20
May
13

Rise and Shine

President Obama greets members of the audience following a ceremony honoring the 2012 BCS National Champion University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team at the White House, April 15 (Photo by Pete Souza). More new photos here

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Today:

12:30: Press Briefing by Jay Carney

2:10: The President holds a bilateral meeting with President Thein Sein of Burma

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President Obama holds a National Security Council meeting in the Situation Room, April 5 (Photo by Pete Souza)

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The Week Ahead:

Tuesday: The President will attend meetings at the White House

Wednesday: Will attend meetings at the White House, and in the evening, as part of their “In Performance at the White House” series, the President and the First Lady will host a concert honoring singer-songwriter Carole King, who will be awarded the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song

Thursday: The President delivers a counter-terrorism speech at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.

Friday: Will travel to Annapolis, Maryland, to deliver the commencement address at the U.S. Naval Academy

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The White House video of President Obama’s Morehouse address yesterday – we can never see it enough:

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Forbes: With the stock market hitting new highs, some people have already forgotten about the Great Recession. Recall 2009. Things looked pretty bleak economically. But the outlook has changed dramatically in just 4 years…. the President deserves attention for how well this economy has done during his leadership.

The auto rescue plan has worked. American car manufacturers are still dominant and employing millions directly and in supplier companies. Wall Street reform has been painful but it has re-instated faith amongst investors….

…. The deficit is now only 4% of the GDP, down from over 10% at the end of Bush’s administration …. major strides in health care reform – something no other President has accomplished – has given American’s more faith in their future, and an increased willingness to invest.

… By all measures, President Obama has outperformed every modern President.

Full post here

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@bcarrz

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Jon Favreau: How Obama Handles Crisis – The handwringers and bed wetters in the D.C. punditocracy should know that Barack Obama will never be on their timeline…..

Read here

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Charles Pierce: It has not been a good couple of weeks for ABC’s Jonathan Karl, the man who passed along barbered information from some disreputable sources, and then got found out. Yesterday, having been caught injecting disinformation e coli into the mainstream, Karl issued a statement that almost broke the blog’s heretofore infallible weaselspeak-to-Engiish translation device.

…. far more interesting to me is the dossier compiled on Karl by the folks at FAIR. This makes his latest misadventure seem much less like an accident.

….. at every level of his steady rise in the business, some executive should have looked at Karl’s resume, seen The Collegiate Network there, and then shitcanned the thing before the interview process even began….

…if Jonathan Karl doesn’t like being called a hack, then he should stop being a hack. Here’s one way to do it. Blow the source who lied to you and, therefore, lied to us.

Full post here

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Steve Benen: ABC’s Karl expresses ‘regret’ over false Benghazi report …. said on Twitter that he “sincerely” regrets his error….

…. the closer one looks at Karl’s response – over a week in the making – the more I’m inclined to believe the underlying problems haven’t been resolved.

…. The story “still entirely stands”? It shouldn’t; the story is wrong. As Josh Marshall noted, “You can’t have a major part of the story be false and have the story ‘entirely stand.'”

Full post here

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TPM: For the last several days we’ve been narrating the odd aftermath of ABC’s Jon Karl’s blockbuster but ultimately erroneous report about the White House Benghazi emails. This afternoon he released what I believe is his first statement on the controversy as such …

Statement from ABC News’ Jonathan Karl: “I regret that one email was quoted incorrectly and I regret that it’s become a distraction from the story, which still entirely stands. I should have been clearer about the attribution. We updated our story immediately when new information became available.”

This seems at best willfully misleading.

I thought it would be best to break the statement down into its constituent parts…..

See here

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Robert Shrum: The Obama Scandals Are Desperate Measures by the GOP – Republicans lack any coherent program other than cutting taxes for the wealthy. That’s why they’re going after Obama now

I’ve written that in the end, congressional Republicans won’t agree to move forward on the budget, tax reform, immigration, job creation, or any other issues that matter to mainstream America before the presidential elections. But the fall of 2016 is a long time away, and they have to do something in the meantime. Now we know what it is.

It’s not much different from what they’ve done, or haven’t done, all along: obstruct Obama. Traduce him, delegitimize him — and slow economic recovery in hopes that voters will cast a protest vote for the GOP. It worked in 2010, and failed miserably in 2012.

More here

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Steve Benen: …. one of the areas of interest in the IRS controversy is which officials knew about the Inspector General’s investigation and when …. we learned Friday that some officials at the Treasury Department were aware of the Inspector General’s probe last year, which proves, well, not much….

But wait, Obama’s critics say …. What about notifying Congress? If the administration knew an IG investigation was underway, why not make lawmakers aware of this, at the time, as part of routine oversight? In this case, the administration did notify Congress last year….

…. This is not at all convenient for those eager to characterize this as a conspiracy.

