“He leans back, tea at his side, legs crossed, to explain what he thinks just happened. ‘It was easy to think that maybe 2008 was the anomaly,’ he says. ‘And I think 2012 was an indication that, no, this is not an anomaly. We’ve gone through a very difficult time. The American people have rightly been frustrated at the pace of change, and the economy is still struggling, and this President we elected is imperfect. And yet despite all that, this is who we want to be.’
“He smiles. ‘That’s a good thing.'”
Full Time article here
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Pete Souza: “The President works on his Newtown speech. Two days earlier, I photographed him when John Brennan first briefed him on the shootings. Throughout that day, he reacted as we all did, which people witnessed when he delivered his statement a few hours later. Before we headed to Newtown for the Sunday night vigil, he went to watch his daughter Sasha, 11, rehearse for her ballet performance in the Nutcracker. He was going to miss her performance that night because of the trip to Newtown. During breaks in the rehearsal, he worked on the speech. His expression in this photograph may be subtle to the viewer, but not to me. There is emotion and resolve etched on his face, and I know this was perhaps the toughest day of his Presidency.”
****
NYT: President Obama has ordered Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to lead an interagency group to develop a multifaceted response to last week’s mass shooting at a Connecticut school, a White House official said.
Mr. Obama will appear in the White House briefing room alongside Mr. Biden at 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday to announce the assignment but an aide said they will not announce any major policy decisions. Instead, the aide said the president will lay out a process for developing new policies.
More here
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Greg Sargent: I continue to be cautiously — or perhaps foolishly — optimistic that we may really see Democrats attempt gun law reform in the wake of the Newtown carnage, and today brings fresh reasons for that optimism.
At the White House briefing, press secretary Jay Carney confirmed that President Obama supports Senator Dianne Feinstein’s proposal to renew the assault weapons ban, which she intends to introduce on the first day of the new Congress.
Here’s more: A top member of the Senate Democratic leadership tells me Dems are very likely to introduce a whole package of reforms — not just the assault weapons ban; that plus a host of other initiatives — during the first half of 2013.
Full post here
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President Obama and Vice President Biden share a laugh before an event at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth, N.H., Sept. 7, 2012 (Pete Souza)
President Barack Obama pretends to be caught in Spider-Man’s web as he greets the son of a White House staffer in the Outer Oval Office, Oct. 26, 2012 (Pete Souza)
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama embrace after watching CNN project the outcome of the election, at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park, Nov. 6, 2012 (Pete Souza)
More photos at Time
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Photos by Callie Shell for Time – more here
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President Barack Obama listens to Cecilia Muñoz, Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council, during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Dec. 18, 2012. At right is Roberto Rodriquez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
*****
Time: A social media director for the Obama campaign tells the story of how a well-timed photo of Barack and Michelle Obama broke records for Twitter and Facebook.
See video here
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MoooOOOoooOOOoooorning everyone.
The Obama Diary 
GM everyone 🙂
Some of my fave photos included in this Person of the Year tweet
Beautiful photos! The third one is so special because of the circumstances, and the last one is one of my favorites ever. I Love the photographs of the president with children; you always see how he loves them and how the children feel it and thus feel happy and safe in his presence. I’ll add something I said some time ago: I’m particularly touched when I see white children with him; they don’t “see” the color of his skin, they don’t care, they’re just excited to see him. This…. This gives me hope.
AAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PBO – TIME’S PERSON OF THE YEAR!!! and my PERSON OF THE YEAR too. I love all the pics but the third and fourth just make my heart do a flip. I love the little girl in the white frilly leaning her chin on the President’s knee. She belies the image of PBO as scary and dangerous. She hasn’t said a word but we get it, we know what she means when puts her chin on PBO’s leg. PBO is the safest person in the world. The last picture makes me tear-up because the little boy is giving PBO a daddy hug. I just love that picture so much. I hope they will sell an eight volume set of PBO pics. I would save my money and buy it in a New York minute. There’s no one like and there will never ever be. I love him so much.
Woohoo Wednesday! Mr President
President giving gun control statement at 11:45 ET today. Congrats libra:)
I wish I could see that – hope you are feeling better DF!
Thanks…it’s still hanging on….
Good Morning. Our PBO is Person of the Year again, woot woot!
Morning CEB, morning everyone
Hidee HO, Ho, HO, Os!!!! A brisk but great getting up day again at the TOD playground. PBO is the Man of the Year this year and in my humble opinion for many years prior and to come. Morning Joe had a great segment with the managing editor of Time who talked about how the decision was made.
