****
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President Obama hosts a summit meeting with European Union leaders, Nov. 28, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House
****
Ah, you gotta love AP. They have an article posted today by Lolita Baldor about National Guard and Reserve troops facing unemployment now that the Iraq war is over and troops are gradually being withdrawn from Afghanistan.
Needless to say, it’s desperately sad that these men and women are facing unemployment, an issue the President has repeatedly addressed over the past three years and has introduced legislation and various measures to try and boost their chances of finding work.
See how Baldor frames it, though, when talking about one such member of the National Guard, Demetries Luckett:
“… just a month after he arrived for training, the Army decided Uncle Sam didn’t need him after all. Now Luckett’s unemployed and back home in Harper Woods, Mich. – a victim of the Obama administration‘s ongoing effort to pull at least 33,000 U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by next fall.”
A victim? Jeez, like not sending soldiers in to harm’s way and ending wars is a bad thing? 🙄
****
President Obama signs the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal Act of 2010 at the U.S. Department of Interior, Dec. 22
MSNBC: Since the lifting two months ago of a longstanding U.S. ban on gays serving openly in the military, U.S. Marines across the globe have adapted smoothly and embraced the change, says their top officer, Gen. James F. Amos, who previously had argued against repealing the ban during wartime.
“I’m very pleased with how it has gone,” Amos said during a week-long trip that included four days in Afghanistan, where he held more than a dozen town hall-style meetings with Marines of virtually every rank. He was asked about a wide range of issues …. Not once was he asked in Afghanistan about the repeal of the gay ban.
…. The apparent absence of angst about gays serving openly in the Marines seemed to confirm Amos’ view that the change has been taken in stride, without hurting the war effort.
….. A Defense Department spokeswoman, Cynthia O. Smith, said implementation of the repeal of the gay ban is proceeding smoothly across the military. “We attribute this success to our comprehensive pre-repeal training program, combined with the continued close monitoring and enforcement of standards by our military leaders at all levels,” Smith said.
More here
****
The White House has released this statement on Barney Frank’s retirement from President Obama:
“This country has never had a Congressman like Barney Frank, and the House of Representatives will not be the same without him. For over 30 years, Barney has been a fierce advocate for the people of Massachusetts and Americans everywhere who needed a voice. He has worked tirelessly on behalf of families and businesses and helped make housing more affordable. He has stood up for the rights of LGBT Americans and fought to end discrimination against them. And it is only thanks to his leadership that we were able to pass the most sweeping financial reform in history designed to protect consumers and prevent the kind of excessive risk-taking that led to the financial crisis from ever happening again. Barney’s passion and his quick wit will be missed in the halls of Congress, and Michelle and I join the people of the Bay State in thanking him for his years of service.”
****
The guy in the yellow shirt? Em, nice name!
Gabon’s striker Christ Obama vies with China’s Lui Binbin during a friendly football match between Gabon and the Chinese Junior team during the inauguration of the Sino-Gabonese friendship stadium in Libreville on November 27
The Obama Diary 
The hour of the jackals is once again upon us! 🙂
Wish we only heard Jay’s voice during the circus.
The sensitive jackals. lol
Has anyone heard from UTAustin…I’ve missed her.
Thank you!
I was wondering where she was too, bjw – I think it’s about a week since she commented. UT? Where are ya?!
Don’t think she’s sent out any tweets in a while, either. Maybe she went home or on vacation for the holidays? Miss her, too.
Thanks Jacqueline, in case I missed anything I was searching the comments to see if she mentioned going away, can’t find anything yet – although the search function on the site is useless. Hopefully she’s just having a break and will come back fired up and ready to go 😉
UT’s last tweet was on Nov 22nd – which suggests to me that she went away for the the Thanksgiving break. Hopefully will be back with us at some point this week, if not today!!
I’m sure if she had any doubt before, she’ll know now how much she is MISSED. She’s just brilliant (humor, writing, critical thinking, knives in the side of the jackals, etc.).
Hiya Jackie. Thanks for asking about my whereabouts. I’ve been crazy busy. Had Thanksgiving off from classes but I might as well have been in school. I had multiple research papers to complete, 19 psychology research articles to read – all 25 pages each – children to observe in labs, physics labs to study for and on and on and on and on. Finally able to lift my head and breathe. Hope you had a great thanksgiving. 😀
Welcome back UT – sounds like you had NO BREAK at all!!! Hope you managed to squeeze in a few isolated “sanity” moments whenever you could!
