Four years ago: President Obama looks out the window of Marine One as it lands at the White House, May 22, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Today:
11:0: VP Biden Gives the Commencement Address at the United States Coast Guard Academy (audio only at WH Live)
1:0 Jay Carney’s press briefing
7:25: President Obama hosts a concert honoring Gershwin Prize winner Carole King
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NYT: The bipartisan immigration bill that passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday has many serious hurdles ahead. It is the most serious and worthy attempt to fix immigration in a generation, but it cannot help reflecting the poisoned politics of today, with its heavy tilt toward needless border enforcement and a deficiency in equal rights.
In the most moving and wrenching moment in three weeks of committee markup, the committee’s chairman, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, sought to amend the bill to allow gay Americans to sponsor their wives and husbands for green cards. The other Democrats, including Charles Schumer of New York, implored him not to put that amendment forward, saying this measure of basic fairness would drive off Republican support and kill the entire bill. Mr. Leahy withdrew it.
With that unhappy capitulation, the bill survives, with a possible battle over same-sex marriage still to come on the Senate floor. And then the bill will need to find some path through the Republican-led House….
More here – and see ThinkProgress
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You know the economy is rockin and rollin when the press is focused on fake scandals
— John Sunununu (@JohnSunununu) May 21, 2013
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U.S. sales of existing homes climbs to three-year high | bloom.bg/10LM8Xc
— Bloomberg News (@BloombergNews) May 22, 2013
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The Dow is on track for its best May performance since 1997, up 4.55% month-to-date. (via @giovannymoreano)
— CNBC (@CNBC) May 22, 2013
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‘Tesla, labeled a “loser” by Romney, giving Obama green-energy strategy its biggest win: paying off loan 9 yrs early’ businessweek.com/news/2013-05-2…
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) May 22, 2013
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Jonathan Capehart: Here we go again. President Obama’s critics in the African American community are hammering him for doing nothing for black people …. this thinking drives me crazy because the president’s detractors fail to take a 360-degree view of what they are demanding from him and ignore what he’s actually done.
…. Coates’s criticism emanates from Obama’s commencement address at Morehouse College in Atlanta …. Obama spoke to the black men of Morehouse not as a distant president but as a familiar peer. He used his troubled past as a real-life example of how one’s limited circumstances are neither destiny nor a hindrance to achieving the American Dream, as they define it. He urged the graduates to not make excuses, to aim high and to give back. Yet, Coates calls this “‘convenient race-talk’ from a president who ought to know better.” Obama can’t win.
… what’s missing from most African American critiques of Obama: an appreciation for Republican resistance to his agenda. To expect the president to introduce an explicit and definable “black agenda” in a Congress filled with people who believe him to be a socialist destroying the country while illegitimately occupying the Oval Office is seriously naive.
Full article here
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I actually don’t even know how to respond to Sullivan’s stuff on race and IQ anymore.
— Jamelle Bouie (@jbouie) May 22, 2013
You know what, how about black folks agree that sure, we’re dumdums, and Sullivan stops writing about it.
— Jamelle Bouie (@jbouie) May 22, 2013
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Greg Sargent: A few of us on the left have been arguing that the current scandal-mania gripping the GOP risks bringing about a rerun of 1998, when the frenzy amid the Monica Lewinsky revelations led the GOP to overreach, resulting in backlash.
….. [yesterday’s] Washington Post poll confirms his diagnosis very neatly… majorities believe Obama is focused on their problems, and Republicans aren’t ….
…. In the case of Obama, of course, his personal conduct is not at issue, and there is still no evidence that Republicans will be able to tie the current storylines directly to him. But the widespread conviction among Republican base voters that we’re seeing Watergate-level presidential wrongdoing will require that Republican officials keep chasing after evidence of it. It’s for these reasons that Democratic strategists are betting that GOP scandal overreach will play a key role in the 2014 elections.
We may be seeing a rerun of the 1990s in more ways than one.
Full post here
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Sergio’s mask slips…..
