President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama (C) and their daughter Malia (2nd-L)
President Obama playfully shushes himself as he greets the librarian
A paper-collage of first lady Michelle Obama hangs on a wall at the Browne Education Campus
President Obama participates in a community service project in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Browne Education Campus in Washington
****
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., FEDERAL HOLIDAY, 2012
– – – – – – –
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
On a hot summer day nearly half a century ago, an African American preacher with no official title or rank gave voice to our Nation’s deepest aspirations, sharing his dream of an America that ensured the true equality of all our people. From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired a movement that would push our country toward a more perfect Union.
At a time when our Nation was sharply divided, Dr. King called on a generation of Americans to be “voices of reason, sanity, and understanding amid the voices of violence, hatred, and emotion.” His example stirred men and women of all backgrounds to become foot soldiers for justice, and his leadership gave them the courage to refuse the limitations of the day and fight for the prospect of tomorrow. Because these individuals showed the resilience to stand firm in the face of the fiercest resistance, we are the benefactors of an extraordinary legacy of progress.
Read the full proclamation here
The Obama Diary 
first 🙂
Congrats libra!
Congrats, fellow libra!
Our POTUS always working. Super Cute! Happy MLK Day TOD!!
Obama/Biden2012
Happy ML King, Jr. Day to one and all. As part of his dream, President Obama exemplifies the hopes and aspirations of grateful nation. We have come so far from where we were….but we are only beginning to reach the heights of where we will be.
I like this video montage set to Johnny Guitar Watson on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Barack Hussein Obama ;o)
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D61Z_Ccc_6YY%26feature%3Dshare&h=QAQFNnj6zAQFZDaXkpdH27k3TIen9Zob-iBFdCb5u9sw_MA
😉
YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together – WE MUST!
WE CAN’T WAIT/WE CAN’T GO BACK…PRESS ON!
President Obama World’s most respected leader 🙂
http://www.aolnews.com/2010/04/23/which-leaders-rock-our-world-drumroll-please/?a_dgi=aolshare_facebook
This was from 2 years ago. Hopefully an updated poll will be released soon.
There is an updated Harris poll from December 17th 2011 that has PBO still as the world’s most respected leader (77%) I do not know how to link this.
Good morning TOD fam. I find Potus’ proclamation is a mirror for what the country is going through today. I feel like he is telling sane people to reject the GOP’s devicive rhetoric.
Our president is such a great example and role model. He does it without beckoning people to knock others down, but by asking us to be inclusive. That is why he will win a second term, and thereafter become one of the most respected and prominent presidents we’ve had in this country. The excellent and honest recitation of his accomplishments by Andrew Sullivan’s Newsweek piece and With our hard work for him this re-election cycle, these things will come to pass.
Thank you President Barack Hussein Obama for your tireless efforts to work for ALL Americans, despite some trying to make you seem like the “other.” Thank you and your family.
That was just lovely, africa.
Well put,africa. Some presidents make you cringe and want to hang your head in embarrassment and disgust. PBO makes you want to stand tall and feel pride in your country. What a difference!!!
Morning TOD. Loved seeing PBO on tv talking about the true meaning of Martin Luther King Jr. day.
Morning Ut!
Hey UT, I was just going put a post looking for you. Although I am hardly here during the week, these last couple of days missed seeing you here or on twitter. Hope all is well.
ut, where have you been? I’ve been missing you. It’s great to see you online today.
POTUS is doing a good job painting.
One thing I have in common with him – I like wearing rolled up sleeves too and I am as skinny as him. Ok, that’s two things I have in common.
amk, the other thing that we have in common with the President–even though we may not realize it– is that his integrity, compassion, and fervent belief that this country can do better and IS capable of ensuring social justice and equality for all Americans has inspired many people to become community organizers in some form or fashion! 🙂
One day I’ll be on the same page with everybody else at TODville! Sometime before the November elections, I hope! 🙄 Bringing this over from the end of the last thread…
This link was shared by Susanne on the previous thread, and I thought the sentiments shared are still SO VERY RELEVANT. A fact which underlines our President’s constant reminders that lasting change isn’t going to fall in our laps overnight.
.”…
I imply that figuratively speaking, that Old Man Segregation is on his death bed, but you know history has proven that social systems have a great last-minute breathing power, and the guardians of the status quo are always on hand with their oxygen tents to keep the old order alive, and this is exactly what we see today. ……. if democracy is to live, segregation must die.
[One could stretch the point and see today’s ‘segregation’ as the divide between the rich vs poor?]
Segregation is a cancer in the body politic which must be removed before our democratic health can be realized. In a real sense, the shape of the .world today does not permit us the luxury of an anemic democracy. If we are to survive, ……..we must solve this problem …..
……….
This is not our struggle today to free 17,000,000 Negroes. It’s bigger than that. We are seeking to free the soul of America. Segregation debilitates the white man as well as the Negro. We are to free all men, all races and all groups. This is our responsibility and this is our challenge, ….
….
[This conclusion is pretty apt today IMO.]
We have come a long, long way. We have a long, long way to go. I close, if you will permit me, by quoting the words of an old Negro slave preacher. He didn’t quite have his grammar right, but he uttered some words in the form of a prayer with great symbolic profundity and these are the words he said: ‘Lord, we ain’t what we want to be; we ain’t what we ought to be; we ain’t what we gonna be, but thank God, we ain’t what we was.’ Thank you.’ ”
http://www.allhawaiinews.com/2012/01/why-did-rev-martin-luther-king-jr-wear.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AllHawaiiNews+%28All+Hawaii+News%29
Well, that slave preacher’s words surely brought tears to my eyes ~ ” … we ain’t what we was.” And I, too, hope we’re not what we are going to be, under another four years of President Obama’s fine example and leadership.
Glad to be remembering Dr. King with y’all, today!
x 2, Jacque!
I really liked that prayer too, and I sure am counting on the fact that MOST Americans ‘want to be’ more than G.W. Bush and the current GOPers leaders want them to be. The November results will give the answers. A part of me can’t wait, …but only a part. 😉
Yes and that prayer is a sober reminder that if this country elects another backward looking Republican like Robney, we will be “what we was.” We CANNOT let that happen.
Happy MLK day..On my way to MLK celebration here in Sacramento, CA at the convention center ( I slept too late for the 6 mile march 😦 ) thought this video of Smokey Robinson singing at the White House about MLK, John F Kennedy and others would be appropriate for MLK day. Have a wonderful day !!!
What Huntsman is trying to scrub from the internet –
Keeper 🙂
Yes a keeper and Huntsman is out, He decries “TOXIC” politics. but, but he will endorsed Mitt Romney
woow!!!! so why is he supporting somebody that is so Fricking Toxic?
BIRDS OF A FEATHER….OPPORTUNISTS AT WORK…THAT CHARACTER TRAIT WAS SHOWING IN HUNTSMAN AFTER HE WORKED FOR PBO…TOOK THE PAYCHECK…AND THEN RAN AGAINST EVERYTHING HE STANDS FOR…TRUTH WINS OUT IN THE END!
To most of us nothing is so invisible as an unpleasant truth. Though it is held before our eyes, pushed under our noses, rammed down our throats- we know it not .- Eric Hoffer (1902 – 1983)
tee hee. They just don’t understand the interwebs!!
Running for the White House or the Waffle House, Mitt will hear that again.
Is anyone in current GOP “leadership”capable of thinking/planning ahead? You’d think they would assess their chances realistically, then make ads that they can stand behind whether or not they make it to the end. How pathetic is this non-clean up! Really! 🙄
How telling is it that Huntsman wanted to stick around and is all of a sudden getting out and Perry wanted to get out after Iowa and not 12 hours after saying he was going home to reassess he was back in it for the long haul. Huntsman is forced out because he’s taking votes from Mitt, Perry is forced to stay in because he’s splitting the Not-Romney vote.
Aren’t willard and ricky like tom & jerry ? ..
On second thought, not an apt analogy.
I’m glad you caught this. It has seemed pretty clear that the deck is being stacked as much as possible in Romney’s favor. They just don’t want to risk a McCain situation again.
Whomever is the repub nominee, they have a McCain situation again. President Obama will be re-elected as our next President.
♥ ♥ ♥ Good Day Chips! Good Day TOD Family! ♥ ♥ ♥
Barack Obama Quote O’ The Day
Have a Blessed Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Everyone! 😛
WHY POLITICAL COVERAGE IS BROKEN
=============================
This talk had its origins in my appearance about a year ago on the ABC’s Lateline with Leigh Sales. We were discussing election coverage that looks at the campaign as a kind of sporting event. Every day journalists can ask, “who’s ahead” and “what is the strategy for winning?” A perspective that appeals to political reporters, I said, because it puts them “on the inside, looking at the campaign the way the operatives do.”
