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Darwin, Northern Territory:
President Obama talks to Margaret Heron after laying a wreath at the memorial of the USS Peary in Darwin. Margaret Heron was 11 at the time of the Darwin bombing by Japanese aircraft which resulted in the sinking of the Peary, a Clemson-class destroyer, on February 19, 1942
President Obama hugs survivor Mary Lee who was 9 at the time of the Darwin bombing by Japanese aircraft which also resulted in the sinking of the Peary
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At the Royal Army Air Force Base in Darwin
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Arriving in Bali, Indonesia:
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President Barack Obama waves to people in the gallery after addressing the Australian Parliament in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Nov.17, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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All Australia posts here
****
Meanwhile…..
Reuters: New U.S. claims for jobless benefits hit a seven-month low last week, while permits for future home construction rebounded strongly last month, bolstering views the economy was gaining traction.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 388,000, the Labor Department said on Thursday, from 393,000 the prior week. Economists had forecast claims rising to 395,000.
Separately, permits for residential construction rose 10.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 653,000 last month, the Commerce Department said. However, new home construction fell 0.3 percent to annual rate of 628,000 units.
….. “The U.S. economy continues to show signs of strong momentum. The improvement in claims underscores that the gains in labor market activity over the past few months are being sustained,” said Millan Mulraine, a senior macro strategist at TD Securities in New York.
More here
****
….. On the margins of the President’s trip, trade transactions were announced or showcased, exceeding $25 billion in total value (and an additional $14 billion in potential value) and supporting an estimated 127,000 U.S. jobs ….. Notable examples include:
• Boeing 737s to Indonesia: The Boeing Company and Lion Air have reached agreement on the purchase of 201 Boeing 737MAX and 29 Next Generation 737ER aircraft. The President will join a signing ceremony between the representatives of Boeing and Lion Air on November 18 …. The order will support over 110,000 U.S. jobs at Boeing and at suppliers in 43 states. This represents one of the largest trade deals between the United States and Indonesia in history….
• Boeing 777s to Singapore: The Boeing Company and Singapore Airlines have reached agreement on the purchase of eight Boeing 777-300ER widebody aircraft with a total list price value of $2.4 billion, $2 billion in U.S. export content and supporting an estimated 11,000 U.S. jobs…..
• GE Engines to Indonesia: GE is signing a contract to sell 50 CFM56 engines to Garuda Airlines of Indonesia, for $1.3 billion. This deal will represent $650 million in U.S. export content and support close to an estimated 5,000 U.S. jobs at GE’s plants in Ohio and North Carolina and at suppliers across the nation.
• Sikorsky Helicopters to Brunei: Sikorsky has been selected by the Brunei Ministry of Defense to supply 12 Blackhawk S-70i helicopters …. The value of the deal is $325 million, with $200 million in U.S. export content supporting an estimated 1,100 U.S jobs……
Read the full WH release here
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****
****
For some reason, this video isn’t working – except for me 😳 Will try to fix it!
BBC Newsnight, November 16 – “Bobble-headed giggle twits” 😆
The Obama Diary 
Thank you so much Chips for this coverage and all you do. It just brightens my day.
Thank you JER!
I want to echo those thanks, from the bottom of my heart. Yesterday our little rural county started our efforts to make a contribution to getting the President’s name on the ballot for the primary. Sometimes we don’t have time in our work to pause and celebrate the person we are fighting for. At least once a day I can come here and indulge my sense of awe at how different it is to have Barack Obama in the White House and read comments by those that feel as strongly as I do. You have no idea how sustaining that is. Bless you.
I’m with you. We need to do a money bomb shortly for Chips and TOD. The coverage is spectacular.
I’m in awe at these pics from Australia. I’m sitting here at work tearing up at the pics with the survivors. We are blessed.
Dunkessa, I’m with you. Let us know how and when!
I feel the same way. This is always the last place I visit every night before turning off my computer. It helps me to wipe out all the nonsense and negativity that we are bombarded with every day in the MSM.
I am so glad I found you!!
Thank you.
What a beautiful and uplifting photo, thank you Chipstickls!! It is so wonderful to see how President Obama is appreciated and adored world wide. Wishing him a safe, productive and enjoyable rest of his trip.
Morning Sam!
Morning Chips, this is just amazing, thanks to you I feel like I am ‘there’ (in spirit at least!). Just took a break from making cranberry sauce and pureed pumpkin for Thanksgiving next week and saw this masterpiece! We got 5 friends over for Thanksgiving dinner which they are looking forward to, until they met my husband and I they had never celebrated it nor tasted pumpkin pie! Just the thought of it is making me hungry!!
Thanks again for all your hard work. Love ya!
OMGgggggg Chips, thank you so much for this beautiful thread. Goodmorning Chips, and My TODville family. Off to spread it.
Morning M4O! Morning everyone! I’ll try and find more videos soon 😉
uh, um,, well, it’s kinda the reverse of Charlie Brown… The red-headed girl has a school girl crush on Barack Obama. I’m just sayin’… 8) 😎
isonprize, are you talking about the Prime Minister of Australia? She seem to be a bright woman, she has sense. She knows who and where the President belong. No if, ands and buts. She knows that ring around his finger is not for decoration. So if she has a crush, get over it honey.
Yeah, I’m just teasing. From the pictures, it does seem to look like she has a crush. But she KNOWS what time it is…
I PM Gillard really does like PBO a lot, she knows that this man is highly intellectual and well respected
around the world. Now if only our Fucking MSM here will take the time and report what this President
is doing for our country, PBO is showing the world how to win the minds and hearts of people. So
we love you Mr President.
isonprize, maybe you were talking about the little red head girl, not the big red head PM
Annieb, you make me smile at how ‘fierce’ you ALWAYS are when people make jokes about our Prez’ relationship with any other female other than Michelle. Don’t worry so, 😉 we ALL see the unmistakeable Michele-Barack spiritual, as well as physical, connection!
I always smile about that too. I imagine Michelle is amused and flattered when she sees so many people loving her huzzz—-band. Their bond is obviously so strong it doesn’t need defending.
exactly. There bond is strong and doesn’t need defending.
Their (typo)
vcprezofan2, I will only admit this to you guys here, I’M GUILTY. I think the world of FLOTUS. And POTUS is okay too.
I was wondering how long it would take the hateful MSM to make something out of this relationship – well not long – Huff Puff has a post about how Michelle will not like the photos of PBO and the PM and of course they found the most suggestive pictures possible. The article goes on to talk about how they have so much in common and suggestive of something going on between the two of them. They are all PITIFUL – they can not get anything on this wonderful man who has REAL CHRISTIAN VALUES like being faithful to his wife who anyone can see he simply adores – so they make up stuff and hope we will fall for it but we are not fooled we know our POTUS has eyes for no one other than our FLOTUS – there evilness will not win!!! I see Favor over our President and no weapon formed against him will prosper!
🙄 Who knew HuffnPuff would sink so low. discontented with selling negative stories about how PBO does or doesn’t do his job, they go on to attack his personal relationship with his wife, which everybody knows is unshakable. NIce.
Come on even I know what Ms. Huffington Post the anti-Obama blog is up too. These people are out to do anything they can to see to it that he is not re-elected. Barack Obama is not Bill Clinton or JFK. Use your mind, here he is running for re-election and what is he going to do? Go to Australia and have some affair. I don’t think so. Plus he wouldn’t hurt his family like that. So to hell with HP.
I have never seen someone so in love with his wife as PBO. Every photo they are together in he is somehow touching her or looking at her with love and pride in his eyes and she in return. It is evident for all to see. My late husband and I worked with about to be married couples in our church so I am intune with observing love first hand. I guess many do not know that kind of love or are so used to sexual scandals from high places that Huffington hopes it will just be believed. We supporters know President Obama lives by a strong moral compass.
The right wing media always finds a way to make everything ugly and dirty. That’s who they are.
Good morning everyone! (PST)
louc1 I stop readinf the HP a long time ago the site is full of garbage ans Ariana is full of CACA
do not pay attention to those assholes, I am very confident of PBO how he is handling things around
the world and here at home, he will be re- elected in 2012 all we need to do her in this great site with
Chipsticks keep it growing tell our friends and families and neihgbors.
louc1 they can continue to reach.
they just don’t matter. Period. We know what time it is.
I think you’re right. In fact, I was thinking the same thing myself yesterday. One rather comical piece I saw on-line I think was of her husband having to WALK to the ceremonies yesterday. He said he didn’t mind. But I was thinking he probably should be running. Although I don’t think he has anything to worry about. Pres. Obama knows where his interests lies.
Eh, the prime minister is a fair looking lady, but do we remember what Michelle looks like with her slamming body? Then there’s her mega smarts and huge loving heart. She loves her husband and family and he loves her. Enough said, Ms. Huff & Puff who’s husband left her for a man. Gosh, they all want PBO. I can’t blame them. But let it go.
“Ms. Huff & Puff who’s husband left her for a man.”
**************************************dead******************************* lol
I think they like each other. I also think it’s possible for a man and woman to work together in harmony & affection without it being a “crush.” She’s the Prime Minister of a major country, not a kid.
Don’t have a fit, there was no disrespect meant toward PM Gillard.
None at all.
INo fit. Not even a single angry word in my post. .. I have a REAL crush on the President so I know it when I see it. ;-]
Beauzeaux, happy to hear that that you don’t have a single angry word. Have a good day.
Agree—-mutual admiration, nothing more. Geez.
Oooohhhhh Chips, what a wonderful way to start the day. Thank you, thank you, thank you. These pictures absolutely warm my heart – now if only the people in our country could see what we all see and what Austrailia and the rest of the world sees.
Morning Jackie – what a reception he got, the Aussies adore him!
Chica, I just want to thank you again for all that you do! A special thanks for giving my son the video of a lifetime! YOU ARE THE BEST!!!
Good morning Chips. I am going to have a field day with my scrapbook today. How dare you post those newspaper covers and photos showing PBO connecting with people. 🙂
I agree. It’s so great that we have this place to go to. I wouldn’t know about those trade deals if I didn’t come here, or see how everyone else treats our wonderful president. I’m so thankful Chips, so thanks for taking all the time you do to create this wonderful place. I use the information here to tell the kids what’s going on so they know. I’m careful because I teach a lot of kids whose parents are rabid Republicans, but I try to get the best of who he is across, and when they give out their parents’ repub talking points, I correct them with FACTS. It’s a delicate balance, but the fact that I teach the Constitution intimidates these parents, so I haven’t had any complaints so far. Thanks again.
Betsy, thank YOU for the job you are trying to do in imparting truth to these young minds. The very fact you recognize that ‘it’s a delicate balance’ tells me that you are doing a good job. 😆 Many of the students who come from homes with rabid parents will, knowingly or unknowingly, contrast your approach to that of their parents and will gradually, I don’t doubt, form their own opinions. Good luck in your efforts to educate our future voters and leaders.
Nice hat!
Obama to announce Asian export deals for Boeing, GE
(Reuters) – As he wraps up his Asia-Pacific tour, President Barack Obama will showcase a $21.7 billion deal Boeing has struck with Indonesia’s largest domestic airline, Lion Air, the White House said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/17/us-obama-boeing-idUSTRE7AG13920111117
I love pictures of the President with the Elders, He seems to be so gentle with them. Elders and children love him and you can see he loves them back!! Thanks again Chips you are the best!!
And they really mean the love they show – the women with the hugs and the men with the respectful looks. Love it!
Reuters Breaking News: Jobless claims fall to 388,000 in latest week;, the lowest in 7 months; Housing starts down 0.3 percent in October
Excellent!!
OT:
Oh my gosh! I’m seriously loving the DNC right now. Thank you PBO for actualizing DWS’s potential. That woman is a godsend.
Debbie sure is. And we sure needed her for 2012 – and she’s all in!
Very nicely done. I love the way the latest videos have been so on point AND timely! And totally un-negative negative. 😉
Brilliant. Just Brilliant.
‘HISTORIC DEALS’: The White House is promoting some new “trade transactions” to go along with President Obama’s trip across the Pacific. The administration says the agreements support “an estimated 127,000 U.S. jobs.”
Read the “fact sheet” from the White House after the jump …
.
From the White House:
“As part of the National Export Initiative, President Obama noted that the Asia-Pacific region – with its tremendous economic growth and its large and growing middle class – is a key market for U.S. exports. Those exports are generating jobs in every corner of the United States and across every major sector. They involve some of our country’s largest companies, but also an increasing number of small and medium-sized enterprises.
On the margins of the President’s trip, trade transactions were announced or showcased, exceeding $25 billion in total value (and an additional $14 billion in potential value) and supporting an estimated 127,000 U.S. jobs. These high-value, historic deals are good for the American companies who will export and for the thousands of suppliers who will contribute to the end product. These cross-border collaborations, both public and private, underpin the expanding strategic partnership between the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific, contributing to economic growth and development. Notable examples include:
• Boeing 737s to Indonesia: The Boeing Company and Lion Air have reached agreement on the purchase of 201 Boeing 737MAX and 29 Next Generation 737ER aircraft. The President will join a signing ceremony between the representatives of Boeing and Lion Air on November 18. With 230 airplanes at a list price of $21.7 billion, this order represents the largest commercial airplane agreement ever for Boeing. The deal also includes options for a further 150 aircraft valued at $14 billion, bringing the total potential value of the deal to $35 billion. The order for 230 aircraft will support over 110,000 U.S. jobs at Boeing and at suppliers in 43 states. This represents one of the largest trade deals between the United States and Indonesia in history. It also represents the first commitment for the new 737MAX from an Asian airline. Lion Air is a fast-growing private airline that since its establishment in 2000 has rapidly grown to become the largest domestic airline in Indonesia, the world’s fourth largest country. Lion Air operates an all-Boeing fleet.