BBC: Sergio Garcia has apologised for making what could be seen as a racist remark about world number one Tiger Woods.
Garcia, 33, was asked if he would have Woods round for dinner to settle their recent argument and joked that he would serve fried chicken.
Fried chicken is stereotypically associated with black people in the American deep south.
Garcia said: “I apologise for any offence. In no way was the comment meant in a racist manner.”
More here
The comment that was made wasn’t silly. It was wrong, hurtful and clearly inappropriate…
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) May 22, 2013
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Photo of Bo hanging out in the West Wing this morning twitter.com/petesouza/stat…
— petesouza (@petesouza) May 22, 2013
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Poor Wolf:
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MoooOOOooorning!
The Obama Diary 
Bo is first!?
Well done dotster! Congrats and have a wonderful morning! 🙂
Congrats Dotster…and Bo 😀
Bo says, “Thank ya, thank ya, everyone. It was really nothin’. I’m just a lucky dog. Arf!”
Bo really knows how to relax. You can almost hear him say, “Get me a drink. Lots of ice.”
LOL!
I have seen a recipe for making a frozen doggie cake for hot summer days. It’s made with chicken or beef broth and putting chunks of food in it and then freezing it. You could could even put a toy in it as long as it wasn’t too small for them to swallow at once. Looked fun to me. If you wanted to be outside with our dog on that hot of a day.
Bo!!!!! And Dotster!!!!! Morning! Morning everyone
Bo is chilling in the west wing, the GOP next scandal.
Issa calls for hearing. Jonathan Karl and ABC reports emails from Bo in oval office.
Issa subpoenas Bo’s tax returns. Bo declines, striking the Doggie Amendment.
I can think of dozens of ‘elected officials’ who could take lessons in how to conduct themselves from this lovely canine! What a special guy he is! 🙂
I love Bo.
Good Morning! 🙂
Yep, posted at the end of the last one! 🙂
Can’t wait for this event tonight. Something to clear the stink in the air.
Good Morning TOD and Chips. Congrats dotster3 and Dudette.
Thanks Sonjia
Good Wednesday Morning Chipsticks, TODers…Everyone!!!
Hope everyone has a wonderful, productive day.
Good morning Ms. Chips and TOD family. I hope everyone have a wonderful day today. Thank God that President Obama is still the President of the United States of America. 😀 😀 😀
Moooooorning RanMan, have a wonderful Wednesday!
Great roundup this morning!
Laughing myself silly at Wolf Blitzer proselytizing to that tornado survivor. What an ass!
Mooooorning Dudette!!!! I’m still weepin’ at Wolf, flippin’ hilarious!!
Morning Blog Empiress! Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Sorry… “Blog Empress!”
[Sheesh! Gotta work on getting my ish together this morning!] 🙂
Great round up, Chips. I love the look of wonder in PBO’s eyes in 2009 as he approaches the White House. Hope he can still feel that way these days with all the burdens on his shoulders. It’s my great wish that Greg Sargent prove right about scandalmania and that voters tell the R’s to go stuff it in 2014 so that the real work of government can take place. I especially love the “Obama has weather weapons” idea because that’s sure to be a winner with a broad section of voters. Keep it up, GOP geniuses.
Mooooorning Jackie! Always loved that photo too, it’s a beaut. And: love the Weather Weapons!!
Apparently their is a March for immigration reform today…
Maybe some momentum here, especially seeing how McConell is not filibustering.
Where is the march ?
Good stuff from Jovie in the last thread
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/05/21/night-owl-chat-alabama-shakes/#comment-728964
Thank you Dudette, thank you Jovie – king of Energy news!
Hey Chips and TODers, good morning from San Francisco.
Morning Meta – wow, gorgeous photo!
It’s a beautiful spring morning here.
A beautiful morning to you Meta!
Have a great day everybody!
You too Dudette. Have a wonderful day.
I wish that for everyone.
Same to you, Dudette!
So here we go again with this B.S. about President Obama haven’t done anything for the black community.