I then mentioned the ABC’s Sunday morning program, The Insiders. And I asked Leigh Sales if it was true that the insiders were, on that program, the journalists. She said: “That is right.” I said: “That’s remarkable.” She… well, she changed the subject. And let me add right away that Leigh Sales is one of the most intelligent journalists I have ever had the pleasure to meet.
So this is my theme tonight: how did we get to the point where it seems entirely natural for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to describe political journalists appearing on its air as “the insiders?” Don’t you think that’s a little strange? I do. Promoting journalists as insiders in front of the outsiders, the viewers, the electorate…. this is a clue to what’s broken about political coverage in the U.S. and Australia. Here’s how I would summarize it: Things are out of alignment. Journalists are identifying with the wrong people. Therefore the kind of work they are doing is not as useful as we need it to be.
VIDEO: Professor Jay Rosen of New York University Department of Journalism
YOUTUBE: http://youtu.be/WMddwEhlUek
==============================
http://pressthink.org/2011/08/why-political-coverage-is-broken/
Good morning TOD family. HOPE you all have a wonderful day. I am so thankful we have President Obama. He sets a great example for all of us.
There are 40 candles lit as of now. Can we make it to 80 today. Martin Luther King would have been 80 as of yesterday.
http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=PBO
great idea jackie – good morning TOD!
Just lit one. Thanks Jackie.
I just lit one also, thanks 🙂
I love this privilege, to be able to join with people from all over the world to light a candle and share a thought. To see the thousands (most I can not understand due to language) who have lit a candle before me and all with good wishes for the world is amazing. And on such a powerful day is wonderful…Thank You.
I added one more. Thanks Jackie for always bringing this to our attention.
I will go light a candle also.
Done. Thank you, Jackie.
Just lit one. Thanks for this opportunity.
As always, jackie, thanks for this reminder…
Lit!
YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together – WE MUST!
WE CAN’T WAIT/WE CAN’T GO BACK…PRESS ON!
The 80th candle has just been lit in honor of MLK JR. Happy birthday Martin as you look down from the other side. Keep our eyes on the prize and help us to continue to pray for POTUS and ask for God’s guidance in his every deed.
Despicable. This needs to go far and wide.
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/01/16/404357/romney-campaigning-with-anti-immigrant-official-with-ties-to-hate-groups-on-martin-luther-king-day/
Tweeters?????!!!!!!!
yep. on it.
tweeted it with a special @ to ofa_sc. maybe that will give them some ammunition.
Thanks, alice:)
I just tweeted. Mittens is really scaping the bottom of the barrell.
Thanks, marilyn 🙂 Scrapping the bottom of the HATE FILLED barrel…is an understatement. I detest this worm
Tweeted for RT far and wide
Good Morning All,
Will be participating in our yearly Martin Luther King event at the state capitol. We’ll be giving out scholarships and service awards. Have a blessed, safe and productive Martin Luther Kind Day!
Let’s not forget THIS EITHER
http://crooksandliars.com/blue-texan/reminder-if-republicans-had-their-way-m
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/kris-kobach-anti-immigration-hawk-cozies-mi More on RobMe’s two faces
On Monday, Kobach will be appearing with Mitt Romney, who he has endorsed for President. In classic Romney-esque fashion, it’s difficult to tell where Mitt Romney stands on illegal immigration, since he is running ads in South Carolina which are anti-immigrant, anti-Latino ads, while running Spanish-language ads in Florida talking up his Latino endorsements there. He’s flipping at the very same time he’s flopping.
With a public appearance in South Carolina with Kobach, I’m sure Mittens plans to sew up the xenophobe vote there, but it’s hard for me to believe this will play well with Latino voters nationwide.
forewarned is forearmed DF
🙂 Where are the FL TOD’ers?? This needs to get to them as well….
Oh, Latinos are making it crystal clear how they feel about Romney’s position regarding the immigration issue.
Somos Republicans Will Not Endrose Romney in 2012, Urges Other Latino Republicans to Do Same
Published at 7:24 am, January 13, 2012
Recently 2012 Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney stated he will veto the DREAM Act, therefore, SOMOS REPUBLICANS will veto Romney at the polls, according to their latest announcement. The group is outraged at the betrayal of the Latino community at large, by these Florida Republican officials and their support of “the most anti-immigrant Republican presidential candidate.” Further they noted “Latinos are solidarian with Cuban Americans and the Amnesty policy towards them, and we expect reciprocity in their support for a reasonable and decent treatment of the current wave of immigrants. The current state of affairs denigrates all Latinos, including Cuban-Americans.”
Read more: http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/notitas-de-noticias/details/somos-republicans-will-not-endrose-romney-in-2012-urges-other-latino-republ/13292/
Thank goodness. I didn’t think that Romney would be able to throw one over on them…they need to know how toxic this guy is. He can’t be trusted…no matter WHAT comes out of his mouth on any given day!
Eyes have been opened.
Graham: ‘This is Our Election to Lose’ if Primary Attacks Go Too Far
By Heather| January 15, 2012 12:47 PM
On this Sunday’s Meet the Press, Lindsey Graham was asked whether the “tea party” Republicans are going to line up behind the nomination of Mitt Romney even though what he represents is everything they supposedly despise. Graham lets one slip here with his admission that those so-called tea partiers are just more corporate backed big business supporters in the Congress. I found it ironic that Graham also said that the attack ads in the GOP primary and the primary dragging out for too long isn’t helpful to their candidate, but he still refused to say he’d vote for Romney in the South Carolina primary. And regardless of his denial that he knows who he’s going to vote for here, we all know Graham isn’t going to cross his BFF McCain who’s firmly in Romney’s camp now. And they all know that Gingrich and Santorum and Perry refusing to get out of the race is just a way to assure that Romney gets the nomination.The Big Money Boyz have picked their candidate and they’re not going to allow anything to get in the way of that.
Read more: http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/graham-our-election-lose-if-primary-attack
What a boring speech from Jon Huntsman. Just go home, Jon.
And the two women flanking him (daughters and/or wife?) look at gloomy as evah.
480 State Lawmakers To File Amicus In Support Of Obamacare
By Igor Volsky on Jan 11, 2012 at 5:38 pm
In the last several days, 26 states, the National Federation of Independent Business, and 36 Republican senators, filed amicus briefs before the Supreme Court describing the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate as a coercive provision that undermines the 10 Amendment rights of the states and characterizing Medicaid expansion as an illegal “commandeering” of states’ autonomy.
Tomorrow, over 480 state legislators from all 50 states plan to respond to these charges with an amicus brief of their own. The group will contend that the ACA complies with the Constitution’s Commerce and Necessary and Proper clauses and that “the idea that the federal government does not have the power to address a national problem such as the health care crisis has no basis in the Constitutions text and history”:
Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/01/11/402865/480-state-lawmakers-to-file-amicus-in-support-of-obamacare/
Wow……
All logic says this law will be upheld, but the Roberts Court is extreme. 60-40 it is upheld!
That is major, creolechild. And wonderful.
In battling to get under 140 characters Axelrod needs to use the “&” symbol as it would have gained him two letters and no use for the comma in the “remarkable leader quote either which would have allowed him to write “Huntsman” in full.
Ha! My son (who introduced me to Twitter) would have told me, if I wrote your comment, “You’re thinking too deeply about that, Mom.”
(Sorry – couldn’t resist! I’m just as “guilty”!)
I’m just as guilty, too.
I’m getting better at it, but I loathe twitter. It’s a tool that I will use and will learn to use effectively, but I still hate it.
Huntsman’s campaign suspension speech was yawn fest extraordinaire. My goodness the man personifies b-o-r-i-n-g. First he points out how much of a flip flopper Willard is, and how his plan is tons better than Romney’s and then he turns around and endorses him? Talk about bowing down to Rovian (Karl Rove) pressure. Everyone knows he despises Romney with every fiber of his being and to turn around and endorse him just shows what a spineless coward he is. He gets an opportunity to be an upstanding Ambassador to China, blows that gig ten ways to sunday, runs an anemic campaign, diminishes his chances in 2016 (BWaHAHAHA), endorses a loser, and bows out with his tail between his legs. Talk about karma.
Maybe he thinks he can stay in the good graces of the Republican party (not to mention his fellow Mormons) if he endorses Romney.
The rest of us think what you think!
I have to give a shout out to DAVID AXELROD!! Love him 🙂 Now about Huntsman. Am I the only one who finds it strange he ran in the first place? When the Obama team vetted Huntsman, they asked if he planned to run in 2012. He said no. Then he throws his hat in. The theme of his campaign is trust, yet he did not finish out his term as ambassador. I have not seen any logical explanation as to why Hunstman chose to run in the 2012 cycle. His candidacy does not make any sense. It’s almost as if he’s engaged in a PSY OPS exercise rather than a run for the GOP Prez nomination.
