President Obama walks from Marine One to board Air Force One at O’Hare International Airport en route to Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Neb.
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Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska
… with a member of his Secret Service security detail
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Bayliss Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa
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President Obama inspects drought-stricken corn with farmer Roger McIntosh as he visits the McIntosh farm in Missouri Valley, Iowa
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Next up:
6:15 ET: The President delivers remarks at a campaign event at Boone, Herman Park, Iowa
The Obama Diary 
First? Again? Thanks as always Chips for this special place.
First!
Darn it! Congrats Susan.
Hey guys!
Hey there, I’ve never told you how cool I think it is that you are a Proud Former White House Intern. Congrats!
Oh my LL, I can’t believe I snuck in ahead of you! It’s a singular honor. You Rock!
We pretty much all rock on this blog.
And we’re modest too 😆
Tee hee!
Honestly, I guess we all rock in our own ways!
And don’t forget humble! 😆
Congrats Susan & LL! Just coming back from Mars myself, or it feels like it as I sign in and try to figure out what’s been happening today. 😆
Hope you didn’t fall under a shower of “trickle down pixie dust” up there.
Managed to remain standing, but have to keep brushing pixie dust from my eyes, at least for another day. 😆
In light of the joking and reality about people cleaning up Wikipedia pages, I recommend this post via ThePoliticalCarnival and LA Times. Romney’s Ryan versus Real Ryan.
http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/
“Ryan’s “career ambition was not to go to Washington. That is not what he wanted to do,” Romney said in Mooresville, N.C. “But he became concerned about what was happening in the country…” […]
Ryan’s history suggests otherwise. He majored in political science in college, began interning for a Wisconsin senator’s Washington office while in college, and has spent most of his adult life working in the nation’s capital. He did move back to Wisconsin for two years to work in his family’s business before he ran for Congress in 1998.”
Loved the Martian comment!!
Ok, the article that I referred to is up now. I wasn’t able to get the Medicaid portion in on this one. I will be doing others though. Thanks WhatIsWorking, fell free to link. This is my daughter’s site and she asked me to take over the blog site for her. It’s a site that is meant to appeal to the 80′s and 90′s generation. The article “Paul Who?” is mine, the others are hers. Here’s the link: http://www.zenfulrevolutionapparel.com/blogs/news
Hey there CookeMom, I see the photo, but no article???
Thanks Susan. Lawd these new fangled cybertubz innerwebs things got me all confused. I’ll have to figure out what happened to the article. To think she wanted me to take this over. Be right back….
OK I got it done. Had to redo the whole thing. I forgot to save the draft and lost it all. Here’s the link: http://www.zenfulrevolutionapparel.com/blogs/news
I had the same problem.
Congrats on that website cookemom. A lot og really good information.
Here’s the link to my contribution to the site. I wrote the Paul Who article, my daughter did the rest: http://www.zenfulrevolutionapparel.com/blogs/news
Priorities USA memo on the Ryan plan-
http://www.politico.com//blogs/burns-haberman/2012/08/priorities-memo-ryan-makes-the-ryan-plan-real-for-131978.html
So Mitt Romney want his TAX RETURNS and BUSINESS RECORD off the table. No longer to be discuss. Is this freaking guy for real? I think some Republicans might be wondering why they didn’t pick Rick Santorum.
When is Martin Bashir coming back, I like Karen ,but she is not that good as a host..
She is way better than Melissa Harris perry and chris Hayes.
Really digging Pres. Obama’s casual style. He looks so bloody young.
ut, He doesn’t look a day over 50.
Stephanie Cutter on Martin Bashir: Excellent spokeswoman for the President’s campaign, as usual! She has a masterful grasp of the facts and is able to present them in a clear way. Love her.
Nice to see Karen Finney filling in for Martin Bashir. She is one of my favorites along with Krystal Ball and Joy Ann Reid.
Mine, too. Make that: mine, three!
This is for Jay (@WorldRenownedJ) on previous thread (“Whoa!!! Joe was on fire!”) from @MikeMemoli, reporter for LA Times/Chicago Tribune:
I’m telling you, Joe B. seems fired up for his debate opponent. He was working Ryna like a boxer who had his man on the ropes!
Does any one have a link to VP Biden’s speech? Thanks in advance!
hopefruit2, I hope someone does have a link, because VP Biden was great today. And yes he went after Ryan. Romney too.