• Boeing 777s to Singapore: The Boeing Company and Singapore Airlines have reached agreement on the purchase of eight Boeing 777-300ER widebody aircraft with a total list price value of $2.4 billion, $2 billion in U.S. export content and supporting an estimated 11,000 U.S. jobs. In total, Singapore Airlines has ordered 85 Boeing 777s, 27 of which are 777-300ERs. Each 777 has over 3,000,000 parts. Every 777 carries the workmanship of approximately 11,000 small, medium and large companies on it.
• GE Engines to Indonesia: GE is signing a contract to sell 50 CFM56 engines to Garuda Airlines of Indonesia, for $1.3 billion. This deal will represent $650 million in U.S. export content and support close to an estimated 5,000 U.S. jobs at GE’s plants in Ohio and North Carolina and at suppliers across the nation.
• Sikorsky Helicopters to Brunei: Sikorsky (a subsidiary of United Technologies) has been selected by the Brunei Ministry of Defense to supply 12 Blackhawk S-70i helicopters for the Royal Brunei Armed Forces Support Helicopter Project. The value of the deal is $325 million, with $200 million in U.S. export content supporting an estimated 1,100 U.S jobs. The deal also contains options for a second phase that will double the project’s size, value, and job creation. This is one of the largest defense procurements in Brunei’s history. Brunei and Sikorksky will now work to finalize the terms and conditions of the deal.”
JOvie can you send this Information to RM, Rev Sharpton. ED Chultz, and LO this is very important,
and let’s stop taloing about the GOP crazies.
Wow, just wow! 🙂 I just love seeing how our President Obama connects with the world.
NO, no, no. He’s elitist, he’s depressed, he’s out of touch with people. DIdn’t you know that? 😆 😆
Yes yes yes…Tweety, Fineman, Peggy Noonan, all told me so!!! Even Perry told me that Obama grew up privileged! 🙂
Most of all, “Nobody loves Obama.” –Peggy Noonan
———-Obviously.
Yes, children don’t love him, seniors don’t love him, and the military don’t love him. But they do!
However, he should be more like JFK according to Tweety.;-)
Good morning, TODville!!
Another remarkable day in the life of President Obama!!
What a Beautiful, Loved, and Adored man our Wonderful President is!! I also Love & Adore him — and appreciate you and your keeping us all informed of all that is going on. 🙂
I have been wondering when/how he (and you) have been getting any sleep in the past few days — just going, gong going — and especially with the time changes having to be endured? Thanks for everything –I really enjoy all your great photos.
Take care! ♥
You wouldn’t know about all these deals WITHOUT the TOD fam. The MSM is too busy being stupid chasing after a newt.
I have been completely appalled at how little coverage this trip is getting. The ‘progressive’ shows on MSNBC primetime talk about nothing but Herman Cain and Penn State.
Would it kill them to put the President’s accomplishments in their broadcasts? At least one of them?
Unbelievable.
What’s happening in Asia is the shaping of the Obama Doctrine. The media is too stupid to go after substantive shifts. THey have to go after their shiny ball.
You know, at the start of this I was whining about why Chuckie T. & Co. were along for the ride as they were so ineffective in reporting back, Now I see the wisdom of their presence. When foreign media ‘scoop’ them with real analysis, and when they wake up and start to play catch up, they’ll have no grounds for saying they were left out of the President’s information loop. I love my President’s modus operandi. 😆
good points.
halo – You are so right. Our policy agenda in the Asian-Pacific region has changed, and the American people won’t know, thanks to our media. I’m glad we know, and we can help get the word out!
I have been disgusted by the lack of coverage of the President’s initiatives as well. In fact, as the President circles the globe substantially improving the American brand and intitiating a new China policy, Mika on Morning Joe today was touting Huntsman and calling this Administration a “miserable failure”.
Nevermind that Huntsman’s monumental disloyalty to a President who afforded him the honor of an ambassadorship in a crucial area of the world, is NOT working for him. I have lost a lot of respect for Huntsman since he decided to turn on the President the way he did. His problem is that he is in the wrong party, and that is NOT Pres. Obama’s fault.
Robin Meade on CNN’s HLN has given the most “headline” coverage to the President’s trip, so far. She’s highly supportive of the military, and has been showing the President’s meeting with the troops and also made mention of our policy shift in the region. So for the “few” who watch her, at least some news is getting out there.
Huntsman was even called a traitor by RWNJ redstate.com, early on, for conspiring to be President (as if) when he was chosen by and working for the President as ambassador to China. If his own boss couldn’t trust him, how could the American people trust him?
That’s good to know about it is getting reported somewhere in m$m..thanks, jacque! It’s a BFD and the corporatemedia is the one that’s missing out and the people who’ve missed it on Robin Meade’s show or Chip’s theobamadiary.
That’s pretty funny about redstate being the one to call Huntsman(who likes the Ryan Plan) out as a defector .. guess they don’t want him for a candidate.
Mika’s an idiot for all I can tell. Does she need a tweeter bomb?
LOTS OF INFO HERE – EXCELLENT READ
Political Animal, Steve Benen
Crossing the 15 trillion debt threshold
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/crossing_the_15_trillion_debt033550.php
Good morning and thank you, Jackie. Nothing like Steve Benen first thing in the morning.
Good morning meta. I totally agree about Steve. His blog is the first one I check each morning, after TOD of course.
I so agree. My daily ritual includes Steve Benen. I light a candle, come to TOD and then Steve Benen. He doesn’t disappoint.
Benen’s blog is on my homepage via RSS Feed. 😛 I remember when I first discovered him on DU. Somebody was posting his links and I finally said..”who is this guy? I like him”(paraphrasing) and Steve replied to me with the link to his Political Animal site..back in the day before CAPTCHA.
Steve’s reality based..what a concept and what a way he has with words. We’re noticing he’s calling out the gop’s as liars now and not just “confused”. They drove him to it.
Absolutely, Jackie…I saved that one! Going to be LOTS of selective memory loss going on between now and the election….just might need to refresh some memories!
Go for it! 🙂
There’s a little more video here of his speech to the troops in Darwin:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/obama-troops-share-purpose-of-peace-security/2011/11/17/gIQARKn6TN_video.html
Chips,
You are a hell of a WH correspondent. The Jackals don’t have anything on you.
Now, if we can just get the ows movement to work with us.
Good morning.
Totally agree!
Ah, Chips, thank you so much for these. The pictures tell a lovely story. He needs this – I hate he has to come back to this crap! But then, it might be the crap that makes him so doggone strong, plus our prayers, that is.
The speech before parliament was…well…lovely (again). it was something about the setting, the atmosphere, his words. I woke up feeling inspired and grateful that I have lived to witness this phenomenon. It’s something about this man.
Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.” I don;t know if PBO is a prophet, but that “without honour …in his own country” thing sure seems “spot on” to me.
Totally agree, eveingeorgia. When I was in South Africa last month, I visited Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. I thought about how the right man comes along at the right time to lead and change a country – and how others were lucky enough to recognize it and help the movement. It wasn’t done just by one. I think we are in the same time here in the US, the right man at the right time. We recognize it and it’s up to us to open eyes – so we have to keep it up – there are always those that want to tear things down and work against the best interests of the country.
Chip,
You are so super!!!
also I want you like to read about USS Peary survivor’s son to meet Pres Obama
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2011/11/17/273201_ntnews.html
loved this:
“The American citizen was in the United States during Mr Obama’s presidential campaign and voted for him.
Mr Duke knows what he will say when he shakes Mr Obama’s hand.
“You are doing a great job mate, I will definitely vote for you again,” he said.”
Awwwwwwwww. This warms my cockles. Obviously the Peggster was right when she said nobody loves PBO. She deserves a Pulitzer.
Lisa, we should send this tweet to Peggy Noonan as follows if you would take your nose out of the air and look down you would see truth the world loves our PBO.THEY WISH HE WAS THEIRS.
Chips – holy mackeral girlfriend you are amazing look at all this stuff!!!!!
Here’s something that has struck me. look at all this great press PBO has in Australia. Why can’t it be like that here? (I know I know you don’t have to tell me, GOP water carriers, Acme Skewl of Journalism, etc etc ad nauseum) It makes me frustrated when I look at these wonderful headlines and such and think, “MSM doesn’t do that here. WHPress doesn’t do that.” think how much more pressure there would be on the Repubs if the MSM did their jobs and actually reported about all the great things that PBO does instead of always finding something (made up) to cry about.
OK Good morning TOD. gotta go creep back to work.
This is AMAZING. What a wonderful assemblage of poignant photographs and captions!!! Thank you so much Chips. Thank you to the good people of Australia and Indonesia who have welcomed our President with such warmth and hospitality. The senior citizens greeting our President…omg.words fail me!!
Good morning TOD family
Chips the BBC video won’t play
You are awesome. I don’t see you do it. Thank you so much for this positive forum.
Morning Relellit – oh flip, the BBC video won’t play?? Yikes. Just fiddled with the settings on YouTube, will you try again and let me know if it works? Thanks relellit 😉
The news says that their is only 700 people on the OWS movement at wall street.
But wait, afl/CIO says they want to join in and try to shutdowns the NYSE and shut down the Brooklyn bridge.
Richard trumka should be ashamed of himself!
Look the weather is getting cold…Thanksgiving and busy holiday season is fast approaching…and any movement without a true goal/leader will fizzle out with those distractions. MM’s attempt to revive the movement by placing PBO as the new “enemy” FAILED big time. This movement is beset with too many mixed agendas, hidden motives, conflicting goals. The Libertarians in the movement absolutely dislike unions..so good luck afl/CIO.
Spot on HPF2…
any movement without a true goal/leader will fizzle out…
************************************
I agree with this statement….and this was what has always troubled me about OWS….i understand the grievances…concerns,,,,protests and even the demands….but at this stage the question has to be where do we go from here….what is the plan….mindless protest sets the stage for bad stuff…
here in Philly…
OWS has “occupied” Dillworth Plaza which is the courtyard at City Hall….and for the most part things have been peaceful…
a project to upgrade the facade of City Hall is scheduled to begin soon…and with that 1000 jobs….the major has offered the Municipal Plaza as an alternate location, which is across the street from City Hall…and it is still a very visible place…well there is a split in the group…some folks are willing to relocate while others say no….so what does the so-called leadership of the Philly OWS say….we are in solidarity with those who want to stay and with those who are willing to relocate….duhhhhhh….
Presssssssssssssss ON!
They have No leaders- in case it gets ugly, their will be nobody to talk to.
hey Ms. Chips, for some reason, I can’t view the bbc newsnight clip, don’t know what’s wrong. I haz a sad 😦
Morning Chips! I haz a sad no more! Just picked up my O/B ’12 gear and they are awesome!!!!
ps- thanks so much for all the hard work you do and for keeping us in step with PBO 😀
Morning Lisa, thrilled you haz a happy!
Yikes, I’m mystified – will you try it again Lisa, I changed the settings at YouTube from unlisted to public, hope that works?
PS What happens when you click play? Does it say private, or what?
okay, so I hit play, then the screen is all black, sometimes it looks as though it’s buffering but then nothing happens. it’s just a black screen.
Thanks Lisa, I’ll try to fix it – it’s just weird that it works for me and no one else.
You may be luckier than you thought. I could not believe it. The BBC newscast actually used SHARRON ANGLE to explain the Republican field. You remember Sharron. The AIRHEAD who ran to try to unseat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Nevada in 2010. She was as clueless as usual in this clip. That’s probably all you need to know.
I think the choice of Sharron Angle was a deliberate attempt to show what idiots the Tea Party are.
And it worked.
THESE PICTURES ARE PRICELESS…SO IS OUR PRESIDENT! MAY THE LORD BE WITH HIM AND STRENGTHEN HIM AS HE FACES SO MANY CHALLENGES!
Look at those happy faces! Chips, what would we do without you? It is amazing how pathetic the US media is, we saw little coverage of this important trip – thank G-d for the internet!
good morning TOD family.May God watch over;bless;luck;guide POTUS and may this trip to Indonesia be nothing but business success
Morning Chips and TODers. Wow Chips you are up and running! So much news for my fingers to rush off and tweet; so that more people will know about PBO’s accomplishments. Great news about jobless claims falling to the lowest point in seven months. Woohoo. Hopefully the economy keeps improving and growing.
Morning UT, morning everyone 😉
Morning! Thank you!!!!!
Good morning Chips and TOD family. It is so wonderful to wake up and see all those beautiful pictures and stories of our great President. These have been very busy days for me so I haven’t been able to enjoy all the posts but knowing they are here to come back to I am so thankful.
I didn’t get much sleep last night and as soon as I finish this I am off to another long day. When I got home last night I was going thru my email and I got the most vile email of a person I thought was a friend and I had no idea of their political leanings. I could not sleep. I don’t know how to address this. This is a person who I am closely involved with in a new venture of ours. Please I need help from everyone. I won’t be able to follow up until tonight. Here is the email.
Grey-Haired Brigade
They like to refer to us as senior citizens, old fogies, geezers, and in some cases dinosaurs. Some of us are “Baby Boomers” getting ready to retire. Others have been retired for some time. We walk a little slower these days and our eyes and hearing are not what they once were. We have worked hard, raised our children, worshiped our God and grown old together. Yes, we are the ones some refer to as being over the hill, and that is probably true. But before writing us off completely, there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration.
In school we studied English, history, math, and science which enabled us to lead America into the technological age. Most of us remember what outhouses were, many of us with firsthand experience. We remember the days of telephone party-lines, 25 cent gasoline, and milk and ice being delivered to our homes. For those of you who don’t know what an icebox is, today they are electric and referred to as refrigerators. A few even remember when cars were started with a crank. Yes, we lived those days.
We are probably considered old fashioned and out-dated by many. But there are a few things you need to remember before completely writing us off. We won World War II, fought in Korea and Viet Nam . We can quote The Pledge of Allegiance, and know where to place our hand while doing so. We wore the uniform of our country with pride and lost many friends on the battlefield. We didn’t fight for the Socialist States of America , we fought for the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” We wore different uniforms but carried the same flag. We know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, America ,and America the Beautiful by heart, and you may even see some tears running down our cheeks as we sing. We have lived what many of you have only read about in history books and we feel no obligation to apologize to anyone for America .