Hiya Hopefruit. Missed ya Chica. It’s been busy busy busy here. I had multiple research papers to complete, 19 psychology research articles to read – all 25 pages each – children to observe in labs, physics labs to study for and on and on and on and on. So not much of a thanksgiving break. Hope your thanksgiving was much better? And I’m sure you were giving the jackals in the press and GOP hell. 😀
Hiya Chips. I’m bacccccccccccccccccck. Thanks for the concern as to my well being and whereabouts. I’ve been uber uber uber busy. We had a thanksgiving break but no break for us pre-med students with other majors. 🙂 I had multiple research papers to complete, 19 psychology research articles to read – all 25 pages each – children to observe in labs, physics labs to study for and on and on and on and on. I won’t bore you with all the gory details. 😉 Gotta go catch up with all I’ve missed. Hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving Chips and once again, thanks for the concern. 😀
Welcome back, UT! That workload sounds daunting, but all for a great cause. 🙂
Hiya Theo. Thanks for the welcome. Finally able to somewhat breathe. Whew! I keep reminding myself, it’s all for a great cause. Do not want to end up a teabagger. 😉 Hope you had a great thanksgiving. 🙂
I have missed her too. Hurry back UT!
Hiya mtmarilyn. I’m back! Yay!!!!! It’s been a busy busy busy week. I had multiple research papers to complete, 19 psychology research articles to read – all 25 pages each – children to observe in labs, physics labs to study for and on and on and on and on. So I didn’t have much of a thanksgiving, but I’m grateful to have a moment to breathe! Whew! Hope your thanksgiving was great! Glad to be back on TOD again. 😀
Hiya bjw2. You’re a wonderful soul to think of me. I’ve been on thanksgiving break but it didn’t feel like much of a break. I had multiple research papers to complete, 19 psychology research articles to read – all 25 pages each – children to observe in labs, physics labs to study for and on and on and on and on. So I’m finally able to take a breath. Hope your thanksgiving was great. Glad to be back on TOD. 😀
Hey UTaustin,
Just getting back to the messages, I was at work and now home so I can respond.
I’ve missed your daily updates of programs such as Morning Joke….You watch, so we don’t have to. Enjoyed Thanksgiving and hope you enjoed yours as well.
Thanks mama Chips and everyone for your responses!
I’ll miss Frank, but will hope he shows up on cable. Love the way he can blast idiots–“Talking to Repubs is like talking to dining room furniture” HA!
NIce name and legs Mr. Obama! 🙂
LANGFANG, China, Nov. 28, 2011 — /PRNewswire-Asia/ — A New Jersey landfill has recently been converted into a solar power generation facility capable of producing over 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over its lifetime. The solar project, which employs about 9,000 ENN’s PV panels and is located on the south slope of the Edgeboro Landfill in East Brunswick, New Jersey, was developed and constructed by ENN Solar Energy in partnership with National Energy Renewable Corp., LLC (NERC). The project utilizes very large state-of-the-art thin film silicon solar modules from ENN plus an innovative construction technique that helps to enable the use of a variety of wasteland for renewable energy production.
(Photo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/2011/11/24/20111124144053906950.jpg )
This 4.3MW solar site has undergone and successfully completed extensive compliance testing in preparation for connection to the power grid, making available its clean power output to New Jersey consumers through PSE&G (Public Service Electric and Gas Company), New Jersey’s oldest and largest publicly owned utility.
Is the press briefing running late? I’m not getting it—
I had a feeling something was afoot when Rep. Lewis wasn’t allow to speak at OWS Atlanta; Unions not OWS DC marched with Rev. Sharpton and the lack of leadership with a real message. I heard the anarchist and the communist party tried to infiltrate the civil rights movement but were unable to because the movement was organized, church based with solid leadership.
This article is in the New Yorker.
Kalle Lasn is sixty-nine years old and lives with his wife on a five-acre farm outside Vancouver.
Micah White, Adbusters’ senior editor and Lasn’s closest collaborator.
Occupy Wall Street began as one of many half-formed plans circulating through conversations between Lasn and White, who lives in Berkeley and has not seen Lasn in person for more than four years. Neither can recall who first had the idea of trying to take over lower Manhattan. In early June, Adbusters sent an e-mail to subscribers stating that “America needs its own Tahrir.” The next day, White wrote to Lasn that he was “very excited about the Occupy Wall Street meme. . . . I think we should make this happen.” He proposed three possible Web sites: OccupyWallStreet.org, AcampadaWallStreet.org, and TakeWallStreet.org.
“No. 1 is best,” Lasn replied, on June 9th. That evening, he registered OccupyWallStreet.org.
Read more http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/11/28/111128fa_fact_schwartz#ixzz1f1OWS8mZ
Yup… I had written a diary on Old Orange on Oct 8 describing the OWS origins. Of course the usual suspects were quick to jump and try to deny…
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/10/09/1024361/-The-Original-OWS-Creators:-Adbusters?via=user
Wow! Oh Lord I just wrote that this needs to be done. You had that whole thing begged right from the beginning. Geesh!!!
