Air Force One heads down a snowy runway for takeoff at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colo. as President Barack Obama headed back to Washington
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Washington Post: Obama moves to ease student loan burdens
President Obama on Wednesday announced a plan to allow college graduates to cap federal student loan repayments at 10 percent of discretionary income starting in January, two years before the cap was due to take effect under federal law.
The accelerated “pay as you earn” program, which Obama will authorize through executive order, could benefit up to 1.6 million borrowers and reduce their payments by as much as a couple hundred dollars a month, administration officials said. All remaining debt on the federal loans would be forgiven after 20 years – five years earlier than under current law.
Read full article here
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😯
Thanks Esmerelda
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Reuters: …. President Obama’s appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” lifted the show to its highest Tuesday-night ratings since March 2, 2010, the night after Leno returned to the show.
Tuesday’s episode received a 4.1/11 metered-market household rating, a 52 percent leap over his Tuesday-night average so far this season. With Obama’s appearance,” The Tonight Show” handily surpassed “Late Show with David Letterman,” which posted a 2.7/7 household rating, “Nightline,” which drew a 3.6/9, and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” which received a 1.8./6.
Thanks Proud
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Ruth Marcus (Washington Post): In an interview with Parade magazine, the Texas governor declared Obama’s place of birth a “distractive” issue even as he happily latched on to the opportunity to distract ….. It was classic Perry, combining logical incoherence and a smarmy cheap shot.
…. Is this a presidential campaign or a middle-school playground? I’ll show you mine if you show me yours? By the way, if I had Perry’s grades, I wouldn’t be mentioning them. Certainly not if I were running against a former president of the Harvard Law Review.
…. You might think this was the candidate cannily trying to have it both ways: a nod to the birther crazies with a simultaneous wink at those who know this is a ridiculous distraction. Except that Perry managed to step on his real message of the day: his unaffordable and unfair proposal to “simplify” the tax code – by grafting a flat-tax alternative onto the existing system.
…. The matter of Obama’s birth certificate should be a closed case. It is astonishing that a sitting governor, no less a serious candidate for president, would stoop to playing this game.
… The country is facing serious problems. This will be a fateful election. Voters deserve better than scare tactics and drivel.
Full article here
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President Obama returns a salute as he steps off Marine One helicopter on the South Lawn of the White House as he returned from a three day trip to Nevada, California and Colorado.
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See here for more information
Thanks Marlz
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The Obama Diary 
Wow:
Some time ago the president said that even Arizona was a possibility for 2012. Looks like he was right.
Arizona, that’s that dope Senator McCain home state.
Thank you for this news, Esmerelda! It is the birthday surprise that made me the happiest:) Funny, because someone from OFA called me last night and we spoke for quite some time. I asked her how things were looking for the President in AZ…she IMMEDIATELY said that the internal numbers they had were actually BETTER than Nevada! I was so psyched when she said that:) There are LOTS of seniors here…sometimes they make me nuts with the fear factor voting that they do, but in this case, they aren’t stupid…they don’t want anyone messing with the Medicare/SS…they know what the Republicans have in mind, and they will speak out loud and strong! Never thought I’d see the day…but I’ll take it! She also told me that David Axelrod came out here and spoke to all of them…she said she almost peed! Fired up! Ready to go!
Get home safe, Mr President.
I’m having a little heart attach looking at that gorgeous plane taking off in the snow. BE SAFE, MR. PRESIDENT and CREW.
His pilots are top notch and that plane weighs upwards to 700,000 lbs. It is okay….but I never think are prayers will be in vain. 😀
I just made the photo of AF One the background on my computer and it looks awesome. It stretches across my entire screen. 🙂
It’s a gorgeous photo but I worry when he is flying in extreme weather!!
ME TOO!!!!!!
Our…not ‘are prayers’
Sue, that is so true about our prayers, I believe. We just keep lifting him up each day with all of our prayers, good thoughts, and meditations.
I also pray for the pilots and the entire crew on both AF1 and Marine1. (I have a crush on the pilot of AF1, Col.Turner). He is a very serious cutie. Shame on me. HZ
Oh no HZ, good for you! Gotta keep that blood circulating 😀
OMG, Chips. what a beautiful way to start my afternoon. I missed the live rally this morning but thank God someone posted a link. I was heartned by the students standing in the snow to watch PBO. Love the photo of AF One taking off in the snow.
The AF1 picture is quite gorgeous. Very nice back drop.
Love the word “heartened” – it is what en-couraged means. Just the opposite of dis-couraged, dis-heartened.
