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Today:
10:45 President Obama will call on Congress to avert the automatic spending cuts coming next week
3:30: VP Biden participates in a Facebook Town Hall on gun violence
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President Obama returning to the White House, Feb 18
USA Today: President Obama will urge congressional Republicans to avoid automatic budget cuts next month by appearing Tuesday with a group of emergency responders who might have to absorb some of those cuts.
The group of emergency responders who will stand beside Obama at 10:45 a.m. are “the kinds of working Americans whose jobs are on the line if Congressional Republicans fail to compromise on a balanced solution,” said an addition to the White House schedule.
More here
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Michael Tomasky: Whose “idea” was the sequester, and why should it matter? My Twitter feed these last couple of weeks has been overflowing with people going beyond the usual “communist” and “idiot” name-calling that I get every day and throwing the occasional “liar” in there because I “withhold” the information that the sequester was the Obama administration’s idea. Very well, consider that nugget hereby unwithheld. Let’s grant that this is true. But it’s true only because the Republicans were holding a gun to the administration’s head—and besides, the Republicans immediately voted for it. In any case the important thing now is that outside of Fox News land, it’s an unimportant fact whose “idea” it was. The Republicans are partial owners of this idea, and as the party that now wants the cuts to kick in, they deserve to – and will – bear more responsibility for the negative impacts.
Full post here
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Steve Benen: Over the weekend, USA Today published the leaked blueprint of the White House’s comprehensive immigration reform plan, built around an eight-year pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), demonstrating the kind of devotion to serious policymaking we’ve come to expect over his brief career, immediately condemned the unfinished plan he had not yet seen.
Full post here
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Deaniac (The People’s View): So, after USA Today reported on a White House draft legislation on immigration reform – something the president has always said he would do in the event Congress follows its usual path of doing nothing – Republicans began melting down faster than wax in a lit candle. Suddenly after months of complaining that the president won’t put his own plan out to deal with the debt, Republicans are seething that the president has his own plan on immigration.
Sen. Hydration, I mean Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida accused the White House proposal of following some sort of failed path even though he wouldn’t say just what in the White House draft he disagreed with……
Full post here
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Comment on YouTube by ‘Jack194343’: Before Mississippi could ratify the amendment, they had to learn how to read the amendment. That only took 147 years. Wait until they discover addition. That will knock their socks off. Imagine, not having to count by their fingers. What a leap forward that will be. But first, they have to learn to count to ten, so they know how many fingers they have. First things first, you know.
😯
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Join Organizing for Action’s Stephanie Cutter and other supporters online at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time this Wednesday for a policy briefing on gun violence prevention – see here
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The First Lady will be on the Rachael Ray Show tomorrow
Rev Al cracked me up at the end!
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MoooOOoooOOOoorning!
The Obama Diary 
Good morning Everyone. Have a great day.
If you get a change, there is an excellent book on The Black History of the White House by Clarence Lusane. Great read.
Morning Mariele, morning everyone.
G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone, and congrats Mariele on #1! 🙂
Mooooooooooorning Hopefruit!
morning.
Good Morning Everyone! Congrats Mariele!
TODers, Don’t forget to be AWESOME!!!!
Morning:)
Congrats on first, Mariele! Top of the morning to Ms. Chips and all the lovely folks who make this place THE place to be!!
Moooooooooorning Lynn!!!! Have a blissful day!
Back at ya lovely lady!! Just got back from early chores to find a personal greeting from Your Awesomeness!! I am eternally grateful for the amazing community you have created and the hard work and sharing nature of one and all!! Round 2 on my chores schedule will be all the smoother!!
You’re a sweetheart Lynn, thank you! Best of luck with round two!
And I’m off with a smile on my face and a song in my heart!!
Hey all you O’s!!! Up and at ’em on this fine great getting up day in the TOD world!!!! I’m working on a Grand Bargain with an appliance center. The negotiations are heated because they want this time, I want more cuts and they want more spending. Go figure.
No wonder my negotiations are falling flat. Based on that above comment, I must sound like I’m talking backwards
Well……. 😆
Good morning Ms. chips and TOD family, I hope everyone have a great day today. Congrats mrm112 on being first this lovely Tuesday morning
Morning Ranman, have a beautiful day!
I doubt of the WHPC and MSM types like CNN, NBC, NYTimes, Adrea Mitchell, Chris Jansen, etc., will spend much time discussing MSNBC HUBRIS documentary vs President Obama golf outing with Tiger Woods.