Good Morning, Everyone 🙂
They (crazy people) are back at it again this morning. Thank God for the respite of TOD. Good morning!
GM all from rainy Chicago. And we can use it, so not too upset except for what it does to traffic.
As usual, sargent is pretty much spot on, except for this sentence:
“But the widespread conviction among Republican base voters that we’re seeing Watergate-level presidential wrongdoing will require that Republican officials keep chasing after evidence of it. ”
The reason there is that widespread conviction is because the Republicans in DC have been telling the base that they are seeing Watergate-level wrongdoing. The politicians are driving the base, not the other way around.
japa21, are there any Republicans out there who have any sense, any common sense? Or they can’t see pass their hate for this black President that it makes them lose any common sense they might have had. I guess I know the answer to that question I ask.
The traffic was just stupid this morning. Sun is out now
GM, everyone. Just sent an email to Capehart thanking him for his article. I hope he can stand up to the hard knocks he’s going to get.
On the other hand, it looks like Eugene Robinsonn is joining the bash Obama bandwagon yet again, on Morning ajoe this morning, even.
Oh well, no television today, while Gene takes his victory lap.
Morning Eve! As Jeff put it:
Eugene Roninson?
The very one Jovie, he’s gone Greenwald-ish on us!
No kidding? I thought he was getting saner, not crazier. Over AP, I assume? Maybe Eugene should listen and read John Dean and get some intelligent perspective.
Capehart sees clearly in his response to the criticism by some in the AA community of President Obama. Spot on.
And Eugene?—–he was brought to the Morning Joe set with the speed of light after his criticism of Obama—-automatic appearance ticket——that, and nodding along with every bit of nonsense Joe spouts.
He disagrees with the Constitution.
“My” (personal) constitution disagrees with him. Someone hand me a barf bag!
Massachusetts Lt. Governor Tim Murray (D) is resigning his post, according to reports Wednesday from WBZ-TV Boston and The Boston Globe.
Murray had already decided not to run for governor in 2014, after Gov. Deval Patrick (D) steps down.
State campaign finance regulators said Murray violated campaign finance laws in January after he accepted donations from former Chelsea Housing Authority director Michael McLaughlin.
According to the Globe, Murray will be taking a job as head of the Worcester Regional Chamber Of Commerce.
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Why does this crook already have a new job ?
In reference to the Sergio Garcia comment to Tiger Woods… another example of how hard it is for some to except a black man being at the top of this sport that they consider to be a sacred cow.
Remember when Fuzzy Zoeller made a similar comment in 1997 right after Tiger won the Masters?
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“Speaking to reporters at the tournament, Zoeller referred to Tiger Woods as “that little boy” and urged him not to order fried chicken or collard greens for the Champions Dinner next year. ”
http://www.cnn.com/US/9704/21/fuzzy/
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In this case, there was fall out from this comment:
“The controversy over Fuzzy Zoeller’s racial remarks about Tiger Woods, which resulted in Kmart’s dropping Zoeller as its golf spokesman on Tuesday, escalated yesterday when the golfer pulled out of the Greater Greensboro Classic.”
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“Zoeller Learns Race Remarks Carry a Price ” – Published: April 24, 1997
http://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/24/sports/zoeller-learns-race-remarks-carry-a-price.html
The apology always says – “the comment wasn’t meant in a racist way” – well it sure sounded that way. And then Garcia lists his friends
“There’s never been a true connection like I would have with Luke [Donald] or Lee [Westwood], Adam Scott or some of the other guys I get along with well.”
Wonder what the difference is between these guys (2 English, 1 Australian) and Tiger Woods
Pfffft
So much racism, so little time. Now, just to confuse the racists: I love collard greens and I’m a Jewish white girl. Whatever will they do with that?
🙂
Added to schedule –
11:00 AM: Vice President Biden Gives the Commencement Address at the United States Coast Guard Academy
Audio only – http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
What a BEAUTIFUL, serene campus the USCG Academy is! On the knoll above the Thames River across from the Naval Base in Groton, CT….. Good luck to those graduating cadets! They have a very special speaker today:) hope the weather’s good!