Business groups push Congress to act quickly to extend tax breaks
By Bernie Becker – 01/15/12 06:15 PM ET
Business advocates are hoping Congress, which returns for another session in the coming weeks, will be able to quickly extend a number of tax provisions that expired at the end of 2011. Dealing with the so-called tax extenders, a list that currently includes a well-known credit for research and development and other breaks for alternative energy and manufacturing, has become something of a year-end tradition for lawmakers – and an effort that has at times bled into the following session of Congress.
The advocates say that quickly extending would give more stability to business owners trying to map out their company’s future. In all, the Joint Committee on Taxation said that more than 50 temporary tax provisions, aimed at helping both businesses and individuals, expired at year’s end.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/domestic-taxes/204241-business-groups-push-lawmakers-to-act-quickly-on-extending-tax-breaks
Even Republicans Who Endorse Mitt Romney Don’t Think He Can Beat Obama
By Jason Easley| January 16, 2012
On The Kudlow Report last Monday, Huntsman declared Romney completely unelectable after the GOP frontrunner said that he liked to fire people. Huntsman also shared his opinion that Romney would get chewed up by the Obama campaign, “Words and statements matter . . . when you are in a heated campaign. I just want to make sure we can get somebody who can go up against Barack Obama and not be chewed up by the political machine that’s going to have a billion dollars to spend on it…In order for someone to beat Barack Obama this year, they’re going to actually have to convince people who supported Barack Obama last time to support them. If you can’t come out of New Hampshire or any other primary state with the Republicans and also a whole lot of independents, than we’re not going to have an electable candidate at the end of the exercise.”
Read more: http://www.politicususa.com/en/huntsman-romney-unelectable
Good morning Chips and all this great TOD family. Today is such a special MLK Day. Love seeing all these days of service. This is one year I won’t be doing any service or going to a service. I’ll be watching it all on the internet. Getting my husband to his first physical therapy is about all I can do today. Have a great day everyone!
Take care of your husband – and yourself! Have a great day.
Mtmarilyn, please take good care of your husband and yourself. You are in my prayers for daily strength, wisdom, and peacefulness as you make this journey. Know that we love you and will keep you in our meditations, prayers, and loving thoughts.HZ
Oh yeah…color me SHOCKED!
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/16/ron-paul-bills-taxpayers-50000-for-first-class-flights/
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has campaigned on cutting the size and cost of government, but it turns out the Texas Republican is a big spender when it comes to air fare.
An Associated Press report published Monday found that since May 2009, Paul had billed taxpayers for 31 round-trip flights and 12 one-way flights, all first class.
Well, dontcha know, he has the liberty to fly first class in the pursuit of his own personal happiness, while he still has any life in him.
And bill us.
Yep. FU…I got mine!
Actually if the taxpayers of Texas paid, it’s more like he got THEIRS.
A PLAN TO MAKE ELECTION COVERAGE MORE USEFUL TO PEOPLE
The Citizens Agenda
===========================
The Citizens Agenda: Making Election Coverage More Useful
Co-published with The Guardian.
by Amanda Michel and Jay Rosen
In a few weeks, the Iowa caucuses will officially kick off the 2012 campaign for president and we’ll begin to get answers to the questions that obsess our political press: who’s gonna win? What is the winning strategy?
We’re equally obsessed with a different question: how can Americans get a “win” in the election of 2012? Meaning: the kind of dialogue they deserve, a campaign that connects to their deepest concerns and helps them make sense of the cascading problems now before the United States. And if you share our obsession, you can help us get started or follow along.
Presidential elections are a race – a marathon, as the exhausted candidate often says. They are national spectacles, not around the edges but at their core. Elections are comedies, too, a rolling entertainment. And so there has to be a place for horse race polls, game day coverage, personality journalism, political carnival, and even for front-page stories on the guy who cuts the candidate’s hair.
But we think it will be a loss for the public, and the press, if no revision is made in the master narrative for election coverage, which treats politics as a strategic game in order to ask – endlessly – what it’s going to take to win in 2012. That engine is by now exhausted. It cannot do the work we need the press to do if Americans are going to get the kind of debate they deserve. But what are the alternatives?
===========================
Read more here………
http://pressthink.org/2011/12/the-citizens-agenda-a-plan-to-make-election-coverage-more-useful-to-people/
Bass, Kuster Prepare for New Hampshire Rematch
By David M. Drucker| Jan. 15, 2012, 11:40 p.m.
MANCHESTER, N.H. — When Ann Romney took the stage here last week to thank supporters for helping propel her husband, Mitt, to victory in the Granite State, Rep. Charles Bass was among the few individuals she singled out for praise. “I think having Mitt on the ballot would help Charlie Bass, especially since he endorsed him and was out there campaigning for him,” New Hampshire Republican strategist Brad Card said. “He’s in the type of district where it’s going to be close.”
Kuster plans to target independent voters and Republican strongholds along the Massachusetts border that Bass needs to own if he is to win re-election, and she believes this could be the difference in the 2012 race. “In any normal year, I would have won this seat — and [Bass] wouldn’t deny this. Any Republican you talk to will tell you he barely hung onto this seat,” Kuster said. “Now, we have plenty of time, plenty of energy and plenty of money and resources to go to the deep-red territories — communities, and there aren’t very many left. It’s not even a wave; it’s a ripple that it’s going to take for us to win this.”
Read more: http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_79/charles_bass_ann_mclane_kuster_prepare_new_hampshire_rematch-211517-1.html?pos=hftxt
Clint Eastwood was right when he said “A man has got to know his limitations.” Jon Huntsman made the fatal mistake in thinking that he was ready to be President; he thought he could be a Republican version of President Obama. President Obama knew Huntsman better than Huntsman knew himself. Huntsman is eloquent and smart, and has a great family, and he thinks globally, but he is impatient. Unfortunately the party he wanted to run is insane; Huntsman’s problem was that he wasn’t crazy enough for the party. Though he attacked President Obama, sometimes he seemed pained when doing it. Now Huntsman exits the stage like a wounded dog and a man without a country, the Republican Party doesn’t trust him, and the Democratic Party considers him a back-stabber. Huntsman will now fade into the background and maybe write a book about being the ambassador to China, which President Obama gave him.
Yes, crying us a river the entire way forward. You miscalculated, Jon-Boy!
Huntsman has proved he has bad judgment. How could he have allowed himself to be talked into running in a Presidential race against a popular incumbent President, and a totally insane gop field? How could he not see this? If he had any sense, he would have stayed on as ambassador until the end of PBO’s first term, then spent the next 3 years introducing himself to the country as a candidate for the next election. At least he would have a chance at being VP if he couldn’t win the nomination. Now he just looks like a fool.
Someone should really tweet that mesage to him.
Remember when Gingrich called Robney a liar? Now, it’s Santorums turn-
http://thepage.time.com/2012/01/16/santorum-romney-has-perpetrated-lies/
I am telling you, tonites debate is going to be nasty! Yes, I will watch it!
PHOTO: VP and Dr. B. packed boxes at the 17th annual Greater Philadelphia MLK Day of Service @ Girard College http://pic.twitter.com/2IHv6sxk
That’s my Joey!! And Dr. B is pretty cool too!
Thank you VP and Dr. Biden!
Thanks, Joey and Jill! We love you!
It is so amazing how POB, FLOTUS, VPOTUS, and Dr. Jill are always out there working for and with the people and not talking smack about people. During these times, it is so refreshing to be working with a team who walks the walk that they talk. I love and appreciate this wonderful Administration so very much.
Thank you all for making us all take notice in our lives of how we really are our brother and sister’s keeper. HZ
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/01/15/conservative-leader-democratic-party-is-party-of-the-kkk/ These words spoken from a black man. Is the kidding me!!!
“And we need to have the courage to go into their neighborhoods and tell them the truth about the party of Jim Crow, the party of the KKK, the party of Dred Scott, the party of segregation. The Democrats are the ones who are the racists, not you! Through their policies, their liberal policies, it’s the Democratic Party that has done damage to the black community; decimated their family; miseducated their children; devoured, destroyed their economic base.”
No words.
eee gods and little fishes. that’s crazy clown car stuff for ya. tweeted of course.
That whole thing was just plain offensive to me. Truly, truly offensive. Thanks for Tweeting, alice 🙂
History: Democrats & Republicans On Civil Rights & Equality
By JD| January 13, 2011
There is an awful lot of misinformation and untruth out there about the legacy of the two major political parties and the civil rights movement. Conservatives often like to use slight of hand, insisting that because the early Republican party was stronger in support of civil rights, this means that conservatives have the moral high ground. This is totally untrue. Republicans – Moderate and Liberal Republicans supported civil rights. They were liberals and moderates, people like former Rhode Island senator Lincoln Chaffee and former senator governor Nelson Rockefeller.
Conservative Democrats opposed civil rights. The Democrats opposed to the civil rights movement weren’t Democrats with the center-left ideology of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. They were, in fact, conservatives – especially from the south – with far more in common with Limbaugh, Beck, etc. than any modern mainstream Democrat. When people say that someone like notorious segregationist Bull Connor was a Democrat, they are technically right on the party label, but when it comes to ideology Connor and the rest of those opposed to racial integration were conservatives.
Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/history-democrats-republicans-on-civil-rights-equality/
Many of the leaders of the modern Republican party were former Southern Dixiecrats-that is to say conservative Democrats. Any one who thinks that the party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass is the same as the party of Strom Thurmond, David Duke and Rush Limbaugh is either a liar or an ignorant person. I repeat, because of the Civil Rights laws of the 1960’s, enacted under Democratic Presidents and supported by liberals, most conservative Democrats switched parties and became Republicans.
This just goes to show. CRAZY comes in all colors! SMDH.
“And we need to have the courage to go into their neighborhoods and tell them the truth about the party of Jim Crow, the party of the KKK, the party of Dred Scott, the party of segregation. The Democrats are the ones who are the racists, not you! ”
I double dog dare them to go into the neighborhoods and make those statements.
President Barack Obama paints a quote of Martin Luther King Jr. on the wall of a library at the Browne Education Center in Washington, DC
Great job Mr. President.
A leftie. I knew that!
So were George H. W. Bush and Bubba Clinton. Three out of the last four presidents are lefties. What are the odds of that?
Bill, what was G.W. Bush? He couldn’t write.
Good point. But didn’t we see him picking his nose with a right finger one time?
I thought this was interesting. I’m a lefty too.
Left-Handed U.S. Presidents
James A. Garfield (1831-1881) 20th
Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) 31st
Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) 33rd
Gerald Ford (1913- ) 38th
Ronald Reagan (1911 – ) 40th
George H.W. Bush (1924- ) 41st
Bill Clinton (1946- ) 42nd
Barack Obama (1961- ) 44th
Ron Paul’s False Founding Narrative
By: Robert Parry | Sunday 15 January 2012
Ron Paul, the libertarian congressman from Texas who has topped 20 percent in the first two Republican contests, is fond of claiming that the U.S. Constitution was written “to protect your liberty and to restrain the federal government,” thus making modern laws — from Social Security, to civil rights statutes, to health-care reform – unconstitutional. But that isn’t really true.
While the framers of the Constitution in 1787 undeniably cared about liberty – at least for white men – they were also practical individuals who wanted a vibrant central government that would enable the new nation to protect itself both militarily and economically, especially against European rivals. The broad powers that the Constitution granted Congress were designed to let this central government address national problems that existed then as well as others that would arise in the future.
Read more: http://www.truth-out.org/ron-pauls-false-founding-narrative/1326650356
h/t Consortium News
Great read….still, though…even in the absence of facts for their argument, they will believe RP. Sad. The dumbing down of America continues…which was the master plan all along.
Republicans and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: A Reminder
By Blue Texan| January 16, 2012 08:00 AM
Today, we celebrate the life of a truly great man, who — armed only with his bravery and powerful words — brought Jim Crow to its knees. It’s also important to remember that the political heirs of those who created and enforced Jim Crow for a century — Southern conservatives — are now running the Republican Party. And that’s why it’s easy to understand why the fiercest opposition to making MLK Day a national holiday was in the GOP.
The last Republican candidate for president opposed it. “Mr. Conservative” (Barry Goldwater) voted against the holiday. Ron Paul voted against the bill that created the holiday — twice. 77 of the 90 nay votes in final bill in the House were cast by Republicans. 18 of the 22 nay votes in the final bill in the Senate were cast by Republicans. And the Greatest American in the History of America, Ronald “States’ Rights” Reagan, only reluctantly signed the bill into law because it arrived on his desk with veto-proof majorities. Before he signed it, he said, [“]Congress seemed bent on making it a national holiday.[“]
What an inspiring endorsement.
Read more: http://crooksandliars.com/blue-texan/reminder-if-republicans-had-their-way-m
I’ll only add: Yes, the country “seems bent” on not electing a Republican as president in 2012.
This story and the numbers within it continue to sicken me. If only “conservatives” seemed bent on joining the 21st century; think what our country could accomplish together.
Why is Alex Wagner interviewing that black lady that got her Rent paid, by Robney?
What is the angle?
That’s part of MSNBC’s contract to prop Romney. Now that their golden boy Huntsman has dropped out, they’re going to be all in for Romney.
Lol! Does anybody else besides this community, see that?
Another thing…Black people are not falling for this BS. We know perfectly well that had PBO given that same Black woman cash at a rally – the outrage by both the left and right media would be through the roof. On MLK Jr.’s birthday, we are reminded of the serious racial double standard that continues to exist in this country.
why didn’t he buy her a house? he’s certainly rich enough. paying $600-800 for someone’s rent doesn’t amount to much when you are rolling in over $250 million dollars and however many more millions in off-shore accounts. I think they are trying to compare this to when PBO paid that lady’s plane ticket. Two hugely different examples as PBO wasn’t a millionaire and did it out of the kindness of his heart, whereas McBain did it as part of his political strategy. Whatever 🙄 —- my first curse word of the day—-he can go fuck himself. Farty old bastard. :sneer:
ps- even now PBO still gives people money from his own private accounts. Willard is a stink ass pig.
Lol!
I’ll give it to her for one thing she said that she wants to work, a job, so if Robmee can give or a job or the GOP can help her get a job I am cool with that. I’ve seen so many stories during the 2008 campaign and the 2010 campaign where people would came up to PBO about getting a job and he’d say get with so-and-so to see what we can do. You never heard about what was done for those people and that’s what rubs me the wrong way. The MSM only highlight stories of white presidential candidates like Reagan or Robmee helping the poor black person who has no job. If it were not for places like Chips TOD and BWD’s blogs we would never hear any good stories about what PBO has done for so many.
Robmee, ROFL, Lol. *JoJo*, you are spot on, I like that name lol, now that’s perfect, but funny toooooooooooo lol 🙂
I thought he gave her $50.00 ????
he only gave her $50.00?!!! is this guy for real?! 😯 —–just when I thought he couldn’t get any worse. 😐
it’s so arrogant. With his wealth that’s like me giving a homeless person a nickel and asking for 4 pennies back.
Well, they’re (especially the 2 AA panel members) making the point that all that gesture accomplished was to confirm the worst attitudes that white conservatives have for the black community—-that they’re needy and need a handout from the rich white man.
Good point.
That was MY first thought…then the fact that it looked like a bribe.
Mitt is willing to make 10,000 dollar bets, but a man worth over $250 million only gave that woman $50 dollars. I would have throw it back in his face.
Why did Mitt give the woman the $50 dollars?
That my feeling when I saw the article and her video too. She looks and sounds so stereotypical. Just confirming the worst ideas about needy black folk doing anything for a handout.
mmmmmmmmmmm…….. I like picture number 8. 🙂
all the pictures are nice.
I find picture 8 to be my favorite.
I love this place because we can agree to disagree, without getting ugly. The only thing we agree on 100% is our support for President Obama and his family. OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
Lisa, Come on over and join me on the naughty mat. Because today is such a special day, I dragged it out back, away from the crowds… 😎
I went back and counted ’em, confirming my suspicions! 🙂
hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe! 😀 😳
uh-huh. OK I see what you’re talking about. Lisa! bah ha……:-)
Naughty mat for you!
The Presidential Wedgie?
LOL…yeah. Not really feeling the fit of the pants or the shirt. I think he should let Mrs. O at his wardrobe, just a tad. He’s got the perfect slim and tall build to wear any type of menswear.
Seven things the Obama re-election team is doing right now to win in November:
*Organizing around President Barack Obama’s Jan. 24 State of the Union speech before a joint session of Congress. The campaign is organizing watch parties, even putting together a host guide to go step-by-step on how to put together an event. Obama’s State of the Union speech is being leveraged by the campaign in order to keep people engaged and to create more data for the digital analysts at the Chicago headquarters to study to see what makes people respond to different web-based requests for actions.
*Organizing around First Lady Michelle Obama’s Tuesday 48th birthday, asking folks to sign an on-line card. Again, the point is to create engagement points while letting the campaign reap data from the respondents.
http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2012/01/seven_advantages_the_obama_team.html
President Obama can color in the lines!
Chips – those photos are keepers. Thanks so much.
I smile 🙂
http://bobcesca.com/blog-archives/2012/01/romneys-awfulness-is-a-gold-mine.html
I repeat: Mitt Romney is among the .001% wealthiest people in America. He’s in the 1% of the 1%. In other words, there’s a 99% among the 1% and Mitt’s too rich to be a part of that 99%.
“I think we’ll see headwinds in 2012 that will keep a lid on the recovery, at least for the first half of the year. But there’s no doubt that the pressure toward a recovery is building in the American economy. The next president, whoever he is, will enjoy a “recovery presidency,” and so too will his party. And that makes the 2012 election really, really important.”