Full post here

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First Lady Michelle Obama reacts while talking with people along a ropeline with President Obama at Love Field Airport in Dallas, April 24 (Photo by Pete Souza)

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President Obama talks with Rachel Robinson before the “42” movie screening in the Family Theater at the White House, April 2 (Photo by Pete Souza)

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President Obama greets Karen Dunn, former Special Assistant and Associate Counsel to the President, and her son in the Oval Office, April 22 (Photo by Pete Souza)

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President Obama reacts to a missed shot on the White House Basketball Court during a clinic with kids and professional basketball players as part of the 2013 Egg Roll (Photo by Pete Souza)

More new photos here

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MooooOOOOoooorning!

Love and good wishes from us all to Symmetry who had her operation this morning.


178 Responses to “Rise and Shine”


  1. 1 cookemom
    May 20, 2013 at 9:57 am

    Wha’s up all you O’s!!! It’s a great getting up day again on planet TOD!!!!

    Got thunderstorms heading my way. That’ll be very good for the houseplants that I just managed to finally get them all outdoors. Nothing like a big dose on mother nature’s nitrogen to give them a boost.

    • May 20, 2013 at 9:58 am

      Congrats cookemom! Be careful out there.

    • 3 Dudette
      May 20, 2013 at 10:02 am

      Hi CM!

      We had some pretty violent storms in Atlanta over the weekend. Lots of flash floods. A bit too much of a good thing. Be careful.

      • 4 cookemom
        May 20, 2013 at 10:31 am

        Not to worry, they’re expected to roll in this afternoon. The wind is picking up. I found my windsock in the neighbors drive way, my umbrella was on it’s side, and one of the flower pots was upended. So far, so good though, I’ve battened down the hatches.

    • May 20, 2013 at 10:03 am

      Moooooorning Cookemom, mooooorning everyone!

    • 6 hopefruit2
      May 20, 2013 at 10:23 am

      Congrats cookemom on #1 and be safe during the storms.

      G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone, and Happy Monday! 🙂

  2. May 20, 2013 at 9:57 am

    Good morning! Rise and Shine!

  3. 9 cookemom
    May 20, 2013 at 9:59 am

    A lesson from the master. How Obama Handles Crisis by Jon Favreau http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/05/20/how-obama-handles-crisis.html

    • May 20, 2013 at 10:08 am

      Excellent piece! Thanks Cookemom for pointing it out.

    • May 20, 2013 at 10:09 am

      Great link Cookemom, thank youuuuuuuuu, added it to the post

    • May 20, 2013 at 10:20 am

      I had to quote this part:

      Interview with Bob Deitrick, co-Author “Bulls, Bears and the Ballot Box” (BBBB):

      Q- Bob, how much credit should Americans give President Obama for today’s improved equity values?

      …Although we hear almost no one in the Obama administration taking credit for record index highs, they should. Because the President deserves attention for how well this economy has done during his leadership.

      ———————————————————————————

      That speaks volumes about the man and the team he has assembled around him.

    • 21 vcprezofan2
      May 20, 2013 at 11:00 am

      This article highlights some of the insight WE already have into Pres O’s (presidential) personality. If you haven’t read it yet, you really should go read it. And if you read it already, read it again. 😉

      Here’s an excerpt…

      //…
      And in the case of the IRS, the president must have been furious when he learned the news. I can remember how angry he was during the GSA debacle (parties in Vegas; think there were clowns and jugglers involved? Wow). He was angry because he knows that a progressive vision of government requires faith that government is efficient, and responsive, and trustworthy—and the handful of morons who break that trust sully the reputation of all the federal employees who uphold those values every day.

      But the president was not willing to fire a bunch of people before knowing all the relevant facts. He was not willing to go on a witch hunt before the investigation of the independent Inspector General was complete. That was more important to him than his short-term political standing in the eyes of the Washington press corps.

      That is who he is.
      …//

      Although I knew this (PBO ‘knows that a progressive vision of government requires faith that government is efficient, and responsive, and trustworthy’) subconsciously, reading it settled anew the one bubble that might have arisen when sometimes PBO seems to act ‘too quickly’ to sever ties.

      • 22 jackiegrumbacher
        May 20, 2013 at 12:52 pm

        This is a great article, VC. The people who hate our president never understand what a profoundly decent person he is, or maybe they do, and that’s a quality they hate. I’m sure they would be happier with a petty person who reacts in anger and shoots from the hip. That seems to be the style they love. We, on the other hand, know when we have a rare, extraordinary and powerful leader and thank our luck stars every day.

        • 23 vcprezofan2
          May 20, 2013 at 1:02 pm

          It is, JG, and particularly because its authenticity is unquestionable. My heart gets a ‘tingle’ whenever someone who has been in close contact with the Obamas reaffirm my own far-away assessment of them, and do it with effortless sincerity. It says lots about who they really are that so many can sincerely say they are real, good, warm and intelligent people.