MooooooOOOOOOOOOooooorning DF!!!!!
Morning, Chips:) !!!!!
Morning:) http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/22/2046191/americans-deep-south-medicaid/
POLL: Americans In The Deep South Strongly Support Medicaid Expansion, Despite Governors’ Opposition
Over 60 percent of the Americans living in the Deep South support Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion, according to the results from a new poll that surveyed a broad sample of people in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
The poll, conducted between March and April by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, found that support for Medicaid expansion is somewhat divided along partisan lines. Nevertheless, a solid majority of residents in each of the five Deep South states favor expanding the public insurance program to extend coverage to additional uninsured Americans:
Hello. Of course they DO. There is so much to gain… Better lives.
Pamela, do you have an iPad? If you do, would you be willing to answer a couple of questions I have? Do you have twitter or FB? My twitter acct is @carolmaewy Thanks.
DF, this won’t, unfortunately, turn into votes against their governor. So, fearing no punishment from the people, these governors will go on trying to appease the Tea Party and their corporate buddies.
What is Sergio Garcia’s race? These people know exactly what they are doing when they make comments like that. I don’t blame Tiger for not accepting the phony apology. Tell Garcia, what goes around comes around, unless Sergio Garcia is a southern white name. Doesn’t sound like it.
I think he’s from Spain.
Yep, he’s Spanish DF – and has been one of the most unpopular players on the Tour for years, a horrible little man.
mr. dotster, a golf fan, says Garcia has always had a nasty attitude——a surly soul—so remarks are not surprising.
Mr Dotster is right – as usual! There was a survey done a few years back among professional golfers and only Phil Mickelson was more unpopular than Garcia. He’s a nasty piece of work, always has been. All he’s worried about now is losing sponsors, he certainly isn’t sorry, knew exactly what he was saying.
I’m listening to Elijah Cummings statement and it is making me sick to my stomach. Why, oh why have Democrats jumped on this IRS bandwagon? Certainly, they should call for an investigation, if in fact there was wrongdoing, but they first need to “establish” that is indeed a fact.
There is no mention that an investigation of IRS was public knowledge a year ago. There is no mention of the fact that Issa has been in communication about the IRS debacle for over a year. There is no mention of the fact that 300 organizations were flagged…only 10% were Tea Party. Who were the remaining organizations? There is no mention that targeting opposition groups is a practice that dates back to FDR…why the tremendous concern now? Democrats get on my nerves.
Democrats are scared little beings, much unlike the left base who want them to fight and stand with the president.
It’s called the bubble!
I’m furious at the Democratic response to all of this. They’ve blown it big time, in my opinion. There is every reason that the IRS make sure these groups do not abuse tax exempt status and do not perform political work illegally. But instead, they’re doing what they did to ACORN (I’m talking to YOU, Barbara Boxer) and they’re all getting on the Outrage RWNJ bandwagon. And Dem’s are doing the exact thing again.
Makes. Me. Crazy.
Write or call him and let him know how you feel.
Hi everyone.
Thanks to Jovie for bringing this to our our attention: a FBI agent killed a man while he was questionning him about the Marathon bombings.
http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/metro/man-questioned-in-boston-marathon-bombing-shot-killed-by-fbi/-/11971628/20250158/-/k4uelaz/-/index.html?absolute=true&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=wcvb
Does that make ANY sense to you ?
What the hell is going on here?
It’s a weird story LP, don’t know what went on.
Why on earth do people create accounts like this?
https://twitter.com/01whitehouse
Hey there all you O’s!!!!! What another great getting up day on TOD street!!! I managed to get my run in very early this morning. It’s amazing how good it feels to be outside right as the sun rises and before the neighborhood awakens. To top it all off, there was a light drizzle, which truly cleansed my soul. My critter creature pals on the prairie path, were dumbfounded when I told them that ‘Pubs are still talking about PBO surrounded by faux scandals. They were all a twitter.