Oh Hopefruit, I had no idea you wrote a diary over there, that one is flippin’ genius!
Oooohh someone should post that on Kos. They have denied these ties from day one. 🙂
♥ ♥ ♥ Good Day Chips! Good Day TOD Family! ♥ ♥ ♥
Barack Obama Quote O’ The Day
Have a great day, everyone! 😛
Knoller is such a ridiculous tool and GOP schill. Seriously, does anyone remember him criticizing Bush for visiting swing states in the year up to election?
Chips…it wasn’t just Knoller. Tapper asked if the President was essentially campaigning on the tax payers dime. They are both disgusting individuals.
You’re right Symmetry, I think Tapper actually started it, he gives me the creeps too. It’s just that Knoller is held up as the impartial ‘numbers’ guy, when he is a GOP schill to his core. Ugh.
Some days I can’t decide who’s the biggest tool. Tapper, Todd, Knoller, or Ed Henry. They all give me the creeps. So smarmy.
You’re baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!!! We missed ya, you crazy girl 😉
So because he try to get the payroll tax cut extended it’s automatically campaigning. And if so every president since forever has done it.
The jackals are complaining because PBO’s poll numbers rise when he is on the road getting his message out, because they refuse to do so. They don’t want him out connecting with people because it makes the GOP look bad.
Exactly.
Maybe the President should just lock himself away somewhere and stop governing until the jackals deem it’s ok for him to come out again? Seriously, they measure everything against the impact on the next election, and they’ve been doing that since the day the President was inaugurated. Everything he’s done from that point has been part of how he’ll be evaluated in the next election, so by their standards, he shouldn’t have lifted a single finger to do anything at all.
I hate stupid.
Why isn’t Knoller and Tapper asking the DO NOTHING CONGRESS why they are getting paid for doing nothing. I feel like I should go blast them on twitter for asking stupid questions.
instead of having the jackals ask questions of Press Secretary Jay “Clark Kent” Carney, why not just have Speaker John Boehner and his aides sit in the front row and do the honors. The questions the jackals ask just sound like they were written by the Republican Party. The jackals are becoming more and more irrelevant.
Sorry, but Barney Frank’s explanation for his departure is way, way, way, way too long. It has reached the ridiculous stage.
Pulling a Chris Christie?
Ah, you gotta love AP. They have an article posted today by Lolita Baldor about National Guard and Reserve troops facing unemployment now that the Iraq war is over and troops are gradually being withdrawn from Afghanistan.
Needless to say, it’s desperately sad that these men and women are facing unemployment, an issue the President has repeatedly addressed over the past three years and has introduced legislation and various measures to try and boost their chances of finding work.
See how Baldor frames it, though, when talking about one such member of the National Guard, Demetries Luckett:
“… just a month after he arrived for training, the Army decided Uncle Sam didn’t need him after all. Now Luckett’s unemployed and back home in Harper Woods, Mich. – a victim of the Obama administration‘s ongoing effort to pull at least 33,000 U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by next fall.”
A victim? Jeez, like not sending soldiers in to harm’s way and ending wars is a bad thing? 🙄
What a bunch of jackels!!!!! Like trying to end wars and do the right thing at home is wrong for the country.
Exactly Marilyn, let’s keep those lovely wars going!
They’re incorrigible. I remember when the PL were whining about everybody not being out of Iraq the day after PBO was sworn in. One of the VERY FIRST things I thought about was these soldiers’ livelihoods and readjustment back into life away from the front lines. The PL never think about these things until it’s time to make a stupid, cheap point. Don’t hold your breath waiting for these idiots to ask why Congress, including some of the most vocal faux-patriots, refuses to fully support veterans with funding for their needs.
That’s too complex a question for them, junkessa, because then they might have to wonder why they sat on their rears and allowed this Congress to happen. The president makes a nice target for their constant dissatisfaction because they don’t have to do the actual work of finding out who’s holding up what in Congress. And they can feel themselves to be so ‘in the know’ and superior if they begin a sentence with…”Obama should have …” Shows they know more than the president whom they resent because a: he knows their number and isn’t cowed by them; b: and he’s a thousand times smarter and so far out of their scope of understanding that they actually fear him. If he hung the moon they would say he got it crooked and actually had a lot of help, as contradictory as that sounds. When I mentioned to one of these types that the president had had stunning success in his recent Pacific trip, I was told “he doesn’t deserve all the credit.” Huh? He’s the president of the United states and when he accomplishes something super positive, he does get all the credit even if he didn’t cook the lunch, fly the plane or set up the meeting room. I’m so sick of this attitude.