          ‘I’m sure they [the haters] would be happier with a petty person who reacts in anger and shoots from the hip.’

          Yes because that’s all they ‘understand’, all they are capable of ‘seeing’ and they don’t grow intellectually. More fool them!

    • 24 Lovepolitics2008
      May 20, 2013 at 11:07 am

      Great article by someone who really knows the President and the inner workings of his White House.

      Be prepared though: Dana Milbank, Chris Matthews and Jim VandeHei will be particularly nasty in the next few days. Those divas from the punditocracy NEVER, EVER accept criticism.

      President Obama and his team have never made a secret of how they view the media. The media makes them pay for that.

  4. May 20, 2013 at 9:59 am

    Phew! Yay! New thread! Good Morning!

  5. May 20, 2013 at 10:04 am

    First!! Hooray!! Wait a minute. You mean Jon Karl lied to me?

  6. 29 MightyPamela
    May 20, 2013 at 10:05 am

    G’day y’all! Sun is up and so am I! Off to PT in a bit so will check up later…. Hugs all around! 🙂

  7. 31 sonjiaduncan
    May 20, 2013 at 10:07 am

    Good morning Chips and TOD.

  8. 34 hopefruit2
    May 20, 2013 at 10:12 am

    • May 20, 2013 at 10:44 am

      I have my own take on the President’s “detachment”. Beyond the fact that the law prohibits hands-on interaction with the DOJ and IRS, I happen to think the President is making a smart move. If the Republicans refuse to confirm any of his nominations, who’s administrative ideology is in place…Bush.

      I remember when the underwear bombing took place. The Republicans had blocked the nomination of the President’s TSA nominee. I speculated the possibility that the incident might not have occurred had someone been at the helm. The same can be said of the IRS. It’s the same authority that was in place under Bush. There’s been no one allowed to focus on Obama priorities.

      It may sound far-fetched, but I would suggest it is a matter that has not escaped the Republicans. There’s a reason they are suddenly confirming nominees. Of course, the pitiful media and pundits have totally overlooked this fact. While, I would think it is very much a fact the President is forever aware of….please, proceed Republicans.

      Besides, the President has had history and the Clinton experience to ready him for their bull. Imagine if the impeachment hungry mongrels learned the President had known all along about the IRS or the DOJ investigation. What did he know and when did he know it…nothing and never….takes away every bit of leverage they could possibly have.

  9. 36 vcprezofan2
    May 20, 2013 at 10:17 am

    Happy Monday greetings to all! Special healing thoughts going out to TODobots undergoing surgery, in hospital, recovering, or just feeling the need to recharge.

    MooOOOoorning, Lady Mayor Chips! MooOOoorning all Chipadees!

    Thanks Chips & Chipadees for your excellent and dedicated work here in the village!

  10. 48 dotster3
    May 20, 2013 at 10:20 am

    April Souza photos—we’ve seen most of them but there were a few great ones that I, at least, missed….

  11. May 20, 2013 at 10:21 am

    Good morning Ms. chips and TOD family. I hope everyone is granted all their needs, wants, and love this day. Thank God that President Obama is still the President of The United States of America.

    • 50 vcprezofan2
      May 20, 2013 at 12:21 pm

      Hey RanMan, I heard a rumour recently that you were in the actual presence of ‘greatness’! How did it feel? Apart from the rain, of course. 😀

      • May 20, 2013 at 1:02 pm

        Hey VCP, my only proximity in the presence of PBO greatness was via watching on TV lol. Has to be someone else. Thanks for wanting to bestow honorable recognition upon me. 🙂 🙂

        • 52 vcprezofan2
          May 20, 2013 at 1:09 pm

          Rats, and here I thought I was going to get a ringside report! Sorry, I must have misunderstood my source, or my eyes/memory for names have failed me. Good thing I hadn’t put the entire rumour in quotation marks, or I would be forced to now apologize for my error. In any case, I bet you enjoyed the TV version.

  12. 53 sherijr
    May 20, 2013 at 10:21 am

    Good monday morning all…. I did not know about Symmetry’s operation- thanks Chips for notifying us- sending out positive healthy vibes & best wishes to her ~

  13. 54 hopefruit2
    May 20, 2013 at 10:24 am

    More fabulous economic news – thanks to President Obama! 🙂

  14. May 20, 2013 at 10:24 am

    Please keep symmetry in your thoughts and prayers this morning.
    Sending her lots of healing and a speedy recovery!!

    • 59 hopefruit2
      May 20, 2013 at 10:29 am

      Yes indeed, our thoughts and healing vibes are with symmetry this morning. Thanks meta, Chips and sherijr for the reminder.

  15. 60 cookemom
    May 20, 2013 at 10:27 am

    So the young lad who came up with tumblr while living at home with his mom, will be 1 billion dollars richer from its sell to Yahoo. More than even that Mark guy from FaceBook. If you’re a tumblr user, be prepared for the ads that are bound to show up.