And that says it all about the media, Ranman. Most of them probably didn’t even watch Hubris, they’re disgusting.
ranman11, I was thinking the exact same thing. Ed Henry, Mrs. Greenspan, the WHPC had a fit cause they couldn’t see POTUS play golf with Tiger Woods.
I took away that congress always believes a GOP administration – that they think that guns and war are necessary to ensure re-election – and voting against war is seen as a vote against American exceptionalism. The media supports and encourages this view.
That was the beginning of the downfall of the integrity of our news media, as far as I knew anyway. All of our most respected news outlets jumped on the war wagon. CNN still had a decent reputation at the time, and I remember being shocked about how excited Wolf Blitzer was about the war—-actually giddy. He was going to be embedded and seemed thrilled about the prospect. They had special war graphics and majestic music as they showed bombs away. It was shocking to me. And as the lies for war became widely known, the non-existence of WMD revealed, there has never been a mea culpa by the media outlets for their historic failure in the march to war.
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/02/19/17016480-the-details-paul-ryan-doesnt-want-you-to-know?lite
Last week, after House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) blamed President Obama for automatic sequestration cuts, I reported an overlooked detail: in August 2011, Ryan told Fox News that he and congressional Republicans deserve credit for the sequester, which contradicts the new GOP line.
snip/
As Jon Chait explained, “Obama is offering to cut spending on retirement programs and to cancel out cuts to defense — two things large chunks of the GOP would like — in return for more revenue. He’s not even demanding higher rates. He’s merely asking to reduce tax deductions. Ryan insists he won’t take the deal, because if he uses the revenue from reducing tax deductions to close the deficit, it won’t be available to reduce tax rates. Every other fiscal priority must give way for the overriding goal of reducing marginal tax rates.”
If you think Paul Ryan is serious about debt reduction, it’s time to accept the fact that you’ve been suckered.
Slight change – If you think Paul Ryan is serious – you’ve been suckered. Number 1 fake in congress – and he has a lot of opposition.
This is a terrific post by Steve Benen. I especially liked the sentence below. The mainstream media is out to lunch. It’s nice to see Jonathan Karl challenging the outlandish claims of Paul Ryan, but I can’t get too excited because that should be the NORM and not the EXCEPTION. It’s really pathetic when it’s news that a reporter actually challenged outright lies on the tv.
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I’d like to get the DC establishment together and make them write on a blackboard 100 times, “Paul Ryan is not a deficit hawk; he just wants to cut taxes.”
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that is the line that needs to be attached to all the rethug spokesbutts: not about the deficit; all about cutting taxes for their friends.
So there I was composing a reply to swbluega about the maddow documentary and as usual – a new thread intervenes
Hello Miss Chips – wonderful array of news – but but – you missed Benghazi and golf.
“but but – you missed Benghazi and golf”
😆 Promise, will have posts dedicated to Benghazi and golf later in the day, 99ts! Morning!
If you dropped those in about midday your time – I should be well asleep! Thank you so much for all the positive news – always a great read before heading to the land of nod.
I watched Hubris at 4AM this morning and wow…wow…wow. 10 years down the line and documentary after documentary on the Iraq war continues to blow my mind. Bush and Co. were determined to go to war come hell or high water and they aren’t apologetic about the 4000+ American lives lose and the 100,000+ Iraqi lives lost. So much for patriotism huh?
The underlying revelation about Hubris was the media’s complicity in selling the war. Folks from Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, NYT, etc. all have their hands covered in blood because report after report showed that a lot of the claims were dubious. The NYT knew that the pipes weren’t for uranium enrichment and yet they still colluded with the Bush Admin. in the destruction of thousands of lives. 10 years down the line and instead of bettering itself, the media has simply become one cesspit of incompetency, lies, and utter drivel.
Well said UT, especially about our worthless media.
amen
amen
amen
UT, I hope we’re seeing an era when more people recognize the incompetency of the media. Ten years ago, alternative media did not reach as many people and there were certainly far few means for people–especially young people–to get information. I’m seeing more skepticism these days about the talking heads on tv and actually far fewer people even referencing them except for seniors. The media did everything in its power to destroy President Obama and the American people ignored it and re-elected him–overwhelmingly. The media has done everything but cartwheels to turn Benghazi into a scandal and the endless stream of R’s on tv have been waving their arms and screaming to get people to react, but no one that I know of takes it seriously. When people talk about demographic changes, they don’t just mean a shrinking white population, they also mean a change in attitudes. In addition to defining ourselves as citizens, the most productive thing we can do as a people is develop a healthy skepticism for anything the media tells us.