Lol. They are so desperate to criticize the President they try to frame troop withdrawal as a negative and causing unemployment. How laughable.
It’s something else Jessica, isn’t?!
http://www.gocomics.com/nonsequitur/2011/11/28
This comic is hilarious!!!
Just listened to the press conference. Who is the women in the purple blouse in the middle of the front row? I can’t stand some of those reporters–lots of focus on the President going out to talk to the American people–such as “Is it fair that taxpayers pay for the President going out to campaign”? Carney was clear that rules are followed. I want the President out there explaining to the public about his Jobs Bill, extension of payroll tax cuts for the middle class, and extension of unemployment ins. Also lots of focus from Jay about the public support of ending tax breaks for the rich. He sure holds in own in the face of attack from some of those creeps.
They all just read the questions their bosses give them… The same happens on TV. Last week when some of the regulars were off for the holiday…the subs sounded identical… I noticed it the most on the Dillon RATigan show. Even the intonation in the voice was the same.
The jackals don’t like the fact that President Obama is going over their heads directly to the American people and “local media”. The tragedy is that there are accomplishments of President Obama that should be common knowledge to the American people. But the media firewall prevents the good news from reaching the American people. Also, the media hates it when President Obama makes the GOP look bad. The roll out of the AJA was flawless and it had the GOP and the jackals back on their heels. The questions about “campaigning” in battleground states sounds like it came straight from Speaker Boehner’s press office. The jackals never tire of carrying water for the GOP. They are a total embarrassment.
I think the “reporter’ you are referring to in the middle of the front row is Nora O’Donnell. She replaced Chip Reid of CBS. Without fail, you can always expect a snarky, sarcastic and confrontational question from her.
The president of the United States talking to the people of the United States–what a novel concept. Oh and he’s supposed to side step around battleground states as if they were puddles he can’t step in even though there are millions of people there and elsewhere who need to hear the truth. These reporters and their puppet masters are so tedious, not to mention ludicrous.
HAHA! Rick Perry takes a break from his campaign to celebrate the opening of a federally funded Health Care Clinic. Never mind that he’s staunchly opposed to the use of federal funds in health care.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/11/28/376865/rick-perry-takes-time-off-campaign-to-celebrate-expansion-of-federally-funded-health-center/#.TtPS1FMiqvM.twitter
Hypocrisy, thy name is GOP.
Did any member of the White House Press Corp EVER attempt to restrict GWB’s travels to what were perceived as battleground states? Well it seems that if President Obama goes to “battleground” states he’s CAMPAIGNING. Of course Carney kicked the two reporters to the curb. Carney clearly informed them that President Obama had increased the electoral map so what was considered battleground states are no longer. He had to break this down to the idiots so they could understand. If these fools had their way, the President would travel to about 3 states.
I really think these jackals need to have their heads examined, the President is out “Campaigning” for his Jobs Bills NOT his re-election.
It’s not campaigning when he’s not fundraising off of the trip and he’s not saying “vote for me” he’s saying “contact your congressperson/senator and tell them to vote for this bill”. What is “campaigning” to Tapper and Knoller – giving a speech anywhere outside of Washington?
Tapper and Knoller and Todd only think of their personal comfort when they go anywhere outside of Washington with the President. They don’t bother covering his accomplishments around the country – or the globe. They choose to only try to nab him at that scary “campaigning” stuff. I think they are all so INTIMIDATED by him, that they must point at shiny objects to take the heat off of themselves and their journalistic (ha!) inadequacies.
When he actually does start campaigning, they will complain about him using taxpayer money (AF1 SS) to campaign though they won’t turn down the trip on AF1. I don’t rmember the press complaining that any other president was campaigning for re-election. If there were complaints, it was GOP complaining about Clinton, but not the press.
Yes, and every time he takes one of these trips (but for – God forbid he should get any rest – the occasional vacation), he’s doing something important for our country. GWB spent a huge amount of his time on vacation at Crawford, from my POV and the historical record, and the press went cheerily along with him.
Stupid Republicans haven’t figured out what our diverse country is all about, even in 2011, and I hope they lose to a Democratic landslide nationally and in each state:
http://campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/21/the-white-party/?src=tp
Billionaire Investor Who Compared Taxing The Rich To Nazi Invasions Will Hold Fundraiser For Romney
Stephen Schwarzman, chairman of the world’s largest private-equity firm, will host a fundraiser for Mitt Romney at his Park Avenue apartment next month, a sign that Romney is closing the sale with Wall Street’s wealthiest donors.