    Note to my kids: What are you waiting for? Get busy!

  16. 62 57andfemale
    May 20, 2013 at 10:29 am

    Conversation my husband had with his retired stockbroker friend yesterday:

    RSF: “I’m socially liberal (which is true) but when it comes to my money and the 2nd Amendment I’m conservative. And I loathe Obama.”

    Hubby: “How has PBO hurt your pocketbook? You were a stockbroker when the economy tanked. There were no consequences for Wall St., and the stock market has grown more under PBO than in its entire history combined. So, how has PBO hurt your finances?”

    RSF: “We’re not talking about this anymore.”

    • 63 hopefruit2
      May 20, 2013 at 10:31 am

      Typical response from a dishonest bunch. Move the goalposts when directly challenged. The cognitive dissonance is THICK out there….

      • 64 57andfemale
        May 20, 2013 at 10:46 am

        There was more hilarity concerning the 2nd Amendment. this fat cat rich guy, sitting in his brownstone on the near north side of Chicago, is going to ‘defend’ his property from home invasions and he needs a clip with over 100 rounds in it to do so.

        My husband asked how many innocent people would get killed walking down the street while he’s shooting at these mythical home invaders. Or his dog. Or my husband (who has a key to his house) if he came in unexpected. Should he have to carry liability insurance if he blew my husband away?

        “I’m not talking about that.”

        Hubby: “When was the last time you practiced at a firing range?”

        “RSF: “How about them Blackhawks?”

        God.

    • 65 57andfemale
      May 20, 2013 at 10:52 am

      I want to make something really clear: My husband grew up dirt poor on the South side of Chicago, one of 6 children. He went to school hungry after having to beg the coal man to deliver some coal ‘on credit’, knowing that the coal could never be paid for. He received a charity Catholic school education, and for him it was a horror. He was never taught how to actually learn, although he has basic skills of course.

      He was inspired by his sergeant in the Army who told him the best thing he could do was keep informed on current events. To read newspapers of different political persuasions, to take control of his own knowledge and make up his own mind.

      He was 40 when we met and got married. He wasn’t liberal on all things, but he listened. And we talked. And he read. He still has his blind spots but he has come so far. I am so deeply proud of him.

      So it’s particularly enjoyable to see him dismantle arguments from this privileged, highly educated, always-rich stockbroker guy who gets his news from Rush Limbaugh.

      • 66 jacquelineoboomer
        May 20, 2013 at 10:58 am

        Good for your husband, and the woman who loves him! He sounds like quite the man, and sounds like he’s very lucky to have your appreciation for his (what I’m sure are) many talents. Nice story proving we can all take control of our own lives and minds, even with few outside resources.

        • 67 57andfemale
          May 20, 2013 at 11:57 am

          He’s the kindest man alive. That’s not to say he doesn’t drive me nuts from time to time (we’re on Week 5 of his inability to answer his new smartphone, but I make give him kudos for wanting to embrace new technology at 73 years old). But considering his background, I am in awe of his willingness to learn and grow. I’m lucky.

          • 68 jacquelineoboomer
            May 20, 2013 at 12:02 pm

            Sweet. And, searching for balance, I’m sure he feels lucky, too!

          • 69 canadabarb4obama
            May 20, 2013 at 1:16 pm

            lololol…57…..my hubby finally learned how to answer iphone after 1 1/2 years……think there’s hope for texting? hahaha

            • 70 57andfemale
              May 20, 2013 at 1:23 pm

              Oh God! Great way to dash my hopes!

              I would sooo love to be able to text him to pick up eggs or something, but I’m not holding my breath……

              • 71 canadabarb4obama
                May 20, 2013 at 1:48 pm

                input a special ringtone; he’ll be confused for just a few days; lololol

                • 72 57andfemale
                  May 20, 2013 at 2:16 pm

                  I have seriously considered putting in a ring tone that says, “Jerry your phone is ringing.” I’ve given him button shortcuts for answering and he still screws it up. He is, however, well-versed in going to the call log to call me back. He can track the weather and traffic. He has learned what an ‘app’ is and he is fascinated.

                  • 73 canadabarb4obama
                    May 20, 2013 at 5:12 pm

                    Good for him. Hubby keeps asking for weather forecast; showed him weather button; oh well, that was only thrice in 2 weeks..lolololol

        • 74 canadabarb4obama
          May 20, 2013 at 1:13 pm

          Thank-you JOB. You said what i was feeling about 57’s hubby. What a lovely story, 57! Made my day.

      • 76 arkluvspbo
        May 20, 2013 at 8:04 pm

        Wow!! What an inspiring story. Kudos to your husband, and kudos to you for your support!