Yes, we are old and slow these days but rest assured, we have at least one good fight left in us. We have loved this country, fought for it, and died for it, and now we are going to save it. It is our country and nobody is going to take it away from us. We took oaths to defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that is an oath we plan to keep. There are those who want to destroy this land we love but, like our founders, there is no way we are going to remain silent.
It was mostly the young people of this nation who elected Obama and the Democratic Congress. You fell for the “Hope and Change” which in reality was nothing but “Hype and Lies.” You have tasted socialism and seen evil face to face, and have found you don’t like it after all. You make a lot of noise, but most are all too interested in their careers or “Climbing the Social Ladder” to be involved in such mundane things as patriotism and voting. Many of those who fell for the “Great Lie” in 2008 are now having buyer’s remorse. With all the education we gave you, you didn’t have sense enough to see through the lies and instead drank the ‘Cool-Aid.’ Now you’re paying the price and complaining about it. No jobs, lost mortgages, higher taxes, and less freedom. This is what you voted for and this is what you got. We entrusted you with the Torch of Liberty and you traded it for a paycheck and a fancy house.
Well, don’t worry youngsters, the Grey-Haired Brigade is here, and in 2012 we are going to take back our nation. We may drive a little slower than you would like but we get where we’re going, and in 2012 we’re going to the polls by the millions. This land does not belong to the man in the White House nor to the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. It belongs to “We the People” and “We the People” plan to reclaim our land and our freedom. We hope this time you will do a better job of preserving it and passing it along to our grandchildren. So the next time you have the chance to say the Pledge of Allegiance, Stand up, put your hand over your heart, honor our country, and thank God for the old geezers of the “Grey-Haired Brigade.”
Author, Anon. Grey-Haired Brigade Member
Footnote:
This is spot on. I am another Gray-Haired Geezer signing on. I will circulate this to other Gray-Haired Geezers all over this once great county. Can you feel the ground shaking??? It’s not an earthquake, it is a STAMPEDE.
MT, I’m sorry about this hateful e-mail you got. There are some people who are so deluded by the lies and so closed to reasoning that all they can feel is hatred. There is only one counter to this: love. From the love we have for our president will come the energy and the hard work to defeat the haters. They had their say in 2010 and the outcome has been tragic. We, the bigger, stronger, love-filled “brigade” won’t let that happen again.
Oh, this is an email my Dad would just eat up. It is frightening!
Good morning, MT, I’m so sorry you got that email. Frankly, I don’t think you address it by writing back. These are talking points people like that repeat and they just don’t listen to anything else. If you have have an occasion to speak to the person directly, remind them of things like the part of the Affordable Health Care that helps the elderly with their meds and wellness check ups. Most importantly, remain calm like our President does, because you cain’t fix crazy! Let me know how it goes, please. Good luck!
Hi MT, hope you are having a good day even as I write this!
I’m going to echo Meta’s ‘Frankly, I don’t think you address it by writing back’ AND go one step further and tell you to not acknowledge it at all. You say you’re working closely with this person on a new venture and from the tone and ‘evidence’ in that letter this person’s bigotry AND ignorance is IMHO too deep seated to shake. S/He might have fought for ‘The Land of the Free..’ but it seems obvious from the email that his/her definition of ‘free’ differs from mine or yours.
This writer if stuffed full of righteous indignation and worth, and leaves no loophole for uncertainty about his/her view of America. S/He does NOT want to hear any other viewpoint. On the basis of his/her involvement in the wars AND his/her age s/he has all the answers! ANY conversation with this person on this subject will easily turn into a confrontation, unless YOU are going to compromise your principles. Is this what you want when you will be working closely together? IMO you should leave the email where it is, and should s/he ask you for a response, just admit you read it, disagree, and have no wish to discuss it in the interest of your working, or whatever, relationship.
Finally, try not to let this get you down again tonight. You need your sleep and your (moral) strength to work harmoniously 😉 with this person. Also, remember that we can’t always effect the change we’d like to see with the use of persuasion and compromise. A good example of this is the President’s ongoing interaction with the Rebuplicans in Congress. Press on…regardless!
Sorry DebbyeOh, I credited your comment above incorrectly. It must be the MT reference and a lack of sleep that threw me off. I am sorry, and will be more careful next time.
All good, I don’t have a monopoly on ideas, I just want MT not to stress out over this kind of negativity, cause it’s only gonna intensify in the coming months. So we’ve gotta saddle up for the good fight! Obama/Biden ’12!
I think I would reply back something along the lines: “Thanks but I don’t share the same sentiment of the email. ”
Polite. Straight. To the point.
MT, I am 65 years old. I remember some of what this writer refers to. The America she recalls is the one where folk like me knew their
“place.” Where children with potential were relegated to old schools, old books, few if any school buses, poorly educated and underpaid teachers, no access to public libraries, the other side of town, no political voice or representation. We accepted what we were Given,back then and tried to make the best of it.
We knew our place back then, and let me tell you, if it were not for the super-human strength and faith of our parents and grandparents, many of us would not have made it professionally, emotionally, psychologically. Many of us still bear deep psychological scars (and some physical scars) from the America that the Anonymous Grey-haired Brigade member longs for.
That America did not want some Americans to eat in restaurants, sleep in hotels, sit with other Americans in doctors’ offices, on buses, or attend church with other Americans.
That America relegated other Americans to roughly four professions: ministry, teaching, mortuary science, and domestic work.
It took people, black and white, being subjected to fire hoses, bombed churches and homes, dead children, lynched college students, acid in public swimming pools, being spat upon, losing jobs, being physically threatened and beaten, emotionally and psychologically terrified – all this and so much horrible more to finally get to where we are today. And today with PBO in the White House, with other countries beginning to respect America again, with millions of children of all races being moved and positively affected by a president and his family, this person wants us to return to the horror and deprivation of an America that had few success stories for any other people other than the ones from which she sprang.
She/he is a sad, desperate, blinded, terrified person, who has allowed hate, fear, suspicion, and lies to distort her views and addle her brain.
I lived in the America that the writer misses so much. In that America, PBO would never be president, and all of us here, of all races, nationalities, religions and ages would not have the honor of getting to know each other as we do everyday.
The America that TOD symbolizes is a beautiful America. We might not always see eye to eye, but there is such love here that there is always some calm voice, some tender heart that speaks up and gets us all back on track. That is a much better America.
I feel sorry for your writer. I will feel sorry for America if she gets her America back.
Well said…eve…
and MT with permission from eve…
i would send eve’s response as a response to her email but i would also keep in mind to quote the elegant eve..
**********************************************
She/he is a sad, desperate, blinded, terrified person, who has allowed hate, fear, suspicion, and lies to distort her views and addle her brain.
*******************************************
PRESSSSSSSSSSS ON>>>>>> MT Presssssssssss ON…
MT you hit the nail on the head. I too remember the America the Geezers were longing to return to–an America that never really existed. They were no more patriotic, and didn’t love America any more than others do today. Judging from the things the Geezer remembers, I would say they’d have to be in their ’80s (I’m surprised they are still working at all. I must say I’m struggling to accept the fact that this e-mail wasn’t posted here as a ruse to get those words on this site. But I digress.)
During the civil rights movement, it was recognized that it would take a couple of generations to thin the ranks of people who abhor diversity. Nearly 2 generations have passed, and we are gradually getting the kind of diverse society that America should be. But there still remains a core of people who are infused with the HATE that crippled America’s progress in the past. Unfortunately some have Infected their descendents with their hatred of anything or anybody that’s not like them.
But their numbers are getting smaller and smaller. Soon it won’t matter how many of them can get to the polls. The rest of us, the ones who want inclusiveness and to move on, will outnumber them–2008 was only the beginning, and the “buyers remorse” they like to think is prevalent, is actually miniscule.
I agree that the e-mail should be ignored. You are not going to change a “set” mind that holds ideas that will soon be irrelevant.
Wow. This is incredibly well-said. This gets to the core of the frustration I have been feeling not just with people that share the sentiments in that email but low-information liberals, like a close friend of mine, who concern trolls about President Obama and is quick to point out what hasn’t been accomplished every other week or so. To look at what this man has been able to accomplish, given the long, horrid history of race relations in this country, and only focus on what hasn’t happened yet in a mere three years, sort of infuriates me. It’s a willful ignorance about the saboteurs on the other side. We are in a much better America now not just since 40 years ago, but since the 8 miserable, backward years that preceded President Obama.
beautiful piece. beautiful response.
Yes, the “good old days” these people refer to were not good for everybody. They were certainly not good for Blacks. Not great for women. Pretty bad for gays. Not terrific for the Japanese-Americans interned in WWII. Awful for anyone with dissenting political positions (remember the House Un-American Activities Committee?)
I’m almost 70, so I remember the 1950s. I NEVER understoof nostalgia for those days. They were only good for straight, white conforming people who were willing to “go along to get along.”
I don’t miss those times at all and I pity the idiots who think we could and should go back. We can’t and we won’t.
Good morning MT….so sorry you have to work closely with this IT WAS HIS GENERATION that did this to the younger generation for voting for Reagan and lower taxes, for Bush I & II, all this economic destruction was done on Republican watch. Due to the GOP/Tea party obstructionism we have a dysfunctional congress and a very hard working President getting huge exports of big ticket items like planes and engines to be made in the USA. The msm will not show all the good this president is doing and only talk about how horrible things are. That is why I come here to learn what PBO is doing. We are lucky to have TOD and Chips and all the contributors here.
Dang mt, I had no idea of this letter carolyn (below) spoke of. If I were you I would reply with just the comments replied to you, especially eveingeorgia, who told the whole truth of the “good ole days”. People like your acquaintance wouldn’t mind my people re-entering slavery and Jim Crow segregation and would annihilate all over again the Native peoples. That gray-haired geezer’s mindset gave birth to the KKK. Ask if it would like to re-fight the Civil War……I’m so sure it would say yes !
If you google “Gray Haired Brigade” there is a lot of information including a website that comes up. It appears to be part of the tea party movement and what you received was an email that is being passed around the internet. You have to work with this person, so I would just respond by saying – “please don’t send me any internet/email chain letters”. I would also believe that the chain email is written by a marketing person, not anyone who has actually experienced any of the things mentioned.
My Dad is 94 years old, he fought in WWII and had some of the same experiences of the original “letterwriter. ” Let me just say that he is a proud supporter of PBO and does not feel bitter about his life. He intends to vote for him again God willing. I find it shameful that they paint all gray haired people as supporters of this movement.
Respond by telling your coworker; you, me and millions of other voters shall see you at the voting booths.
This person is looking for an argument and also is informing you of his political view and sometimes you have to choose the right battle. Let it be and look at him out of the corner of your eyes.
I have a friend who email me such junk. Depend on my attitude I let him have it, or if I choose, I ignore him.
I’m smiling from ear to ear this morning looking at these photos. He’s not only brings love and goodwill wherever he goes, he literally is bringing home the bacon with all those trade deals. People in the US won’t know this, however, because our national media is a disgrace, pure and simple. There is going to come a future time when people are going to rise up and it won’t be against Wall Street, it will be against our terrible, biased media. I honestly feel that Americans are cheated, deprived of the truth and deliberately made ignorant by a complicit media. Were it not for the internet, we would be a defeated people by now–so isolated from the truth that our brains would be atrophied. When you bring us real news, Chips, you are acting as a Freedom Fighter, giving us the information and understanding we need to fight the lies.
Jackie you just planted an idea! Maybe come spring WE should start our own #OccupytheMedia army of protesters to draw attention to the shoddy reporting that has taken over our media outlets? We’d be sure to have 1 or 2 specific goals we want to accomplish, of course, and make them known early to all participants. 😉
November 16, 2011
Flashback: A Wake-Up Call for “Progressive” Thinkers
I first posted this on May 12, 2004 on my original blog, The Daily Weasel. The original received over 30,000 hits, and most of the response I received was positive. Some elements are dated, such as the part where we have to elect John Kerry, but the idea is still valid. Do NOT call yourself a progressive if all you have is the right positions on specific issues, but you’re not doing what needs to be done to get the best people elected. Not the PERFECT people, the BEST people. Politics in a democracy is about winning. If you’re not winning, it doesn’t matter how right you think you are.
~snip~
We have to be realistic; we’re not ever going to have a hard core progressive majority in Congress, and we’re not going to be able to elect a hard core liberal as president. But what we CAN do i[s] elect moderates who are receptive to taking stands on issues that move us in the right direction.
It’s time we all pulled together with the people we claim to be fighting for; the poor, the downtrodden, the elderly, and people who have not been able to fully participate in the system. We haven’t done that in a while. If you’re having visions of a major cultural revolution, well, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It kind of needs the culture to move it along.
Think about it…
http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/2011/11/wakeupcallprogs.html
h/t Milt Shook
Good morning all!
Chips you are simply amazing! Thank you for all that you do to keep us informed.
Bank of America: Always Thinking of You
One way you can tell that a bank is in trouble is that it suddenly starts buying full-page ads in newspapers across the country that tell us what great shape it’s in and what a fine job it’s doing for our communities. Such a PR push is now being made by Bank of America, which — despite its happy-face ads — is in a heap of hurt. How big of a heap? So big that it’s trying to share the hurt with you and me.
~snip~
Now, though, CEO Brian Moynihan has a dandy plan to lighten his load by dumping a big chunk of it on the backs of us taxpayers. He’s trying to transfer a mess of bad investments from his Merrill Lynch subsidiary into B of A’s consumer banking unit. Why? Because that unit has about a trillion dollars in customer deposits that are insured by Uncle Sam. So, if Merrill’s sorry investments cause the banking unit to fail, the feds would be there to rescue it.
http://www.truth-out.org/bank-america-always-thinking-you/1321453781
h/t Jim Hightower
Accept the wall street reform bill says banks have to pay for their own bankruptcy!
O-kay, I can see our second morning shift is on site, GOOD MORNING, Everyone! To get rid of my sleep-deprived-headache I can probably try to go get a little shut-eye once I catch up on the latest entries. Thank the Lord the President doesn’t travel the Asia-Pacific weekly.