Btw, my local news station aired an interview with that man and the little AA boy whose picture was on one of the threads the other day. Anyway, they were not student and teacher. The young kid was his neighbor’s son. The man was at the school either to help or to look for his own kid, I didn’t catch that part. What happened was that, when he saw his neighbors son, he was so happy to see him, he just swooped him up and hung on tight. He said, “When I saw him emerge, I think I needed that hug more than he did at the time.”
Thanks cookemom that was a sweet picture the young AA boy and the man everyone thought was a teacher…….in a way his a teacher because everyone should behave that way after a disaster and you see a young kid you know you are so glad he’s safe for his family as well as for your community. Very heartfelt emotion of love and joy.
thanks for sharing that cookemom.. I wondered about their relationship- I believe that hug was felt around the world.
Your run sounded delightful 🙂
cookemom, thank you for the update, I posted it on my facebook page. Good news all around.
So, Chuck Todd is now on record saying that the Obama Adminstration wants to criminalize journalism!?! He actually said that on Morning Jerk. I think I’m going to South Africa with the OBAMAS.
All these faux journalist make me sick. I was listening to Bill Press this morning and he was saying people aren’t paying attention to the DOJ scandal enough because this affects poor journalist like him…….today’s faux journalist are about as popular as the IRS…probably less.
When I read that classified documents were found in Osama Bin Laden’s house, that was all I needed. At what point is a journalist imparting the news or behaving more like a double agent?
Newstainers like Chuck Todd should be charged with the crime of impersonating journalists.
Journalists want to be able to do anything without repercussions, including outing a CIA agent, including blowing up any operation of infiltration of terrorists groups.
They want rights without responsibilities.
They’re so self-centered. If they were shielded from ANY scrutiny in a national security case, you know what would happen ? There would be a free-for-all fishing expedition for national security secrets. I can EASILY imagine right wing hacks doing everything they can to bribe government insiders for national security secrets, so they could embarrass democratic presidents. Heck, they wouldn’t have to bribe anyone, they could simply conspire with the republican moles embedded within the national apparatus by Cheney and his pals. I’m sure we would see an epidemic of harmful leaks, because leakers would feel secure they wouldn’t be identified.
And yes, my worry is about republicans conspiring, when there is a democrat in the White HOuse. Republicans are the ones who have demonstrated they don’t CARE about the country when they want to make a democrat president look bad.
Thanks for this. I’ve been pounding on this since this story began. Rights also require responsibilities. And the destruction of a sensitive, effective counter terrorism operation is beyond the ‘rights’ of journalists who care about their next scoop and care nothing about the repercussions of their actions.
There are no rights without responsibilities. Lather, rinse, repeat.
“criminalize journalism!” Soundbite fodder for the ignorant masses……They are all saying it …….
When will Joe be exposed for his involvement in the NAACP Bush audit he recommended that last two years ?
Poor Chuck Todd! He actually thinks that he is a journalist. Somebody needs to tell Todd that real journalists don’t tell lies and pretend that they reporting news.
This is ridiculous The Issa Hearings are absurd, yet Cable catnip.
Pushed by emails from the IRS, scaring the shit out of House democrats…
That’s all it’s doing, is scaring Congressional democrats.
Why are they scared, Jovie?
I don’t know ask Cummings?
I wish I could. You would think someone who has gone through what he has would have a lot more moxie. I think you’re right that they are a bunch of mice, but I just don’t get it. It’s sad.
He must be having a bad day because Cummings has been laying the wood to Issa pretty good for quite some time now.
Jovie,don’t take much to scare these scary ass Democrats. That’s why they don’t stand up to these lying Republicans like they should, and I will never forget when Gov. Patrick said the Democrats need to get some backbone. I guess they still haven’t gotten it.
Rt
Sublime!!! Morning Japa!
Morning bride to be (hopefully). I have changed my mind on bacon tux. My dog wouldn’t let me out of the house.
🙂 I wouldn’t want you semi-chewed at the altar!!!