    • May 20, 2013 at 11:20 am

      I just don’t get that mentality. I saw the same thing a couple of years ago when I was working in a construction consulting office. They raged against PBO while hi-fiving each other over every idiotic pronouncement that came out of Rush Limbaugh’s mouth.

      But you should have seen them quaking in their boots for fear that they would not have a job after the economic meltdown under Bush. PBO came in and their business not only got better but started booming. Crazy.

  17. 78 japa21
    May 20, 2013 at 10:31 am

  18. 79 Alycee (@jazziz2)
    May 20, 2013 at 10:36 am

  19. 80 donna dem 4 obama
    May 20, 2013 at 10:37 am

    Good Morning TOD – Took a mini vaca this weekend and no we are NOT going to the Bahamas my fellow TOD’ers. My office group won a whopping $19.00 out of the 175 chances we had at that 590.5 million dollar powerball.

    Oh well, that means back to work for me today 🙂

    This is an outstanding Rise and Shine! So much goodness and yet so little time to soak it all in.

    Have a great productive O’Day Everyone!

    • 81 japa21
      May 20, 2013 at 10:38 am

      So that is $350 spent to win $19. Kind of like the return on investment the GOP got in the Presidential race.

      • 82 donna dem 4 obama
        May 20, 2013 at 10:47 am

        Exactly!!!!!!!!!

        BTW, Good Morning Japa. I hear there has been a decision on the tux for your wedding to the wonderful Chips. So you get to wear your first choice the Bacon Tux? Great “taste” in formal wear you posses and I mean that literally. 😆

        • May 20, 2013 at 10:58 am

          *cough* I don’t recall a decision being made. I may have weakened towards the bacon tux when Japa was being nice, but that only meant it was on the shortlist. So Donna, you’re being waaaaaaaaay too previous. If Japa claims the bacon tux has won the day, then he’s telling a porky pie, so to speak.

        • 87 japa21
          May 20, 2013 at 11:25 am

          Morning Chips and all. Kind of in and out this morning. Trying to do 1 hour worth of work in 4 hours.

          • 88 jacquelineoboomer
            May 20, 2013 at 11:34 am

            *Trying to do 1 hour worth of work in 4 hours*

            Sounds like every day, here in retirementland, where, for instance, “laundry” is considered “silent work while feeding self grape.” I highly recommend this condition to our younger viewers. Of course, it took me 34 years in an office and 8+ years as a freelancer to get here, but, hey, hope for all. Ha!

            • 89 japa21
              May 20, 2013 at 12:00 pm

              I hope to reach that level by time I am 80

            • 90 jackiegrumbacher
              May 20, 2013 at 1:00 pm

              JOB, retirement for me is the best thing that ever happened. Worked all my life and now I wonder how I had time for it. My days are busy and filled with things I choose to do.

              • 91 jacquelineoboomer
                May 20, 2013 at 1:08 pm

                So glad for you, too! My friend and I still to this day rejoice every once in a while about the same thing. I call it “finally being able to think your own thoughts,” not to mention make your own plans for each day!

                Oh, my. This is nothing like the 30 years I spent getting to the office more or less by 0745, some days having to be alert and awake and upright and ready to speak in a meeting at 0800. Ha! No, thanks, been there, done that, keep yer t-shirt.

    • May 20, 2013 at 10:54 am

      😥 Donna, I was all set for the Bahamas – this is severely bad news!

      Mooooorning!

      • 93 Alycee (@jazziz2)
        May 20, 2013 at 10:59 am

        Yeah, but the ticket was bought in FL. Jovie’s in FL. Isn’t Jovie flying us to the Riviera for dinner?

    • 94 vcprezofan2
      May 20, 2013 at 12:50 pm

      Afternoon, DD & thanks for the update. I guess I will have to take my new swimsuit back and cancel the swimming lessons with Desertflower’s lifeguard daughter! Oh well, there’s my silver lining as I really wasn’t looking forward to the lessons.

  20. 95 Jovie
    May 20, 2013 at 10:40 am

    And the Conservatives that say its only Bernanke and QE3 that is propping up economy.
    That’s part of it, all the steps from this administration and the FED are helping and have helped economy heal.
    Btw / it’s the least the FED could do after the 08 debacle of not helping out Lehman Brithers, which sent us into this mess.
    So, yeah, one could argue it was the FEDS fault and SEC Paulsons fault, for employing Laissez Faire early on in 08 crisis.

  21. 98 Alycee (@jazziz2)
    May 20, 2013 at 10:40 am

    These folks have lost their f-ing minds…

    • 99 cookemom
      May 20, 2013 at 10:46 am

      This is the best news ever for Terry McAuliffe. He can save a lot on ad buys, these folks are making easier and easier for him.

    • 100 dotster3
      May 20, 2013 at 10:46 am

      These people are unhinged. Their ideas are so crazy they sound like something out of a horror movie.