Forgive me but What the heck is Thomas talking about? Instead of going on the Internet to confirm President Obama’s handwriting he should have done a bit of research on the Healthcare bill! These people are exasperating!
Agreed, what is he talking about?
OMG, seriously! He’s a RWer from Plano, TX and he can’t stand what the Democrats and PBO are trying to do for people who are sick. What a surprise. I am grateful for PBO’s uncommon grace in these moments because that guy’s letter was SO over the top. Especially with the whole retribution accusation. UGH.
Thomas lost me a little when he talked about the controversy around healthcare. was he really concerned about the controversy or did HCR really help him in anyway? Did I miss sopmething?
Oops, meant “something”.
No, you didn’t miss anything, but he did. Like CTgirl said he should have spent some time looking up the health care bill instead of checking handwriting samples. He’s probably still looking for the death panels.
Very funny but so true Debz…
CtGirl, I am not feeling very charitable towards Thomas myself. Why people can not allow their beliefs to be challenged is really frustrating.
I think the first clue into Thomas’s stubborn belief system was that he ‘feared’ that his voice would be silenced or ridiculed. IMO, he clearly has no first hand knowledge of the way our President welcomes and handles dissent. And if I recall, the previous administration was the one that attempted to thwart and control any dissent, not this one.
It also makes me wonder who’s voices are playing in his head. Sadly, I don’t believe Thomas is exercising his critical thinking skills. 😦
It would have been nice to pick a positive person who really appreciated what PBO was trying to do. Of course they would pick a negative bozo.
Or at least balance the approach with a positive recipient as well as ‘Doubting Thomas.’ Balance is evidently not a high priority for CNN. Glad I tuned them out a long, long time ago.
Interesting article, 1st in a series, over at PoliticusUSA today, “Applying the Theory of Mind to the GOP Hate for and Obstruction of Obama”
Seems to begin to explain the thinking process or lack of someone like ‘Doubting Thomas.’ I find the mind to be extremely fascinating, how it works, and it’s true potential, to be one of our greatest mysteries.
Or even go further in asking Thomas exactly what parts of the Health care bill he found ‘controversial’ and providing him with corrections to what are clearly bogus conclusions on his part…
Even the author of the book unfortunately seemed to engage in the exercise solely for fun…and money…
A really good author might have taken this a step further and actually challenged people like Thomas who got responses from the President, by availing them of specific information that would clearly contradict all of Thomas’ assertions and allay any real residual ‘fears’ and ‘concerns’ planted in Thomas’ head by the Rush Limbaugh’s, Glenn Beck’s and Bill Cunningham’s of the world…
Unlike President Obama, there was no good faith to be found on the part of CNN, their chirpy brunette, Thomas or sadly the author of the book…
I won’t be buying the book for several reasons…
The author who ironically seems to find it hard to address the President properly, seems rather shallow and appears to have embarked on what could have been a very worthy project for all the wrong reasons and even worse, yielding terriby muddled up and superficial outcomes that served only him well financially and exposure wise in the end…
What a wasted opportunity if I ever saw one…
I didn’t think very much of Thomas. I think they spent to much time with him and not enough with the guy who wrote the book. Thomas says at first receiving the letter change his mind, but he sees now what is going on. I would have like to heard from more than one person. Let’s see Thomas email those three stooges McConnell, Boehner, and Canter and see if they take the time to write him back. If there is any concern of the author of the book not addressing the President properly, maybe you show contact the author and tell him how you feel about that.
Sue, I was thinking about Valerie Plame as I was listening to his paranoia. PBO couldn’t be more opposite from that attitude. UGH.
That’s all I kept saying while watching “what the heck are you talking about?” And the part about how his mind was changed at first and then things got negative? WTF? And the part about getting a bill that we can all agree on? Uhm, we spent way too many months arguing on a bill that Republicans never wanted. Lets not get it twisted.
Jared Bernstein reviews……
GOV PERRY’S TAX PLAN
If the itches here are: taxes are too simple, rich people don’t have enough money, seniors have too much retirement security, and multinationals are not creating enough jobs abroad, Gov Perry just scratched them all.
http://jaredbernsteinblog.com/gov-perry%e2%80%99s-tax-plan%e2%80%a6/
Good article on the shrinking middle class by Marisol Bello and Paul Overberg of USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/story/2011-10-25/middle-class-disappearing/50914822/1?loc=interstitialskip
We’re never going BACK..