There were great pictures, one especially of him at Malia’s dress rehearsal for the school’s Nutcracker recital, where he wrote his speech for Newtown that he’d deliver the next day. He went to the dress rehearsal because he would not be able to attend the actual performance due to the Newtown tragedy. Very poignant, my nomination for best picture of the year. The cover is excellent and the first time they used silver to border the cover.
http://lightbox.time.com/2012/10/08/pete-souza-portrait-of-a-presidency/?iid=poy-article-photography#9
http://lightbox.time.com/2012/10/08/pete-souza-portrait-of-a-presidency/#1
I might actually subscribe to Time magazine!!!!!
{Ok, let’s not get TOO carried away here. 🙂 }
Oh heck nah! Just gonna get the one issue and put it away.
I agree…going to actually buy a magazine for the first time in years, just to get that picture; that’s how much I love it. Brilliant.
twas’ 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven’s gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn’t know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
“where are we?” asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
“this is heaven.” declared a small boy. “we’re spending Christmas at God’s house.”
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus’ face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, “I’ll take care of mom and dad.”
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
“Let My power and presence re-enter this land!”
“may this country be delivered from the hands of fools”
“I’m taking back my nation. I’m taking back my schools!”
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
“come now my children, let me show you around.”
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
“in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT.”
Thank you squarepeg, this is a beautiful poem that brings me peace in the belief that the children are safe and happy, one day awaiting to see their parents one day once again in heaven.
Ana,the girl in her father’s video is singing for Jesus. When I look at the video I cry over and over again. Yet I keep going back to look at it. Her brother makes me want to get back to the keyboard and practice my scales. Two lovely children,one went home to heaven. I will continue to pray for all the grieving parents.
Squarepeg, that was just incredibly moving. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing.
This poem was beautiful, squarepeg. Thank you for sharing this with us, it brought me to tears.
I love this paragraph from the Time article
“Few experts predicted two years ago that Obama would be busy writing his second Inaugural Address. Pre-election polling showed depressed enthusiasm among young people and Latinos, for example, amid soaring interest among white evangelicals and the elderly. But the poll questions did not account for Obama’s secret weapon: the people who don’t much care for politics. A sizable chunk of the President’s most ardent backers don’t admire either party yet think Obama is somehow above it all, immune to all the horse trading and favor mongering that politics entails. These voters aren’t political in the cable-TV sense of the word. But in 2012, they stuck by Obama. In the last month of the Obama campaign’s voter registration, 70% of those signed up were women, minorities or people under 30.”
The President’s most ardent backers sounds like Chips and her chicks here at TOD!.
Yup. That’s us they are talkin’ about. 🙂
I am trying to imagine you as a chick following mother hen Chips, I think you will be the one that keeps looking at stuff on the way and not following in line – ducks and run!
You mean I am not the henpecked type ? 😀
Love the word ‘ardent’, however it is an understatement for TODobots! Eh, VC? {{{{{PBO}}}}} Chipsticks, I bow to you, you are a Wonder! A first world wonder! 😆
Moooooooooooooorning Pamela!!!!!!
He has earned the right to set that direction and has learned from experience how to move the country. After four of the most challenging years in the nation’s history, his chance to leave office as a great President who was able to face crises and build a new majority coalition remains within reach.
Amen
Amk, I wish you words could be sent to every American on inauguration day.
The quote came from the Time article (though, of course, it echoes similar comments that amk has made many times).
Double Amen!
Treasury announces plans to end GM bailout
By Peter Schroeder
The Treasury Department said Wednesday it expects to exit its bailout of General Motors (GM) within the next 12 to 15 months.
Good morning Chips and TOD family and Happy Wednesday to everyone. Congrats Sweetp on being first. President Obama is Times Person of the year. Other than Chips, who else but President Obama deserves such acknowledgement.
RanMan, I can’t believe they didn’t pick me 😆 Morning!!!
I am sure it was agonizing, heart wrenching, pull-your-hair-out, difficult decision which some of the selectors may never recover. 🙂 🙂 😀
I’m guessing that too RanMan 😆
Stengel from Time on Today talking about their Obama pick—-that he was the first since FDR to be re-elected with over 51% of vote, that in spite of tough economic times he was re-elected, going against conventional wisdom, that he represents the new multi-cultural America, and that the 15% who don’t usually vote came out to vote for Obama because they like him, they really like him. That has always been my belief—–that in the end, no matter what else is going on, most people vote for the person they like the best. Simple as that, end of story.
we actually really really love him, we love him for his moral courage, his humility, intellect, big heart and his ability to see the light in the midst of the raging storm. He is constantly in his words and deeds showing us what we are capable of being, encouraging us to find our courage. We are happy they are catching up on what we who love him already know of the man PBO.