Hey Hopefruit, remember the point you made about Google links leading heavily with negative stuff on the Pres, no matter if you enter a positive search request? Well as I told you previously your observation opened my mind to open my eyes when I search. Well, get a load of this! I go to Daylife to look up pics of #44 and lo and behold after a few Pres O pics I run into pics of Mitt and of Ryan!!! I hadn’t happened to notice this ‘phenomenon’ when I visited Daylife previously, but I sure didn’t miss it this time! Check it out in case I was seeing things….. http://www.daylife.com/topic/barack_obama/photos/2
I have had the same thing happen. My search is specifically for PBO pics, and I get Romney/Ryan sh**.
I guess whoever uploaded them couldn’t tell the difference between the two men. 🙄
Hey vc, yes, this is so annoying. To be fair the pics I saw of Willard weren’t particularly flattering or inspiring, but still. Isn’t this supposed to be about PBO? Why even have pics of Willard and Miss Ann!
‘To be fair the pics I saw of Willard..’
Oh ho, I’m worried for you Hf! The MSM is rubbing off on you….you’re using the dreaded ‘to be fair’. 😉 They shouldn’t be there at all when I’ve specified PBO’s name.
LOL! You’re 100% right vc. Teh Google wants to shove Willard down our throats and it’s just not right!
No amount of positioning on Google’s or Daylife’s part can make Mitt, or Ryan, more palatable. 😉 We’ll just have to wait them out, I guess.
Can someone explain to me how this isn’t insider trading?
That needs to get serious attention.
20 of them and Paul Ryan was one of them. Newt confirmed it on June 12, while appearing on Politics nation with Rev Al Sharpton.
Doing whatever I can, Nena, to keep the issue at the forefront. Here’s another missive sent today …
… and more in my TL over the past several months.
#InaugurationInsurgency is a tag that should trend from now until not only Election Day but well into a major investigation of the fact that Government employees and elected Representatives of the People were willing to risk a global Depression just to harm our President and, to this day, continue to harm almost all Americans because of their willful obstruction.
You are bubbling up from all cylinders. You are totally brilliant. Thank You, for all you do Bobfr.
The most amazing thing about this story is that the person who sued Georgetown (South Carolina) Steel is still a Romney supporter. WTF?
Arapaho415, if Barack Obama was white, this person who sued Georgetown South Carolina Steele would fine it easier to support him.
Stef Cutter is the best when it comes to messaging. She has been pointing out the lie of the 700B Medicare cut
being spouted by the 2R’s. Dems have got to stay on top of this topic and fight back so that it does not become
the next ‘Death Panels’. It’s clear that the 700B was cut from places like Medicare Advantage and re-invested
in things like closing the doughnut hole. Romney/ryan uses it for tax cuts for the rich. I sent Stef a tweet earlier.
I’ve been away from TOD for a few days at the Iowa State Fair (luckily before Ryan’s visit, however). We met up with some old friends: http://www.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?sid=0IcuGjlu2cNXOA 😆
Anyhow – does anyone else think Paul Ryan looks like he could be one of Mitt’s many sons? He better not stand in the group or he’d get lost in the crowd!
Ryan is 42 yrs old. So is Tagg Romney. Both were born in 1970.
GHW Bush was also 65 yrs old when he picked a 42 yrs old Quayle.
But at least, Quayle was funny – although he probably did meant to be ….
Mitt looks like he has a man crush on Ryan. It’s creepy.
And seriously, did it even take one news cycle for the “Paul Ryan is HOT” line to die? Who in their right mind thinks the zombie-eyed granny starver is in any way attractive? (thanks for Charlie Pierce for that spot-on imagery).
“Who in their right mind thinks the zombie-eyed granny starver is in any way attractive?”
snicker. uhmm 57andfemale, (snicker) you know you are wrong for saying that. lolol
In the picture where they are picking the corn, are they all wearing the same shirt? 😉
Our prez is just too cute!
I received a donation today so the fundraising challenge just keeps rolling along. Thanks Dave!
John Boehner sez that PBO is”blaming anyone and everyone but himself” for the drought, and he needs to take personal responsibility for the drought. I didn’t realize that PBO had these mighty powers to inflict a massive drought in the midwest?
What the hell is wrong with these Republicans, I don’t recall the President blaming anyone for the drought. He did blame that sorry ass speaker and the Republicans for the Farm Bill not being pass.
Boehner uses verbiages that are never challenged. Only Congress can pass laws directly affecting the current drought crisis.
They must think he’s magical.
🙄
Boner has been reading the Bible.