And Chips, I ♥ ♥ ♥ the ‘photos, video, & a word or two’ that you threw up this morning! …and every other morning! Merci mille fois!
Have a super, duper Bali-istic day! 😛
😆 Have a super duper Bali-istic day yourself VC!
“Thank the Lord the President doesn’t travel the Asia-Pacific weekly.”
😆 I second that!
Chips, the BBC clip is not working for me. Anyone else having trouble?
Double yikes! It doesn’t seem to be working for anyone … but me 😳 What do you see when you click play? Does it say private, or is it just blank, or what? Thanks Loving!
Does it not show up here either?
right, it does not show up at all in either place. i even tried viewing it on youtube. nothing pops up about it being private.
No Chips. It’s the same: a black screen. sorry. 😐
Thanks Lisa. I’m uploading it again to YouTube, hopefully it’ll be second time lucky.
It was worth the wait! let me just point out that Sharon can’t have it both ways, trying to say there is overexposure on all the canidates while also saying that in the debates there is not enough time given for the candidates to get their views/opinions across!
It’s getting better, I got to 17 sec. mark and then it paused.
it works now Ms. Chips 😀 Gracias!!!
I can see and hear it just fine using Chrome.
it works for me.
ABC, NBC. CBC, MSNBC CNN, FOX got nothing on TOD you go chipsticks! put them to shame.
More hijinx will undoubtedly ensue, more shoes will drop, but here’s the latest:
David Sherborne, who is representing 51 “core participants” at an inquiry set up as the hacking scandal engulfed News Corp’s British arm, said Wednesday that “tawdry” tabloids were guilty of blackmail, bribery and vilification. He told the inquiry that his clients had endured lies, harassment and other “despicable” actions from the press and that phone-hacking might only be the tip of the iceberg. […]
Sherborne said revelations that a private detective, jailed for phone-hacking in 2007 along with the News of the World’s former royal reporter, had carried out more than 2,000 tasks for the paper suggested that there were about 10 stories in the tabloid every week from the illegal practice. […]
~snip~
http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2011/11/16/news-corp-phone-hacking-might-only-be-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-10-stories-every-week-from-illegal-hacking/
h/t GottaLaff
MTMarilyn…..We receive similar emails from a few people…..also people we know well. There seems to be a nostalgia kick now, pining for the “good old days” which as we all know were not so good. These people are not the majority, they just make a lot of noise. I am reminded of some of the not so good aspects of those days, particularly for women. Women had few if any rights or privileges, birth control was almost nonexistent, women suffered through miscarriages without much help, the only help for change of life was Valium, abortions were a death sentence, or at least an end to fertility, African Americans had to eat at separate lunch counters, drink at separate fountains, use separate restrooms, sit at the back of the bus, work LONG hours taking care of someone else’s children, shine other people’s shoes. My father had to get up very early in Chicago to load the furnace in the basement with coal and start the fire to warm the house…..women who were abused had nowhere to turn. You get the idea. I have responded to a few of these people with facts. They don’t write again. Fortunately, I am not in business with any of them.
One man, a dear friend from 50 years ago, sent me an awful anti-Obama racial email. I wrote him back saying how disappointed I was and that this wasn’t Christian at all. (I knew that would get to him) He is going with a group of us on a trip next May, and I feared that would sour things, but I couldn’t believe what he had done. He has never referred to my answer, but we have received no more of that type, and he didn’t cancel the trip. I’m hoping I gave him something to think about.
These are upsetting and ugly, and filled with untruths. They just do NOT like anyone of a younger generation. They cannot adjust and adapt to the 21st century. I’m sure there are others on this blog who have received similar emails. You have my sympathy. This kind of ugliness is hard to comprehend.
that is a great reply for mtmarilyn. thanks for writing that carolyn. mtmarilyn, let’s press on and get out message out there. also, good on you carolyn for writing back to that that man who sent you the hate filled email. let’s hope he has rethought his hatred.
MT, this is difficult and painful to take, but your gracious spirit will help you to endure this ugly and very hateful, and misguided person’s spirit. But, be of good courage to think on these things:
Patience, What is kind, What is beautiful, What is of goodness to others, What is fill with full joyfulness,
What will help a little one see the world in a lovely light, What is just, What is courage to fight for just and kind deeds, And what is carried around in Your heart that will please a Higher Power who thinks on:
sweet, gentle, firm, and loving kindness to help make this a beautiful, and better place for ALL to dwell in daily. Speak kindness to this troubled and hateful spirit. Do not allow it to dwell in your space today. Much love and good thoughts coming your way. MT. Hugs and more hugs.HZ
HZ, i hope you are someone’s grandma. you have so much love to give that I really hope there is a grandchild taking in and feeling love from you. you are such a dear amazing strong supportive presence here on TOD and we all love you and thank you!!
Looks like Romney gets a free pass again. Perry has decided to twist the Presidents words in a new ad buy in Iowa.
Instead of going after Romney, perry- who is in fourth place in the primary, ignores Romney.
check up thread for the DNC response. Smart and quick, our DWS. 😀
When I saw Perry’s ad I thought it was stupid. All of them are crazy. What is the point of attacking POTUS when none of them have even won the GOP primary.
Same here. That ad was just dumb.
Perry forgot he was in a primary and couldn’t count to four. Every time he tries to sound presidential, it comes out stupid.
Thousands of Kuwaitis stormed parliament after police and elite forces beat up protesters marching on the prime minister’s home to demand he resign, an opposition MP said.
The demonstrators broke open parliament’s gates and entered the main chamber, where they sang the national anthem in a country so far spared the “Arab Spring” pro-reform revolts.
“Now, we have entered the house of the people,” said Mussallam al-Barrak, who led the protest with several other lawmakers and youth activists also calling for the dissolution of parliament over alleged corruption. The group left after a few minutes.
~snip~
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/11/17/thousands-of-kuwaitis-storm-parliament/
BARACK Obama has pledged that the US will deliver “a new leadership” in the Asia-Pacific region to maintain peace, promote democracy and drive economic prosperity.
And while the US President has welcomed the rise of “a peaceful China”, he has rejected the emerging giant’s one-party political system by warning that “history is on the side of the free” and that prosperity without freedom was “another form of poverty”.
http://m.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/obama-in-australia/future-belongs-to-the-free-barack-obama/story-fnb0o39u-1226198358039
Good Morning Chipsticks and TOD Family,
Chipsticks, you have done it again today, made my heart skip a beat with joy and my muscles bring to life a beautiful smile upon my face. Chipsticks, your hard and constant beautiful work here give so much joy to me.
I awaken to a little companion who can be so disruptive to my day, but I just stop and meditate with my special ‘thanksgiving prayer’ and grab my laptop, because I know that the joy on TOD will remove the pain immediately .Chips,when I see what you have for me and the rest of the world to behold, this little rascal has to hit the door. POB has entered the room!!!! I love seeing the smiles on his face, and I am so grateful to know that this is our President spreading so much compassion and love all over the world. My, we are so blessed. Thanks for the photos, Chipsticks!!!! You bring so much joy into my life and all of our lives.
You never fail our wonderful family here, Chipsticks. How do you do it daily with all of the responsibilities to your family? Please tell them that this little ‘young senior’ appreciate all of them for sharing you and your talents with me and our entire TOD Family here.
Thanks for the beautiful photos that alwas bring joy to my heart, not matter what is going on in my life each day. I wake up with my TOD family and I go to bed with my TOD family.
I am so thankful to you, Chips. I look forward to enjoying this beautiful day here with all of you. Will be going out this AM for an appointment with the cardiologist, but I have faith to take the news no matter what it may be.
So let us all take courage and do share a President Obama hug and smile with someone today. Love and lots of hugs to you, our beloved Chipsticks. Mr. President, you know that we have your back here at TOD each and everyday. Thank you, Mr. President for being the best in my lifetime. Tell our First Lady and Daughters that we love them and are keeping you ALL in our thoughts, prayers, and meditations. Hugs coming your way. You are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you so very much, Chips.HZ
glad you’re doing okay HZ. You’re always a special touch to this site.
HZ I wish you all the best for your appointment with the cardiologist, you will be in my thoughts and prayers today. god bless you.
Love you, HZ. You are in our thoughts today, always with lots of affection and a big smile.
Thinking of you today…think positive!
(((((HZ)))))
Sending vibes of healing and positivity. ♥ ♥ ♥
Praying only the greatest of news for you HZ! I know the Lord is with you!
I love you all and I will tuck your beautiful thoughts and prayers inside my heart to take out as I go through my day. I like to tuck the joyfulness of life within my soul, so that I can reach out and share with others as I go through the day. I call it my ‘cup overflowing.’
Let us send good thoughts out to MT today. We will have not room for the ugly space that is trying to invade MT’s space today. Love you all back so very much.HZ
I’ll be saying a prayer for good news for you HZ.Hang in there.We are with you
it’s amazing how natural PBO and PMJG look greeting each other with kisses. I like it. She and President Lee are in my opinion, genuine friends of PBO. Not just opportunistic napoleons trying to hitch their horses to his bandwagon.
They remind me of siblings. That connection as if you have known the person for a long time. That is how I read the connection. I like it.
During a Congressional meeting in Ohio, Darrell Issa had this to say: The amazing thing to me is that we in government don’t (garbled) the Constitution for the powerful. We don’t need laws for the powerful. We need the Constitution and laws for the weak. Ultimately the success of our Democracy is about the minority having rights, not the majority.
My first reaction was, “No laws for the powerful? How very Republican!” But then I looked again. That’s not what he was saying at all. Go take another look. It’s killing me that I don’t have the rest of the video yet. I would love to know what the full context here is because, as of right now, this is one of the most liberal statements I’ve ever heard.
Considering that Issa is a Republican weasel that is more interested in abusing [….] his subpoena power to [………] uncover scandals in the Obama administration, I actually had to call someone to tell me that my interpretation wasn’t completely insane. It was not. In four short sentences, a Republican has articulated a fundamental truth about America in a very clear and precise way: The powerful do not need the protection of the law. Laws exist so that the weak will not fall victim to the powerful.
~snip~
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2011/11/15/we-dont-need-laws-for-the-powerful-darrell-issa-contradicts-gop-talking-point/
h/t Jason “Filthy Liberal Scum” Rosario
In the last paragraph, the two words that I omitted and enclosed in brackets are “using” and “fabricate.” The original post had strikes through those two words.
The balanced budget amendment would raise unemployment by more than 5% snd gut social services, but mostly all blue dogs ate voting for this.
Unreal!
I support Secretary Chu today in his hearing. I just watched a bloomberg report on this, and avvording to them, Bush was not involved and everything happened after this President got into office.
Shoddy reporting, to say the least!
Please share this with folks you know who smoke. Let’s do all we can to improve health and safety by helping people quit for good:
Good morning family.
PBO always looks so cute when he scrunches up his nose when he smiles. LOL I love when he does that.
When does he come home? Saturday??
Good Morning, TODers! Gosh there is so much good stuff to read and view today – I am looking forward to sitting down tonight and reading and viewing all these wonderful sites and videos from Chips. Thanks so much, Chips! I don’t know how you’ve gotten the jump on everyone – you must not be sleeping at all.
I am truly overwhelmed by the magnificent coverage provided by you, Chips. This is great. Thank you so much. This is where I come first. I know I’ll receive information, photos and comments found nowhere else online and especially not in our lousy media.
Well I guess the US corporate media is living up to its promise to bring down this President. Immediately after PBO’s inauguration, when the stenographers were not getting the ride they thought they would get with an Obama election, they told him point blank that “they made him and they could unmake him”.
Well they bought their own ego trips and fun-house press a tad too much. Now they are disgracefully carrying out that treasonous promise. November 2012 will be a showdown between us the people and the corporate media lackey. We MUST win that battle. Else we forfeit forever any say WE the PEOPLE have to choose who will govern us.
Pres. Obama has NO institutional backing, not even within his own party. WE are all that he has. Let’s not fail him and more importantly ourselves.
He works so hard on our behalf , yet the majority of this country responds with apathy and gullible acquiescence to the antics of a regressive American Taliban party that has blatantly promised to send us back to the 12th century.
We MUST fight for our OWN interests.
Thank you, zizi I been saying this along time, we keep talking about what the Republican is doing, saying and not doing and saying. But it the Media who has the power, If Obama don’t WIN, It will be the Media who bring Obama down and they are trying there damnest to do so along with the blogger fear, but the democrat are so concern about their pocket book, and they know the Media is out to get Obama so they are staying away from them for they won’t be next. Just Look at the Democrat in the Congress only a few has his back, the ones who not hiding are always on the republican side. The Media include the progressive media is the reason OWS think like they do. The Progressive movement is the reason the Democrat party are so apart. They got Van Jone to turn on Obama, Just think about the power of the Media, But if we just keep hitting back at the media and keep giving money. We the People will have the Power.May God help us all.
GM all. Reporting from Germany.
Just a few hours ago, I bagged the largest single contract in our company’s history. Off to the celebratory dinner in another 3 hours. 🙂 🙂 🙂 .
Off to see my dear sis in London tomorrow. 🙂
Great to see PBO is still rocking the world.
Did ‘herb’ uzbeko-beki-beki-beki cain burn out yet? Who is the ‘flavor’ of the rethugs week ?
Congrats to you!! Enjoy the fruits of your hard work, amk.
Congrats! Happy news!
congratulations AMK.Great job and happy celebrating 😀
Thank you meta, CTGirl and Fred. Last 2 days has been intense with 18 hour ‘negotiations’ and I didn’t budge much. Phew. Time to blow off some steam.
Wow! You are playing hardball all the right ways! I say make your celebration a big one!!
Big congrats amk!!
You GO!
X 2 amk Well done! 😆
way to go AMK!! and I just got back from lunch – midday on mpr was having a show about Newt Gingrich being the new flavor…….
Oh my goodness, that video of PBO and PMJG honoring the fallen is very moving. Thank you so much for gathering it here, Chips.