Beautifully stated. I agree 1000%.
Hi Esi, I totally agree with you. PBO is one of the greatest presidents ever
I echo those words and many ofthers from above Esi’s.
Bonjour TODville.
A very happy NCLB in the great city of NewYork!
This is it, esi! Exactly! There are many of us here who never doubted, never feared, never listened to the utter bs being tossed into the faces of America each and every day. Your comment shows you knew that! 🙂
And it’s never about him…
Very Well said, Esi!
And they trust him. An early finding that the campaign built on according to the Time article.
The one they like the best who has the best message. Period.
A lot of the pictures we’ve seen here on TOD, thanks to Chips, but there are some in there that we haven’t seen so check it out. 😀
This picture brought a smile to my face.
I bet is memoir after 2016 is a gonna be a huge hit.
I’ll bet the biggest non-fiction bestseller of alltime.
Heck, it would do even better than the bestseller fiction. Easily 5 million copies.
Interesting trivia: “A Tale of Two Cities” is the best selling single volume fiction book in English of all time with over 200 million sold.
Wow. 200 million ? Ok, his memoir may not beat that. 🙂
I betcha Wayne Rooney’s will, though 😎
In your dreams. Are we even sure Rooney can read let alone write?
😯 He most certainly can read, here’s a pic of him reading his, um, fave book:
Yeeeeeeah. Come out come out come out Ghost writer.
That’s a wild allegation!
Sure it can. If the 16M TOD clickers purchased a proportionate amount of his memoirs to number of TOD clicks, then it’s easy. If the 16M clicks were representative of 16M PBO TOD folks, then that’s only 12.5M memoirs per person. We can give them as gifts to our 12.5M closest friends.
😆 But Cookemom, I see a weakness in your arithmetic – it’s not 16 million TODers, it’s 16 million views. So, it could be that there are only, say, 23 TODers, each of whom would have to buy, I dunno, gazillions of books each? That’s a lot.
23 toders and 16 million views? I bet you learnt math from ruiney school.
😆 Poor Wayne, both his reading and arithmetic skills are being questioned in this thread, it’s an outrage.
Well “A Tale of Two Cities” has had a lot of time to build up. Give it 150 years and I bet it will top that!
Absolutely…
I am with you Mary! I think it may even take fewer years than 150.
I just heard the news about PBO. Time Magazine Person of the Year! I guess I’ll have to buy the magazine. 🙂
The poling was always scewed to the right. We knew he was going to make it.
GM everyone. I haven’t been posting lately but still trying to catch up on my reading. Hope you all have a great Holiday Season.
Chips congtrats on your numbers going up and up 🙂 love it, a great place to come, and more are finding that all the time.
Gotta go, have a great one.
Good morning, TODville. POTUS is the Man of our Lifetime.
PROGRESS.
Good Morning Chips, good morning everyone. What a glorious morning. Hope you all have a wonderful day. I can’t wait to get home and feast my eyes on these wonderful pictures, and read all of the wonderful comments here.
Have a great day everyone!!
GM all. Congrats to PBO for Time’s Person of the Year. He earned it and deserves it.
My best pic of 2012: selections
1. PBO prepares Newtown speech at Malia’s dress rehearsal of her school’s Nutcracker performance: – http://lightbox.time.com/2012/10/08/pete-souza-portrait-of-a-presidency/#1
2. Eight-year old Make-A-Wish child Janiya Penny reacts after meeting President Barack Obama as he welcomes her family to the Oval Office, Aug. 8, 2012: http://lightbox.time.com/2012/10/08/pete-souza-portrait-of-a-presidency/?iid=poy-article-photography#15
3. “This was one of the most poignant moments of the President’s first term. He was visiting wounded warriors in the intensive care unit ICU at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, May 1, 2012. He had just presented a Purple Heart to Sgt. Chase Haag, who had been injured by an IED just hours before. Sgt. Haag was covered with a blanket and it was difficult to see how badly he was injured. He was also seemingly unconscious so the President whispered in his ear so not to wake him. Just then, there was a rustling under the blanket and Sgt. Haag, eyes still closed, reached his hand out to shake hands with the President.” – http://lightbox.time.com/2012/10/08/pete-souza-portrait-of-a-presidency/?iid=poy-article-photography#24
There are so many that would qualify, but these stayed with me long after I saw them. They spoke to who PBO is – a dad who finds a way to support his daughter/s even when the weight of the world bears down upon him; a compassionate beacon of hope to a child and her family as he understands the need for affordable health care for young and old alike, and a caring CIC who makes the hard decisions, yet can acknowledge and shoulder the burden of what those decisions mean.