As detailed in the Book of Revelation, extreme drought is a sign that Judgement Day is upon us.
Jeeze. Exactly what is He implying?
Thanks for this Bobfr. Twitter is blocked at work, dammit and I can’t retweet! I just got a chill looking at those two photos of PBO in the drought stricken corn fields with those two farmers. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but from the expressions on all of their faces, it’s dire. Then to read Orange Boner’s callous “let’s blame Obama for the drought” while they’re sitting on the Farms Bill and on vacation for the rest of the effing month. It’s all part of the plan they hatched on Jan 20, 2009. Not only are they fucking with the economic livelihoods of farmers but part of our nation’s food supply as well. So grateful for the efforts of the Prez’s administration today and for hanging this around Ryan’s and Repugs’ necks. Every single one of these obstrucionist mofos in Congress whose terms come due this Nov must be voted out!!
Who knows? Maybe he’s referring to the negotiations over the Farm Bill?
Well it is happy hour. It wont be too long before he starts blaming PBO for the Dust Bowl back in the 1930’s.
Well, the GOP does claim that PO is the Messiah. lol
ROUNDUP: SPANISH-LANGUAGE MEDIA REACTS TO PAUL RYAN SELECTION
by Pili Tobar
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All through the weekend, the Spanish-language media response to Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s running mate as been strong and consistent: Ryan is out of step with Latinos on both the economy and immigration, and this choice means Romney has essentially given up on the Latino vote.
Paul Ryan has a poor track record when it comes to issues most important to the Latino community. He voted against the DREAM Act in 2010 and voted for the infamous Sensenbrenner bill in 2005, which would have turned undocumented workers and anyone who helped them into felons. He attacked President Obama earlier this year for not passing the exact same type of immigration reform that Republicans opposed. Further, polling shows that Ryan’s extreme stances on economic issues are also out of step with the positions held by most Latinos—a June 2012 Latino Decisions/America’s Voice poll of Latino voters in 5 key battleground states revealed that Latino voters think that the federal government has a key role in stimulating the economy. When asked about the best way to help the economy grow, 52% said the “government should invest resources in federal projects to stimulate the economy,” while only 33% said “it is better for the government to lower people’s taxes.”
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http://americasvoiceonline.org/blog/roundup-spanish-language-media-reacts-to-paul-ryan-selection/
Martin Bashir has his daughter married off 13 days before the Olympics he was Not on the air. 17 days after the Olympics and Bashir is still missing in action? I know he penned 2 HPost Blogs….but now, he is still MIA? What the heck is Up with Bashir?
Rep Paul Ryan Is No “Fiscal Hawk”
By Jared Bernstein
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Gotta run, and I’ll have more on this later, but for now, I’d like to propose a new rule for journalists:
Anyone who refers to Rep Paul Ryan as a “fiscal hawk” (as I just heard on NPR) without the words “alleged” or “NOT” very close by must pay a hefty fine (said fine will itself be applied to jobs measures in the near term and deficit reduction after that).
Matt Miller takes Ryan’s undeserved fiscal rep apart here but I have to tell you—it takes only a glancing familiarity with his budget work to uncover the fiscal reality of what’s up here, and that would be red ink.
The federal government basically defends the nation, provides public goods, regulates negative externalities, applies countercyclical stimulus when the market fails, and protects the vulnerable, including the safety net and retirement security. Rep Ryan’s budgets increase the defense function and cut taxes trillions beyond Bush. Thus, any claims to achieve balance must occur through massive spending cuts on everything else, and he’s actually been more specific than his new boss—all fodder for arguments we’ll be having over the next few months.
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http://jaredbernsteinblog.com/rep-paul-ryan-is-no-fiscal-hawk/
As it was pointed out previously not only does Ryan not balance the budget but he explodes it by adding 5 trillion dollars more in debt. It irritates me to no end that the media takes this guy seriously. Warren Rudman was a deficit hawk and his numbers added up.
Rush Limbaugh and some on the right are now beginning to attack the presidential and the VP moderators. Folks these are the same old tactics to have the already MEEK and Lazy media to continue to behave favorably towards the Romney/Ryan ticket. This is how it starts.
Unfortunately, the tactic has been effective. Journalists are afraid to push back against republicans. Democrats should push back hard against Rush and Co. It has been DEMONSTRATED (see various reports by Media Matters) that in reality, as a whole the political coverage in MSM gives republicans a distinct advantage.