Not sure why Thomas is still against the Affordable Healthcare Act (in the 10 letters video). Keep a open mind …
The President wrote him back…gosh! And he does this every night..reads 10 letters from US.
Was the best letter they could showcase? Something negative? CNN really sucks.
They made sure to pick a snarly one where the RW talking points still prevail. They are the worst.
While I initially DID NOT like CNN’s choice of letter (writer), I LOVED what the President’s response said about him! For me him responding to this guy reinforces the fact that he KNOWS he’s the president of the entire country, not just of the people who support his decisions. In addition, it also shows a leader who is not afraid to be challenged (something WE all know, but the average republican doesn’t), AND one who has rational reasons for his decision, not just gut reactions. I can’t imagine #43 or any of the current presidential hopefuls showing this level of confidence by answering such a letter. So though I initially thought CNN’s choice was suspect, I now want to believe that there could be positive viewer consequences as a result of this choice. [One republican soul might realize that our President has ‘chutzpah’?]
“While I initially DID NOT like CNN’s choice of letter (writer), I LOVED what the President’s response said about him”
Just what I thought too VC. It drove me nuts that they picked out that guy’s letter, but choosing him and showing the reply he got showed just what a special man this President is.
I was completely bugged by that Thomas guy too! I just felt like he was the wrong choice to have on the show. It seemed like CNN was trying to balance out doing a positive President Obama story by picking someone who wanted to perpetuate a negative spin on health care reform. I agree Chips and HZ, the President’s response shows what class he has and where his heart is, standing up to help the American people.
Michael Hiltzik of the LA Times compares PBO’s jobs plan v. GOP proposal – guess which one comes up short?
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik-20111025,0,1522324,print.column
thank you blodegrrl. I think this is the first article I have seen comparing the two plans. I am hoping we will see more articles like this. It’s interesting that it was also the LA Times that had that great opinion staff article last week about the Republicans blocking President Obama’s domestic agenda.
Obama succeeds — when Republicans let him
http://opinion.latimes.com/opinionla/2011/10/obamas-presidency-foreign-policy-domestic-opposition.html
Let’s home the media begins to cover this meme more and more, Ladyhawke. The public needs to hear this again and again.
hope, not home.
Ratings: Obama Gives Jay Leno a 52% boost.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/26/idUS379872227420111026
Woot! I think Jay did an excellent job, in fact as many here have suggested, some journalists out there could learn a few things from his approach.
I hope the President will visit David Letterman’s show one of these days.
Yes, I agree whole heartedly, Sue 🙂
Woot! And we were responsible for 51.99% of that boost….teehee…
We sure are PJ. Woot! Woot! 🙂 Jay was great.
It was a great segment and more reason for the GOP loons to panic. Their current crop of clowns cannot compare to POTUS.
Well I hope NBC and MSNBC thanks PBO it’s big ratings and a lot’s $$$ for them maybe just maybe
NBC and MSNBC would give PBO a posite caverage I sure most of us watched the To night show last
night.
Yes, I watched, but Loedy i tell you, It was soooooooooooooo terribly hard for me to wait up for Leno and PBO, I mean I dosed and dosed, off and on, and somehow, I finally managed to stay awake long enough to see It all. And the Commercials were oh sooooooooooo long, found myself falling asleep again In between commercials, Lol. But I enjoyed every minute of It. PBO was great, and so was Jay Leno :-). I guess the old Lady just can’t hang like I use to lol, but great show, and PBO looked so SPIFFY, cool, and sharp 🙂
Loedy = Lordy
I highly recommend following @JeffersonObama. Always very sane tweets and a big supporter of PBO. He also a red wine aficionado so he dispenses wine tips!! He recently had a nephew that went missing for days and the whole twitterverse was with him. Very moving.
I follow him Meta. He’s the absolute BEST. His tweets are always very informative and you’re right that he’s a HUGE supporter of PBO. He uses the twitter platform very effectively to highlight PBO’s accomplishments and point out GOP ineptitude. He also has a big following on twitter. I remember the first time he retweeted one of my tweets; I was super stoked. Another phenomenal person to follow on twitter is Shoq. He’s a HOOT. He takes on teabaggers like no other and in a very witty manner. His ingenuous ways with the english language and 140 characters is a beauty to behold. Another HUGE supporter of PBO with a big twitter following.
Yeah, I was super stoked when he started following me. He’s very level headed and gracious and rarely loses his cool.
Also love Shoq. He’s crazy smart and direct and always interesting.
Let’s keep sharing recs for follows as we find them!
I follow jeffersonobama and he follows me. I was super happy when he followed. Huge fan of his.