This picture reminds me of how much the presidency requires of those who wear the mantle.
Part of the caption beneath the pic:
// Before we headed to Newtown for the Sunday night vigil, he went to watch his daughter Sasha, 11, rehearse for her ballet performance in the Nutcracker. He was going to miss her performance that night because of the trip to Newtown. During breaks in the rehearsal, he worked on the speech. His expression in this photograph may be subtle to the viewer, but not to me. There is emotion and resolve etched on his face, and I know this was perhaps the toughest day of his Presidency.” //
Read more: http://lightbox.time.com/2012/10/08/pete-souza-portrait-of-a-presidency/#ixzz2FVVZsNRY
It’s sad that he had to miss Sasha’s performance but at least he got to see her rehearsal.
Good Morning Everyone:-)
I am just so so happy…burst into tears…There’s no one more deserving than President Obama..to be chosen for Person of the Year…in my mind he’s “Person of the Century”
~ Peace
Anyone know how I could post this to FB?
I figured it out. Got it.
chips THANKS for the photo! great choice time magazine… i’d say he’s MAN OF THE CENTURY. ♥♥ Love My President ♥♥
President Obama has been my person of the year for some time… I suspect he’ll be person of the year many times throughout our history. I am so proud of him, of all of us who had the wisdom to see through the muck and keep him where he belongs- leading this country. Happy Wednesday TOD family ~ Chips. I really love that picture they used for the cover.
i love this photo–i’d never seen it before.
good hawaii morning chips and todville!
It’s Wednesday of a long week TODobots! Wishing a good, productive day for all TOD family and friends! {{CTGirl}} Special real time ‘Good Afternoon’, Ms Chips! 😉 😉
Hoping Pres. Obama can wrap things up enough for him to get a week of downtime with his family. In other words, Santa, wishing for some ‘peace’ on the national-international level.
Wow! The NRA is really coming out against gun control and wants all Teachers Armed.
Unbelievable! They look so small, and out of touch.
And the 1 Teacher that told Katy Kay She wishes she had a Gib to fight back? Really? What happens if a Kid got a hold of this said Gun? It would have had to be out in the open, you certainly would not have the time to go to a safe, put combination in, take gun out, put clip in, take safety off and use it against suspect. And what if then said Teacher makes a mistake, shoots somebody that is not the suspect, or mistakenly kills a Kid?
These are questions the NRA will avoid, because they don’t want their profits interrupted.
Sickening!
This shows how much people can’t think past their nose…….Teachers are paid so little but they still buy paper, pencils, pens, for their students and now these government representatives are going to PAY for teachers to have guns? pay for their gun range practice? NO they won’t…teachers will now have to PAY to be gun experts and PAY for their continuing education. When will teachers have time to go to gun ranges between grading papers? These people are pure idiots.
Another favorite 2012 moment of mine was when the Supreme Court UPHELD the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare!) as constitutional. 🙂 🙂
While watching the news early this morning I heard that a six grader was found to have brought a gun to school with bullets in his back pack so he can protect himself in case anything were to happen like what happen in Newtown. Now how dam crazy is that. And from what I heard his parents knew all about it. The story also said the 6 grader were pointing the gun at other students, now once again I ask how dam crazy is that.
I guess these gun lovers want everybody to be walking around with conceal guns, ready to shot in a spare of a moment. The problem with that is if everybody have guns, everybody will be shooting and innocent people will still get hurt or kill, then if everybody have a gun how is the cops going to know who the good guys are, now we all know it’s would be a hole another story if the police walk up and saw black boy carrying a gun, shoot first ask questions later.
‘TIME’ HAS GOOD TASTE…IT IS PBO’S ‘TIME’ AND IT IS OUR ‘TIME!’…:)
US President Obama is to announce that Vice-President Joe Biden will lead government attempts to respond to the deadly school shootings in Connecticut.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-20782805
There is so much long-standing evidence from different sources that our President is a people person. 😆 😆
/…
Shell first met then-State-Senator Barack Obama in Chicago while she was covering Senator John Kerry’s presidential run in 2004, and Obama introduced Kerry at a campaign event. “We got to hang out in the hallway, and I just got to watch him and realize how truly gracious and kind he was to everyone around him,” she says, remembering how he connected with everyone who walked through the hall. Like Shell, Obama was also away from his young children and spouse. “Family is really important to him, family is really important to me,” she says. “We both always told people that we married up.”