The gray-haired brigade letter has really gotten into my craw. As I was showering, I thought that these people are probably dependent on Social Security and Medicare. What do they think will happen to those if they elect one of the Republicans. They will either totally lose those, or they will become so useless as to be gone. They will then be reduced to poverty level living. They are probably alive and kicking because of medications developed by government sponsored and funded research. They won’t accept that fact, but it is so. Just think of medical developments since the 1950s! One familial example: My favorite uncle had a heart attack in 1952. He “recovered” but died in 1958. My father had a heart attack in 1964, “recovered” but died in 1971. Both men died in their mid 50s.
My husband had a heart attack in 1989, had a four way bypass, and is strong and thriving today, 22 years later. He has lived so long he has to have cataract surgery…..another marvelous modern development. When I became pregnant in 1968 I learned I was rh negative. After the doctor’s appointment, I went home and just sat moping until my husband came home, remembering all the stories I had heard as a child about women with that condition. When I told my husband, he said…that’s not a problem. There is now a vaccine that rids your blood of the positive antibodies, and prepares you for another pregnancy. That is now so commonplace, that no one even gives it a thought!
Breast cancer…any kind of cancer used to be a death sentence. Now, recovery chances are marvelous. I have two very dear friends who were diagnosed with cancer last year….one breast cancer, one prostate (a married couple!) They are now through treatment and cancer free.
Don’t tell me the good old days were better! And all of the research to conquer these illnesses was government funded or sponsored.
Not familiar with the letter carolyn, but how right you are. Good ole days held for us a different temperament. Other than that, progress is always inevitable where there are creative and constructive forces.
Couldn’t have crafted a better response carolyn. I hope mtmarilyn takes all the responses she got about the hateful email, compiles them in a comprehensive format and emails it to the sender.
Carolyn. I hope you don’t mind if I take this and copy it. If I get one of these emails I will use this as the basis for a reply. The thing these people need most is a reality check.
Thank you!
While our President is handling the people’s business in his ever so dignified manner, Philadelphia City Council meeting is currently being disrupted by those loud and rowdy and rambling OWS, who are on the eve of getting evicted from their perch. I have had enough of these folks. To me they are disruptive for the sake of disruption. Most of these folks are not even hurting, yet they claim to be for the really hurting in the world. Yep, I remember all those hippie movements in the sixties, and where are those same people today? In corporate America. Let’s not get it twisted, people. I still want to know where all these people were during the Bush years when we had 2 unpaid for wars, unnecessary decreased taxes for everybody (how do you pay for 2 wars without revenue?), infractions of individual rights…..oh right, that’s why people didn’t carry on like they do now aside from the anti-war march, of which I was a part. PBO woke everybody the hell up, and now these folk want to take credit for the revelations? Give me a freakin break.
edp4bho. Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!!! I’m in Philadelphia also and I have wondered the exact same thing. WHERE were these folks when the school district was (and still is) mis-educating our youth? Where were these people when our Dept of Human Services let a child starve to death? Where were these people when Pres. Bush got us into a war over oil and blamed it on ‘weapons of mass destruction”? WHERE WERE THESE PEOPLE THEN???
Just a thought: among all the unprecidented challenges PBO had to face when taking office was kicking the smoking habit himself. When I quit smoking, I wanted to gauge everyone’s eyeballs out with an icepick for about a week.
Can you imagine being leader of the free world (with all the headaches that go with it) AND going thru nicotine withdrawal? And not one peep, not one snapshot, not one whisper from any of PBO’s many detractors on him being nasty or rude.
THAT is grace under incredible pressure.
Right there with you. I quit 11 years ago, and still want a smoke every now and then. PBO’s resolve is a testament to his low-key personality, his belief in his capabilities, and I’m sure, a deep trust in the Creator.
He has such a well of inner strength and resolve along with an inordinately balanced temperament, it’s amazing. I’m sure it was very, very hard for him but he is not a whiner or someone who wallows or snaps. BRAVO to him and for doing his best to help others.
yes indeed- I am on my 14th day of not smoking.. and I have nicotine gum to ease some of that.. ‘angst’ (to put it kindly) 😉 I cannot imagine trying to do it under the stress & pressure POTUS has had these 3 years! He is an awesome rep for quitting.. and one’s ability to manage it.
Good luck to you, sherijr!! Stay strong.
thanks meta- I am determined this time to stick with it, must do so for my health, no choice anymore.
Yes, keep your strength looking forward to your goal , sherijr. Love you. Out of here for now. Get into shower and off to my favorite doctor. Love my family here.HZ
Much luck to you sherijr. I quit so I could be healthy enough to travel as I age. Actually, I felt better smoking menthols, as I now suffer with chronic allergies, but I atleast know that I am healthy even after having smoked for 30 years. The first week is always the worst. Drink lots of water and breath deeply. It helps.
sherijr,
Mazel tov on the 14th day of being smoke free! You are over the worst of it, although you might not think so now. Keep up the great job, and think of all the money you’re going to save! 😉
thanks AJ, I did quit for a year about 5 years ago.. and foolishly started again.. I will be far more vigilant this time.. and yes each day I put away the money I would have spent on smokes and my plan is to spread it between my 4 grandchildren each year by putting it into bank accounts for them.
Fabulous plan! Your grand kids not only get the $, but even better, get YOU around for a longer time! 🙂
you can do it She.Good luck and hang tough
This is so true – it just shows you how strong this man is to have overcome a lifetime habit, while undergoing the most stress any human being has ever had to address. He had the weight of the world on his shoulders – still does.
I used to scream for a cigarette, literally scream when I was quitting. I couldn’t stand myself when I was going through withdrawal, my entire emotional framework was shot to hell. That’s why PBO’s quitting under this intense pressure is so amazing. i just don’t get this kind of strength. It must be the quiet support, the fervent prayers, the supporting love of people like those in the TOD family, the hand of God.
That Jeremy Paxman piece on BBC was hilarious. Who is that young guy ? I like him for speaking the truth about boobleheads.
Of course, angle was being her obtuse self.
Congrats Amk. We missed your input here these last couple of days. But of course your mission in Germany was critically important and we’re glad you accomplished the deal. Cheers!
Thank you zizi. Yes, this is an important milestone in our company’s history. I only wish my dad were alive today to see this moment. God bless his great brilliant soul.
Congrats girl. I’m sure your dad is beaming with pride up ‘there’.
Amk is female? Wow, I had no idea.
No amk is a male. 🙂
Hey amk. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!! I’m super duper happy for you. Hope you go out and have a rocking good time. Wishing you safe journey with the rest of your travels. 😀 😀 😀 😀
Way to go, AMK…great work.
Congratulations, amk!
Let’s be blunt, OWS has been taken over by “ratfuckers” (fifth columnist infiltrators) and they are going to be a pox on this coming election cycle. The corporate cabal is pulling out all the stops to win back their right to fuck us up for good. This is an existential war and they fully understand how gullible the “New” progressives are.
The corporate kingpins know that the the OWSers are people without experience of strategizing for SUSTAINED political battle; that many are looking for an emotional high rather than cold calculating pursuit of an ENDGOAL. So they continue with OWS where they left off with the Teaparty, deflect public anger away from the 1%ers onto some more hazy enemy. Ge the public to be fed up with the protests? Check. Confuse OWSers about waht their cause is supposed to be? Check. Turn OWSers into a “public nuisance”? Mission accomplished.
That in short is “ratfucking”, and Rove et al know how to do it very well.
My main point with all that noise was the timing. Why would, at the time, a small gathering of Liberal protest start getting frontpage coverage everywhere, completely out of the blue? Well, it was about a week after President Obama started the “Pass This Bill” push for the Jobs bill. It was so weird to me how OWS became the main story in the public discourse when, at the exact same time, we had our President going all over the country doing townhalls, interviews, and speeches (hey, is that the celebrated “bully pulpit”?!?) with a very clear message on how to fix exactly what OWS is supposedly so concerned about. Especially weird since I’ve been at some much larger protests in the past that were completely ignored, such as the 200,000 anti-Iraq Invasion protests in DeeCee several years back now.
The MegaMedia is the gatekeeper for the public discourse. They choose what people are talking about in diners and workplaces all over the country. The last thing they wanted was our President getting everyone united behind a push to raise taxes on the small handful of Billionaire owners that own the ENTIRE MegaMedia. That’s my take anyway…
Right on the mark. Their modus operandi were to incite, co-opt, deflect, then destroy. Many of us saw this coming and said so. Glad people like you read into this strategy too.
Divide and conquer, baby. Same as it ever was…same as it ever was…
Would be nice if more people would wake up to the game and stop being willing pawns though. I think slowly but surely, the message is getting out, and largely through President Obama’s actions and OFA.
I think the hedge-fund managers bankrolling the online Presidential nominating process called Americans Elect (see current article in Newsweek attempting to give it legitimacy) are part of the multi-pronged approach to dividing Obama voters and peeling off as as many as possible to sit out or vote for a third party.
Didn’t know about that. Thanks. Yes, sounds exactly like something they’d do. “Americans Elect” propagandists will likely be all over the TV “news” shows too in no time.
I was about to post something about this Americans Elect group, too. I heard a teaser on NPR this morning saying “some think that this is the perfect time to introduce a third party – what do you think”.
This teaser came right after a story about how the GOP is congratulating itself on killing the high-speed rail project, or what they’re calling “the President’s high-speed rail project”. I just don’t get this thinking. The President is in Asia right now, where high speed rail has been in existence for more than a decade, where their infrastructure spending is eclipsing that of the United States, and where their kids are out-educating those here in the US, who are having weeks taken out of their school year. I just can’t understand why the country isn’t up in arms screaming at the GOP who are literally destroying their futures! How does the GOP congratulate itself about killing high-speed rail, simply because it destroys the plans that this President has laid out?
Just heard Alex Wagner on her show asking Lawrence O’Donnell, who was a guest, what he thought about a third party candidate. WTF?
Thank you Australia!! They really treated our President with all the respect and welcome that he is deserving of, much like Ireland and England have done- I’m so grateful for these other countries and the class they’ve shown to the person I consider to be one of the greatest leaders the world will ever know- history will prove it so.
Yes yes yes!!!
Exactly, sherijr! Looking at all those pics from Australia Day 2 made me so verklempt! Chips & Australia..thank you!
Could not have said it better myself!!! Love the photos. Love the international love for PBO!!! Does anyone know who all the elderly were that he hugged? So sweet. Wish I could see the full video of that with a bit of background for context. Love the photos with the Aussie troops! Four more for 44!!!!
Finally, good morning all. Love, love, love all the pics and wonderful news! Chips, you are the “bomb.”. No words to thank you for the sanity and positiveness you provide!
We are on our way to our daughter’s in VA. Going to be Grammy and PopPop for the weekend while Mommy and Daddy attend a marriage retreat. I will check in and keep up though. 🙂
In the case of the guy who has been arrested for shooting at the White House, it appears they’re considering charges of attempted assassination of the President. YES, what else would it be? THROW THE BOOK AT HIM.
Excellent! He should be kept off the streets!
I was shocked to read that news on BBC today. Fucking crazies all around.
Why are the park police (?) trying to paint this a non-event beats me.
To not encourage more crazies!
Wasn’t he part of the DC OWS movement?
I heard reports that cite witnesses who say he was at one of the rallies. Not much to go on so far but I’m sure the FBI and SS are doing a major investigation. Hopefully we’ll learn more.
Indeed, what else *could* it be? Perhaps bullet littering? Geesh…
Glad they got him. Hopefully he will get a very long ‘vacation’ in the pen.
I’m glad they got the bastard too. Sorry to say there are alot of nut cases out there who listen to Fox, Limbaugh, and this right wing crap. But thank God they say no one was home. When the nut shot at the WH.
I heard on the news that the Secret Services wouldn’t say if Malia and Sasha were home when that nut shot at the WH.
I’ve read he thought he was on a mission from God and a Glenn Beck fan. All those who engage in all this inciteful hate talk plant seeds in the mentally unstable. We’ve seen the consequences over and over.
Perry says Obama ‘grew up in a privileged way’
Really! Really! Is musta been so easy being a bi-racial child to a white teenage mother, who African immigrant father left him and his mother who was at one point receiving food stamps and who was later raised by his maternal grandmother/grandfather in Kansas and finally in a small apartment in Hawaii.
That’s what I’d call “privileged”. Ugh! The fear and delusion that this President somehow “provokes” in the GOP is disgustingly racial and really makes me mad!
what this brainfart of nincompoop means is that Obama is way smarter than any of the current crowd pf congrss critters on both sides of the aisle and this white privileged motherfucker can’t handle it. Fuck him.
Pahdon my french
You are so right on. Romney is ready to shite his pants every time he thinks of having to debate the President.
that was my take too. Perry meant, PO is educated. . . I am not. I am You.
lolol
Sadly, Perry’s comments were more insidious than that, I think. I think he was giving one of those GOP dog whistles of saying everything PBO got was through affirmative action, rather than hard work. That crap started with beaver-head Trump, and my a-hole governor picked it up real fast. But I think most Americans know our President’s history to know that he is brilliant and blessed and had a remarkable MIDDLE CLASS. upbringing that he is fighting to preserve now!
I agree that it was a dog whistle but not in that context.
My perspective is that many people cannot accept that a black man is the smartest man in the room. That to Perry cannot be possible because minorities are _____ fill in the blank. So for this President to be so intelligent where he actually solves the tough issues and is respected across the globe is a hard pill to swallow. If the black man is smarter than they are then who are they???? That is why you hear folks screaming about wanting to take their country back. Sadly some folks need someone to look down on.
So Perry is saying this President is “uppity” and he is not one of “us”. But he (Perry) is just like you. Lots of these folks feel the same way. The upside is that our young people and folks who are open to change do not. Change is coming whether they are ready for it or not.