The event marks Schwarzman’s inaugural step to help Romney secure the Republican presidential nomination, according to a person familiar with Schwarzman’s plans who spoke on condition of anonymity. He will follow up with efforts to persuade colleagues in the financial industry to get behind Romney’s presidential bid, the person said.
—–
Union Leader Declined To Endorse Romney Because He ‘Represents The One Percent’
“I think — and this is crazy, but so are we — that Gingrich is going to have a better time in the general election than Mitt Romney,” said McQuaid. “I think it’s going to be Obama’s 99% versus the 1%, and Romney sort of represents the 1%.
—-
http://thinkprogress.org/
Personally, I think Gingrich would be harder to beat in a General election than Mitt Romney. I think that the right wing has forgiven Herman Cain for his crimes against women, and his complete lack of knowledge – so they’ll forgive Newt. And the press and the right wing have all decided that Newt is intelligent, despite all evidence to the contrary. He spouts lots of words, all strung together to make them seem like he’s saying something important. But if you examine what he has said, you’ll realize it was a lot of noise. He personifies the Macbeth quote (albeit in a different context): “it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”.
When I listen to Gingrich, I feel dizzy. For many of those unstable people on the right, that dizzyness makes them think he’s said something important and too smart for them to understand. He’s usually said nothing at all.
I am not sure that he would be harder to beat Theo. He is not likeable. I do agree that Gingrich’s intelligence is overrated. He reminds me of the kid in class who talks a lot of BS, and it is mistaken for intelligence. I am sure we all had one of those in our class. Unfortunately, aggressive people like like this tend to excel more than others. They give one the illusion that they really know what they are talking about. When you analyze what they are saying; it is just BS.
I read a quote that said “people who think Newt is smart, aren’t.”
It may be hard to convince others of that with his college professorship title.
A “victim” of the end of a long, grueling, unneccesary, tragic, ridiculous war. There are no words! I’d love to know people are tweeting her.
40 celebs who are Repubs—–knew about most of them, a couple of surprises:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/40-celebrities-who-are-republicans
I just saw Gloria Estefan on CNN ….she held an Obama fund raiser in her home in 2008 and is going to hold one again next year.
She said she never endorses any candidate.
Practically all Cuban-Anericans in Miami are Republican. It is a cultural anti-Castro thing.
I think she held one earlier this year as well. Plus her husband was at the WH for that Latino Council meeting.
Yes, that list suprised me LL Cool J, The Rock? 🙄
I’ve known about them for a while now. I stopped watching re-runs of Everybody Loves Raymond about 1 year ago once I found out about Patricia Heaton. I really, really used to love that show. Now as soon as I hear its coming on on tbs or any other station, I quickly grab the remote.
the only surprise for me was Tom Shelled, but even then, its nog that much of a surprise. Gloria Estefan is an Obamacrat.
A number of them (Selleck, Locklear, others) live/lived in the city where I work, and it’s completely red, surrounded by lovely blue. Not surprised.
Would it be unkind to mention that most of them are, well, really stupid?
nope. Its nicer than what I was thinking: they’re all fourth rate has-beens with nothing to offer. As Joe would say: ‘God love ’em’—–cause no one else will.
You just said what I was thinking!!!!!!!
I knew of most of them and yes, most of them are really stupid AND are proud of being dumb. I still LOVE “Everybody Loves Raymond” though because I don’t watch it for Patricia Heaton. It’s all the other characters that crack me up. BTW, the picture of her falling out of her purple dress here is so gross! The picture is so close up that you can see all the veins lol.
I didn’t know about James Earl Jones.
My guess is that about 1/2 of that list is wrong. Having 50 cents as a Repub and labeling a lot of these actors as “registered” tells me so.
Exactly. LL Cool J a Republican?
I wonder if they really are Republican myself as I can say when I registered to vote for the first time I was able to vote I registered Republican as all of my family were registered. That was in the day when Republicans were reasonable. I never changed my registration but never really had any allegiance to the party. I voted more like an Independent and even took around a petition for signatures for an open primary once. I didn’t change to become an Independent because you could not vote in the Primary for any people in my state if you were an Indie. I probably voted for more Dems than GOPs over the course of my lifetime. I just didn’t bother with changing my registration until I became very involved with wanting Obama to win. I didn’t want Hillary to beat him and changed my own registration to Democratic and convinced many family members and friends to vote for Obama in the Primary and General elections. I never told people I was a registered Republican or anything I just was not that connected to my registration. So on account of knowing my own history I think there could be others in a similar position I was in.
lol at one comment under that…”most of these celebs were assholes before I knew this.” If they voted for mccain-palin..they were stupid republicons. If they’re voting for one of the generic repubs in 2012 they are just like the ones they vote for. Lying Scheming Kochheads.