…. [Callie Shell] sees that his core has not changed at all—he still tries to make those around him feel at ease.
Read more: http://lightbox.time.com/2012/12/19/48-hours-with-obama-times-person-of-the-year-2012-by-callie-shell/#ixzz2FVagjvTG
http://lightbox.time.com/2012/12/19/48-hours-with-obama-times-person-of-the-year-2012-by-callie-shell/?iid=lb-late1#1
TIME Magazine sat down with Pres. Obama as part of the formalities of being Person of the Year and also talked about his 2nd term agenda. It’s a very wide ranging interview about immigration reform, climate change, our biased criminal justice system, energy, marijuana, the economy, the Obama coalition, Lincoln, the role of government, the diary he keeps, and humorous references between him and Rahm Emanuel about Hawaii.
TIME: So we’ll start right in. In fact, we’re going to go so far ahead. If we were sitting here four years from now and you were looking back on what your legacy is as a two-term Democratic President — we know what Ronald Reagan did and we know what FDR did — what would you want people to say about your two terms?
THE PRESIDENT: I think what I’d want people to say is that having come in at a time when our economy was on the brink of collapse, when we had gone through a decade in which middle-class families were doing worse and worse, and the ladders of opportunity into the middle class for people who were willing to work hard had begun to deteriorate; at a time when, internationally, we were embroiled in two wars but our leadership around the world was being questioned, that we had steered this ship of state so that we once again had an economy that worked for everybody; that we had laid the foundation for broad-based prosperity; and that internationally we had created the framework for continued American leadership in the world throughout the 21st century, while recognizing that the world is changing and that we should encourage the kind of growth and development in other parts of the world, but over the long term will be good for us and good for the world.
I had a question about one part of the exit polls — that one of the things that came out comparing 2012 to 2008 is that numbers saying they think the government should be doing more versus the government is already doing too much dropped a bit. I mean, there’s a different feeling. And what you just laid out, a lot of that is the government doing more to bring fairness to the economy — a fair shot, fair share. How do you interpret that result?
Well, I’m not arguing for government to do more; I’m arguing for government to do more of the right thing. So I haven’t been arguing for greater government spending per se. I think it makes sense for us to spend less on wars and more on research and development. In sectors like energy, I haven’t been arguing for more spending per se; I’ve been arguing that it doesn’t make sense for us to spend $4 billion subsidizing an oil industry that’s mature and very profitable. We should be using that money to finance clean energy of the future.
So some of this is how do we prioritize what government does in a way that fills the holes, the gaps that the market may not be able to address and that creates platforms and toolkits for individuals to succeed.
I wanted to ask you, Mr. President, about the film Lincoln. We know that you gathered a group to see it here. And for me watching that movie, it was as if I had spent three hours with Lincoln. And I wondered how — it was a very emotional experience. And I wondered how you felt watching that movie. What was it like for you to spend that time with Lincoln?
Well, first of all, Daniel Day-Lewis was sitting next to me, or right behind me. (Laughter.) And so, even after the movie, I felt like I was still hanging out with Lincoln. He was masterful in that role. I think it’s well publicized that Lincoln is my favorite President, and so to see an intimate depiction of him in his work and the challenges that faced him even in a relatively compressed period of time was incredibly powerful.
I think it’s generally a good idea for any President not to compare himself to Lincoln. (Laughter.) And so the magnitude of his challenges and the magnitude of his gifts are of a different scope and scale of any subsequent President.
I do think that there are lessons to be drawn. Part of what Lincoln teaches us is that to pursue the highest ideals and a deeply moral cause requires you also engage and get your hands dirty. And there are trade-offs and there are compromises. And what made him such a remarkable individual, as well as a remarkable President, was his capacity to balance the idea that there are some eternal truths with the fact that we live in the here and now, and the here and now is messy and difficult. And anything we do is going to be somewhat imperfect. And so what we try to do is just tack in the right direction.
And you do understand that as President of the United States, the amount of power you have is overstated in some ways, but what you do have the capacity to do is to set a direction. And you recognize you’re not going to arrive with — you’ll never arrive at that promised land, and whatever seeds you plant now may bear fruit many years later.
So being able to project across a very long timeline while still being focused on the immediate tug and pull of politics I think is a useful lesson, and an accurate portrayal of how I think about my work day to day.
One of the other things that I’ve heard is being discussed when you think about a second term is the idea of criminal justice reform. What would your goals be in that area? What is the problem you think can be solved in the next few years?