      • 101 jacquelineoboomer
        May 20, 2013 at 10:53 am

        Mornin’, dotster!

        Trouble is there are people who are forced to live that horror movie with the unhinged ones. So glad this garbage isn’t going unnoticed anymore.

        • May 20, 2013 at 10:58 am

          Everyone is noticing. Over the weekend my 7 year-old grandson said, “I don’t get it. If they are so worried about people living, why do they want so many guns to kill people?”

          • 103 jacquelineoboomer
            May 20, 2013 at 10:59 am

            Good for him! And sounds like you and he are having quite the dialogue. Out of the mouths of babes, eh?

          • 104 Alycee (@jazziz2)
            May 20, 2013 at 11:13 am

            A concept so simple, even a seven year old gets it! Rethugs are hopeless…

    • 105 sherijr
      May 20, 2013 at 11:12 am

      Holy sh*t .. just when I think they’ve reached their limit of wrong.. they go off the cliff. Sick effer.

    • 108 jackiegrumbacher
      May 20, 2013 at 1:03 pm

      McAuliffe has many faults, but he seems like a God compared to cookoo Cuccinelli and the even crazier Lt. Gov who’s running with him. But we can’t take anything for granted. McAuliffe has got to win this thing. I hope Bill C, Warner, and Kaine all come out in force for him.

  22. 109 Bill R.
    May 20, 2013 at 10:44 am

  23. 110 jacquelineoboomer
    May 20, 2013 at 10:50 am

    All the best to Symmetry, following her operation!

    Chips – Thanks for this interesting post, which I shall read over a couple of cups of coffee – most especially thanks for the Jon Favreau piece. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for him!

    So glad to wake up this morning and find that Barack Obama is still President of the United States!

  24. May 20, 2013 at 10:52 am

    Hellooooooo, I’ve added some of the gorgeous new Pete Souza photos to the post, feast your eyes!

  25. 113 Jovie
    May 20, 2013 at 10:52 am

  26. 114 Alycee (@jazziz2)
    May 20, 2013 at 10:56 am

  27. 115 cookemom
    May 20, 2013 at 10:56 am

    Only three days left in my 90 day warrior workout and for some reason I just can’t get motivated to finish it up. I was suppose to complete it on 5/16, but procrastination has taken over. I thought if I wrote this is a public forum, I would shame myself to get going to do my line up for today.

    5 min dynamic stretch – Ultimate 10 min cardio – 6 min ab/oblique blast – 30 min cardio kickboxing – 20 min cardio high intensity interval training – 17 min stretch/cool down – 20 min wanting to just die and be done with it.

    OK, feeling accountable now, off I go!

    • 116 donna dem 4 obama
      May 20, 2013 at 11:03 am

      You Go Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!

      You’ll need to give me tips for my arms and tummy!

      • 117 cookemom
        May 20, 2013 at 11:18 am

        Strengthening the muscles in those areas with some kind of weight training. Unfortunately, we can’t spot reduce or target weight lost. Strengthening those muscles will tone them and make the areas more defined. Women will not bulk up from weight training, unless we want to through extreme protein dieting. I use 5 to 10 lb free weights during my workouts now. I started with 2 lb weights then worked myself up slowly. Good Luck.

    • 118 Dudette
      May 20, 2013 at 11:58 am

      Wow, I’m exhausted just from reading all that! You are an inspiration! Do your thing, Girlie! 🙂

  28. 119 japa21
    May 20, 2013 at 10:57 am

    Yesterday, there was an analysis in the Chicago Tribune of the AP phone records issue (I won’t go so low as to call it a scandal). It was actually surprisingly fair and well balanced. Yes, it talked about attacking the press and all that stuff, but it also laid out a well reason argument justifying what was done and the appropriateness and legality of it.

    I wanted to post it here, and although it was on the front page of the second section of the paper, it is not in their online edition. Considering a lot of their crap that is on line, this doesn’t surprise me. The Trib is a conservative paper that would be even worse if the Koch brothers bought it. My surprise was that it was printed at all.

  29. 120 dotster3
    May 20, 2013 at 10:59 am

    Looks like ABC News is going all in and doubling down on their big (fake) scandal story, tweeting about scandal’s “second wind” and pushing (fake) new details. They seem to be on a mission—-looks like Jonathan Karl wasn’t the only one there groomed to infiltrate the media with rt. wing views—–looks like the whole operation there is in tandem—–defending the indefensible, refusing to acknowledge their role in reporting lies.

    • 121 Jovie
      May 20, 2013 at 11:02 am

      It’s what AP is doing too, they were caught so they are putting focus on the other Guy.
      It’s GOP play book ,Rovian politics.

    • 122 jackiegrumbacher
      May 20, 2013 at 2:04 pm

      Dotster, they all seem to love that Fox news demographic, even as that demographic itself is sinking. They’re planning their own obsolescence.