I don’t buy that journalists are afraid to push back against Republicans. These journalists are serving their own interests – they are hired by the corporate media and paid high salaries to toe the corporate line. They do exactly as they want.
PBO and Biden don’t care if the Banana Splits moderate as long as Romney and Ryan show up for their scheduled beatdown that’s all that matters.
and there you have it. PO and VP Biden knows how to work the refs. Romney and Ryan. . . not so much. Easy to throw them off message.
Guess who’s got a book deal, Georgia’s own Karen Handel – instigator of the Susan G. Komen/Planned Parenthood fiasco. Get a load of the title. Ugh! I know you’re all looking forward to hearing what she’s got to say… NOT!
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http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/48649719/ns/today-books/t/former-susan-g-komen-executive-has-book-deal/
Good afternoon Ships. I sent and email with a picture to you to post on your site if you would please. I am not too sure about how to do that. Anyway, we had a good Round Table this morning about 20 people showed up w/ local TV cameras. I’m not too sure I will be on any of the clips, but I did voice my opeion on a few things, hoping that it will be aired. I wrote a little bit on the email. Am trying to catch up on all the posts.
Obama Masterfully Ties Paul Ryan to the Most Unpopular House in History
By: Jason Easley
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The House is absolutely politically toxic, which makes Romney’s selection of Ryan even more baffling. Thanks to Paul Ryan, President Obama now gets to run against Mitt Romney and the most unpopular House of Representatives in American history.
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What the president is doing is using the House to define Paul Ryan, and he is using Ryan to define Romney. The Romney campaign has not been able to define their candidate, so there is little chance they will be able to define Paul Ryan. Obama is already defining Ryan as the brain behind the House. If you don’t like what House is doing, you don’t like Paul Ryan’s ideas, and you don’t like the direction that Mitt Romney will take the country in.
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http://www.politicususa.com/obama-masterfully-ties-paul-ryan-unpopular-house-history.html
Haven’t read all the comments … had to scroll down to say, he liked the bus! Did you see that! He smiled and pointed and looked like a little kid going on a big bus for the first time! Gosh, I wish I could ride on that bus with him!!!!
14 reasons why this is the worst Congress ever (with charts)
By Ezra Klein
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This week, the House of Representatives voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. On its own, such a vote would be unremarkable. Republicans control the House, they oppose President Obama’s health reform law, and so they voted to get rid of it.
But here’s the punchline: This was the 33rd time they voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Holding that vote once makes sense. Republicans had promised that much during the 2010 campaign. But 33 times? If doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result makes you insane, what does doing the same thing 33 times and expecting a different result make you?
Well, it makes you the 112th Congress.
Hating on Congress is a beloved American tradition. Hence Mark Twain’s old joke, “Reader, suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.” But the 112th Congress is no ordinary congress. It’s a very bad, no good, terrible Congress. It is, in fact, one of the very worst congresses we have ever had. Here, I’ll prove it:
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/07/13/13-reasons-why-this-is-the-worst-congress-ever/
So, Al Gore is mad the President will not talk about Climate change on His stump speech.
Their is always somebody, that takes a shot at the President.
Bush, did not get this many special interests saying, what about me?
Meh!
Meh:
Al Gore and Bill Clinton didn’t do anything about climate change. They had an opportunity.
Ewwwww—–Halperin had a huge enormous grin on his face at Tweety’s opening after showing some stupid snarky anti-Obama comment made by Willard in Florida today. He got caught really enjoying that moment and then realized the camera was on him and went to an immediate straight face. Revealed himself—-he is so jealous of Obama—-loves when anyone says anything derisive about him.
We shall see how much grinning he does come Nov 6….
I am so looking forward to that. The GOP and Willard has folks so pissed off, I know they will be lined up to KICK a*s at the voting booth on Nov 6.
Obama/Biden 2012
Mitt Romney just can’t seem to shut up and stop revealing his batshit crazy plans. We can now concretely tie him to Paul Ryan’s Kill Medicare Bill.
Can I just say….. I LOVE the Beast Bus!! Very cool. Good guys wear black cowboy hats and good guys ride black buses with the Presidential Seal on the side.
MOVE THAT BUS. . . FORWARD! 😀 😀
Would still Love when Romney gets the other Beast Bus, after the convention?
I would Love the Beast Bus with pres Obama……I know you too.
I will hate the Beast with Romney in it.