THIS! THE DEMOCRATIC VISION IS AT STAKE! WE MUST WIN! WE WILL WIN!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/who-will-get-the-recovery-presidency/2011/08/25/gIQArAPA3P_blog.html
POLL: Hispanic Voters Favor Obama Over Romney By Nearly 3:1 Margin |
By Josh Dorner on Dec 28, 2011 at 6:00 pm
Months of extreme anti-immigrant rhetoric from Mitt Romney and his GOP rivals seems to be taking its toll, with Hispanic voters going to President Obama in a landslide according to a new Pew Hispanic Center poll released today. Despite overwhelming disapproval of his administration’s handling of illegal immigrants, President Obama still leads Mitt Romney 68 percent to 23 percent among Hispanics. Romney recently told TIME Magazine that he wants “to do as well as [he] possibly could” among Hispanic voters; however, today’s poll shows Romney is highly unlikely to reach the record 40 percent share of the Hispanic vote George W. Bush attracted in 2004 and that he may well do far worse than the 31 percent share John McCain took in 2008.
http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/hsn-network/details/poll-hispanic-voters-favor-obama-over-romney-by-nearly-31-margin/12974/
ha! Next the Willard campaign will be saying that PBO hates hispanics and has not done anything to help them. Right after they say that PBO has done nothing for the AA community.
Me thinks, the President can reach 70+ percent with the Hispanic population.
Creolechild, sorry I didn’t catch you up sooner on your News Dump Day idea. I got a positive response from POU. Miranda thought it was a great idea & suggested we get as many of the Progressive blogs as possible to be involved. I need to repost at TPV or maybe send Deaniac an email because no one really saw it on the thread I posted to the other day. I will try again later.
Thank you, aqua! 🙂
Okay this is our clarion call. We must do everything we can to cement this support and reinforce the importance of re-electing our president. Register voters, especially the young. I understand some states make you go through a training period to register voters, but many more have no such barriers. Go out into the Hispanic/Latino community and make yourself known.
Hey guys,
Just wanted to thank you. I woke up this morning in a really really bad mood and terrible feelling, and this is just about the only place that makes me feel better right now. Thank you all. Thanks, Chip.
BWD, take a look at Pfeiffer’s tweet below, it will make you smile!! 🙂
Yea, saw it. Thanks dear.
BWD, ((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((Hugs coming to you))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))HZ
It’s hard not to have days like that, especially in January when the winter seems endless and there’s so much to do. Fortunately, we have an energy bank at this site where we can borrow unlimited “juice” from each other (interest free) and lift up our spirits. Somebody is bound to share a cheerful thought or a humorous link and the blues start slipping away. I think that if Obama supporters around the country knew they could come here to shake away the blues and charge up their batteries, the site would be clicking numbers in the tens of millions.
We love you BWD! We are a community of fierce fighters! We will leave no stone unturned or potential voter unregistered, contacted, organized, tweeted, fbed. Yes we can!
TPM has a new writer, Sahil Kapur. Definitely not an Obama supporter. His first two articles ate doing the GOP bidding.
Just saying!
Sahil Kapur is a reporter in Washington, DC. He has covered a range of political and policy issues for The Huffington Post, The Guardian, The New Republic, The Washington Independent, and Raw Story.
Haven’t gone to TPM in over a year. Occasionally someone with refer to a good article there, but the site is too often a toxic dump.
Nice! 🙂
That is so cool. Is this the same place where the very cute baby boy said,”Bye, bye?” , and his father asked him if he knew who that was, and the cute baby said, Mr. President, or President? Well, beautiful things happen in beautiful spaces where our beloved President enters into on his many visits.
Great to see some happiness.HZ
Regulators face pressure from both GOP, Dems on implementing ‘Volcker Rule’
By Peter Schroeder – 01/16/12 05:30 AM ET
Top financial regulators will appear before a House panel Wednesday to discuss how they plan to implement the “Volcker Rule,” and defend their work from criticisms that it is overbroad, ill-defined, and maybe even unworkable. Republicans have been eager to blast Dodd-Frank ever since it became law, but few pieces have received as much ire as the Volcker Rule. Meanwhile, Democrats have also voiced their displeasure over the regulators’ work, arguing it softens a key piece of the law.
Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/banking-financial-institutions/204251-regulators-face-pressure-from-both-gop-dems-on-implementing-volcker-rule
So Huntsman gets out thereby freeing whatever moderate votes he had to go to Romney.
And Rick Perry stays in to siphon off as many Anti-Mittens votes as possible to keep Santorum/Gingrich’s numbers low enough for Romney to win in the conserv states when he might not have otherwise.
I hate to say it, but the only person who can give whats to to Romney is Paul and as we have seen in all the debates Paul has NOT been bringing it to Romney. Instead he focuses on Newt and the other anti-Mittens instead.
Damn, this is looking like the type of coronation that some imagined for Hilary Clinton before that little known Senator from Illinois came along. If I was a GOP votes, i’d be pissed. Let’s see if they are PO’s enough to abstain from voting.
Republicans will vote even if they have to hold their noses when they go to the polls. They are not foolish as some on the Left who think not voting is some kind of important “message.”
aquagranny911, and that important “message” of the progressive left was the reason Dems lost the House in 2010, and we had so many GOP Governors winning. We wouldn’t had all those voter ID laws pass if we had elected more Democratic Governors, but no they wanted to send a message. Thanks for nothing.
Think? They do not! Think? Not in their vocabulary!
I think he meant “after they read it” or “after they think they read it”. LOL. Sullivan expects too much of these MORANS.
HOUSE KILLS SOPA:
http://www.examiner.com/computers-in-denver/house-kills-sopa
Not your pampered political family here, these people know how to roll up their sleeves and get the job done! Gotta love them! 🙂
I wonder if the Obama’s have a Home Depot card (12 months same as cash) ? They have an older house in Chicago. I would just bet they did plenty of home improvement projects together. They both seem to know how to handle a paint brush and roller.
POTUS and FLOTUS are people who weren’t born with a silver spoon in their mouth, they work. for everything they’ve gotten. Unlike Mitt.
Except, let’s hope it’s NOT a Home Depot or Loews card. Both are those companies are staunch Republican supporters. Pres. O probably will go for a locally owned Hardware store.
Sorry, I know that Home Depot and Loews suck but locally owned hardware stores are scarce as hen’s teeth in my neck of the desert. Their “12 months same as cash cards” let us do most of the badly needed repairs ourselves in our old, crumbling, but still loved casa. We did buy all our paint etc from a local store but lumber and other stuff like that meant HD or Loews because they drove most of our local suppliers out of business years ago.
For those of you stuck indoors today, Oprah’s showing a 1995 show of hers on racism. I’d missed this one but very interesting. It’s on OWN. About whites posing as blacks, and blacks posing as whites, and audience participation. Very eye-opening.
HAPPY MLK DAY EVERYONE 🙂 :-)Thank you MLK for keeping the dream and your vision alive…with our Great Leader President Obama!
As always I am Thankful to Chips…for this blog……….and all the wonderful people in TOD’sVille (((Hugs)))
I AM FIRED UP READY TO GO!!!!!!
Good afternoon ladies and gents. Oh my guess what? I was on my way to see the MLK memorial and I saw PBO and his
motorcade. He was returning to the WH. I’ve seen it before but this was totally unexpected. He waved in my direction so
I’m just gonna pretend he was waving at me and only me. 😀
AWESOME!!!!
Of course he was waving at you!!!!
🙂 A day well spent! He WAS waving at you…
“hold it! that’s CollegeKay from TOD. I know her!” (waves). Definitely waving at you! 🙂
Lol, well you go girllllllllllllllllllll 🙂
Interesting article and I may be wrong, but perhaps this is one of the underlying factors which explains why our “Long-Term Strategist” in The Oval Office is focusing on strengthening U.S. partnerships with Columbia, Korea, and Panama– in the form of the three free trade agreements which were recently passed.~
Why China Matters
Peter Cohan 1/16/2012 @ 8:02AM
Like it or not, what is going on 10,000 miles away from America matters. The evidence of economic growth in Hong Kong is everywhere. The economy has been growing here at a about 5% and unemployment is a mere 2.5%. But what everyone here is obsessed with is the price of real estate — it keeps going up, and rents are as high as $2,000 a square foot. We Americans are among the biggest consumers of those cheap Chinese-manufactured goods. And China is taking the resulting trade surplus and investing some $1.1 trillion of it into U.S. treasury securities as of October 2011, according to the Federal Reserve.
If China’s real estate market stops rising, much of the capital that has been flowing into its property market will be forced to take a write-down. And that could mean that China would use its spare cash to rebuild the balance sheets of its banks. Moreover, unlike in the U.S., where a bank panic has been averted by the FDIC that guarantees deposits; China could simply decree that its depositors can only get 5% of their money. The resulting loss of demand for our debt could lead to higher U.S. interest rates and put our already anemic recovery into reverse. How so? Unless global investors are willing to buy the huge amount of debt we need to finance our deficits, we will need to bid up the rate we pay in order to lure the remaining investors into our debt market.
Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/petercohan/2012/01/16/why-china-matters/
I ♥ you Joe Biden!
x2. Loves me some JoeyB.
See the difference between POTUS interacting with kids and the phony Romney. I really love that picture of FLOTUS hugging Malia. When she said she was Mom in chief she was not kidding.
That is awesome!
Thanks, Chips! I was looking for a photo of our POTUS & some little Boo today! This is precious! The entire composition is lovely! Look at all the hands!
Happy MLK Day everyone.
And thank you Chips for this wonderful place…
“Life most persistent and urgent question is ‘What are you doing for others?'” – MLK, Jr.
YES.WE.CAN…DO.(Much)More, Together – WE MUST!
WE CAN’TWAIT/WE CAN’T GO BACK…PRESS ON!
WE CAN’TWAIT/WE CAN’T GO BACK…PRESS ON!
WE CAN’TWAIT/WE CAN’T GO BACK…PRESS ON!
WE CAN’TWAIT/WE CAN’T GO BACK…PRESS ON!
WE WON’T GO BACK!!!!!!!
You betta believe it! 😉
Love the work that Ben Jealous is doing with the NAACP. Also, very proud of our Attorney General, Eric Holder. Great job, Mr. Attorney General. DOJ has been cleaning house with medicare fraud all over the country. We love this Administration.HZ
I would LMBrAO if what really tanked Willard was his treatment of Seamus. Never underestimate the power of “Pootie/Woozle People!” (Sorry, for that reference to the ‘dark side’ but I could not help myself) Political careers can sometimes ride on some really unforeseen events.
I will give a recent example in AZ. The recall of our odious racist Russell Pierce who pushed and passed SB1070 was moving but did not catch fire until it was revealed that he got free Fiesta Bowl tickets and other free perks from their organizers. Some people went totally ape sh*t and wanted his head handed out on a platter. People willing to sign recall petitions almost doubled in the coming weeks. We won. He lost. But I have always wondered how much that hung on some Fiesta Bowl tickets rather than all his other egregious acts.
Juts my 2 pesos….
LOOOOOVE IT! Can’t go wrong with puppies — even the non-political or politically timid can get with a puppy message. 😀
Love it also, PJ. Seamus probably remembered that ride and the hosing down and said, “Yes, Willard there will be a payback day for what you did to me buddy. Just wait and see.”HZ
After Cantor trip to Israel and the middle East, where he basically war lingered over Iran, General Dempsey now heads to Israel to calm things down.
Not kidding!
So true. I am watching the Jackie Robinson Story and it’s as though the same thing that was played out when JR became one of the first black ball players to intergrate major leaque baseball is playing out today. The first AA baseball player, tennis player, basketball player, football player, golfer, mayor, governor, supreme court justice, senator, and now president. You would think after the success of so many that came before PBO that president would be a cake walk as far as accepting that we are ALL americans.
This movie was made in 1950 with a very young and beautiful Ruby Dee.
What time, date and station is the next GOP debate on?
Here’s the schedule of the “GOP Lies and Comedy” Tour
http://www.2012presidentialelectionnews.com/2012-debate-schedule/2011-2012-primary-debate-schedule/
Aren’t they scheduled to have one tonight (FOX News)? I know they’re having one on Thursday night as well.
Oh yes I see it will be livestreamed, not televised.
Thank you all for the info. Just came back to check on answers from my earlier post.
When Romney ran Bain Capital, his word was not his bond
By William D. Cohan, Published: January 13
America has been learning a lot lately about “the Bain way.” Yet, there is another version of the Bain way that I experienced personally during my 17 years as a deal-adviser on Wall Street: Seemingly alone among private-equity firms, Romney’s Bain Capital was a master at bait-and-switching Wall Street bankers to get its hands on the companies that provided the raw material for its financial alchemy.
Other private-equity firms I worked with extensively over the years — Forstmann Little, KKR, TPG and the Carlyle Group, among them — never dared attempt the audacious strategy that Bain partners employed with great alacrity and little shame. Call it the real Bain way.
I never negotiated directly with Romney; he was too high-level for any interaction with me. Rather, I dealt often with other Bain senior partners, who were very much in his mold. In my experience, Bain Capital did all that it could to game the system by consistently offering the highest prices during the early rounds of bidding — only to try to low-ball the price after it had weeded out competitors.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/when-romney-ran-bain-capital-his-word-was-not-his-bond/2012/01/12/gIQACvQxwP_story.html
CANDY CROWLEY, JOBS AND ‘FACTS’
By Steve Benen
===============
It’s time for journalists to pick up their game. Romney, who’s already demonstrated a commitment to post-truth politics, is going to try to spin a lot of reporters over the next 10 months. There’s no reason for media professionals to allow themselves to be played for fools.
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2012_01/candy_crowley_jobs_and_facts034775.php#
================
A refresher for Candy Crowley and her colleagues in the media:
1. JOURNALISM’S FIRST OBLIGATION IS TO THE TRUTH
Democracy depends on citizens having reliable, accurate facts put in a meaningful context. Journalism does not pursue truth in an absolute or philosophical sense, but it can–and must–pursue it in a practical sense. This “journalistic truth” is a process that begins with the professional discipline of assembling and verifying facts. Then journalists try to convey a fair and reliable account of their meaning, valid for now, subject to further investigation. Journalists should be as transparent as possible about sources and methods so audiences can make their own assessment of the information. Even in a world of expanding voices, accuracy is the foundation upon which everything else is built–context, interpretation, comment, criticism, analysis and debate. The truth, over time, emerges from this forum. As citizens encounter an ever greater flow of data, they have more need–not less–for identifiable sources dedicated to verifying that information and putting it in context.
http://www.journalism.org/resources/principles
Tweet this to national pundits !
Andrea Mitchell is just Romney’s lap dog. Sheesh…she’s been busy defending him, propping him…wow Andrea…
Don’t forget; Andrea’s husband is Alan Greenspan (aka as Mr. I L
ove Ayn Rand). Andrea should recuse herself whenever economics is discussed.
President Obama, First Family Will Mark MLK Day With Community Service And Concert.
Top Administration officials mark MLK Day, too; Vilsack speaks on USDA civil rights efforts and Pigford II settlement in Chicago, Illinois. He speaks to Rainbow PUSH.. Attorney General Eric Holder will speak at the NAACP’s Martin Luther King Day event in Columbia, SC.
Cabinet Secretaries and top Administration officials will mark the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and the legacy of Dr. King in Washington, DC, and around the US on Monday…making appearances elsewhere, including South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan and California.
The White House food blog has all the details:
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/01/president-first-family-will-mark-mlk.html
New York & Georgia, too.
Love, love, love how the various members of the adminstration get out and about the public serving in so many ways. All of this comes about through the leadership and example of POTUS and FLOTUS. The president is still a community organizer whose area just became larger. And where is Willard today; meeting with bigots.
Willard has no real concept of community. His heart and commitment belong to power and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!!
You are so correct CEB. Remember during the campaign, POB, then senator stated that his Cabinet would be out and about with the people. He stated that his Cabinet members would not be sitting behind desks all the time, but out with the people. I remember those words, and he has kept those words. Just look at the record of his Cabinet members and their activities. Love our President and his Administration all the way.HZ
Is this how “plausible deniability” works?
Winning Our Future, pro-Gingrich super PAC, defends ‘King of Bain’ ads attacking Mitt Romney
Kyle Kim| January 15, 2012 13:08
A top adviser to the pro-Newt Gringrich super PAC defended their ‘King of Bain’ movie attacking GOP front-runner Mitt Romney during his reign at Bain Capital, despite its reported inaccuracies and dramatizations. Rick Tyler, former Gingirch spokesman and current senior adviser to Winning Our Future said that the group will “absolutely” continue airing the movie in South Carolina. “We stand by the film,” Tyler said on Fox News Sunday.
Read more: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120115/king-of-bain-winning-our-future-romney-gingrich
Does anyone know what the alleged inaccuracies and ‘dramatizations’ were?
Hmmm….
UK and Hong Kong strike deal to make London yuan trading hub
Luke Browne| January 16, 2012 12:54
The UK Government has signed a deal with Hong Kong aimed at making London the primary global center for offshore trading of China’s currency, the yuan, also known as the renminbi, the Financial Times has reported, as part of UK efforts to increase trade and investment links with rapidly-growing Asian markets. UK Finance Minister George Osborne arrived in Hong Kong today at the beginning of a visit to Asia, saying “London is perfectly placed to act as a gateway for Asian banking and investment in Europe,” and announcing that he would be holding talks on “establishing London as the new hub for the renminbi market as a complement to Hong Kong,” the BBC reported.
Read more: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/business-tech/120116/uk-and-hong-kong-strike-deal-make-london-yuan-trading-hub
Guys we need to thank Governor Omally for shutting down all the Retugs talking pionts that comming out of Andrea Mitchell mouth. He is unquestionable a very good spokesperson and defender of the president he just showed how intelligent our president is. Andrea kept trying but our able spokesman was just not going to let her get away with her Romner bull crap. Just amazing to watch
Darn… I never watch her…..