In spite of the negativity and constant drumbeat about PBO’s poll numbers, he is still polling ahead of the repugs and he is not in campaign mode. That’s why the overall, so-called low poll numbers for PBO gives me pause.
haha—-Martin Bashir called the Repub candidates “ferrets fighting in a sack” and was so bold and truthful as to describe them as “stupid and idiotic”. Made mincemeat out of all them and all their nutty statements. Calls Cain “the Godfather” and got great mileage out of him speaking in front of the odds at a dog park. “You can’t make this stuff up” has never been more true.
got a link to video?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3096434/#45052249
I just spent about 20 minutes on his website watching video replays….seems to be a legitimate voice for reason. Also I see Jared Bernstein popping up more and more and that’s a good thing. He articulates economic policy and impact clearly and in an easily understood way. I hope we see more of him in the future, as he is a supportive voice for the President’s economic initiatives and policies.
Sue, I concur with you. Jared is great. He was the economic advisor to VPBiden. I believe that we will see more of him as we are getting closer to 2012. Lets keep praying that will be the case.HZ
From Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
October 26, 2011
WHOSE SIDE ARE THE REPUBLICANS ON?
===================================
Democrats are listening to the American people and pushing policies to create jobs, strengthen the middle class, encourage entrepreneurs, and help small businesses grow and hire. Whose side are Republicans on?
,
,
It is clear that Republicans—who have been in control of the House for 295 days without producing a jobs agenda while protecting their special interest friends—are just ignoring America’s priorities. When will the GOP start listening to their constituents, abandon their ideological agenda and work with Democrats to put the country back to work?
===================================
http://www.democraticleader.gov/blog/?p=4539
LOVE Nancy……we must put the gavel back into her hands, we MUST!
YES!YES!YES!
Obama’s appearance on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” lifted the show to its highest Tuesday-night ratings since March 2, 2010, the night after Leno returned to the show.
Got it from here, but as usual the heading is a downer . . .
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/26/idUS379872227420111026
From Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
MYTHBUSTER: Federal Regulations
============================
Speaker Boehner this morning before a gathering of conservatives in Washington, DC:
Our nation is “facing a federal regulatory onslaught like nothing we’ve ever seen.”
Speaker Boehner and Congressional Republicans are misleading Americans when they claim the Obama Administration has been responsible for a crush of new regulations that are undermining the American economy. The facts prove this myth patently false:
http://www.democraticleader.gov/blog/?p=4537
From Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
GOP “JOBS” BILLS: THE FAUX 15
============================
It’s not even Halloween and Congressional Republicans are in overdrive selling tickets to the GOP’s House of Mirrors. That’s the only explanation for their desperate attempt to disguise their special interest agenda by adding the words “and creates jobs” onto bill descriptions that will do no such thing and claiming the Obama Administration and Senate are ignoring them. In fact, House Republicans have voted 17 times against Democratic proposals or efforts to consider proposals – several of which are bipartisan – to create or protect American jobs.
============================
Read more here ….
http://www.democraticleader.gov/blog/?p=4533
Peeps, last night I mentioned that there was a terrible confrontation last night in Oakland between police and OWS protestors. Regardless of how you feel about the OWS movement, please hold this young man who is an Iraq war vet and was seriously injured in your thoughts and prayers:
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Occupy-Oakland-Protester-Seriously-Hurt-Report-132644468.html
It’s just completely tragic to think that he survived the battle in Iraq only to be seriously injured in the streets of Oakland.
So sad… 😦
In all of this, where’s the mayor and/or governor ❓
Good question. Mayor was out of town last night. I guess she’s back now. Haven’t heard a peep out of our Governor.
She was in DC, rushed back I guess. I just read her comments which supported the police actions, but now I can’t remember where I just read them…I need help 😯
I heard about this Meta and have the young man in my prayers…
I’m actually beginning to think Jerry’s not doing very well health wise…
I know he had some sort of minor(?) procedure not too long ago…
That has to be the only explanation for the long periods of silence and his near absence at public functions including not showing up again for President Obama…
He is in my prayers too…
By the way Meta, what are your thoughts re: the S.F Mayoral race…
Yes, meta, I will do the same. Your thoughts are so true. Will do. I really do believe that goodness in our thoughts, prayers, and times of sitting quietly and meditating about these issues in a concertive manner does have power in our activeness. Will do. Thanks for all of your many informative links, Meta. I appreciate them so very much.HZ
From Media Matters……
Gov. Perry’s Not-So-Bold Promise On Job Creation
In the first official television ad of his presidential campaign, Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) confidently promises to create at least 2.5 million new jobs if he is elected. As Steve Benen points out, Perry’s standard for success makes it significantly more difficult for him to criticize President Obama’s record on job creation:
– GRAPH showing private-sector growth and public-sector decline –
http://politicalcorrection.org/blog/201110260010
So the crushing of Cain with the help of the media has begun. CNN is out with new polls in the top four GOP primary states and they are showing Mitt leading all of them. I don’t care who wins their nod, but I smell something here.