Will some please explain to me how the hell did Barack Obama grew up in a world of privileged? Maybe in Texas privileged mean something else in Rick Perry stupid world. This is washed up B.S from the 2008 campaign. Perry is pulling out all the stops, expect him to drag up Rev. Wright, Tony Resco, Bill Ayers, and even go after the First Lady. That’s what a loser do when he knows he is losing. I wish I could tell Perry to pack up his bags and go back to Texas. The stupid idiot don’t know that his opponent is Romney,Newt, Cain, not Obama.
Perry’s a fookin’ liar desperately grasping at a purchase before he falls off the cliff. It’s really quite tragic. Poor Poor Perry. Tiny violins might be in order.
Meta,
George will wrote a article today slamming HSR in California.
Saying that Lahood should retire by taking the HSR from Anaheim to SF with him!
Why does George Will hate HSR?
OT: I saw a few tweets saying Cornell West has left Princeton to return to seminary. Ha. What 50-something year old man does that? Sounds like he was asked to leave to me. Do not mess with my President. Karma will bite you in the @#$.
Maybe at seminary he will learn the lessons he should have learned the first go-round? Like, the 9th Commandment……”thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor”……all the lying he has done on PBO should warrant a real soul-searching.
Splat!: “Dr. West, the author of 19 books, including “Race Matters,” and a ubiquitous television and radio commentator, said he was taking a significant pay cut to become a professor of philosophy and Christian practices at Union.” [http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/nyregion/cornel-west-returning-to-union-theological-seminary.html]
What’s that paygrade? 🙂
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/nyregion/cornel-west-returning-to-union-theological-seminary.html
If that is the case, and he returned to the seminary then it is a good thing. At the rate he was going, I thought he sold his soul to the devil himself. It is going to probably take EVERYBODY in that seminary to help exorcise his demon.
They chip away at that demon riding on his shoulders! Is Seminary the new Rehab? 🙂
Could be, xtine..a rehab for liars about the President of the United States. Or does he lie about other things in his life, too? Dunno know but I hope this isn’t a sham for his sake.
So Cornell is on a downward spiral. Hate and irrationality sometimes do that to you. Sounds like he was asked to leave to me too and is trying to save face. Not that I am surprised, as I’ve long been asking myself how his public ranting and raving and hurt feelings fit the profile of an intelligent professor responsible to direct the thought processes of young intellectuals. The content of this quote confirmed the asked/forced**-to-leave theory IMO:
‘The Rev. Serene Jones, the president of Union and a former student of Dr. West, said: “In coming here, Cornel comes to a place where his scholarly commitments and his activism don’t live in two different worlds.’
I see two hints (1) IMO he appealed to a former student (power/pity) to give him a spot, even at reduced pay
(2) his scholarly commitments and his activism currently live in two different worlds
I won’t say, ‘poor Cornell’ because he can and will probably now unite his scholarly commitments and his activism with more media time, to the detriment of our eyes/ears.
**leave on your own initiative or be fired
Responses to the Business Outlook Survey this month suggest that regional manufacturing is expanding, but at a slow pace. The survey’s broad indicators for activity, shipments, and new orders recorded positive readings this month, but all declined slightly from their October readings. Employment conditions improved, as indicated by increases in the indexes for employment and average workweek. The broadest indicator of future activity showed marked improvement, and firms were notably more optimistic about future employment.
Indicators Suggest Slight Expansion
The survey’s broadest measure of manufacturing conditions, the diffusion index of current activity, remained positive for the second consecutive month, but it decreased from 8.7 in October to 3.6 (see Chart). Indexes for current new orders and shipments showed a similar pattern, remaining positive but falling 7 points and 6 points, respectively. Firms reported an overall increase in inventories this month; the inventories diffusion index rose from -7.7 to 6.6.
Labor market conditions improved according to the firms responding. Twenty-one percent of the firms reported an increase in employment, a slight increase from 18 percent last month. The current employment index increased 11 points from its reading in October, attributable also to a decline in the share of firms reporting employment decreases. The average workweek index increased 8 points, to its highest level in seven months.
http://www.philadelphiafed.org/research-and-data/regional-economy/business-outlook-survey/2011/bos1111.cfm
The Aussies have really taken PBO into their hearts. Really wonder how he does it, he looks so energized coming off the plane in Bali.
TOD, here’s another one to add to the collection.~
As TPM documented yesterday, Newt Gingrich has a long history of publicly attacking politicians for taking Freddie Mac’s money despite pocketing $1.6 million in consulting fees himself. Democratic trackers American Bridge is up with a new video highlighting some of the most cringeworthy clips.
h/t Benjy Sarlin
Oh my goodness. What a hideous visage.
Chipsticks – I have to add my thanks to everyone else this morning. Looking around last night (this morning) for footage of President Obama’s arrival in Bali, I kept muttering to myself – I wish Chipsticks was awake, because she’d know where to look. It’s become a ritual to look here first every day for news of President Obama, and this week’s lack of coverage of the President’s historic and important trip to Asia has highlighted just how valuable you are. If not for you, we’d have no idea what the President is doing. We’d be just as uninformed as the masses of people who buy into the hype. We’d be missing the awesomeness of this amazing man, and this truly historic presidency.
Thank you! Sincerely.
God Bless our Magnificent President!!!
Where to begin…at this point words fail me…(softly bangs head on desk).~
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Marcus Bachmann is attempting to collect $150 from gay rights activist John Becker, who attended five therapy sessions at the suburban Minneapolis Bachmann & Associates on behalf of Truth Wins Out. Becker clandestinely recorded these sessions and released a video of his experience back in July.
Mr. Bachmann argues that the collection attempt has nothing to do with Becker’s sting operation. Becker signed a contract that stated he would pay for no-shows, and after the tapes were released, he neglected to show up for two remaining sessions.
“It’s not the amount of money,” Bachmann said. “For us it’s the principle.”
Bachmann personally called Truth Wins Out to demand payment because the therapist was “not comfortable returning Mr. Becker’s call disputing the bill.” In the message, Bachmann demands payment by Friday, and threatens to turn the bill over to a collection agency if the money isn’t received by that time.
~snip~
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/marcus-bachmann-to-gay-rights-activist-pay-up.php?ref=fpb
h/t Josh Petri
G-T-F-O-H
Barack Hussein Obama is a truly self-made man.
……………………..
Perry says Obama ‘grew up in a privileged way’From NBC’s Carrie Dann:
Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday night said President Barack Obama “grew up in a privileged way” and that America’s foreign policy reputation has suffered because of the president’s “mentality that he’s the smartest guy in the room.”
“It reveals to me that he grew up in a privileged way,” Perry said of Obama when asked by host FOX News host Sean Hannity to comment on the president’s recent comment that American business interests have been “lazy” in their approach to the global economy. “He never had to really work for anything.”
This president has never felt that angst that they have in their heart,” he added, referring to the nation’s 14 million unemployed. “And I think he’s always, when he has had problems, he’s always pointed to somebody else and said it’s their fault, not mine.”
Obama’s rise to the presidency was powered in part by his personal narrative as the son of a young white mother who was at times dependent on food stamps after her black husband deserted her. Obama later went on to become the first black president of the Harvard Law Review.
Perry, who grew up poor in rural Texas and frequently jokes about his poor college grades, added in his interview with Hannity that Obama’s perceived intellect has contributed to the decline of the United States in its relationships with other nations.
“His thinking that he’s the smartest guy in the room has hurt America around the world, particularly when it comes to foreign policy. And I think that mentality of ‘I’m the smartest guy in the room and therefore it couldn’t be my fault’ is really hurting America. And we need a president who has been through their ups and downs in life, and understands what it’s like to have to deal with the issues in our economy that we have today in America.”
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/16/8848876-perry-says-obama-grew-up-in-a-privileged-way
Sounds like Perry was talking about George W. Bush to me. Texan to Texan, ya know.
“President Barack Obama is the smartest guy in the room.”
There. fixed. and that is why most folks dislike my brilliant President.
What a strange argument. So, if the world thinks that it’s dealing with an idiot like Perry, somehow it will help American foreign policy? Really? May I refer you to the Bush presidency?
Aaaah…comic relief! This is TOO FUNNY.~ Just what does Oops! hope to accomplish by proposing this? For the record, I’d pay money to see Nancy Pelosi wipe the floor with him in a debate…
In a letter to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) obtained by The Hill, Texas governor Rick Perry offers up a challenge: “I am in Washington Monday and would love to engage you in a public debate about my Overhaul Washington plan versus the congressional status quo.” On Tuesday, Gov. Perry introduced his “Overhaul Washington” plan, calling for “a part-time Congress where their pay is cut in half, their office budgets are cut in half, and their time in Washington is cut in half.”
It is a highly unusual step for a presidential candidate to challenge a congressional leader for a debate, and it is even more unusual for Perry to actively seek out a debate opportunity. As recently as a few weeks ago, there was speculation that he would actually skip some debate performances.
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/updates/1921
h/t Josh Petri
I hope she accepts.
It’s attention seeking in an attempt to lift his profile, much like when the Alaska barbie would direct her tweets etc. to Prez O. Frankly, I hope she ignores him.
Shouldn’t Perry be debating Boehner about cutting Congress’ pay in half, since it’s under the Boehner Speakership that Congress has done absolutely nothing. We got our money’s worth under Speaker Pelosi. Perry is a dufus.
Exactly! Pushy little twerp trying to muscle his way into the adults’ space for attention.
Cut their time in office in half? Does that mean they only serve one year in the House before they come up for reelection? If so they would barely get to know the ropes of the job before they are running for office. We are already on a two year term. Does he even know that? It seems he is trying to capitalize on the Congress’ low approval rating. I hope Nancy Pelosi just ignores him. I don’t want to see him get new attention to bring his poll numbers up.
We agree on the ignoring part, OG. 😉
He can’t be serious, he can’t even handle Michele Bachman or Herman Cain in a debate. Nancy would wipe the floor with this tool.
I am not fond—-at all—-of the new Alex Wagner show on msnbc. She just concluded that the “lazy” comment by Obama was really going to hurt, very damaging—-just stupid. And on the first 2 topics, she asks “how is this going to hurt Obama?” as if that’s her mission, the point of her show. The panel then did a number on Obama re. Solyndra. It’s like searching for any topic they can use negatively against Obama, and avoid like the plague any topic positive for him. No mention at all of his trip. Zero. Ugh, ugh, ugh. We have FOX and CNN to push the Repub agenda and now much of msnbc too.
I told you I didn’t like her Alex Wagner, the only time she didn’t bash Obama is when she was on Rev. Al show. She knew better to try that with Rev. Al.. I think all the media is anti-Obama. Obama was not calling the American worker lazy, but by the time the media finish it will look like that is exactly what he were doing. Msnbc sucks just like CNN and FOX.
you are soooo right annie…
what we got is a bait and switch ❓
I watched one of Alex’s shows and knew it wasn’t for me. Tweeted that if she’d not use the typical R journalists on her panel, more would watch. It’s futile to let them know how we feel (although I will do it throughout), because it’s the MSNBC bosses that they care about …
… except for Rev. Al and Martin Bashir, whose shows I record and watch every day – with virtual popcorn, since they are so enjoyable!
As I stated yesterday, I caught the ending Wagner’s show yesterday, and knew I would not be watching when she said that PBO does not connect with people, and she let her panel dismiss Perry and Cain gaffes as just being themselves. She did not say that kind of stuff on Rev. Al’s show.
Saw your tweet Jackie. Great job! 🙂 Also saw that lots of people on twitter responded to her negativity. It’s shoddy journalism when she doesn’t even mention that the Solyndra loan guarantee program began in the Bush admin.
Anybody who writes for – works for – Huffington Post should be more than suspect. I saw the show. She didn’t bother to show the ad that the DNC put out quoting sources that state how Perry et al have taken the President’s “lazy” statement out of context. Perry et al are saying that the President said Americans are “lazy”. That’s NOT what he said. The President said that businesses have become lazy in going after business from other countries. These people are lower than dirt and their media hacks are just as bad.
And then she had on the 3 Hunstman girls who have appeared on almost every msnbc show. She kept really praising Huntsman as the smart, sane candidate. MSNBC really pushing Huntsman. And then even with Lawrence O’Donnell, Wagner says odd things. She’s off track, smiles inappropriately, appears clueless much of the time, the show is real rough around the edges. Big fail.
dotster, I always thought she did more than “smile inappropriately”, she giggles constantly. Very jarring. My guess is that she’s just doing what she’s told to by her corporate “bosses”. They do the bookings. Unless she has super ratings then she’ll have 0 control. From what you’ve said, those ratings are unlikely.
hmmmmmmm….
i do not believe that MSNBC could tell RevAL…how to be….and i wonder how he feels about the new Alex….or perhaps he knew all along
The good thing about this “lazy” fake scandal is that it gives the President another opportunity to express his views. And hopefully, we’ll get some good Democrats on the TV to explain it, too. Even the tourism industry were saying that the US needed to do more to sell tourism to America, because people often just assume that the world wants to come to America. So ridiculous.
I’m glad I have no idea who this new clown, Alex Wagner, is.
Anyone know Alex Wagner’s twitter handle so the pushback on this stupid comment can begin? Did she mention romney’s comment on american’s don’t want to do the hard work? Didn’t think so.
She, unfortunatley, sounds like every other mediawhore who works for m$m. I’ve never heard of her before but then I don’t have a tv or would watch corporate “news” if I did.
Alex Wagner = another overpaid, marginally qualified, entitled brat of sub-par intellect and questionable ethics in journalism.
Fire Walker Chronicles: A Dirty Rotten Shame
by Zandar
Wisconsin Republicans are trying an awful new tack in scuttling the recall effort for Gov. Scott Walker: having Lt Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (who would also be recalled under the petition) shame the state into inaction with a thinly veiled threat ad that the cost of a special recall election will have to be taken out of money for “teachers or health care for the poor, or school books for your kids.”
“There might be a day when someone asks you for your signature,” Kleefisch says in an ad released Wednesday. “Signing a recall petition is like saying you’re O.K. with spending $7.7 million on another recall election, 7.7 million that may already be allocated to merit raises for teachers or health care for the poor, or school books for your kids.”