  30. 123 Jovie
    May 20, 2013 at 10:59 am

  31. 124 Jovie
    May 20, 2013 at 11:07 am

    • May 20, 2013 at 11:34 am

      From the article:

      “She strikes a chord which runs deep. She has a purpose here. She may be today the most important person in American culture and politics. She may always have been.”

      See what happens when you don’t take vacation days? She strikes a chord that runs so deep that she had to cancel her bus tour through her America and Fox News the home of right wing talking points cancelled her show because the most important person in American culture and politics could not even get her base to watch.

      The reality is the media remains obsessed with her and they don’t understand why we are not acting the same way. Her 15 minutes is up and the writer of this article needs to get over it.

      • May 20, 2013 at 12:13 pm

        Have they even seen her lately? Why are they obsessed with an emaciated, dirty haired fool?

      • 127 jackiegrumbacher
        May 20, 2013 at 2:10 pm

        American culture? An older, poorly dressed, dim-witted, untalented white woman is an important person in American culture? Do these people look around them, ever step out of their bubble? Are there two people in the world outside of the Tea Party who could less for this woman’s opinion on anything? Every thing she says is dumb and full of hate. Every time she appears in public, it’s as if she raided a homeless person’s grocery cart. She’s a creepy little grifter, no more no less, who has pretty much failed at everything she’s done.

    • 128 Dudette
      May 20, 2013 at 12:05 pm

  32. 130 Alycee (@jazziz2)
    May 20, 2013 at 11:09 am

  33. 131 Dakota
    May 20, 2013 at 11:11 am

    Good Morning TOD Family!

    Love, Peace and Happiness to you all. Had a great weekend celebrating my birthday and our 33 anniversary. I want to wish a Happy Belated Birthday to Prettyfoot. Watched the President’s Morehouse speech around 1 am this morning. It was awesome and ground breaking! It was in you face to the people who snipe that the President doesn’t relate to Black folk. He let everyone know he came up just like many of these wonderful young men…same obsticles, same feelings of being held back because of his race, same kind of distractions, but not only did he achieve, he excelled and so will they. I knew my President was gonna cut loose in his second term! It’s gonna be great!!! Let’s keep him prayed up everyone!

  34. 134 prettyfoot58
    May 20, 2013 at 11:18 am

    Barack Obama understands his own limitations and the limitations of his office. He has made mistakes and he will likely make more. But this is a president who has seen the nation through many serious and consequential crises, and he has done so without losing the core of who he is or why he ran for this job in the first place. In the end, those are the qualities that will serve him well—the qualities that will serve us well—in the months and years ahead.

  35. 135 Bill R.
    May 20, 2013 at 11:18 am

  36. 137 Jovie
    May 20, 2013 at 11:20 am

  37. 139 Jovie
    May 20, 2013 at 11:24 am

    Look at that?

  38. 143 Alycee (@jazziz2)
    May 20, 2013 at 11:29 am

  39. 144 japa21
    May 20, 2013 at 11:30 am

    We all know how often GOP Congresscritters have talked about how this or that will result in PBO’s impeachment. At the same time, they also recognize that going that route with Clinton hurt them in the 1998 midterms, so there is some speculation that they will wait until afetr the 2014 elections.

    Well, as I commented at another site this morning, I almost wish PBIO would come out and say something like. “I hear the word impeachment coming out of the mouths of a lot of Republican memebrs of Congress lately. Well, to them, I say Put up or shut up. If you think there is sufficient reason to impeach me, go ahead and do it. Or get back to the business you were hired by your constituents to do, focus on jobs, the economy, our infrastructure, our environment. ”

    That would put the GOP in a box. Either they do it, and probably cost themselves the House next year, or they don’t do it and lose their base, costing them the House next year.

  40. 145 Ladyhawke
    May 20, 2013 at 11:33 am

    The Mainstream Media Suffers from Conservative-Induced Stockholm Syndrome (A MUST READ)

    By: Hrafnkell Haraldsson

    —————————————

    I begin to wonder if the MSM is suffering from conservative-induced Stockholm syndrome. Certainly, after years of simultaneously defending the conservative viewpoint and being attacked for supposedly defending the liberal viewpoint, they have a right to be messed up. I wonder if, due to dangerously high levels of delusion, it is time to put the MSM, if not the Fourth Estate as a whole, away as a threat to society.
    .
    .
    The scandal machinery engineered by the Republican Party and all too eagerly embraced by a right-leaning mainstream media. Bill Maher and Americans uninfected by Republican propaganda understand where the real scandal lies: in Republican obstructionism; in the mainstream media pretending Republican lies are the truth.
    .
    .
    But the mainstream media has studiously avoided looking into Republican action/inaction since 2008 just as it had studiously avoided the implications of the faked emails. Maybe Kurtz should be asking himself why that is, rather than pretending the mainstream media was ever President Obama’s friend.