For real. Tired of their total schizophrenia about this RW mess.
It’s amazing how polls magically change to fit the media narrative. They are desperately trying to push Romney the Robot on us.
The MSM are traying to play with our heads, because they think we sre stupid I watched him on the Univerity
of Colorado today and he was amazing , PBO is targeting the right people our young people and they are paying
attention so I.am not worried If only the MSM will show the crowds cheering for PBO things will be a bit different.
The young people get it. and they know the PBO is the only one doing the heavy lifting for all of us.
Absolutely spot on Mel…
The media has to keep the horserace going…
They need the viewing public to stay ‘interested’ for numbers and advertising dollars…
And they’ll do whatever it takes to stay at it…
Including destroying our very fragile Union and the very essence and fabric of our nation…
The media doesn’t have to help crush Cain, he does that with his stupid 9-9-9 plan.Maybe folks seen what was really in the 9-9-9 plan.
Almost everyone everywhere is ridiculing Cain’s statements, many of them opposite of what he just said a minute ago. And I think that nutty smoking, sneering campaign ad was the final straw for the Repub power peeps. They don’t want “the godfather” representing their party.
Cain is not a serious presidential candidate or either he is serious but is too stupid to think that some catchy phrase for tax reform and stupid commericals that only makes SNL jobs easier would make people take him seriously (other than the teabaggery).
Exactly desraye, the 9-9-9 plan, the plethora of gaffes (as enumerated by Karl Rove, those stupid ads, and the video below should totally disqualify “Herb” Cain. He comes across as a buffoon and a snake oil salesman.
VIDEO: The 9 Craziest Things Herman Cain Has Ever Said
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2011/10/25/353056/video-the-9-craziest-things-herman-cain-has-ever-said/
Please don’t fall for the Cain distraction…
That is all he really is…
A Koch decoy for the real Koch puppet candidate…
Leave it to TeaNN to bring on ” Doubting Thomas ” to diss our President.
Grrrr
I’m sorry but Thomas just seems uninformed. I wonder if he has ever looked at whitehouse.gov or HHS websites to learn exactly what was accomplished with the Affordable Care Act. I mean there is even a tool that anyone can use to determine how the law impacts them personally. Good for him that he got a response back from our amazing President Obama. But I just didn’t get his beef with the ACA. It sounds like he was more concerned with the process then the actual results. Very strange indeed.
😀 😀 😀
Thursday, October 20, 2011
President Obama Gets Endorsment From UFCW Union For 2012 Re-Election Bid
1.3 million Food & Commercial Workers will “fight for the White House”
Joseph T. Hansen, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, today announced that the 1.3 million-member organization is officially endorsing President Obama’s 2012 re-election bid. The union will be mobilizing membership across the US to campaign for Mr. Obama, Hansen said. Membership is made up of workers primarily in the retail and meatpacking, food processing and poultry industries. UFCW is the first private union to announce its endorsement, though other unions are expected to follow suit.
UFCW members “are ready to win the fight for the White House in 2012,” Hansen said.
The full statement from Hansen:
“The 1.3 million members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) are ready to fight for the future of our country and to stand with leaders who will stand up for working families. President Barack Obama is that leader.
“I am proud to announce that the UFCW is endorsing President Obama’s reelection campaign because our members understand how much is at stake in this election. President Obama has stood up for the jobless, the uninsured, the middle class taxpayer, Medicare recipients, working women, and accountability from Wall Street. UFCW members are ready to mobilize for the president and to elect more leaders who will stand with him in Congress and statehouses across the country.
“Cashiers and grocery workers are ready to stand up to elect leaders who will ensure good jobs stay in their communities and that their children can achieve their dream for a better life. Meatpackers and food processors are ready to stand up to elect leaders who will keep fighting to hold Wall Street gamblers accountable to the home owners and retirees who have invested in their future and deserve security and honesty from financial institutions.