“Signing a recall petition is like saying you’re O.K. with taking money away from those things and spending it on another special election,” she continues.
“Signing a recall petition is like saying you’re O.K with spending more months, and more millions, on political campaign ads. Signing a recall petition is like saying you’re O.K with the government taking more of your money to spend on other special elections.”
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2011/11/17/fire-walker-chronicles-a-dirty-rotten-shame/
The people of Wisconsin should ask themselves whether their future well-being is worth $7.7 million, or if they’re willing to sell themselves out for that amount. Period.
Recall Walker People need a counter ad that states: “Actually signing a petition to RECALL Walker is an Insurance that Teachers will have jobs and Workers WILL HAVE RIGHTS!”
Another wonderful read:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/obama-in-australia/mps-swoon-over-obama-as-president-has-emotional-moments-of-his-own/story-fnb0o39u-1226198298385
I can’t read it 😦
No, can’t you see it? Let me know and I will try again.
it tells me that I have to sign up 🙄 but thanks anyway CT 😀
Did not have to do that when I tried, but now we do 😦
Let me try to make it up to you with this one – I just got started so you should get in:
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/adoration-cuddles-and-a-whole-lot-of-shakin-going-on-20111116-1njcx.html
That was a cute story – love the part about the woman who got so excited she shouted “I love you” from the rafters and was convinced the President was waving directly at her. And also the part that said “such is the charisma of the man that he could summon interpersonal chemistry with a tray of lamingtons” – this is true, whatever those “lamingtons” are supposed to be.
I just had to go lookup to see what is a “lamington” 🙂
A lamington is a sponge cake of Australian origin in the shape of a cuboid, coated in a layer of traditionally chocolate icing then desiccated coconut.
Ok – those lamington’s are sounding pretty tasty right now. Nearly lunch! (But why the cuboid shape??)
Thanks DD4O – I didn’t want to go look, 😉 and I too was coming to share the ‘such is the charisma of the man’ quote. Every country PBO visits notices that special something he has. Funny how it’s only our media types that can’t recognize it, eh? That reaffirms for us that they are blinded by their prejudices – of whatever variety. It also reaffirms that we O-bots are not delusional, 😛 OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
It made me smile!
woohoo thanks CT 😀
🙂
Fred it took a long time to load so I refreshed and it showed right up. Try this it may help.
You are right Fred. You have to sign-in to see the entire article. 😦
Hi Chipsticks and all TODers!
Fantastic video of Speaker Pelosi smacking Perry with an ‘epic diss’ (and it is, epic!!) 😀
http://www.businessinsider.com/epic-diss-pelosi-mocks-rick-perrys-debate-challenge-2011-11
#YesWeCanDOMoreTogether
Oh, Nancy, that was brilliant! *I can’t remember what the third is* Ha ha ha. Take that, Perry (you goofball).
Wicket!!!!
I Love Nancy 🙂
I really like Pelosi. She put that dope from Texas in his place. He can’t even debate the seven clowns on the GOP side.
dang. Nancy kick’s some serious butt. I can hardly wait until she gets her gavel back in hand where it belongs.
That is EPIC, Bob! Thanks, I passed it on to Democrats for Progress. It’s not as if Perry’s doing anything but looking for gimmicks and Nancy has every right to bring up his stupid debate braindead moment. He couldn’t remember all the center of his policy? Was it because peacocks are smarter?
I still wish she had just ignored him.
Fabulous, Fabulous work Chips! Thank you so much for the A # One coverage of our beloved President in Austrailia! You absolutely Rock!
Doesn’t FLOTUS suppose to have something today at the WH? There was a email sent out when she was in Hawaii about it. Can anyone give me any info about this?
4:00 conference call – Women for Obama – I got an email with an invite that has a link to click on at 4:00 to hear from the 1st Lady
Thank you louc1.
Afternoon TODers. I am still in catch-up mode trying to keep pace with Chips and our
wonderful AUSSIE adventure. But I was stopped in my tracks, or should say came to a Screeching halt,
when I saw all the glorious photographs today. The ones with our PREZ hugging the elderly ladies
just did me in. Tears were flowing and my heart was so full it is impossible to describe.
What a blessing from God we have in President Barack Obama. I will never be able to put into
words how much I love this man. For his grace, his compassion, his authenticity, his brilliance…I could
go on and on. I will continue to work my heart out for this man. He will be back in the Oval office.
I pray daily for him and his family and also light my candles in prayer.
Chips, Thank you so very much for your tremendous labor of love in bringing us all that you do. You are
a JOURNALIST EXTRAORDINAIRE.
That would be about a gazillion of us here who totally share your sentiments, HOPE44 !
Si, Senora!
A repost from the last thread, do not despair, President Obama knows what we know and he isn’t in the slightest bit upset or intimidated by these doofuses:
My personal highlight of the Australian trip:
“Mr Obama and Ms Gillard each shook hands with the 18 journalism students who were seated in a half-circle in the room – a set-up the Australian leader found ominous.
What worries me, Mr President, is that they’re arranged like this because they’ve been working on hard questions,” she told the President.
“How many days have you spent on the hard questions?”
Both laughed when someone responded “five minutes”.
“Oh well then you’ll sound like the usual journalists,” Mr Obama quipped.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/bieberlike-reception-greets-obama-20111117-1nkiu.html#ixzz1dwaGSmKI
Ha! Chuck Todd, Ed Henry and Jake Tapper come to mind.
Reply
I love, love, love the President’s comment. That should have left a mark on Todd, Henry and Tapper, but I am sure it went way over their heads.
This is kindof unsettling—-news in Bali that 2 U.S. ships have moved in for “monitoring and for security” while Obama is in Indonesia. And I thought it was odd news that 3 Indonesian military personnel would be allowed on the ships ‘to keep an eye on U.S. military personnel’. What? There are a lot of protests and demonstrations and problems there. Didn’t they just shoot paint at Hillary’s motorcade there? Does Obama arrive there today? I”m confused about all the time diffs—–where is he right now?
link:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/11/17/us-navy-ships-close-ahead-obama-arrival-tni.html
Hi Dotster3, Hillary’s incident happened in Manila not Indonesia. I think the 3 military personnel being onboard, etc., could be simply a matter of protocol. US ships are probably in their territorial waters.
xtine your assessment is pretty much spot on. The military people were allowed on board to show peaceful intent. Any time an American warship comes within 12 miles of another countries shores it must get permission to be there. Besides it would be very difficult for 3 men to over power approx 3500. 😉
Thanks for the clarifying response.
And I think this is usual. In much the same way there were F16s flying around Australia while he was visiting. It’s for his protection.
a few more pictures for ya’ll ;D
http://obamafoodorama.com/
Thanks Fred..I hadn’t made it to obamafoodorama yet today. It’s so wonderful to see Australians appreciate the President as much as they do in Ireland…and be so creative about it. And, Even though there’s so many who make a profit off of their Obama Derangement Syndrome..we still have Millions right in our own country who appreciate the hell outta PBO..Thankfully!
Hi Folks,
A question from a non-american. Over the past week I have read bloggers writing about getting signatures to put Pres Obama on the ballot and today someone wrote to put him on the primary caucus. If he has no challenger why does he need to be on the primary caucus and does he need signatures to be on the ballot in each state or just some states? Can someone explain that part of your electoral system to me. Thanking you in advance.
I was wondering the same thing – thanks for asking. Seems redundant.
REMINDER:
Mrs O will be having a Women For Obama Conference Call today @ 4:00PM EST at the following link:
http://www.barackobama.com/women-for-obama-call
Thanks for the reminder, donna dem. I volunteered for “Women for Obama” yet if not for your reminder I probably would have missed it (cuz I’m so engrossed in Chipsticks’s extraordinary 1 person wall to wall coverage of our president’s historic trip).
Suit up like Barack Obama
The leader of the free world teaches us a thing or two about corporate style.
As the nation is feverishly consuming coverage about every aspect of President Barack Obama’s visit to Australia, some are noticing what style spotters have long known – we also have a lot to learn from him when it comes to wearing a suit.
While the fashion world waits with baited breath to see what First Lady Michelle Obama wears to any event, the President himself has quietly launched his own style offensive.
Today, resplendent in a form-fitting suit over a crisp white shirt and simple blue tie, he looked every inch the charismatic leader and could clearly teach our own pollies the power of a good tailor.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/executive-style/style/suit-up-like-barack-obama-20111117-1nkhv.html#ixzz1dzTSJ2qP
The Aussies have a MEGA crush on PBO and I looooooooooooooooooooooooove it! They treat him with respect, admiration, and warmth because they recognize what a LEADER he is. Their coverage of every minutiae detail of this trip thrills me. 🙂
🙂
PBO always looks so great in his suits which fit him beautifully. Of course, he has the ideal physique for those classic, tailored suits—–tall and slim ———and gorgeous. You can’t beat classic, high quality, great fitting clothes. Nancy Pelosi always looks so great too in her beautifully styled and fitted Armani suits.
I just read that Boeing just received its biggest order in its history. On top of President Obama’s outreach to the Asia-Pacific business community and now the Indonesian business community, I’d say that President Obama’s business acumen is on par or better than any other American President. In three in office he’s gone from being the first African American President, to the first President to ever accomplish [ insert whatever piece of legislation you want to ] i.e. DADT, Health Care Act, etc etc etc.
When the Indians chose a British company instead of an American company for their airline order, the media was all over it. They’re pretty quiet over this one.
OOps forgot to sign in.
I did not know China had done this:
“China has staked a claim to a large portion of the sea and backed it up with military confrontations aimed at cowing smaller rivals.”
No wonder they are not happy with the US marines being in Australia.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/obama-rallies-australian-troops-around-new-us-military-partnership/2011/11/17/gIQASp2rTN_story.html?hpid=z2
I just cannot believe the gall of this company!!!
WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday slammed a new Benetton advertising campaign showing US President Barack Obama kissing Chinese and Venezuelan leaders smack on the lips.
“The White House has a longstanding policy disapproving of the use of the president’s name and likeness for commercial purposes,” spokesman Eric Schultz told AFP, speaking of the adverts which have also triggered a protest from the Vatican.
The ads, unveiled on Wednesday, show photoshopped pictures of Obama kissing Chinese President Hu Jintao and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ji2COAU7i39xwrdVSBgf2tQ-CsFg?docId=CNG.1e15397ba6f112f35bec6eb7fd662ef1.231
That ad was very disrespectful of all the leaders portrayed. It’s one thing to be “controversial” and try to spark hype over a new fashion line. It’s another to cross the line and use the President’s image for commercialization when it has always been strongly disapproved of. They’re itching to get slapped with a civil suit from any of the leaders.
When I turned on the tv this morning to see what stories were trending on the CNN crawler with my mute button on, the first thing I saw was this huge photo of PBO kissing this guy. I could not believe my eyes. I hope Benneton get sued. I use to wear their cologne long time ago. They have beautiful scarves and sweaters. Why would they stoop to something like this?
What do you expect from a company with no moral compass. I guess they think the Country is in the mood for this kind abomination.
So first we have PBO getting it on with PM of Australia (snuffpost), now we have a “gay” President. All subliminal smear campaigns. As for Bennetton, simply boycott.
They should that Bennetton crap on the View.
I’ve noticed the GOP is quiet over the President’s pivot from the Middle East to Asia, now that the wars are winding down. I wonder if they’re huddled somewhere, strategizing on whether to come out against it, or pretend it never happened. President Obama and his team have been quietly working on contingency plans of Asia and South America to counteract the heavy reliance on Europe, and to recognize the new global realities. It was only a few months ago that the GOP were all over TV, starting with Palin, complaining that President Obama had abandoned the traditional European allies to bow down to China and Asia, as a whole. Now that Europe is in danger of losing its union, the wisdom of President Obama is as evident as daylight. If he was a short-term thinker, the US would be screwed right now, balancing on the head of a pin, hoping that the Euro doesn’t fall.
Now, look at the latest move by the GOP to end high speed rail, and their recent assault on teachers and education as a whole. If America can’t wake up and see that they’ve got the smartest guy in the room, and that that’s a good thing – as well as the fact that he loves reading and knowledge – then, that’s a very scary proposition. Because the rest of the world recognizes who he is. Even China, while furious that they’ve been check-mated, still issued a fairly moderated response/threat. They know who he is. And most importantly, he knows who he is, and what he’s capable of. The biggest enemies of this country are: the GOP and an apathetic electorate.
To add to your enemies list, musn’t forget the msm. Great take Theo.
Your assessments are spot on theo67, team Obama wisely knows not to put all of its eggs in one basket.
You called it !
November 17, 2011 2:10 PM
The wrong candidate to push ‘transparency’
By Steve Benen
Nearly six years ago, Mitt Romney decided he had a pretty credible shot at the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. Once that judgment had been made, the governor put together a to-do list.
First, Romney had to announce he wouldn’t seek a second term, in large part because he’d lose and it would interfere with his ambitions. Second, he had to trash his entire worldview and adopt a new one that might be more palatable to GOP primary voters.
And finally, it was time to deal with all of those emails.
Just before Mitt Romney left the Massachusetts governor’s office and first ran for president, 11 of his top aides purchased their state-issued computer hard drives, and the Romney administration’s e-mails were all wiped from a server, according to interviews and records obtained by the Globe.
Romney administration officials had the remaining computers in the governor’s office replaced just before Governor Deval Patrick’s staff showed up to take power in January 2007, according to Mark Reilly, Patrick’s chief legal counsel.
As a result, Patrick’s office, which has been bombarded with inquiries for records from the Romney era, has no electronic record of any Romney administration e-mails, Reilly said.
“The governor’s office has found no e-mails from 2002-2006 in our possession,” Reilly said in a statement. “Before the current administration took office, the computers used during that time period were replaced and the server used during that time period was taken out of service, all files were removed from it, and it was also replaced.”
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/the_wrong_candidate_to_push_tr033561.php
Wonder what Romney was hiding. Shoulda been a law!