Does her show have a podcast ?
Yes I saw it! WOW..Andrea Mitchell’s “I heart Robney” slip was beginning to show and Gov O’Malley stuffed it right back where it belong…
Do you know whether he’s on Twitter by the way?
@GovernorOMalley
Thanks. Off to tweet him!
Long time lurker, first post..i just saw Gov O’malley on Andrea reports, he’s a very great advocate of president Obama; i know you have talked about him, i would not be surprised if he runs for president in 2016.
Welcome to the TOD community bluemoon 🙂 Several of us were watching the segment and were cheering Gov O’Malley right along with you! I hope he (or Elizabeth Warren) gives the keynote speech at the DNC convention this year.
Santorum: ‘We can win this race’
Kyle Kim| January 15, 2012 16:38
GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum might have won a last-minute backing of 150 conservative Christian leaders, but Reuters reported the endorsements are having little sway among Republican voters in South Carolina. “I make decisions for myself and I don’t listen to what a bunch of leaders say to do,” Victoria Jaworowski, who was attending the Cathedral of Praise mega-church in North Charleston, told Reuters.
Although Santorum said his recent backing was a “very big deal,” his endorsements from the Christian leaders, who took a third ballot to narrowly support him, may not matter. A survey released this week by the Pew Research Center showed only 22 percent of Republican voters say they would be more likely to vote for a presidential candidate if their local priest, rabbi or minister endorsed them.
Read more: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120115/santorum-we-can-win-race
“Let Freedom Ring” concert will be available live @ 6:00pm
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/schedule.html
They are reporting on my local news that Huntsman tried to scrub his negative comments about Mitt. Go figure.
I read that he scrubbed the anti-Robney ads from his website…but I have not checked it.
Thank you, President Obama!~
Highest opening day numbers in the last five years for Detroit Auto Show
Posted on Monday, January 16, 2012, 7:30 am by Paddy
A very, very good sign. Never would have happened under President Romney. The 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit appears to be living up to “the hype.” In wake of officials touting the Detroit auto show as a turning point for the entire U.S. industry, hordes of people drove into Cobo Center over the weekend.
According to officials, 195,024 attended the show over the weekend, including 92,106 people on Saturday — the highest opening day number in the last five years for the NAIAS. Overall, 735,370 people attended the show last year, pumping an estimated $350 million into the local economy.
Read more: http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2012/01/16/highest-opening-day-numbers-in-the-last-five-years-for-detroit-auto-show/
Communism forgets that life is individual. Capitalism forgets that life is social, and the kingdom of brotherhood is found neither in the thesis of communism nor the antithesis of capitalism but in a higher synthesis. It is found in a higher synthesis that combines the truths of both. Now, when I say question the whole society, it means ultimately coming to see that the problem of racism, the problem of exploitation, and the problem of war are all tied together. These are the triple evils that are interrelated.
— Martin Luther King, Jr.
Anyone knows this site???
http://teapartyforobama.com/
😯
No…seems odd, doesn’t it?
Indeed. But when you go into it, it supportive of PBO. Strange.
I didn’t click on the link to check it out but remember a Rednecks for Obama group during the ’08 campaign. Maybe it is similar.
Hmmm…interesting. I Have never seen this until now, BWD!…But the other day we were joking about the possibility of a group such as “Baggers for Obama” but obviously the joke was on us!
hmmm weird. tried it a couple of times but didn’t want to load for me. I’ll try it later. huh.
I just went there; had no trouble pulling it up. It does seem supportive, but I do not know anything about its source, etc,
😆 😆 😆 Is Stephen Colbert behind this?? They list the 4 greatest presidents — Reagan (of course) , and 3 Dems, Kennedy, Clinton and Obama???
My guess is that this a some clever grad students who are doing a study on “active cognitive dissonance” subtitled “How stupid can teaparty people be?”
Two minor but interesting details.
1. They spell Barack’s name wrong — “Barrack” 2. They use the British spelling of realize — “realise”
Whatever, it takes all kinds of people to make a world. Kinda like the “Rednecks for Obama” http://obamaredneck.com/
The page wouldn’t load. I am wondering if maybe this is a hoax. Actually, the first thing I thought of was if this is true it would be even more horrifying than the Occupy Wall Street protests to the Republican Party. It would be an absolute nightmare and beyond embarrassing. We shall see. It will be interesting to know the details about who owns the site and when it was created.
When I clicked their “about us” tab, this is what it read:
// Our Mission
We strive to bring the truth to light. We have no hidden agenda or single cause to endorse. Ours is but a simple task…Freedom to live our lives without governement interferance, lower spending, fair taxes and a health care system that reduces spending and creates a health and happy nation.
Our Values
We value the truth without bias or opinion. The truth is what sets us apart and here is where you will find it.
Our Beliefs
We manned up and realised that the problem is that the recession began during the previous administration. And while it certainly worsened for the first year of Obama’s term, there are now signs that the economy is slowly improving. Unemployment is reducing and we are more secure not that bin Laden is no longer walking the earth. We’re tired of getting criticised for not having a plan to back up our boisterous protests, we’re tired of being called racists, we’re tired of being called nutjobs. So we looked at the situation with clear heads and realised that barring any true, qualified leader on the right, Obama is the only choice for 2012.
Help Us
The cost of our voice is high, but the price of doing nothing is even greater. We ask that you give what your heart feels is right. It is only through contributions that we are allowed to function and turn back the never ending tide of stupid partisanship and politics. Help us help you. I promise not one cent of any donation will go into the pocket of anyone associated with our organization. If fact, we have open books. If you would like to see our financial statements, please contact us.
Who are we?
We are patriots just like you, who want to build a better nation and know the truth is always more powerful that politics and partisainship. //
Now, I did see an ad for Romney on the site, but then again, I’ve seen GOP ads on many so-called liberal sites. However, I would not donate a cent until I know who is behind this.
Same here.
Hmmmm…..interesting.
The memorial was super duper packed even though it’s freezing in DC today!
So I definitely posted a picture…. weird.
For whatever reason, only Chips can post pictures. Blame Word Press.
Hiya LL, it’s REALLY stupid how difficult it is to post photos in the comments on WP blogs – videos are easy, you just post the YouTube url.
It’s straightforward for me because I can do it from the admin section of the site, but for everyone else I think this is the only way:
When you post that in to the comments, the pic should appear.
Crazy stuff!
Hey chips,
E=MC2
I tried that Chips but it didn’t show up. Maybe we’re not allowed to post pics? I dunno.
I think you might need a “Comment Image Embedder” plug in for the blog. I found this:
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-comment-images/
Its up to you of course.
Thanks gobrooklyn, I’ll check it out – that plug-in is for WordPress.org blogs, not WordPress.com (like this one), but I’ll see if I can find one that works here. Thanks again.
I hope O’Malley gets more exposure for a national run in 2016.
Maybe he will get a speaking slot at the Convention….that would boost him….
I wish I had seen him smack down Mrs Greenspan.
He did? Ha!
Did he hold his news conference yet? How did he do?
This is hi-larious:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2012_01/religious_right_splintering_po034782.php
Those who would have us believe that they have a direct line to God and have the nerve to lecture the rest of us about morality, are accusing each other of rigging the vote of the evangelicals over the weekend.
This part was not in the Benen article …but at the link he provided.
They said they were conned into leaving after the second ballot on Saturday. They said pro-Santorum participants held a third ballot which Mr. Santorum won with more than 70 percent of the vote — far higher than the nine-vote margin he won on the first ballot.
Oh dear — real men of God, they are.
I’ll have a large bag of popcorn with just a little butter please.
am I mistaken or are there two different endings to Men of Honor?
I am always amazed at the fourth estate. It says that it must be a counter weight against the WH bully pulpit.
But, the fourth estate just delivers GOP talking points and does not fact check.
Also, where were they during the Iraq war? Oh, that is right, Dan Rather spoke up and was fired.
Fourth estate is only the fourth estate, during a democratic administration.
That is all!
I remember (with a shudder) Wolf Blitzer on Bill Maher’s show saying at least several years after 9/11– I kid you not — 9/11 changed everything and we would not be able to criticize a President with the same vigor. Times had changed. Seriously, you dim wit?!?!? 9/11 means the President gets to do and say whatever he wants? You really are a Republican shill, aren’t you?
Oh, wait — but ‘times have changed’ again, I presume. Because it’s okay to give W. unfettered praise, but it’s ‘balanced’ to keep giving right wing talking points against this President.
