, at best, a first step, but it doesn't undo the false and defamatory nature of the story, or the suspicion and innuendo that Mr. Combs has had to endure due to these untruthful allegations and the irresponsible conduct of this particular reporter." LAT owner Sam Zell might return to cursing just yet.

Here's the Los Angeles Times' apology to Sean Combs for fingering him as involved in a 1994 assault on Tupac Shakur — an allegation made based on fake FBI documents journalist Chuck Philips received from con man James Sabatino. "In relying on documents that I now believe were fake, I failed to do my job," said Philips in a statement. Interestingly, Philips is "an acquaintance" of Smoking Gun editor Bill Bastone, who helped expose the fraud. Says the LAT: "The two met not long ago for lunch, discussing their mutual passion for investigative reporting and other matters." The apology appeared on today's front page, below the fold.

Looks like the Los Angeles Times got hosed when Pulitzer winner (though not-always-trusted journalist) Chuck Philips accused Sean "Diddy" Combs of knowing about a 1994 attack on Tupac Shakur before it happened. Diddy, of course, denied the charge. As did the family of Chris Wallace/Notorious B.I.G. when Philips earlier accused the rapper of putting the hit on Tupac in '96.

And they had good reason: It's likely none of it was true. The Times got its info from FBI documents that are now being labeled as fakes, concocted by jailed con man James Sabatino, who tried to fictitiously insert himself in the lives of hip-hop heads.

Diligent reporting from The Smoking Gun reveals the docs aren't in any FBI database and that Sabtatino – "an audacious swindler who has created a fantasy world in which he managed hip-hop luminaries, conducted business with Combs, Shakur, Busta Rhymes, and The Notorious B.I.G., and even served as Combs's trusted emissary to Death Row Records boss Marion 'Suge' Knight" – was able to distribute them himself by conveniently redacting the names of the federal agents working on the case. Too bad there are other ways to search for the files in the FBI's records and, low and behold, they don't turn up.

And also, just like the documents involved in the fall of Dan Rather, their physical elements are a giveaway. Cue an internal investigation at the LAT! And, maybe, a major libel suit from Diddy!

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Do you have $30 to waste? Here’s the perfect opportunity to spend it: A “No Bitchassness” shirt by Diddy.

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The Los Angeles Times hits today with a huge story accusing Sean "Diddy" Combs of knowing the assault on Tupac Shakur, at his Quad City studio in New York, was coming weeks before it went down that in November '94, escalating the bi-coastal hip-hop war. (Tupac was fatally shot in 1996.)

Writing the article is none other than Chuck Philips, who previously alleged Chris Wallace/Notorious B.I.G. was the one who put the fatal hit out on Tupac. Wallace's family vehemently denied those claims.

Philips maintains the New York-based rappers, who were supposed to be rivals themselves, knew there was going to be violence, but no shooting; only when Tupac pulled a gun did the plan go awry. And who was behind the shooting? Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond, says Philips; Henchman now manages the career of The Game, among others.

Naturally, Diddy is already on the defensive. After refusing to comment for the LAT article, his label Bad Boy just issued us this statement: "This story is beyond ridiculous and is completely false. Neither Biggie nor I had any knowledge of any attack before, during, or after it happened. It is a complete lie to suggest that there was any involvement by Biggie or myself. I am shocked that the Los Angeles Times would be so irresponsible as to publish such a baseless and completely untrue story."

It's our week-long duty to bring you a taste of Sundance, which is sort of like Taste of New York, except with more free swag and movies nobody is seeing.

And speaking of movies – you know, the reason Sundance exists – we're told by one Sundance insider that "none of the celebs are here promoting their movies. Last year they all attended their screenings (at least premiere screenings) and this year there is almost nobody on the A-list that is attending those."

Change, as the kids say, is in the wind. Add to the fact that, as one source tells it, "the celeb scene is not so great this year," and it's a recipe for gossip disaster. Like the disaster of Diddy's performance at the MySpace party on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, we hear that there really is no reason to abandon NYC for Park City, since as of Sunday night:

Marquee was packed with the usual Monday night Butter scene (Scott Sartiano, Dhani Jones, top celeb publicists Greg Link of Fingerprint and Matt Hein of Eastside PR) while Tao was an overcrowded party with a rough crowd. Diddy was upstairs in VIP with an oversized posse, and the smell of pot the kept floating down to the main area seemed to be coming from their corner pretty consistently. Matisyahu (rappin' reggae rabbi) got on stage for an impromptu performance and did two songs. Perez Hilton was roaming around (soooo hard to miss with that obnoxious pink hair) and was attached at the hip to Mike Satsky, the owner of stereo. CT from the real world was wearing the one outfit that he always wears on TV and looked greasier than ever.