These celebs are too dense to know that it’s the people who keep them in business. The stupid burns. I’ve read things where Williis made noises about being independent when bush was at his lowest polls. And, there was an Eastwood quote that made me think he was going to vote for Obama. The republicon party isn’t what it use to be and they need to open their damn eyes.
Well I guess they love their low taxes and don’t want to assist in strengthening the economy. The funny thing about celebs – they don’t always stay on top.
Could the gloves be coming off in the GOP Primary finally? Newt launches this attack on a SC radio station interview –
“We think there has to be a solid conservative alternative to Mitt Romney,” Mr. Gingrich told WSC Radio in Charleston, S.C. “I’m the one candidate who can bring together national security conservatives, and economic conservatives, and social conservatives in order to make sure we have a conservative nominee.”
He added, “I wouldn’t lie to the American people. I wouldn’t switch my positions for political reasons. It’s perfectly reasonable to change your position if facts change. If you see new things you didn’t see – everybody’s done that, Ronald Reagan did that. It’s wrong to go around to adopt radically different positions based on your need of any one election, then people will have to ask themselves, ‘What will you tell me next time?’”
“I think that’s right,” Mr. Gingrich said. “I think anybody who is honest about it knows that no person except Christ has ever been perfect.
“I don’t claim to be the perfect candidate. I just claim to be a lot more conservative than Mitt Romney and a lot more electable than anybody else.”
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/28/gingrich-casts-himself-as-conservative-alternative-to-romney/
Newt is nearly as much a flip-flopper as Romney. In the span of 24 hours, he was for taking action in Libya before he was against it, remember?
Go Newt Go!
Hahahaha. Don’t we all just loooooooove intra-party cannibalism. 😆
that’s my queue
starts in a whisper “Man-ki-ni, “Man-ki-ni, “Man-ki-ni, gets louder “MAN-KI-NI”, “MAN-KI-NI”,”MAN-KI-NI”,
no picture please!!!!!!
Newt today suggested that anyone receiving federal aid be drug tested. He really thought that one through.
hmmm… does that included all elected politicians too… since they are paid with taxpayer “aid”.?
Would that include past or current federal student loan recipients?!?!?!?!?!?
Also….that would include all the recipients of Federal tax subsidies.
This man is supposed to be the ” brilliant” one.
Egads !
newt is high on pandering to the stupid..that makes him worse than stupid.
he should be drug tested.
I love it – he’ll be “walking that back” in a few hours.
Did Newt suggest that the big banks and wall street who was bail out be drug tested?
The White House has released this statement on Barney Frank’s retirement from President Obama:
“This country has never had a Congressman like Barney Frank, and the House of Representatives will not be the same without him. For over 30 years, Barney has been a fierce advocate for the people of Massachusetts and Americans everywhere who needed a voice. He has worked tirelessly on behalf of families and businesses and helped make housing more affordable. He has stood up for the rights of LGBT Americans and fought to end discrimination against them. And it is only thanks to his leadership that we were able to pass the most sweeping financial reform in history designed to protect consumers and prevent the kind of excessive risk-taking that led to the financial crisis from ever happening again. Barney’s passion and his quick wit will be missed in the halls of Congress, and Michelle and I join the people of the Bay State in thanking him for his years of service.”
I will miss Barney Frank so dearly. He should get a show on msnbc. I hope he enjoys life after congress with his Family and friends
November 28, 2011 1:50 PM
Brownback gives, not gets, an apology
By Steve Benen
There was a curious story out of Kansas last week, about Gov. Sam Brownback’s (R) office wildly overreacting to a random tweet from a teenager. Today, it looks like the story was wrapped up to everyone’s satisfaction.
Let’s quickly recap for those just joining us. Emma Sullivan, a high school senior and a Democrat, visited the state capitol last week as part of a program for students interested in politics and government. After seeing the governor, Sullivan told her 60 Twitter followers, “Just made mean comments at gov brownback and told him he sucked, in person #heblowsalot”
It turns out, she hadn’t actually made any mean comments to Brownback; Sullivan was just joking around with her friends on her personal Twitter account. But the governor’s staff monitors social media, and Brownback aides were so offended by the teenager’s message that the governor’s office contacted event organizers about it. The student was soon told by her principal that she would have to write a series of letters of apology, including one to Brownback.
As of yesterday, Sullivan had decided to stand her ground. She told reporters that she has rejected her principal’s demand for a written apology, which Sullivan said would be insincere since she isn’t actually sorry.
Today, Brownback weighed in with a statement, and to his credit, the right-wing governor is the one giving, not getting, an apology.