Mitt Romney’s $12 Million Mystery Super-PAC Man
—By Andy Kroll| January/February 2012 Issue
A pioneer in the post-Citizens United world of super-PACs and dark money, Forti is one of the lead architects of the GOP’s outside-spending strategy and an operative who has for years tested the boundaries of campaign finance law. Forti first waded into the outside-money wars while working for the National Republican Congressional Committee. During the 2006 election cycle, he managed an $82 million independent-expenditure campaign—the largest in the committee’s history.
Through the Black Rock Group, the strategic communications firm he cofounded, Forti has gone on to advise an all-star roster of conservative outside-spending groups, including the 60 Plus Association (the “conservative AARP”) and Americans for Job Security. Forti is also the political director of American Crossroads and advocacy director of Crossroads GPS, the Rove-inspired outfits that reported spending nearly $39 million together during the midterms. The groups have already begun running ads bashing Obama and vulnerable Democrats and plan to dump $240 million into 2012 races.
Read more: http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/01/carl-forti-romney-super-PAC
And most donations to him and his super PAC are from private equity firms, KKR, Bain Capitol.
Pres. Obama needs to spend a good five minutes on Citizens United and the secret unlimited money that’s backing attack ads a lot of the time from single source billionaires.
We agree. I wish he would NAME NAMES….but he wouldn’t do that. That’s for us to do 🙂
He did that in his SOTU address, every one forgot. Besides, Colbert is doing a great job showing the nation that citizens united is a disaster.
Here are the 12 finalists for the 2012 DNC Convention posters in North Carolina! Vote for your top three!
http://charlottein2012.com/poster/
I’m really not feeling any of them. Gun to my head and I’d probably pick Steve W’s.
Same here. I also picked Anna S. and Baxton B – but I’m really not feeling any of them either. I feel like taking parts of one and adding it to another. Each of the posters seem to be missing something.
know what you mean i did pick steve, india and anna
I agree…not nearly as interesting as the last set of art. I picked Baxton B., Jennifer and India.
Santorum is trying to sell is all, that if we get rid of the Federal Government, our neighbors will pickup the slack.
Yeah right. Can you imagine me going up to my next door neighbor and asking them to buy my Healthcare?
What is he smoking?
I don’t think he expects your neighbor to buy your healthcare…just come over and take care of you when you get sick.
I apologize if this has already been linked (couldn’t find one). This is the Newsweek article that goes with the great picture:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/01/15/andrew-sullivan-how-obama-s-long-game-will-outsmart-his-critics.html
thanks for the article–this is the analysis i hope every american voter can read and internalize.
The entire top half of the US is supposed to get snow late this week, early next week.
In one storm!
You ever see that movie, the day after tomorrow?
Not to worry Jovie! That’s just Mother Nature saying a big FU to the GOP and the media.
Oh, great. Shoveling a place for my new rescue, a 7 year old yorkie, is not easy!
Oh my — I must read my posts before I hit “send”. We don’t leave her in a snowdrift. Just a place for her to do her business. this is no small feat, since she was a breeder in a puppy mill all of her life until we adopted her.
Robney would have put your Dog in a quiet room!
Poor sweetness 😦 You’ll do whatever you have to do to make a place for her…in the snow…..bet she’ll be quick!
So sorry, I had to lol a bit about your post. My daughter does this for her dogs in Colorado, as well. One of her basset rescues is so ‘delicate’ that even when it rains, Daughter has to go out and hold an umbrella over the dog while she does he “business” Bassets are so low to the ground and yorkies are so small that mounds of snow must be really intimidating. ♥ be safe and warm!
I very selfishly hope that storm does not include the bottom half of your northern neighbour’s property! Not having had much shoveling to do so far this winter has been a boon to my fingers and ears.
See for yourself…
Chart of the Day: Federal Programs Surprisingly Well Run
By Kevin Drum| Thu Jan. 12, 2012 11:27 AM PST
Via Siddhartha Mahanta, I see that Mitt Romney is suggesting that social welfare programs ought to be turned over to the states because our bloated federal bureaucracy is — well, so bloated. Unsurprisingly, Romney is wrong. Here’s a chart from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities showing just how much overhead the feds add to a variety of programs:
~snip~
All of these programs could undoubtedly be run more efficiently and I’d love to hear some real suggestions from Romney about how we could do this. But even if his Bain-trained mind does have some good ideas, he’s never going to save more than a few percent. That adds up, and I’m all for it, but it’s not going to make a serious dent in federal spending and he knows it. There’s just no “massive overhead” here and there never has been. The vast bulk of this money goes exactly where it’s supposed to: to the people it’s meant to help.
Read more: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/01/chart-day-federal-programs-surprisingly-well-run
Goes against the RW talking point that the Feds can’t do ANYTHING right…..people need to see this, too!
Seriously — how can anyone hate this POTUS? How can you not see the authenticity in this man?
I seriously loathe what Republicans have done to this country over the last 40 years: appealing to and fueling the basest instincts of the citizens of this great nation, and with callousness aforethought, infect the political discourse and the psyche of this nation. To re-label their brand of hate and entitlement as the true America is unconscionable.
Okay, off the soapbox and back to work……..
President Obama, his Cabinet Secretaries and top Administration officials will mark the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and the legacy of Dr. King in Washington, DC, and around the US on Monday. At 9:50 AM, the President and the First Family will participate in a community service project in the Washington, DC area, according to the White House. It is an annual tradition: For their 2011 service project, the First Family painted smiling vegetables on the cafeteria walls of Stuart Hobson Middle School in Northeast DC. MLK Day fell on First Lady Obama’s birthday last year; she turns 48 tomorrow, Tuesday, Jan. 17th. (Above: The President in action in 2011)
http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2012/01/president-first-family-will-mark-mlk.html#more
Hello TOD!
We had a great day of voter registration and volunteer recruiting down at Chesapeake Beach, MD today. It still amazes me how many grown people have never registered to vote. Oh well I’m just glad we were there this afternoon to accommodate them. One lady told me she never believed that “Obama” could win the Presidency and after his win she quickly regretted not being able to cast a vote for him in 2008 so she registered right after the 2008 election to be able to vote for him in 2012 (I nicely let her know that EVERY election is important and she should vote every time there is an election in her community) so today she talked her sister into registering. One voice can change a room…..
Here’s the Democratic nominee for President in 2016 my governor) educating Mrs Greenspan
.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3096434/#46014791
That was eloquent. She admitted that she was playing “devil’s advocate” in asking O’Malley all of the Romney talking points, and he handled them pitch perfectly. I really like him as a future president.
Oh she admitted this? Where – on Twitter? WOW – she must’ve gotten some pushback to say that.
Thanks for that link donna. I couldn’t wait to see that clip. Wow, Governor O’Malley was terrific. I especially liked his riff using the words ‘YOU CAN NOT DENY’ (fill in the blank). That was awesome. It must have made Andrea very uncomfortable for so much truth to be going out over the airwaves. You must be bursting with pride to have him as your governor.
way to go donna dem!
SUCH BEAUTIFUL,PRICELESS PICTURES OF OUR FIRST FAMILY ‘IN SERVICE’ TO OTHERS IN MEMORY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING,JR! THEY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES AND SAY ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID!
Will any of you explain to me, why Drum Major was misconstrued on MLK Monument?
What’s is going on here?
The msm sure do like to drive controversy!
It’s not a big deal, but I think the King people were very concerned with the way the quote sounded w/o the context coming before it. So I guess that’s why this is such a big deal in the media.
LOL! Good one, Norbrook, and btw thank you!~
Sorry Hear About Your Voter Fraud Problem
by Norbrook | January 15, 2012 · 11:12 am
No, really! Look at the states that are passing these laws: South Carolina, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kansas. Then take a look at their politicians. Right. Do you really believe that without massive voter fraud that these people would be in office? Can you imagine any electorate voting in Rick Scott, Haley Barbour, or God help us, Rick Perry? Those are just the governors, but it doesn’t stop there. Someone like a Jim DeMint, for crying out loud.
While the popular explanations have been ignorance, prejudice, and fear, I don’t think these states would put themselves through the effort of increasing the tax burden needed to pay for these new requirements if voter fraud wasn’t a serious problem. Obviously, the only explanation is that there has been ongoing voter fraud on a massive and statewide basis for years. So I salute these brave Republicans for passing these laws to combat this problem. The only thing I’m scratching my head about is that it seems counter-productive for them. After all, if it weren’t for that, why would they be in office?
Read more: http://cendax.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/sorry-hear-about-your-voter-fraud-problem/
How’s that for RAPID RESPONSE…:-)
WOW! On the ball ! That’s great 🙂
Thank you Mr. Huntsman. That was a wonderful video about the guy you just endorse. From one Mormon to another, From one Republican to another. You know Mitt Romney like the back of your hand.
New post everyone:
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/01/16/its-all-still-true/
Thanks Kasai!
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/01/15/andrew-sullivan-how-obama-s-long-game-will-outsmart-his-critics.html
Text by Andrew Sullivan for the Newsweek article and cover story that will hit newsstands tomorrow….I have yet to read it, but we can all read it together 🙂