“Working families are struggling during this recession – a recession created by Bush-era tax breaks, lack of financial regulation and unnecessary military escalation. Turning our economy around is going to take a tremendous effort – an effort that must be led by a president who speaks for the 99 percent of Americans who clock into work every morning, instead of those who simply watch stock tickers all day.
“UFCW members are energized because corporate-backed politicians at the federal and state level have launched an all-out assault on working people. President Obama is fighting back.
“UFCW members have never stopped fighting back in statehouses and in their communities. They are ready to win the fight for the White House in 2012. The UFCW will be mobilizing, organizing and energizing our members, their friends and families to keep President Obama in the White House and to elect a Congress that works hard for hard working Americans. Ours is an enthusiastic choice to stand with President Obama as he fights against political opposition that seeks to enrich a select few at the expense of millions of regular Americans.”
http://obamafoodorama.com/
WOWWWWWWWW…..
WHAT A STATEMENT….
FIREDDDDDDDDDDDD UP
Mitt “Who Am I This Time” Romney does a flip-flop-flip and a triple axle and falls in line after getting hammered by Republicans for not taking a firm stand in the Ohio ANTI-WORKER MEASURE. The incoming was brutal. Welcome to the big leagues Mitt.
THE HARD TO EXECUTE FLIP-FLOP-FLIP
=================================
Mitt Romney created quite a mess for himself yesterday, showing up at a Republican call center in Ohio, rallying GOP activists fighting to protect a union-busting bill, and then refusing to endorse the measure they were working on. Today, at a campaign event in Virginia, the former governor tried to “clarify” matters.
.
Romney was simply reluctant to take a stand in support of an unpopular anti-worker measure that’s likely to lose in two weeks. So, he went from supporting the measure, to being agnostic on it, to supporting it again, hoping the right will stop yelling at him.
There’s no reason this should make Romney’s problem go away.
==================================
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_10/the_hardtoexecute_flipflopflip033096.php
Thanks for this Ladyhawke. Off to tweet.
Michelle Obama makes unannounced visit to Obama 2012 headquarters
By Lynn Sweet on October 26, 2011 3:05 PM | No Comments
WASHINGTON–First Lady Michelle Obama made an unannounced visit to the Obama 2012 national headquarters during her Tuesday visit to Chicago.
Mrs. Obama arrived at the Prudential Building headquarters at 7:10 p.m and departed at 7:45, a campaign spokesman told me Wednesday. “She spoke for about 15 minutes and shook hands,” I was told.
At 9:22 p.m. the campaign sent out a message via Twitter: “The First Lady stopped by campaign HQ tonight on her way back to Washington to get us fired up. It worked. #Obama2012.”
Mrs. Obama traveled from a fund-raiser at Plumbers Hall on the near West Side to headquarters, on Randolph Street across from Grant Park. I’m told Mrs. Obama had dinner with some friends at Plumbers Hall before her fund-raiser.
Mrs. Obama’s team arranged for a print pool reporter to cover her fund-raising event. The Mrs. Obama team did not arrange for a pool reporter to at least note her arrival and departure from headquarters.
Lynn Sweet-
Jovie, that’s just great of our wonderful First Lady.
Thanks for that snippet…
Even if I loathe Lynn Sweet…
Check out this cool graphic on how people are using the We the People petition process:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/26/we-people-takes-next-step-responding-your-petitions
thank you meta. I just marvel at the sophistication of the whitehouse.gov website. The originality and creativity never ceases to amaze. They just have a classy way of doing things. The use of social media is astonishing. There is a wealth of valuable information. I encourage my friends and family to check the website periodically and to definitely sign up for updates.
I actually wonder how many people are on staff because it’s THE most dynamic website I’ve seen. Always current, always changing, always adding new content and new design elements. Macon Phillips is outstanding.
Thanks for the link Meta. I just tweeted it. This White House makes use of technology like no other. The wealth of information they spread through avenues like emails, facebook, twitter, and other social networking sites is breathtaking. They’re creative, unique, on the ball, and very very politically savvy; not to mention smart as a whip. They show how effective government benefits its citizens. Macon is one of a kind. A digital wunderkind.
Hey TOD’ers on twitter the White House initiative We The People has launched a twitter account. You can follow them @wethepeople.
Safe Travels Mr. President!!
Back home, safe and sound.
Sigh of Relief!!!
that is one of the coolest pics of AFO
thanks
LOVE THIS!
Critical thinking-
The son of al awaki was just killed by a drone in Yemen!
CNN says, he left colrado to got to Yemen to look for his father. Really?
Think, CNN, think.
For God sakes.