Jackie, the fact that President Obama was re-elected despite the insane devotion of MSM to the GOP, is proof that you are right.
Good Morning, Everyone 🙂
Don’t get me wrong losing the lies of those four Americans in Benghazi was bad, but I am so fed up with John McCain and Lindsey Graham talking about that, when we lost over four thousand Americans in Iraq, no investigation into that because they think Iraq was a success.
Good West Coast morning Chipsticks &TOD family. Great coverage over the long weekend Chipsticks. I’m off to work!
The press wants answers from PBO about Beyonce lipsyncing……What did he know and when did he know it…….
Thought I’d check out Chuckie this morning – so far He’s discussing senate elections for 2014 and then
Important political things today includes – John McCain has a town hall in Arizona – listed with the President discussing the sequester & VP Biden discussing guns. Ahhhhhhhhhhh – I hope someone in Arizona throws a shoe.
Wish I could be there at that town hall! Interestingly, the media here, at least online…hasn’t mentioned a thing about that town hall meeting.
Inside knowledge – McCain tells Chuck – but doesn’t want anyone in Arizona to know about it – they might turn up to ask a few hard questions.
Good Morning Desertflower, my dear one. I have lots and lots of shoes that I would love to rush to you to use in that town hall meeting for walking. Really, I mean walking a few steps away so you can get a great force in your throw at Mr. Whiner. Love you (((DF))) HZ
I don’t watch Chuck Todd, but I would say that putting McCain on a par with PBO and VP Biden says more about Todd himself than anyone watching him. When you keep promoting a failed candidate you present yourself as a fool who’s not worth listening to.
I don’t watch him very often either jackie, I was just wondering what he might be discussing today – no mention of Rachel’s documentary – why am I not surprised – but the John McCain thing got me – what hold does McCain have over the media? They all fall over themselves to give him publicity – all the time.
That’s good news — FOR JOHN MCCAIN!!!!!!11!!1!!
Bill Press asked a writer from USA Today why should the press be able to watch PBO and Tiger play golf. The best answer he could come up with was “it frustrated them”. If a member of the national press cannot articulate their reasoning any better they are not qualified for the job.
Of course, they’re not qualified, Bill. The consequences of the sequester are big news that will affect a lot of people. But analyzing the impact of this would take real work and research. Their Royal Highnesses of the White Press Corps have a deep aversion to work. So they throw little temper tantrums so that in itself becomes the news and they essentially get paid for doing nothing. Neat little trick.
Hear-hear: Jackie I show wish your entire statement was tweetable because it is so on the mark.
They didn’t throw a fit until Tiger Woods showed up. They wanted to link the twosome and tarnish President Obama with Woods’ damaged reputation.
hopefruit2,all this over a golf game with Tiger Woods, my, my, my. It doesn’t make the press look good, but I guess they don’t care.
It will be interested to see how many questions Jay Carney gets about the golf week-end.
GM Chipsticks, TOD.
The Mother had a son with problems and the best thing she could think of to do with him was to go to a shooting range and teach him to shoot guns.
That’s it in a nutshell.
Frontline program “Raising Adam Lanza” is airing tonight on PBS—–an attempt to get some answers to this horrific event. I have stated that I question the sanity of those who are obsessed with their guns and in this case the sanity of this mother to seek to bond with this troubled child by sharing her love of guns and shooting. I don’t get choosing that activity when there are a million other wholesome options.
I was reading some new details in a Chgo Trib report on this massacre and reminded of the one little 6 yr. old girl who was the only one out of her class to survive. She played dead—-and then ran out of the room when Lanza left to go shoot another classroom down the hall. I expect she will need much therapy after the utter horror she experienced. And the bravery of the 6 little kids who somehow managed to run past the shooter and escape as he was shooting kids who had tried to hide under their desks in their classroom.
what, no toons today ?
Morning, amk:) That was a really nice write up from Nath about the wine suggestions last night:) Hope that you can find some of those suggestions and that you ply them sufficiently with yummy CA wine 🙂 Kidding! Enjoy your meeting….
Thanks df. nath was quite informative. I might even develop a taste for calif reds.
After the bidness, sending the clients to a lovely resort for a 2 day vacay.
Wonder if they’ll be offended I am not going with them.
Meh.
A man of true class, you are:) Good luck, though it doesn’t sound like you’ll need it!
‘sending the clients to a lovely resort for a 2 day vacay’
Dear, O dear! They are going to need TWO DAYS to recover from the wine you intend to ply them with?!! One shared bottle isn’t enough? Deep sigh! I suppose I should give you credit that you are making provisions so that they won’t have to ‘drink and drive’.