    ———————————–

    http://www.politicususa.com/mainstream-media-feelings-hurt-pretends-obamas-friend.html

  41. May 20, 2013 at 11:35 am

    Must-read by Charles Pierce on Jon Karl –

    Seems to be a problem with direct link: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/Jonathan_Karl%27s_Bad_Awful_Week

    So try: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/

    • 147 57andfemale
      May 20, 2013 at 12:05 pm

    • 148 japa21
      May 20, 2013 at 12:15 pm

      Love the conclusion

      If Jonathan Karl doesn’t like being called a hack, then he should stop being a hack. Here’s one way to do it.

      Blow the source who lied to you and, therefore, lied to us.

      Do that. Or be a hack.

      There’s no third alternative

      Read more: Daily Politics Blog – Charles P. Pierce – Political Blogging – Esquire
      Follow us: @Esquiremag on Twitter | Esquire on Facebook
      Visit us at Esquire.com

      • May 20, 2013 at 12:18 pm

        It’s just brilliant Japa, this made me howl: ‘….. Karl issued a statement that almost broke the blog’s heretofore infallible weaselspeak-to-Engiish translation device.’

        • 150 jackiegrumbacher
          May 20, 2013 at 2:14 pm

          Yes, that was my favorite line. Should be the thing that’s always remembered about Karl.

  42. 151 utaustinliberal
    May 20, 2013 at 11:42 am

  43. 152 utaustinliberal
    May 20, 2013 at 11:44 am

    Jon Favreau’s Op-Ed pieces for the Daily Beast have been great so far. The phrase “Handwringers and bed wetters” is worthy of a Charles Pierce take down.

  44. 153 amk for obama
    May 20, 2013 at 11:46 am

  45. 154 amk for obama
    May 20, 2013 at 11:46 am

  46. 155 Linda
    May 20, 2013 at 11:59 am

    I hope Jay calls on Jonathon Karl first today…, that is , if Karl has the nerve to show up.

    • 156 jacquelineoboomer
      May 20, 2013 at 12:05 pm

      He’ll probably show up, because those kinds of smug, arrogant people don’t really care what others think of them, outside of their immediate families (all of whom they have buffaloed into thinking it’s smart to be smug and arrogant, as long as their greed is satisfied).

      Gag.

  47. May 20, 2013 at 12:03 pm

  48. 162 japa21
    May 20, 2013 at 12:17 pm

  49. 163 Linda
    May 20, 2013 at 12:21 pm

    Does anyone know what document this is? It seems to me Karl broke Federal Law here.

    ?utm_hp_ref=homepage&ir=homepage

    • May 20, 2013 at 12:25 pm

      Looks to be about James Rosen? I need to read up on it.

      • 165 Linda
        May 20, 2013 at 12:27 pm

        oh….thanks….but wouldn’t it also apply to Karl ?

      • May 20, 2013 at 12:31 pm

        Yep.

        • 171 57andfemale
          May 20, 2013 at 1:32 pm

          I’m going to step in it, but here goes: I think we have to tread very, very carefully on how or if we prosecute the press. I am vehemently in favor of the press using discretion to NOT do harm by printing anything and everything in the name of a scoop, regardless of the damage. That should fall under THEIR responsibilities to act with integrity and ethics in exchange for their rights.

          But we do have to be careful about throwing the press in jail because that will come back to destroy us, when we need the freedom of the press to fight the evildoer Republicans.

          • 172 forus50
            May 20, 2013 at 1:36 pm

            • 173 57andfemale
              May 20, 2013 at 1:41 pm

              Thanks for the clarification. Now, do we expect anyone in the media to actually report that the reporter was not charged?

              And the State Dept. guy – I have no sympathy for. Whistleblowers that can inform the public of nefarious deeds of their government – that is what a free press is all about. But to do actual damage to national security is unconscionable.

  50. 174 Kyle
    May 20, 2013 at 12:21 pm

    THe moorhouse speech was excellent, how does PBO continue to top himself? Such an inspiration. anyways, someone should have warned me not to watch at work as PBO has a way of wringing the waterworks out of me.

  51. May 20, 2013 at 12:30 pm

    Yes We Can

    #FORWARD FOCUSED

  52. May 20, 2013 at 12:55 pm

    I HEART Jon Favs.

  53. May 20, 2013 at 2:44 pm

    Some perspective on the “scandals” from Sec. Robert Gates advice to BHO – “Mr. President, one thing I can guarantee you is that at this moment, somewhere, somehow, somebody in the federal government is screwing up”

  54. 178 HZ
    May 20, 2013 at 10:25 pm

    Jon Favreau is one of the best. I appreciate his article so much because he really knows POB. Beautiful, Jon Favreau. I wish you could have stayed in the second term, but I wish and always hope and pray for the best to continue to follow you and be in your space. HZ


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