there’s something in the air – four more years?

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President Obama arrives on a rainy and foggy night in Romulus, Michigan, January 26

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Friday:

9:45 ET  PBO delivers remarks at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor

11:00: Departs Michigan en route to Joint Base Andrews

12:25: Arrives at Joint Base Andrews

12:30: Departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Cambridge, Md.

PBO and VP Biden address House Democrats at their annual retreat

3:00: Arrives at the White House

3:30: PBO and VP Biden meet with Secretary of State Clinton

4:30: PBO delivers remarks at a campaign event

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A segment of the line of people waiting for tickets to see President Barack Obama speak on Friday starts near the Michigan Union, winds around the Fleming Administration Building, back toward the Literature, Science, and the Arts Building, and north down Maynard St

See the post below for more on the demand for tickets for tomorrow’s speech

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Freep.com: Two months ago, it appeared Michigan might well be prime real estate for Mitt Romney as he sought the Republican nomination for president.

In a Detroit Free Press/WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) poll then, native Michigander Romney led the Democratic president, Barack Obama, 46%-41%, in a head-to-head matchup.

But as Romney’s path to the nomination has gotten cloudy, his lead in the state over the Democratic incumbent also has evaporated. In a new Michigan poll, Obama has taken the head-to-head lead, 48%-40%.

More here

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MSNBC: Newt Gingrich leads Mitt Romney among Republicans, but he is the weakest of the Republican candidates tested against President Obama, according to an NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll released Thursday evening.

Gingrich leads Romney 37 percent to 28 percent nationally among registered Republicans likely to vote in the primaries; Rick Santorum is in third with 18 percent, and Ron Paul is fourth with 12 percent.

…. Romney fares best against the president, trailing Obama by six points among registered voters, 49 percent to 43 percent. That’s a four-point improvement for the president from a month ago.

Obama, however, beats Gingrich by a whopping 18 points, 55-37 percent, expanding the president’s 11-point lead a month ago.

More here

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Why do the military hate him?

Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora Colorado, January 26

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Original video here

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What can I say? You’re amazing people. Thank you Pamela – I completely missed the good news 😉

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Billboard

In case you missed this, I brought it over from the last post – thanks Lamh. 490%? Hilarious!

What? You want to hear it again? 😯

Oh, okay:

evening all

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President Obama is introduced at a United Parcel Service (UPS) freight facility in Las Vegas

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Remarks by the First Lady at a DNC Event today in Sarasota, FL here

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Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and First Lady Michelle Obama have lunch with students at Parklawn Elementary School in Alexandria, Va., Jan. 25, 2012. The First Lady and Secretary Vilsack visited the school to sample a healthy meal that meets the United States Department of Agriculture’s new and improved nutrition standards for school lunches. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

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The Week

LA Times: Some investments listed in Mitt and Ann Romney’s 2010 tax returns – including a now-closed Swiss bank account and other funds located overseas – were not explicitly disclosed in the personal financial statement the GOP presidential hopeful filed in August as part of his White House bid.

The Romney campaign described the discrepancies as “trivial” but acknowledged Thursday afternoon that they are undergoing an internal review of how the investments were reported and will make “some minor technical amendments” to Romney’s financial disclosure that will not alter the overall picture of his finances.

More here

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TPM

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ThinkProgress

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Greg Sargent: Yikes! The pro-Newt Super PAC is up with an epic, over-the-top one-minute ad called “Blood Money” that throws everything in the oppo file at Mitt Romney:

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Billboard

Thanks Lamh!

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Okay, who’s watching the freak show?

colorado

President Barack Obama greets service members before speaking at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.