Couldn’t find any new ones this morning Amk! The toon people must be sleeping in after yesterday.
excuses, excuses, excuses
wimmin
Per request best I could find pertinent to today…..
LOL. Thanks LP. Love the kenyan’s thumb fiddle.
Looks like Chips and I are trying to suppress you needs before you go off into LaLa land.
you got to put up with 2 more hours of torture.
Found this from December, don’t think I saw it before (although, knowing my memory….) – gut-wrenching:
Thats brutal and poignant…..
I have trouble getting excited about limiting magazine capacity to 10 or 15 rounds——that’s 10 or 15 killed in a matter of seconds.
In new York State the limit is 7 shots in a magazine.
I have the same sentiments until Mark Kelly reminds us that the only reason the G.Giffords shooter was stopped, was he was reloading his magazine and tackled. Quoting @lawrence “I blame the shooter for the first 10 shots, I blame the magazine for the other 21”
Some real nice pictures, except the ones with a Republican in them.
They are GORGEOUS!!! Thank you Hopefruit!
Markets are still going up – is it “make hay while the sun shines” – or do they know something about the sequester that the GOP isn’t telling the the ret of the world?
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/The_Sequester_Mess
Mr Pierce seems to think the republicans will crash the economy, having no understanding of what/why they are doing
DOW IS RISING: 14,040.90 +59.14 (0.42%) Real-time: 9:59AM EST
Communist!
PBO to speak on sequester effect in about 45 minutes.
Good Morning TOD!
I’ve missed sooooo much the last few days. I took me a (much needed) short vaca over the holiday weekend and I am Fired Up and Ready to Go!
Now I must go back and check out all I missed the last few day.
Have a great O’Day Everyone!
Don’t taze me ‘bro. You’ll get it.
Morning Donna, I have been thinking about you. Just last evening, you came to my mind. Good to know that you took some time to vacation and rest up. Missed you though. Good to see you back. Have a beautiful day, Donna. ((())))HZ
Watched Morning Joe some this morning. Everytime I watch Joe he is on this rant that Obama doesn’t talk/reach out to the Rs in Congress. Really? I am so sick of this attack line. The Rs WILL NOT work with PBO. They disrespect him, they lie, they cheat. If the Rs really wanted to work with PBO in good faith, all they have to do is call HIM. I am absolutely sure he will not ignor them if they reached out.
The WHPC is also upset that the WH is going around them and going directly to the public. I wonder why? Because the WHPC are petty and only report on small unimportant things (PBO weekend vacation). We get a lot better reporting here then from them especially when the president goes overseas. They only report if something doesn’t go well for the president.
Like most of you, I am so sick of em. They need to learn how to do their jobs and stop whining. Who cares if their feelings are hurt.
Does Morning Joke do anything on his show besides rant about PBO?
I’m with you. The part that really pissed me off was the discussion that compared the ill-treatment of the President with the ill-treatment of Clinton. Their inability to recognize the added dimension of his race is indicative of old white men who are either simply out of touch, just plain stupid or are themselves closet racists who feel the racial attacks are perfectly okay. In fact, they don’t even recognize them.
Gorgeous:
The goodness in the hands of a man who cares about the little precious children as well. What a beautiful president we have to enjoy. HZ
A Beautiful Family!
There’s the little one—-his sister’s youngest—-who was in one of my most fave Obama photos—-blowing on the dandelion fuzzies with her when she was a baby. Endearing to the utmost.
Where is Craig’s wife and other 2 kids and who is the beautiful young lady next to Malia? Is that Auma’s daughter? The Obamas-Robinson-Ng make such a lovely family tree.
“…no investigation into that because they think Iraq was a success.”
Anniebella, in my opinion, how do we know Iraq was a success? What was the goal? Has it ever really been defined? Was that goal accomplished? Didn’t McCain and others think we shouldn’t have pulled out when we did? If that’s the case they don’t think the mission was completed. If that’s the case, how can they call it a success?
Apparently, the goal was to cure Bush’s daddy issues. 🙂
swbluega, remember we are talking about John McCain. He held up Chuck Hagel vote because Hagel call GW Bush a sorry President.
The truth doesn’t concern McCain or any Republican.
Remember McCain said the surge was a success, while others disagree.
True 🙂
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/02/19/the-time-is-now-3/
NASA has lost communication with ISS, last contact with ISS Commander says they ate not in danger.
yoo hoo