Before I sleep…..

I smiled at the whole ‘Is America better off?” business the last few days. There are countless reasons to answer ‘yes’, not least economically wise, but I think back to President Obama and Michelle visiting Ireland.

When Bush visited, it was the largest security operation in the history of the state, that’s what was required to protect him from the protestors – he wasn’t welcome. And he wasn’t allowed anywhere near the public, who had nothing but contempt for him.

And then President Obama and Michelle visited Ireland:

Willie Mae

“Willie Mae is 94-years old and volunteering for @BarackObama today in Tampa”

@OFA_FL

Become a volunteer

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TOD fundraisers:

a4alice * Alycee * BWD * CollegeKay * Cookemom * DonnaDem4Obama

Hgerhard * HZ * Judith Fardig * Mae Who Love Our CIC

Marlz * Meta * Pamela *prettyfoot58 * proudmemberofglobalzero * Rita * Theo67 * The Obama Diary

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Cagle

Best. Toon. Ever.

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All set?

Thanks Dudette 😉

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Link – thanks BWD

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@GeorgeTakei

Thanks again Dudette!

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Thank you Yardarm

President Obama in Louisiana

President Obama with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Senator Mary Landrieu and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal at Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, September 3

Coming up (all times ET):

6:0: President Obama receives a briefing at Emergency Operations Center, Saint John the Baptist Parish, La.

6:50: Tours damage caused by Hurricane Isaac

7:20: Delivers a statement at Saint John the Baptist Parish, La.

I’m not sure what coverage there’ll be of PBO in Louisiana, apart from his 7:20 statement, but keep checking the links:

C-Span * CNN * CBS 1 * CBS 2

White House live

8:15: Departs New Orleans

10:45: Arrives at the White House

Chris Matthews v Andrea Mitchell

MSNBC

‏@allanbrauer

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First lady Michelle Obama tours the stage a day before her speech to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, September 3

… with actor and Obama administration official Kal Penn, the Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement

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This and That

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The Oval: President Obama celebrated working people on this Labor Day, but also blitzed Mitt Romney’s economic plan with football metaphors.

“There’s a flag on the play,” Obama told crowd of auto workers in Toledo, Ohio, at one point.

Riffing on Romney’s weekend claim that the economy needs “a new coach” in the White House, Obama said that “the problem is that everybody’s already seen his economic playbook … we know what’s in it.”

The “first down” is tax cuts for the wealthy that will lead to tax hikes for the middle class, Obama said. “Second down” is an audible” ending financial and environmental regulations. Romney’s “third down” is a “Hail Mary” of cuts that would “end Medicare as we know it.”

Obama’s suggestion for the fourth down of the Romney plan: “Punt it away! … It won’t work! It won’t win the game!

“You don’t need that coach,” he said of Romney. “That’s a losing season!”

More here

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Scott High School in Toledo, September 3

Heads Up: President Obama in Toledo

12:30: President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at Scott High School in Toledo, Ohio.

(Sorry everyone, that earlier time (1:30) was wrong)

C-Span * CBS * CNN

Parade

Parade: If you were female, we would ask, “How has being female affected your ability to govern?” So, how has being black affected your ability to govern?

PO: I’m sure it makes me more determined in assuring that everybody’s getting a fair shot—in the same way that being a father of two daughters makes me want to make sure that every woman is getting equal pay for equal work, ’cause I don’t want my daughters treated differently than somebody else’s sons. By virtue of being African-American, I’m attuned to how throughout this country’s ­history there have been times when folks have been locked out of opportunity, and because of the hard work of people of all races, slowly those doors opened to more and more people. Equal opportunity doesn’t just happen on its own; it happens because we’re vigilant about it. But part of this is not just because we’re African-American—it’s also because Michelle and I were born into pretty modest means. And so I think about my single mom and what it was like to go to school and work at the same time. And I think about Michelle’s dad, who had a disability and was working every day and didn’t have a lot of money to spare. But somehow our parents or grand­parents were able to give us these opportunities partly because they lived in a society that said that was important. And as president, I want to ­affirm that that’s important and reject the idea that if we just reward those at the top, that somehow that’s going to work for everybody—’cause that hasn’t been how America got built.

Full interview here

Thanks BWD

Rise and Shine

Des Moines, September 1 (Scout Tufankjian for Obama for America)

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Today (all times ET)

12:30: President Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event at Scott High School in Toledo, Ohio.

3:10: Departs Toledo

5:25: Arrives in New Orleans

6:00: Receives a briefing at Emergency Operations Center, Saint John the Baptist Parish, La.

6:50: Tours damage caused by Hurricane Isaac

7:20: Delivers a statement at Saint John the Baptist Parish, La.

8:15: Departs New Orleans

10:45: Arrives at the White House

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Des Moines, September 1 (Scout Tufankjian for Obama for America)

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Cagle

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