Wow—-what a clever comment by Ryan at the State Fair——said President Obama isn’t going to make it to the fair—–(-whoops, talked too soon there-)—–because he only knows how to make left hand turns. hahahahaha—-a real knee slapper!
Yep, and the insult and lies was eagerly played by Tweety. Had he Not read or heard that pres Obama was going to the IA today?
Once again, disparaging remarks by a TBGOPer said about pres Obama are always and eagerly played. Tweety also played Romney’s insults too about the pres from FL. The saddest part is that people like Tweety claim to say that many in the TBGOPers camp make pres Obama as the OTHER. What was Tweety’s insults for?
Next congressional investigation: OBAMA BUYING VOTES
I need video of this cute moment. 🙂
And Knoller the Horrible made some sarcastic comment about that. I’m hosting a Welcome Back party when Snark reappears—–open bar and everything!
I’ll be the first one to belly up to it!
Halperin said all the national reporters really can relate to Ryan, really respect him etc. Nice to know! Looking forward to all the favorable press.
Don’t forget that David Gregory was Ryan’s buddy pick up basket ball mate in College….so said David Bender today on The Stephanie Miller Show.
Thanks for posting this dotster3. You beat me to the punch. I just stared at the tv when he said that comment. However, It was refreshing to hear Mark Haperin confirm out loud what we all know. One of the benefits of Mitt Romney picking Paul Ryan is that he is a nice guy and the press really likes him. Which is why they have a hard time just reporting the facts about his draconian, vicious and heartless budget plan. Paul Ryan is severely overrated.
Sounds like McCain. DC media loves McCain!
Paul ‘Two-Bills’ Ryan, Congressional Seat-Warmer; Zero Impact In Thirteen Years
By Don Hamel
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1) In 2000, Paul Ryan passed a law that that changed the name of the post office in Janesville WI. The post office is now called the Les Aspin Post Office Building.
2) In 2008 (Or 4 election cycles later) Ryan introduced a bill that changed the way arrows used in bow hunting are taxed. From HuffPo, “Specifically, his bill amended the Internal Revenue Code to impose a 39-cent tax per arrow shaft, instead of a 12.4 percent tax on the sales price. The bill also includes points suitable for use with arrows in the 11 percent excise tax on arrow parts and accessories.” Ryan, an avid bow-hunter basically wrote a piece of legislation into the tax code, that would save him and his buddies from having to pay sales tax. Arrows average anywhere from $35 to $185 dollars.
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True to form, Mitt Romney judged which way the wind was currently blowing, and steered his ship in that direction. In his entire congressional career, Paul Ryan has produced nothing, save an unworkable blueprint for economic ruin.
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http://www.addictinginfo.org/2012/08/13/paul-two-bills-ryan-congressional-seat-warmer-zero-impact-in-thirteen-years/
Talk show host Jay Leno holds one of U.S. Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas’s gold medals as she appears with U.S. first lady Michelle Obama during a taping of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” at the NBC studios in Burbank, California August 13
Thanks Chips. So tweeting this. You’re the BEST!
How gorgeous are FLOTUS and Gabby!!
Both look really cute!
Getting ready for PBO to speak in Boone, IA in less than 1/2 hour: http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2012/08/13/scene-setter-president-obama-in-boone/
Heads up everyone:
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/08/13/heads-up-president-obama-in-boone-iowa/
Romney’s constitutional amendment disqualifies Ryan for no business experience
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/08/13/romneys-constitutional-amendment-disqualifies-ryan-for-no-business-experience/
A constitutional amendment suggested by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney would have barred Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) from serving as his running mate.
Speaking to supporters in Las Vegas last May, Romney told the story of a man who said the Constitution should be amended to require three years of business experience to be qualified to be president of the United States.
The amendment would say that “the president has to spend three years working in business before he becomes president of the United States,” Romney explained. “Then he or she would understand that the policies they are putting into place have to encourage small business to grow.”
BuzzFeed’s Andrew Kaczsynski posted the video on Monday and noted that the amendment would have disqualified Ryan.
The 12th Amendment of the Constitution states that the vice president must meet all of the same eligibility requirements as the president.
“I think this reflects how dumb Romney’s proposed constitutional amendment is, not Ryan’s fitness for the presidency,” The Washington Post‘s Ezra Klein wrote. “It also reflects Romney’s tendency to take positions strategically without carefully considering their long-term impact.”
“When he made that comment, was it really so difficult for him to imagine naming a vice president without business experience? That would, for instance, disqualify career military men, like Gen. David Petraeus.”