patience is a virtue…..

March 2010: A 100-square-meter brick art tribute to U.S. President Barack Obama is unveiled in Sydney, Australia. The tribute wall was erected as a lead-up to Obama’s visit to Australia, part of his first international trip of the year which was recently cancelled

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Reuters: President Obama will visit Australia and the Indonesian island of Bali in mid-November, the White House said on Monday.

It will be Obama’s first stop in Australia – after scrapping a visit twice last year because of domestic concerns – and his second presidential visit to Indonesia, where he spent part of his childhood.

Obama will be in Australia from November 16-17 after hosting the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in his home state of Hawaii and will then travel to Bali for an East Asia summit.

…. In Australia, one of the closest U.S. partners in the region, Obama will mark the 60th anniversary of the ANZUS alliance and hold talks with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on cooperation to foster global economic growth, trade and jobs.

Obama canceled a visit to Australia in March 2010 to stay home and push his U.S. healthcare overhaul plan through Congress. Another visit was called off in June of last year so that Obama could deal with the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

ponzi perry toons

The Week

‘no games, no politics, no noise – pass it immediately’

President Obama holds up his proposed American Jobs Act legislation while making a statement in the Rose Garden of the White House, September 12

The American Jobs Act

yes we can twitter!

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well, okay…..

A man shows his shirt that was signed by Vice President Joe Biden following a statement by President Obama in the Rose Garden at the White House, September 12

ponzi perry….

Greg Sargent: CNN released a poll this morning finding – as have other polls – that Rick Perry has surged past Mitt Romney…. But this finding really does seem significant:

Which Republican candidate do you think has the best chance of beating Barack Obama in the general election next November? Perry 42% Romney 26%….

Really? Nearly half of Republicans think Perry has the best chance of beating Obama?

….. This underscores a gap between the GOP establishment and the Republican rank and file when it comes to assessing Perry’s chances in a general election …. Perry’s “Ponzi scheme” crack, his book’s claim that Social Security may be unconstitutional, its support for repeal of the 16th Amendment, and his implied threat of violence towards Fed chairman Ben Bernanke (which he hasn’t repudiated) have all left GOP establishment figures openly asking whether Perry’s views and personal style will be far too toxic to the mainstream for him to get elected president

….. If those things weren’t enough to persuade Republicans that Perry is less electable than Romney in a general election, it’s hard to imagine what will.

Full post here

yesterday ….

Vice President Joe Biden greets a guest following a ceremony at the Pentagon (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Shanksville (Pete Souza)

Shanksville (Samantha Appleton)

The site where Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville (Pete Souza)

Arriving at the Pentagon landing zone in Arlington (Pete Souza)

The Pentagon (Pete Souza)

First Lady Michelle Obama signs a paper for children at the Pentagon (Pete Souza)

More official White House photos here

debunking gop lies

Robert Reich (Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997) speaking at the ‘Summit For A Fair Economy’ in Minneapolis, September 10

’14 months’

AP: The Democratic National Committee is launching an ad campaign in politically key states to try and rally the public behind President Barack Obama’s new jobs plan and pressure a divided Congress to act.

The television ads show portions of Obama’s speech to Congress last week promoting the $447 billion package of tax cuts and new spending. They urge viewers to “Read it. Fight for it. … Pass the President’s Jobs Plan.”

The spots were to begin airing Monday and are the first round in an effort that will last several weeks, said DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse.

…. The president was formally sending the jobs bill to Capitol Hill on Monday and holding an event in the Rose Garden to call on lawmakers to swiftly back it. On Tuesday he’ll pitch the plan in Ohio, home state of House Speaker John Boehner, and on Wednesday in North Carolina.

More here

Steve Benen: In his speech to Congress last week, President Obama reminded lawmakers that if policymakers “act as one nation and one people, we have it within our power to meet this challenge”. The problem, of course, is that Republicans really don’t want to act as one nation and one people – from Politico:

“House Republicans may pass bits and pieces of President Barack Obama’s jobs plan, but behind the scenes, some Republicans are becoming worried about giving Obama any victories – even on issues the GOP has supported in the past.

    And despite public declarations about finding common ground with Obama, some Republicans are privately grumbling that their leaders are being too accommodating with the president.

    “Obama is on the ropes; why do we appear ready to hand him a win?” said one senior House Republican aide who requested anonymity to discuss the matter freely.“

….. could this quote be any clearer? GOP goals have nothing to do with boosting the economy or creating jobs, and everything to do with undermining the president during a crisis.

…..If Americans wanted Washington to focus on improving the economy, they made some very poor choices in November 2010.

Full post here