And … then?

The after party that everyone talked about was the Heineken Light karaoke party, and people left at 4 even though it didn't end til 5 (that's a bad sign since usually everyone milks the parties until they are done).

Elsewhere, our spies file:

• DJ AM, spotted everywhere with Mandy Moore, is actually here on business: he's spinning.

• Sienna Miller did an interview session at the Delta Sky Lodge, and Diddy proceeded to show up and persuade his way inside "because he wanted to see her."

• The PM house hosted an after hours party in Deer Valley "that was so high maintenance. Super exclusive and you had to take a shuttle to get there." Guests included Diddy, Jamie Lynn Spears, Damon Dash, Pharrell, Harvey Weinstein, Nick Cannon, Sienna Miller, Josh Hartnett.

• Among the most amusing movies that are screening: Farce of the Penguins, as March of the Penguins mock that was prescreened at the house of Fingerprint PR chief Greg Link. (Makes sense, since he had a few lines in the flick.)

While we waste away the week from the confines of our cold, barely insulated headquarters, we've made sure to place spies on the ground at Sundance, who are filing away from the cold, completely-lacking-insulation confines of Park City, Utah. From a smorgasbord of tips, we've compiled the following Sundance cheat sheet:

• Population: 80 percent dudes, 15 percent cougars, 5 percent other.

• At the Gen Art and Delta Sky Lodge Opening Party on Friday night, guests were virtually unwelcome — even those who paid extra for their VIP passes. Dustin "Screech" Diamond, however, was allowed entry (to watch his friend cripwalk on the dance floor), though his presence was likely due to the fact that there were no "real" celebrities in town yet.

• Also Friday night, a Diddy sighting! A spy spotted the rap mogul and his "entourage of 'goons' arriving at the token late night drunk food destination … His phone was glued to his face and he didn't seem to care about the woman by his side, who did not seem to resemble his girlfriend by any means."

• So far, the nightly MySpace parties at Tao "have actually been a bust." One source says a "bunch of my friends had tables there and everything, and they still left after 30 minutes because it was horrible."

• First day feel, summarized by a single overheard quoted uttered on Main Street: "Is that Gary Coleman?! In the cowboy hat? Why are they following him around?"

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Scooter who? The real trial you should be paying attention to is Jacob "The Jeweler" Arabov's, who holds the potential to deliver more celebrity fun than Diddy's gun trial ever could.

And speaking of Diddy, he's being called as a witness — along with Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, and David Beckham, who supposedly can muster up a fraction of a defense in Jacob's money-laundering ordeal. Only problem now, of course, is catering to celeb needs. Is it appropriate to produce a rider for this type of thing?

Brafman is trying to have the case moved to New York, which is home to many of the boldface witnesses he plans to call during the trial. "Trying to coordinate flying them into Detroit is a logistical nightmare that is beyond comprehension," the lawyer said.

Getting this A-list clique to Detroit is indeed problematic. First, they'd have to find it on a map. Second, they'd have to find a Super Bowl party worth attending. Oh, that was last year? Sorry, Jacob … close, but no white gold 4.5 karat diamond cigar.

Oh that Daniel Boulud, so funny trying to pronounce P. Diddy ("P. Daddy"). Sitting down with SuChin Pak for LX.tv, the fancy restaurateur relives a visit by the rapper, who stopped by one day in his track suit and ordered his meal with white truffle — which, as you know, is quite expensive. But for the rapper-producer-fashionista, price is no matter, which gives us our favorite moment of the week: Daniel Boulud retelling the tale that includes "shave this bitch."

In attempt to meet Mike Piazza, a Long Island kid posed as a reporter to get into the locker room and stalk his life-long hero. The impostor, Ryan Leli was not messin' around. He had a fake press pass, a silver tongue, and reporter's notebook … the security at Shea Stadium didn't stand a chance.

Leli is a seemingly strange kid with an obsession with meeting celebrities. He's not even honest about it, either, spending his days faking his way into backstage areas, locker rooms, and VIP clubs. His "collection" includes photos with Owen Wilson, Tom Cruise, and Diddy, who he somehow stalked down and begged for photos.

But this time, as he tried to capture a pic with his number one celeb, his planned failed.

On Friday, with a legitimate ticket in his pocket, he once again presented his phony NBC identification at the press gate, authorities said.

But this time, he never made it to the locker room to conduct more bogus interviews. Stadium security guards and detectives from the prosecutor's office, who had been watching for him, moved in and arrested him.

The charges are pretty severe: petty larceny, criminal possession of a forged instrument, falsifying business records, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal impersonation and trespassing.

If only he had worn coke-bottle glasses and a tweed jacket …

He's 1-trick phony [Warren Woodberry, Robert Moore, Daily News]