Morning y’all! Just unsubscribed as fast as possible from Anthony Whiner’s email list, announcing his run for mayor of NYC. Nearly wrote back to say I Hope You Fail, but hit unsubscribe instead. I am a fine person. Hugs all around TOD! tea time.
I consider Weiner as Local News, not National…..
He needs to drop out and give his money to the DCCC, IMO
Ok, the sun has finally peeked through the clouds. It’s time for me to tend to all those annuals and veggies I bought yesterday. I truly overbought, but I loved a mess of blossoms all over the place. Also too, it seems the train is jumping off the tracks with the IRS hearings and the MSM today. Now would be a good time to for me to hop off, before things completely derail.
See yous guys. Try and get outside if you can. Trust me, it does wonders.
Mike O’Brien @mpoindc
Groan. Issa: “Let’s all be Republicrats and Demicans today.
caraelysse @caraelysse 15m
@mpoindc @HotlineJosh I see your “groan” and raise you an eye-roll.
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Ha !
Dotster, congrats on #1. Love that you open the comments section with a picture of Bo!
Didn’t see Carolyn on this thread; so appreciative of her updates of the Oklahoma tornado disaster from a local and knowledgeable perspective.
Here’s a photo of last night’s sunset in Oklahoma City.
Oh wow, that is stunning!
Wow, that is freakishly beautiful.
Makes me smile more thinking of my strange stranger-neighbor who came outside at sunset last night, said nothing, then took photos of our sky here (nothing like this image!) to the north, east, south, and west. And then went back in her house. Uh, okay. #WhereTheHellAmI
great tweet …
Does he get these attacks often? He literally looks like a complete dope running around pretending PBO is persecuting him. Romney loss. You’re not going to be White House Press Secretary. Get over it!
Mornin’.
Morning Jacquelineeeeeeeeeeeee!
Ha! Looks like I’ve gotta wake up and catch up to your enthusiasm! Love it.
Alternatively, the ‘e’ might have got stuck on my keeeeeeeeeeeeeyboard!
Ah, yeeeeeeeeeeees, I seeeeeeeeeeeeee how that could haveeeeeeeeeee happeeeeeeeeeeneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed !
Chuckleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
Now that’s how a minister of defense should look and dress!
What do you mean by that?
I like his outfit. It’s quite striking.
It is not an outfit/it is his manner of dress/as I know you are aware
He’s very imposing no doubt about that. Great look all the way around.
Actually the politics of conflict with the DC pundit press corps works well for PBO. The public has had total contempt for them for decades now. If you are getting attacked for not paying enough attention to them, the public is on your side, especially if it involves matters of national security and the safety of American citizens.
Yes Bill, I agree. The public have contempt for the ‘press’ – they’re sick of all the false equivalence, lying (Iraq war) etc. The general public is not going to have the MSM’s back – they don’t trust them and therefore won’t feel any outrage on their behalf. The ‘journalists’ don’t get that.
I mentioned earlier in this thread that classified government docs were found in Osama Bin Laden’s house. That fact should be headlines, but the mention was so obscure I can’t even remember where I read it so I can link to the article. For all we know, we could have a double-agent embedded somewhere in the government or the wonderful world of journalism. We aren’t the only country with secret agents.
But Solyndra and…
Excellent, thank you Jovie! More here:
Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA), labeled a “loser” by Mitt Romney during the U.S. election, is giving President Barack Obama’s green-energy strategy its biggest win after almost two years of failures pounced upon by Republicans.
The maker of the electric Model S car as early as today will become the first recipient of a U.S. Energy Department vehicle loan to pay off its debt. The Palo Alto, California-based company will do so nine years ahead of schedule, with taxpayers making at least $12 million on the $465 million lent.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-05-22/tesla-repaying-romney-s-loan-for-losers-gives-obama-green-win
How I wish the CEO of this company was a Republican so he or she could go tell the rest of the GOP to shut up and deal with it. Maybe then they would listen.
Reblogged this on The Fifth Column and commented:
Absolutely…
Chat away!
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/05/22/chat-away-164/