WATCHING THE SOLYNDRA HEARINGS IS MAKING MY BLOOD BOIL
If there was ever any doubt that the Republicans are on a witch hunt about Solyndra, it was confirmed today. Secretary Chu has been answering questions since10:00 a.m. this morning. They took a 15 minute break. And now they are taking a 45 minute break to go vote. The same questions are being asked over and over again. This is just infuriating. The Republican Party is posturing for political reasons and they are trying to find a scandal where there is non.
While China and other countries are eating our lunch, the Republican Party is working overtime to question the character and integrity of Energy Secretary Chu. Bottom line, the Republican Party is beholden to the oil and coal industry. It was congress that created the program to give companies like Solyndra a chance the survive and thrive. The very idea of the program means there is inherent risk involved. I am outraged that our distinguished Secretary Chu has been treated with such disdain.
What phonies?? The Republican Party has done absolutely nothing about job creation. They vote every week to dismantle EPA laws and weaken their authority. They don’t believe in climate change. And they have no interest in promoting alternative energy sources.
They are hoping they get lucky and it leads back to the President!
Forgive me for sounding petty but honest to goodness I think there truly is something wrong with Rick Perry. Reading that article where he makes absolutely no sense at all regarding the President growing up privileged is just crazy talk. I think the rest of the clowns are egomaniacs but I think Perry actually is just plain old crazy.
He can’t even remember what day it is but he wants to debate the most formidable woman in Congress (Nancy Pelosi). Then that scene when he gave that speech in NH. Weirdo for sure. Then he goes on to have a brainfreeze at that debate (oops). He speaks weird also and I don’t mean his southern drawl. His sentences don’t make any sense and he uses words incorrectly. He’s a NUTCASE.
And he was considered their rising star within the Republican Party……Pathetic.
Ewwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!
His schtick works regionally. Both Perry and Cain are running for Right Wing Radio Host of America, not President.
When I saw his “Lazy” ad, besides the shrieking dog-whistle of “look-here’s-a-black-man-calling-you-lazy-are-you-going-to-take-that?,” it just made no logical sense whatsoever while he lifted a quote out of context, accused the President of calling Americans lazy then pivoted, in the same ad, to pushing “for a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget as president and if Congress refused he would “cut their pay and send them home.” He concludes by saying Obama’s “socialist” policies are bankrupting the U.S.”
As politcalprof points out:
“He appears to have no political sense of how Congress gets paid. Like it or not—and pretty much no one likes it—Congress decides how much Congress gets paid.
Notably, under the terms of the 27th Amendment Congress can’t raise its own pay until an election has passed—e.g., after we have a chance to toss them out. But otherwise, it’s an act of Congress that sets Congressional pay, and while the President does have to sign the bill to make it a law, presidents always sign the Congressional pay act as the result of a simple political calculation: exactly how much of his or her legislative agenda is a President likely to get after vetoing Congress’ salary?”
Cain and Perry talk as if they are preaching to the equally addle-brained and anyone who challenges them or disagrees with them is a gotcha liberal socialist hater.
Donna, I’ve said for some time that I think he has a problem. He may never have been a genius but his thinking and language problems seem so far out of the norm that he’s either sick or coping with the side effects of some kind of medicine. Somebody from Texas may know whether he started out this incoherent when he entered politics.
They believe their own hype – that’s what makes these crazy ones so dangerous.
Since your blood is a boiling LadyHawke
Watch this video from Twitter, it will calm and soothe what ails ya.
Twitter – helping us make a difference
http://www.whatisworking.com/2011/11/twitter-helping-us-make-difference.html
That is so cool and uplifting. It calmed me right down. Your updates have a way of doing that anyway. Always thoughtful, positive and informative. Thanks for all you do.
Great piece at PBS last night on the Patriotic Millionaires. My favorite part was when the wealthy investor was asked about Grover Norquist.
He was spot on.
‘Patriotic Millionaires’ Lobby Congress for Higher Taxes on Rich
http://www.whatisworking.com/2011/11/patriotic-millionaires-lobby-congress.html
Linda, thanks for all that you do. I Dugg it; here is the link for those of you that have a “Digg” account:
http://digg.com/news/politics/patriotic_millionaires_lobby_congress_for_higher_taxes_on_rich_what_is_working
“A scheduled meeting with the New Hampshire Union Leader’s editorial board was canceled about an hour before it was to begin. The newspaper is an influential voice among New Hampshire conservatives, the group Cain needs to do well in the first-in-the-nation primary state.
There was disagreement over whether the meeting would be videotaped. The Union Leader typically allows filming of its meetings with presidential candidates; Cain’s campaign refused to allow it.”
So how would the Cain presidency work? He would have press conferences but they couldn’t be filmed?
This man is remarkable in that he is more pathetic than Sarah Palin at this point.
And here I thought that Sarah Palin was the gold standard when it came to political stupidity.
You have got to listen to Sen. John McCain discussing the U.S. House on the Balanced Budget Amendment on CSPAN. The man is a raving lunatic.
He said the President’s foreign policy under this administration is an abysmal failure. He is lying so much that he is babbling.
Nospin, do not underestimate the power that babbling has on the uninformed.
BREAKING — The AP alerts: “White House shooting suspect charged with attempting to assassinate President Barack Obama.”
THROW HIM IN JAIL
yes please
Halo I echo what you said. Throw the B***** miscreant in jail and throw away the key. Make an example of him so that it will deter any other nutjob from trying anything.
So, the OWS wants to disrupt the subways, bridges, and attack police officers all over tge World today.
Many of you say their is nowadays and no coordination.
You all sure about that? They have a leader, we just don’t know who?
This is why public opinion has turned against them.
Randi Rhodes just said she disagrees with attacking the police and fighting over turf, the initial idea was a good one and changed the message, but this is ridiculous. Also, she said that someone decided they should give a shout out to the guy who shot at the White House. We skeptics had it correct, in my very strong (some can say biased) opinion.
They may have a leader, but they have no direction. How is clogging a bridge going to fix the long-term trend of wealth inequality. They claimed one of their concrete goals was a Wall Street transaction tax.
So why didn’t they Occupy DC when Democrats proposed that specifically?
“Anger at Wall Street is spilling over into Congress, where Democrats are eyeing a $350 billion financial transaction tax to bring down the deficit.
The measure, introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR), would impose a 3-basis point tax on most non-consumer trades, which the Joint Committee on Taxation says would yield $350 billion over the next decade.
Read more: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-11-07/politics/30368817_1_tax-rate-small-tax-commonsense-tax#ixzz1dzo3GmG6
This is not an impressive movement. This is an incredibly self-indulgent waste of energy like Jon Stewarts gathering?
Yes we know the world sucks. We do not need awareness raised about that. What are you going to do about it OWS? Clogging a bridge is not going to do it.
Thanks for this info. I had forgotten about the Harkin/DeFazio measure.
They want to overthrow the system by force!
Ever hear of revolution?
Libertarians Ron Paul supporters, are co opting this whole movement, like, you know, Jane hamsher.
My force? Oh, they mean like going up against the Marines, Air Force, Navy, Army? LOL Attention seekers. They may cause disruption, but that’s about all. Eventually, they’ll get tired or come to their senses.
Pelosi To Hensarling On Medicare: You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me!
Brian Beutler November 17, 2011, 12:44 PM
With just six days left until the Super Committee deadline, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) acknowledged Thursday that the panel is unlikely to agree on the sort of broad deficit-cutting bargain she and other Democratic leaders have pushed for. And she made a strong case that the GOP’s allergy to taxes is the reason her expectations have diminished.
Specifically, she responded to Republican Super Committee co-chair Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) who on Wednesday said Democrats would have to agree to dramatic steps — such as partially privatizing Medicare — before Republicans would agree to substantial new tax revenues.
“We have [put Medicare on the table], as a matter of fact,” Pelosi told reporters at her weekly Capitol briefing.
As I mentioned we subscribed to what the President put forth in January. In his grand bargain, just to recall, there was a menu of savings that the President and the Speaker had put together from which some of these entitlement changes could take place. That’s one. As I said before we already have gone down this path a half a trillion dollars in savings to strengthen Medicare in the past. And one of the reasons to address the entitlement issue is to strengthen them. To prolong them. But if your goal is to eliminate them — if the goal of the Republicans is to say…that the Bush tax cuts must be extended…if the plan is to extend the Bush tax cuts and to repeal the Medicare guarantee for our seniors — well that’s not balance, and that’s a place we can not go.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/11/pelosi-to-hensarling-on-medicare-youve-got-to-be-kidding-me.php?ref=fpb
I just love that woman.
AP: Herman Cain Cancels NH Editorial Board Meeting
For some reason, Herman Cain doesn’t seem interested in doing editorial board meetings at the moment.
“Herman Cain meeting with Union Leader ed board canceled,” the AP’s Steve Peoples reports. “Cain spox says disagreement over timing, hopes to reschedule.”
Other reports said that “there was disagreement over whether the meeting would be videotaped. The Union Leader typically allows filming of its meetings with presidential candidates; Cain’s campaign refused to allow it.”
That sounds closer to the truth to me rather than “timing.”
The editorial board wouldn’t agree to not film the interview. So Cain cancelled.
‘nuf said.
The GOP goes into hiding when they’re stupidity is revealed. they’ve all done this: palin, sharon angle, the witch O’Donnel, now Cain. Well, President Obama doesn’t hide from anything – even when he’s having to apologize to idiots, or correct something like the Tom Daschle fiasco. He doesn’t hide.
By signing Grover’s tax pledge, Republicans have painted themselves into a corner that they are too foolish or too embarrassed to acknowledge. And if a deal isn’t reached by the super committee, the defense cut triggers will most certainly kick in, along with some entitlement restructuring. John Boehner must now explain what exactly did he mean when he stated that he got 98% percent of what he wanted out of the debt ceiling deal.
BREAKING — The AP alerts: “White House shooting suspect charged with attempting to assassinate President Barack Obama.”
A debunked liberal Myth abt the president. good read. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/post/obama-never-secretly-killed-the-public-option-its-a-myth/2011/11/17/gIQAZQt0UN_blog.
Pew Poll:
“Romney outperforms his GOP rivals not because he is popular among Americans, but because he is less unpopular.
Just 36 percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of Romney, while 42 percent have an unfavorable opinion. Obama, on the other hand, is viewed favorably by a 52 percent majority; 45 percent have an unfavorable opinion.
Americans have soured on Romney’s GOP opponents. Gingrich is viewed favorably by 31 percent and unfavorably by 48 percent. Half of Americans have unfavorable opinions of Cain and Perry, and their favorable ratings fail to crack 30 percent.”
http://www.nationaljournal.com/2012-presidential-campaign/poll-romney-cain-tied-for-lead-uptick-for-obama-20111117
Vote Mitt Romney for President in 2012 because I suck one micron less than the hellish trainwrecks Cain and Gingrich. I’m Mitt Romney and I approve this message, unless I get feedback from research that says I shouldn’t.
There it was this morning, on the front page of the Boston Globe, a headline no campaign ever wants to read: “Before leaving office, Romney staff wiped records.”
The story’s first paragraph leveled an equally jarring accusation:
Just before Mitt Romney left the Massachusetts governor’s office and first ran for president, 11 of his top aides purchased their state-issued computer hard drives, and the Romney administration’s e-mails were all wiped from a server, according to interviews and records obtained by the Globe.
The Globe story went on to detail how nearly a dozen aides paid some $65 each to purchase their work computer hard drives — proved by cancelled checks, provided to the Globe — and that new servers were installed for the incoming Democratic administration of Deval Patrick in 2006. The result? There are no electronic records of any Romney administration emails, although boxes of paper documents do exist in state storage facilities.
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/17/8862002-romney-campaign-battles-dems-press-over-issue-of-transparency
There are records. They can can go back and get tapes if they want too. I work for government and those emails are out there.
I remember reading some time ago that Mike Huckabee wiped most of his records also when he left office. The things that Mike Huckabee does not exhibit the traits of a minister.
throw this terrorist in jail forever and throw the damn key in Lake Michigan.Hell send it to me and Dots and I will do it
Man Charged With Attempted Assassination Of Obama
Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, the Idaho man authorities believe fired two shots at the White House on Friday night, has been charged with attempting to assassinate President Obama or members of his staff, the AP reports.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SHOTS_FIRED_WHITE_HOUSE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Don’t know if it will stick considering Pres. Obama wasn’t at the White House but was in Hawaii and his whereabouts was public knowledge. I guess that’s where “or members of his staff” comes in…
It better stick. His intentions were most likely assassination of PBO. It’s no one’s fault that he wasn’t smart enough to know he wasn’t at the residence. If he gets off I’m going to be extremely pissed. I want him UNDER the jail.
I’ve only seen the White House 2x, both times I couldn’t get remotely close to it. So somebody please explain to me how a bullet reached the residence. This is very, very upsetting and I am have been trying really hard not to think about it.
Where were the girls and Grandma Robinson?
I hope they make an example of this miscreant. I can’t believe what I am reading. Why the hell would anyone want to harm this beautiful man! I am beyond words, all I can say is thank God that no harm came to President Obama or anyone else. There is so much I want to say but don’t know where to start, just thank God he is ok. Sorry to babble.
Here’s Annie Leonard making a case against corporate subsidies and lobbyists– with practical solutions and activism. In other words, pretty much everything that President Obama has been advocating for the past 31/2 years.
Afternoon everyone, new post here:
http://theobamadiary.com/2011/11/17/afternoon-all-7/
Newt Gingrich And The Individual Mandate
Gingrich first backed the concept in 1993, “I am for people, individuals — exactly like automobile insurance — individuals having health insurance and being required to have health insurance,” he said on Meet the Press. He supported the idea in 2007 — writing in a Des Moines Register op-ed, “Personal responsibility extends to the purchase of health insurance. Citizens should not be able to cheat their neighbors by not buying insurance” — and again in 2008: “Finally, we should insist that everyone above a certain level buy coverage (or, if they are opposed to insurance, post a bond).”
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/11/17/370892/newt-gingrich-and-the-individual-mandate/