If CNN believes that, I got some beach front property I would like to sell them in Arizona.
CNN= dumbdown of America!
Do you mean the son who was killed a few days ago or is there another just today?
Few days ago. Of course, CNN asks no arbitrary questions. Like- why is he going to Yemen, when it was confirmed his father was killed.
Why did he go to a suburb of the Capitol and then took days to teach the Capitol?
What does the Pentagon say about this?
Jovie you have me with tears rolling down my face 😆
Donald Trump is an idiot . . .
Trump on why he doubts Obama’s birth certificate: “You check out the internet, many people say it is not real. Okay?”
He and Lawrence are at it again today. Trump sure is a baby.
By that logic, than the internet rumor that Donald is trying to pass of a the ferret on top of his head as his own hair must certainly be true.
Many people think something up there is actually alive……must be true;)
That was so funny Sue…
This is so cool.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/10/26/we-people-takes-next-step-responding-your-petitions
Under Bush, were they doing all these cool stuff?
I find this fascinating. Statistics meet technology! LOVE IT!
Interesting- the State Dept bought 70k dollars worth of the Presidents books(odd):
INSIDE THE GAGGLE: The pool reports some highlights from White House press secretary Jay Carney’s Q&A with reporters on Air Force One:
— On Rick Perry’s economic plan: “The middle class does not deserve new added burdens.”
— On the debt crisis in Europe: Carney said Tim Geithner is in constant contact with his counterparts, and that President Obama is speaking with leaders before next week’s G-20 summit.
— The pool didn’t mention any questions Carney got on a report that said the State Department bought $70,000 worth of Obama’s books. But CBS reporter Mark Knoller said on Twitter that Carney responded to a question about it by saying, “It was an embassy-based decision.”
What I love is that since President Obama and his family moved into the White House, all the after tax income from their books go to charity. President Obama’s book at Christmas went to military families. And Mrs. Obama’s book will also go to charities, as yet unnamed.
Correct- email or tweet that pool reporter?
Do you have a link to the pool report? I never know where to find their reports. I’ll send them a tweet if you can tell me where to send it. Thanks!
I am watching the State Department briefing that took place today. The spokeswoman Toria Nuland had a fantastic answer for the inquiries about the purchase of President Obama’s books. I will try to post the response as soon as it is available. It was very thorough.
State Department Briefing – Wednesday, October 16, 2011
http://www.c-span.org/Events/State-Department-Press-Briefing/10737425062/
fingercheck – October 26, 2011
I watched that thanks to your referral…..interesting. She is an excellent spokesperson, although I have to say the press pool she was responding to was far more mature and asked far more pertinent questions than those Jay aka ‘Freakin Clark Kent’ has to babysit.
Yes, the State Department press corps are actually very serious and qualified for what they do. They usually have real questions in search of real answers. Very, very different briefings.
EU to quadruple the bailout of Eurozone to 1 trillion dollars!
Let’s HOpe.
crossing fingers and toes too it it will work
Oh shit! Politics Nation with Rev Al is on right now and Rev Al has his own version of Herman Cain’s creepy Ad. BWAHAHAHA 😆 😆 😆 He also shows Colbert’s parody of Cain’s Ad. This is too funny. 😆 😆 😆 Plus he has the video of PBO aka baby whisperer in San Francisco soothing the baby girl. I looooooooooooooove Rev Al. He’s hitting Paul Ryan who keeps whining that PBO is indulging in class warfare……BADA BOOM!
The brilliance of President Obama’s deficit strategy and the bill he signed is slowly starting to unfold – as folk like Deaniac and others who actually bothered to read the legislation instead of having fainting spells (yes, GG, Jane, Cenk, Ariana – looking right at you #GOPemoprogs):
From the NYTimes today:
“Although the committee is charged with cutting $1.2 trillion, the Democratic plan would trim closer to $2.5 to $3 trillion over 10 years through cuts to federal entitlement programs and Medicare coupled with at least $1 trillion in new taxes.
The proposal — which came after weeks of silence — has virtually no chance of approval by Republicans on the committee, who have repeatedly said they would not approve a package that includes tax increases. The proposal also seemed to reinforce the widely held view on Capitol Hill that the committee has made little substantive progress since its members first began meeting in early September to attack the deficit problem as required by the law passed this summer allowing the nation’s debt ceiling to rise.
If the committee fails to reach an agreement by Thanksgiving or is unable to pass it into law by roughly Christmas, automatic spending cuts of up to $1.2 trillion would be triggered in January 2013. Republicans are particularly concerned as many of those cuts would come from Pentagon spending.