Brownback submitted a statement Monday afternoon to Yahoo! News apologizing to the teen. “My staff over-reacted to this tweet, and for that I apologize. Freedom of speech is among our most treasured freedoms,” he said.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_11/brownback_gives_not_gets_an_ap033751.php
I have been following this story on Twitter. Good that this teenage girl Sullivan Never apologized and she got thousands of followers in return.
You can bet your last dollar that some lawyer made him do that.
I’m a bit torn about this. She’s a teenager, and as such, I believe she should have shown a level of respect to someone of authority or seniority, even if she doesn’t agree with them. She could have expressed herself in a less crass way, and still gotten her point across without dragging everyone into the gutter. While I appreciate that she knows what she stands for, it’s this very lack of respect that is being cultivated in the current political culture, and in entertainment. I hope she doesn’t learn the wrong lesson from this. How can we expect a better standard towards the President and First Lady, if we’re going to cheer on kids disrespecting people instead of showing respect? That’s my two cents.
theo67 – I am with you on this one. I understand that the Governor overreacted but the teenager was disrespectful and should not be applauded.
“it’s this very lack of respect that is being cultivated in the current political culture, and in entertainment.”
. . . . and now in public schools. She was disrespectful and for that she should apologize. That was the right thing to do.
And to add another point….she lied……
I’m commenting WAY after you guys, but did you notice that the student was not actually rude TO the Governor? Her tweet seemed to have just been wishful thinking on her part – you know, what she really would have liked to have told him.
‘It turns out, she hadn’t actually made any mean comments to Brownback; Sullivan was just joking around with her friends on her personal Twitter account. But the governor’s staff monitors social media,…’
I love this girl!
As a constituant of Barney Frank, we in the AJ family are going to be extremely sorry to see him go. He is an unusual pol — one on one he can be a bit awkward, but give him a podium and a group of more than two or three and this guy’s a riot.
I remember we had invited him to speak at an event at a local senior center. We were serving make your own sundae’s for the seniors; in fact, a very large and impressive display of pre-scooped ice cream was the table’s center piece. Rep. Frank wandered around the crowd for a bit, not saying anything. He looked over the table of ice cream and toppings, and finally it was time to speak to the crowd. After a brief introduction by a member of of our staff, he took the podium, and looked out at the seniors, eagar to start building their sundaes.
“I won’t be long,” Barney said, “I know that when the ice cream starts to melt, my time is up.”
“The first Question out of the mouth of the wife who’s husband missed the entire economic collapse was”
” Is he retiring because he thinks the Republicans will keep control of the House and he will not be able to get his Chairmanship back?’
Of course she never bothered to do the math to see how long he was in the minority over his 32 years of service and was not a chairman of any Committee.”
Constituents rebuke GOP Congresswoman no tax pledge. . .
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/11/28/376726/constituents-beutler-no-tax-pledge/
RE: Knoller, Tapper and others sniveling about PBO “campaigning.” Is that seriously a gripe of theirs? REALLY???
If that’s their biggest complaint with PBO, then any “relevance” they and the rest of the clowns in the WHPC is just about over. Most Americans recognize these fools for what they are: fools who want to hear themselves talk. How come they aren’t complaining about Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Rick Perry campaigning for President when they STILL have jobs to perform? Oh that’s right, they get a pass because they are REPUBLICANS, let’s beat the black man President up instead!
It is what it is, the WHPC want to see the first black President fail as much as the Republicans do. The WHPC get more media attention and headlines keeping up with the 24 hr drama that is the media cycle. The last press conference I watched with these morons I was saying, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? You’d get a bunch more better questions from HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, and the WHPC wonders why PBO ignores them and goes local with his townhalls… he not only gets better questions that way (with an occasional concern troll question), HE GETS BETTER RESPECT.
I don’t think I’ll be watching ANY MORE WHPC conferences, I’d rather stick to watching PBO “campaign,” and I KNOW a majority of the country agrees. If I were President, I’d tell those buffoons in the WHPC to stuff it and let me do my fucking JOB! 😡 👿
Breaking News. UT is back I saw her on Twitter. Yesssssssssss 🙂
Hahahahahahahahahaha. You’re funny Chica. 😆 😆 But thanks for the welcome back!
We missed you. All that you bring is so appreciated!!!!!!
Hi Chipsticks, my first time commenting although I’m lurking all day every day! You do a great job! That AP victim comment just has me salty…”victim”, the real victims are the families of our fallen troops, the many maimed and wounded war heroes…SHEESH!!!
Welcome Ruth!
Thank u!!!
Welcome officially into the TOD family Ruth. Hope you de-lurk often! 😀
Welcome…to the Fam
Thrilled to have you here Ruth, welcome!!
Thank u all!!!
This is a great place for all! Welcome!