Well, I don’t think it’s any secret that we have one of the two or three highest incarceration rates in the world, per capita. I tend to be pretty conservative, pretty law and order, when it comes to violent crime. My attitude is, is that when you rape, murder, assault somebody, that you’ve made a choice; the society has every right to not only make sure you pay for that crime, but in some cases to disable you from continuing to engage in violent behavior.
But there’s a big chunk of that prison population, a great huge chunk of our criminal justice system that is involved in nonviolent crimes. And it is having a disabling effect on communities. Obviously, inner city communities are most obvious, but when you go into rural communities, you see a similar impact. You have entire populations that are rendered incapable of getting a legitimate job because of a prison record. And it gobbles up a huge amount of resources. If you look at state budgets, part of the reason that tuition has been rising in public universities across the country is because more and more resources were going into paying for prisons, and that left less money to provide to colleges and universities.
And going from the sublime to the ridiculous here, but I — and Michael’s story looks both backwards and forwards. And I ran into, during the campaign, a fellow who used to work for you who is now the mayor of a major American city, and I said to him, what happened to the President in the first debate? And Rahm said, he had a Hawaii moment. (Laughter.) And I said, what doesthat mean? And he was gone. What does that mean?
What he was probably referring to — he and I, when we were in the Oval Office sometimes, and the banks looked like they were melting down and the Afghan war is raging, and the auto industry is on the verge of collapse, and we’d sit here at the end of the day and we’d have little fantasies about us taking our families and just moving to Hawaii and opening up a t-shirt shack on the North Shore, and we’d just sell t-shirts and maybe smoothies, and sit there and watch the waves. So that might have been the reference he was making.
Look, the truth is, is that during the course of a campaign, there’s never been any candidate, including certainly me in 2008, who doesn’t have moments where you just — you don’t deliver your A-game. I think a testimony to what a great job our team did in running this campaign is we didn’t have a lot of those moments. Part of the reason why the first debate actually has become this sort of legend in the minds of political pundits is we just didn’t screw up a lot this time. It was really a well-run campaign. We didn’t make a lot of mistakes. So that was the one identifiable mistake, and it got magnified, I think, as a consequence.
But part of it also just has to do with the fact that that particular format has never been a strength of mine. Idon’t approach most interactions with people trying to insult them or show how stupid they are. And that’s how you score points in those things. It’s a very artificial construct. It’s theater. And I think there are times — and this was true back in ’08 — where I find it sort of hard to engage in those theatrics because I’m thinking we’ve got really important issues, and what we say should be based in facts, and there should be the capacity to check whether what you’re saying now corresponds with what you said two weeks ago. And that’s just not the format.
Read more: http://poy.time.com/2012/12/19/setting-the-stage-for-a-second-term/#ixzz2FVcJrEzM
Thanks for this summary. I could read Obama’s words from now until forever. He’s extraordinary. Times a billion.
Are you going to buy the magazine?
When will we be able to buy it, this week or next?
me too dotster- forever.. he is just so remarkable.
Today aired an interview with Michelle by Jenna Bush Hager, said to have been taped “a few weeks ago”——I’m guessing the beginning of Dec. as they talked about all the WH decorating and festivities etc. I thought Michelle was prophetic with this statement though—-they were talking about going to Hawaii for xmas and Jenna said something like—‘after the busy fall campaign and the holiday activities, at least you can all get away and relax finally’, and Michelle said, ‘I hope. But you never know as this job never stops. You never know what could happen.’
President Obama as Time Person of the Year is okay, but I remember a few weeks ago this was a discussion here and someone said choosing the Voters would be a good idea, I agree. Despite all the Republican B.S. they had to deal with they came out to vote, they remain in line for eight, nine hours, just to vote.
I was one of the people here that suggested that all those people in the swing states should be “Persons of the Year” where the republican governors and secretary of states tried their best to deny their people the right to vote and they stood in line for hours.
jojothecat, the Republicans work their butts off trying to steal this election that is what makes the re-election of Barack Obama so, so, so,so sweet.
Okay? I can’t think of anyone or anything more deserving. No one else is even in the same ball park, the same stratosphere.
I can think of plenty, don’t anyone doubt my support for President Obama, but there are lots of people who is deserving.
Good Morning Everyone! I’m glad Time got it right this time! Beautiful photos accompanying their article.
Here’s one.
Mooooooorning Dudette, mooooooorning everyone.
Mooooooorning Chips, Darling!
The photo they ended up choosing for the cover is very reminiscent of the profile of Lincoln (Daniel Day Lewis) used in the Lincoln movie poster. It’s not the typical 1000-watt PBO smile, but very serious, determined, and full of gravitas. Very fitting for these times, and a second term for the ages.