The Democrats’ proposal includes new spending to stimulate the economy and create jobs. Republicans have strenuously opposed tax increases, whether to reduce the deficit or to pay for new spending, and oppose stimulus-like spending.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/us/politics/debt-panel-democrats-offer-cuts.html
So, the Democrats put forward to a proposal that would create jobs, reduce the deficit substantially, even give a nod to bringing entitlements under tighter management & place a fair burden on all tax payers – just what the President had proposed that had #Speaker9% running to the door a few months ago.
Of course, the Republicans will reject it.
And, of course, nothing is going to pass by Christmas that the President would sign.
Drum roll ….
We’re now in an election year and the electorate is thoroughly informed that #KOCHMAFIAGOP hates 99% of them.
We’ve known we needed to reduce the DoD budget and folk struggling to make ends meet, still unemployed are going to be like ‘hey, let’s spend that money on US the US in USA.
And, those Bush tax cuts for the rich – DOA come 31 Dec 2012.
And, in early Jan 2013 with President Obama in his 2nd term I assure you tax breaks for small business, unemployment insurance extensions, and a bunch of job creating endeavors will be on his desk, post haste, from a D controlled House & Senate.
And, our projected deficit will be significantly reduced by the Iraq war having ended a year earlier and a much saner DoD budget being in effect.
Boehner & McConnell enabled the #KOCHMAFIA to infiltrate the House and Senate with mindless #teabaggers and they and their corporate buddies are going to be rebuilding the Republican Party for the next decade or two.
I’m on a little campaign to urge the #ows folk to realize that the maximum power us %99ers have is to create the logistics for the largest voter turnout in the history of our Republic. After getting gas’d and club’d and jail’d NOTHING CHANGES unless we do a “Tunisia” in America on 6 Nov 2012. The CHANGE began in the streets and town squares but it HAPPENS at the ballot box.
#YesWeCanDOMoreTogether
“The CHANGE began in the streets and town squares but it HAPPENS at the ballot box.”
I love that!!!!
I’m glad 🙂
#StrongerTogether
It’s likely that Republicans in House would pass a bill that would undo any Pentagon cuts. Dems would probably insist that UEI and payroll tax extended in any “deal”, along with other cuts of the 1/3rd that goes to some social programs.
Pres. Obama could veto something if it got by the House and Senate with less than 2/3rds majority. GOP would like to try and grandstand on “Obama is hurting military readiness/our security”
Nothing is going to get to President Obama’s desk unless the #KOCHMAFIAGOP in the House and Senate step up to major revenue increases and job creation.
#PRESSON
Bingo. And defense contractors and health care providers are not going to be happy with the automatic cuts.
Talk about a squeeze play.
SR this is the part of you I don’t miss. You are notorious for your negativity on TOAITR. PRESS ON!!
Just imagine if the army of the OWS had been behind President Obama this whole time, pushing for Congress to do it’s job. They’d have their precious public option. They’d already have repealed the Bush tax cuts. Education improvements would likely have been implemented more quickly. The economy would have improved a lot faster with the GOP, blue dogs and other cowardly Dems afraid to obstruct and a much larger stimulus off the bat, with an option for more stimulus later to put the troops back to work, too, as the wars come to an end. The GOP guy at the FHFA who oversees Fanny and Freddie and who blocked the original housing recovery plan from helping more homeowners might have succumbed to pressure from such an army, and those many millions of homeowners who were supposed to be helped from the $50 Billion plan might be participating more fully in a recovering economy right now, instead of homeless and watching their homes get auctioned for less than they owed or given away by the banks.
If the OWS army had supported the AJA – we’d have a deal already, and the President wouldn’t need to be flying around the country right before a G20 summit with a Europe crisis looming large. We might have a Director for the Consumer Protection Agency who would be putting the regulations in place that would finally make Wall street irresponsibility illegal. We might even have a GOP field of candidates who were taking their primaries seriously, and not putting forward such outlandish suggestions, thereby making the typical GOP failed policies seem more mainstream. If only…
All true, theo.
So, I’m focusing on a positive message that encourages them to take these lessons learned and channel their energy from the street to the ballot box. Anything you can do to help will certainly help America and President Obama.
#PRESSON
Hiya people, new thread:
http://theobamadiary.com/2011/10/26/good-evening-good-people/
Unfortunately, this is all the GOTP has to offer, ” scare tactics and drivel”. They have no other plan than to reduce taxes on the very rich, get America into more wars, and prop up dictators.