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President Obama shakes hands with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock as he arrives at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora

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President Obama departs from Buckley Air Force Base

he’s lost the youth, you know

A segment of the line of people waiting for tickets to see President Barack Obama speak on Friday starts near the Michigan Union, winds around the Fleming Administration Building, back toward the Literature, Science, and the Arts Building, and north down Maynard St. Angela J. Cesere

People sleep on the floor outside of the Michigan Union Ticket Office

AnnArbor.com: Roughly 3,000 people Thursday morning received tickets to President Barack Obama’s upcoming speech — many camping outside overnight to secure their place in line — and still hundreds of hopefuls were turned away.

It’s clear: Obama mania has seeped into the University of Michigan campus as the school prepares for his speech on college affordability Friday at 9:35 a.m. at the Al Glick Field House…..

More here

AnnArbor.com: They brought blankets and sleeping bags, sent friends on doughnut runs, did homework and broke out into an impromptu dance party next to the Cube as at least 1,000 people converged into a line at the University of Michigan overnight to get tickets to see President Barack Obama.

The crowd snaked from the Michigan Union ticket office through Regents Plaza, building from about 80 at 10 p.m. Wednesday to much larger early Thursday, prompting one person to say “people in the back of the line have no idea how many people are here because it’s so long.”….

Between 2,000 and 3,000 people were in line by 9 a.m. At that time, the line reached the intersection of South University and South State and stretched toward the Law Quad.

….Update: As of about 1 p.m. all tickets to Obama’s speech had been distributed, according to the Michigan Union Ticket Office.

More here and at Eclectablog

Thanks Loriah

A group of ten students rest their backs against each other to stay warm and get some sleep while waiting in line by the Michigan Union. They arrived around 11:30 pm Wednesday night.

U-M Taubman College of Architecture faculty member Teman Evans holds up his ticket to see President Barack Obama speak while people in line behind him cheer. Evans was the first person in line at 7:30 pm Thursday night.

annarbor.com

Detroit News

las vegas

Text of remarks here

Will add WH version when it appears

President Barack Obama speaks with five year old Madison Devera as he greets members of the audience at a UPS facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 26

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And Tampa….

First Lady Michelle Obama during a visit to a Latin grocery store in Tampa, Fla., Jan. 26. Goya Food, the largest Hispanic-owned U.S. food company, which is committing to being a National Strategic Partner for the United States Department of Agriculture in promoting “My Plate” or “Mi Plato”. Mrs. Obama will also join leading Latino organizations to promote their nationwide effort to encourage health and wellness in their community.

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rise and shine

White House

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11:00: VP Biden delivers remarks in Rochester, N.H.

1:00: PBO delivers remarks at UPS Las Vegas South.

3:05: PBO departs Las Vegas en route to Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.

4:35: PBO arrives at Buckley Air Force Base, Colo.

5:30: PBO delivers remarks.

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AP: The number of people seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to a seasonally adjusted 377,000, up from a nearly four-year low the previous week. But the longer-term trend is pointing to a healthier job market.

Applications have trended down over the past few months. The four week average has declined to 377,500. When applications fall consistently below 375,000, it tends to signal that hiring is strong enough to lower the unemployment rate. Some economists say the figures suggest further job gains ahead…..

More here

Reuters: New orders for manufactured goods rose in December and a gauge of future business investment rebounded, while new claims for jobless benefits rose only moderately last week, suggesting the labor market was still healing.

Durable goods orders climbed 3.0 percent, the Commerce Department said on Thursday. Economists had forecast orders rising 2.0 percent …. Orders last month were buoyed by 5.5 percent increase in bookings for transportation equipment as orders for civilian aircraft surged 18.9 percent….

“What it does tell you about going into the new year is that there’s some momentum here,” said Jacob Oubina, an economist at RBC Capital Markets in New York.

More here

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Ed Kilgore (Washington Monthly): As Paul and Steve announced yesterday, I am taking on the daunting task of succeeding Mr. Benen at Political Animal. I read every single comment following Steve’s announcement of his new gig, and am awe-struck by the devotion he has inspired from a very well-informed readership.

Full post here

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TPM (thanks Loriah)

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Morning everyone, that was a very short Rise and Shine, but will catch up properly later 😉