Yes, I saw the same thing immediately! I thought it was perfect! I suspect this photo will go down in history as an iconic image of him.
By “this photo” I mean the one they chose for the cover.
Robert Bork died. http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014342462
Whoa……that is one name I haven’t heard in a long time. Very controversial conservative figure.
Good riddance.
Bork was a legal advisor to the failed and incompetent Robme presidential campaign. Another reason we should be thankful Robme did not win, he wanted to put justices on the bench like Bork and Scalia.
Good morning, Chips and TOD Family, congratulations to US for OUR President being named “Man of the Year”. We all share this together. We fought back hard and strong digging deep in our pockets and from the very core of our souls. Here is a toast to all of US! I cannot even fathom what my nerves and emotions would be going through if the outcome had been different. What an absolute nightmare!
Chips, my favorites for 2012 are:
1. PBO singing at the Apollo Theatre(not because I was there……no way)
2. PBO singing “Sweet Home Chicago”(it was so impromptu)
3. The Kiss Cam
4. PBO and FLOTUS on the navy ship and the lovely sweater FLOTUS wore(it seemed as if he was sweetly poking fun at her and she was trying to hold her composure)
5. Gabby and PBO embrace
I am so hoping they will dance to “Let’s Stay Together” at the Inauguration and Rev. Al(not Shapton, of course) signing.
We need some light hearted come together song that we all know to set the mood after what we have been through in 2012 and what we will go through in 2013. I am not predicting anything negative. I just expect the Rethugs, Emprogs, NRA evilness to reach another level because our President was named “Man of the Year”.
We must keep on pushing, motivating and encouraging each other as we go. Change is here and it is us!
Love you guys. See you at the Inauguration.
Ah, lovely memories LDS, hoping that’ll be the inauguration song too – but maybe PBO should sing and dance at the same time? 🙂
That will work, also Chips. I know FLOTUS would not be surprised at all! He loves to charm her and does not care who is watching. I just love that about them. They are so comfortable with each other and it shows!
Retired Sandy Hook School principal will step up and return to her old job. I’m guessing those kids will remain in the neighboring school —-a formerly empty school—–for the time being. I saw the supt. of schools there saying today that parents have told her they never want to walk into Sandy Hook school again. I’m guessing it will have to be leveled and a new school eventually built.
The school should be leveled and a park put in it’s place as a memorial to the teachers and children. Then once a permanent ban on assault weapons and other high powered guns used to kill people is signed by THIS president, the park should be a pilgramage to when the United States woke up and decided people and children are more important than these killing machines.
THIS!
This is a brilliant idea, JoJo. I hope the new school they build is bright, sunny and cheerful and the park is filled, not just with sad memorials, but with wonderful things for children to play with. The children need to be remembered for all their sense of fun and joy in life and it should be a place where generations of kids can come to laugh and enjoy the freedom to run and play.
This would be a fitting and beautiful memorial. Let’s encourage this idea.
That’s a wonderful suggestion, jojothecat!
Duh! Of course HE is person of the year. Congratulations President Barack Obama. You are more than a ‘cut’ above the rest.
Some interesting stuff. Rick Stengel talks to Morning Joe and the Today Show about Pres. Obama being TIME’s Person of the Year and Jenna Bush Hager talks to the Today Show and Morning Joe about her special on Christmas at the White House through the years. She shows clips of her interview with First Lady Michelle Obama. Her christmas special airs tomorrow, Thursday Dec. 20th, 2012 at 8PM ET/ 7PM CT on NBC.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/ns/msnbc_tv-morning_joe/#50246171
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/ns/msnbc_tv-morning_joe/#50246209
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nbc-news/50246395/#50246088
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nbc-news/50246395/#50245742
Thank you UT!
Well-deserved Person of the Year. The cover photo totally captures exactly where he is in his life and his Presidency: tested, resolved, and looking forward. It’s beautiful.
Good Morning TOD!
Just for the record, IMO he has been “Person of the Year” every year he has been President of the United States. No one works any harder on behalf of this Nation than President Obama.
I’ll be purchasing this keepsake.
It saddens me that he had to miss Sasha’s Nutcracker performance. Some wondered why Mrs O didn’t attend the Memorial and now we have our answer. That family sacrifices so much on our behalf. I will forever be grateful for their service and sacrifice to our country.
Have a great Productive O’Day Everyone!
Absolutely spot on Donna…
WEBCAST HAPPENING NOW – “The State of the Right to Vote After the 2012 Election”
http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=6abd68f7fb774eaf67bd70b1bcfb693d
h/t Ari Berman tweet
Former Governor Charlie Crist is giving powerful testimony.