“A federal judge Monday rejected the SEC’s plan to settle a major case against Citigroup and ordered the two sides to prepare for a trial.
In a powerful rebuke to a federal agency responsible for policing Wall Street, U.S. District Court Judge Jed S. Rakoff said that if the charges against Citigroup are true, the SEC settlement is too weak to hold the bank accountable.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/judge-rejects-sec-citigroup-settlement/2011/11/28/gIQA8KsH5N_story.html?hpid=z1
Thank you Judge Rakoff!
when are we gonna do our national media black-out day? Everything including Rev Al and Lawry.
Oh Lisa why Rev Al? He seems to be Pro PBO 99.9% the rest I black them out all day everyday except Lawry on certain occasions.
Great excerpt from Foreign Policy Magazine by Booman in his comment section. I haven’t read the whole article yet, but the excerpt is good as is Booman’s accompanying article.
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2011/11/28/12923/770
Presidents Do What the Senate Allows
by BooMan
Mon Nov 28th, 2011 at 12:09:23 PM EST
A moderate third-party presidential candidate would be a terribly stupid idea and it seems almost beneath E.J. Dionne to waste his time responding to it. The point Dionne fails to make, however, is that President Obama is already a moderate candidate. In fact, any president who is primarily focused on passing legislation (as opposed to starting foreign wars and gutting regulation) is going to be a moderate. This is a poorly understood fact.
Here’s the FP magazine link:
http://rothkopf.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/11/28/not_just_one_pivot_time_to_acknowledge_obama_s_broad_redefinition_of_us_national_se#.TtPIRvhLjl8.twitter
Not just one pivot: Time to acknowledge Obama’s broad redefinition of U.S. national security policy
The Obama administration is in the midst of doing something rather extraordinary. While most of the U.S. government and frankly, most major governments worldwide, are mired in a swamp of political paralysis, victims of their own inaction, the president and his national security team are engineering a profound, forward-looking, and rather remarkable change.
It is addressed directly in National Security Advisor Tom Donilon’s column in today’s Financial Times entitled “America is back in the Pacific and will uphold the rules.” It has been manifested in the president’s recent trip to Asia and it will be further underscored through Secretary of State Clinton’s historic trip to Myanmar later this week.
Superficially, this shift can be and might be perceived to be what Clinton has called “the pivot” from the Middle East to Asia as the principal focus for U.S. foreign policy. But as Donilon’s brief article effectively communicates, this shift is far more sweeping and important than has been fully appreciated.
[Read More….]
Oh, and hello everyone! Thank you, Chips!
Christie to Obama- what the hell are we paying you for?
Jovie to Christie- want to rumble?
Republicans ate back to being way over the top and blaming the President again.
Mconell and Toomey said that the democrats torpedoed the super committee to protect the President.
Always throwing red meat to their base, and of course Christie monitors what Congress says, as he loves, loves loves national attention!
Christie is a pretty tough talker for a guy who passed up challenging Pres. Obama. That really should say everything about him.
Christie will go on a diet or he will have that surgery to help him lose weight, then he will run in 2016 after President Obama has serve his second term.
Anniebella to Congress-what the hell are Americans paying you for?
What would we do w/o TOD?! The media won’t ever give us positive stories about PBO.
I can’t believe the Wall Street Journal asked this question. Something I wondered myself.
@SarahB_CBSNJ
Sarah Boxer
On call w FL Romney surrogates, @WSJ asks- how can you say obama doesn’t want to talk abt the econ, when that’s all he talks abt?
32 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®
Omg- Maxine waters in line to be chairman of financial services, if we win back the house, due to franks retirement.
Can anyone say, corruption?
I don’t think Nancy Pelosi would allow that, do you ? She stopped Pete Stark from chairing Ways and Means when he was next in line.
Well i think that we better work on actually getting back control of the House…Waters is the least of our problems….
Senate to take up Obama’s payroll tax cut extension
By Josiah Ryan
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced on Monday afternoon that the Senate would take up President Obama’s plan to extend payroll tax cuts later this week as Democrats’ latest effort to push jobs legislation through the Congress.
This should be an interesting vote…
Good Afternoon TOD family, sorry to be so late to the party.
Encouraging educational story
Building more minority engineers – as early as elementary school
http://www.whatisworking.com/2011/11/building-more-minority-engineers-as.html
Afternoon everyone:
http://theobamadiary.com/2011/11/28/afternoon-all-11/
Angry Over Unfair Mortgage Practices, Churches Pull Money From Wall Street Banks
http://www.whatisworking.com/2011/11/angry-over-unfair-mortgage-practices.html
A slight aside—Poor, silly Herman Cain. Another woman has come out of the woodwork.