I am getting emails from the RW “TOWNHALL”,,,,,,I don’t know how they got my email address and unsubscribing doesn’t work. Is anyone else getting emails from them?
Great story—–“I went fishing and caught 4 deer”
http://yacklebrothersracing.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/went-fishing-caught-4-deer/
The profound love for our president woke up even the usually uninvolved voters and propelled them to the polling booth even though they were wary of being rejected. That gives all of us a great deal of satisfaction and joy, but it also gives us a problem going forward. As I’ve mentioned before a good many low information voters, particularly Latinos, fell in love with Barack Obama, not the Democratic Party. When 2013 local elections and 2014 Congressional and Senate collections come around the trick is to transfer that devotion to other Democratic candidates or the president will have a very hard road going forward. It’s not enough to have gotten him re-elected, we have to do everything in our power to ensure that he builds an outstanding record to leave behind him as his legacy. When we canvassed the Latino wards, few could tell us the difference between Republicans and Democrats and most would not identify themselves as either. But they would vote for Obama’s party. So please, as I’ve mentioned before, when you phone bank or canvass for the off year and mid terms elections, be sure to tell everyone that you are working on behalf of the president’s party. The president’s name will not be on any ballots from now on, so it’s up to us to cover our candidates with the Obama aura and then make damned sure they live up to it.
But it is also imperative that Democrats in elected office and in general begin to very publicly extend President Obama the respect and support he is due…
They can’t slinker away when the going gets tough, or publicly bash him or offer mealy mouthed support of him then think they are automatically entitled to or get to assume the full support of those who singularly identify as President Obama supporters…
If Democrats in elected office can publicy celebrate and elevate both Bill and Hillary Clinton – and often just for the heck of it – there is no reason why they cannot effusively support the President on whose coat tails many rode into office in 2008 and again in 2012…
This is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Aww…Smile on my face, warm glow in my heart! Thank you UT!
President at 11:45 EST will announce gun safety task force. MSNBC
Excellent!
Couldn’t agree more…
I’m sure others have said it….but as soon as I saw this headline and told my husband, we both said “Who else could it be!”
That is a powerful picture………says so much.
Woot! Another excellent choice America!!
WOW!!! I am so happy. I was hoping it would be him. Very deserved. His re-election was improbable but the people were unstoppable and you could tell by his emotion that this election was more profoundly felt.
Once again, Pres. Obama comes through for the middle and working class as he always does. But I bet this won’t silent the hair on fire so called “Obama Supporters.”
I am watching the brain Hal Sparks on Stephanie Miller. He is getting ready to talk these so-called supporters down, at Stephanie’s request. 🙂
Once again, President can offer the GOP what THEY WANT and because it comes from PBO, they STILL SAY NO! The President offered them more spending to alittle incease in taxes and they all said NO! I think the president floated that CPI issue to see if they would take a bite and they walked away because they did not get everything they wanted. In my opinion, the President can offer to privitize SS if they allow the Bush tax cuts to go up on $250K and up the TEA-OP would still say NO!
This is the white house’s Photo of the Day. 😀
Heads up everyone:
http://theobamadiary.com/2012/12/19/heads-up-president-obama-vp-biden-statements-on-gun-safety-task-force/
Christmas gift from my boss (who is also a dear friend) : “I know you’ve read these already, but there’s nothing like hearing his voice!” [Gift: Audiobooks of Dreams of My Father and the Audacity of Hope] Gawd she knows me so well.
Jake Tapper to the president on the gun issue: “where have you been?”. What a jerk, what a jerk. Where has HE been in the last four years? Hasn’t he noticed how INSANE the workload of this president has been, how HISTORIC his accomplishments are, how the republicans have made every legislative battle longer and more difficult than necessary ( debt ceiling anyone?). .?? Maybe there is legitimacy for a journalist to ask the president why he didn’t work on the gun issue, but to be so disrespectful, so condescending in the words and the tone… I’m fuming…. And you could sense that the president didn’t like it either. For the record, I think that in addition to the workload of the first term, the reason why the president didn’t launch any initiative on the gun issue is because he knew there was NO political will on the Hill to deal with this. But he was frustrated, as has been reported in a couple of articles this week. Sadly, it took the murder of twenty little children to skake the political class (and the population) to the core so he can finally tackle the problem.
yes meta, “POTUS is the Man of our Lifetime.”
THANKS for the “heads up” chipsticks! standing by to watch…
Tapper tried to make himself the news and looked stupid. Period.