@PeteSouza: President and First Lady pose with children of embassy workers in Berlin
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President Barack Obama, German Chancelor Angela Merkel, and German Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit wave on the Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate on June 19, 2013 in Berlin, Germany.
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President Barack Obama speaks on the Pariser Platz in front of the Brandenburg Gate on June 19, 2013 in Berlin, Germany.
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If you missed any of the German leg of the trip, go: here here here here here here
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The Obama Diary 
What have we here?
You are first. Congrats derbingle.
This is more of my continuation of the German leg of the European trip. More posts will be coming. If you have videos, articles, pictures to enhance the coverage, leave it in the comments section. Thanks.
If you missed any of my posts on the German trip, I have included links highlighted in blue at the bottom of the post so that you can catch up.
Until my next German trip post, enjoy! 😀
Thanks UT.
Superb work as usual.
Wonderful coverage, UT! Woke up this morning to the music of President Obama’s remarks in Germany! Now, that’s a fine way to start the day!
Bringing this over from the end of the last thread:
Morning all.
Some folks are getting clued in.
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Chris
@MrMurder37
@blakehounshell thank you note for asking us to help invade Syria!
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8:12 AM – 19 Jun 13
So even ‘friends’ come at cost for bill?
“If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.” — Harry Truman
ALL friends come at a cost for the Clintons.
Half a million. Is Clinton worth that much?
I think you know what I think of Clinton……
Because he really needs the $$$?
Photo of President and Michelle Obama with embassy children:)
That is so sweet!
That is sweet, think of any other President and First Lady who would have posed with these kids like that.
Any other First Lady would be worry about the stiff two piece suit they had on. Worry about how proper and poised they suppose to look.
They bring all new meaning to poised, IMHO! This is just so real..
Lovely pic!
Snap df. Great minds and all that!
Dear Chips,
Once again just wanted to thank you for this incredible community that you have created. I discovered you soon after the first election of PBO and have had a home here ever since. I have learned so much and laughed so hard; shared with other’s public and private joys and pains as well as the comfort of knowing that i was not alone in how I felt about this president, his family, and the dedicated men and women who make up his administration. I am witnessing history from a front row seat, guided by the sharpest minds.
Your work has been a gift to the many thousands who do not comment, but whose presence I can feel as surely as I feel, those of who do comment. If we had only the MSM to keep us informed, we would know very little. Thank you also for keeping the forum open when you have been going through difficulties. Your strength helped to strengthen us as well.
The site has and continues to evolve in ways that you probably did not imagine when you first decided to host a blog, but this is the very nature of life itself. We are moving forward and growing; inspiring so many in so many ways that can only make us and our various countries better.
I am so grateful.
Carla
Fitting tribute to our Chips, and to our mental plane wherein we all dwell in strength together, thank you CEB.
Thank you CEB for expressing my heart as well. It is a shame our own children are not able to witness on television here in America.
We are forever grateful for this opportunity guided by our beloved Ms. Chips and our dedicated helpers. Thank you all very much.
I do not take this for granted…..
Ceb Thank you so much for writing this comment. I agree with you whole heartily.
The President looked amazing today (as with most days…)! Breathtaking.
LIVE STREAMING: Arrivals for Gala Dinner in Charlottenburg Palace: http://streema.com/tv/play/N24
Thanks,JER. Heading over to take a look.
Thanks Jer watching it right now
Look at all the rabid people.
Super funny tweet.
Donna Brazile’s NYT screed is a tell. The DLC is seeking to resurrect their relevance and to co-opt Obama coalition. But what I don’t understand is their calculation that dissing Obama coalition wins them more votes? But where? If they think Hillary can repeat Bill Clinton’s winning states from ’92 & ’96, they’re truly mad & out of touch. That America is long gone.
The Democratic base is now squarely Obama coalition. Maybe they want to win Red state white women who voted hugely for Romney. But why piss us off? don’t need us? fine. Go with ur miserable Kerry 2004 map and see where that gets you.
If Clintonistas don’t help push immigration reform thinking they’ll deny PBO “victory” so she can swoop in on the promise of saving Latinos, she should kiss Nevada, New Mexico & Virginia goodbye. & see retrogression in Battlegroundtexas project. They should mark it on the wall.
We Obama coalition are FIERCE! We are NOT beholden to the Democratic Party. We are sui generis
Couldn’t agree more, Zizi.
And Where were the Clintons during the gun control debate????
Oh, the Clintons from Wal-Mart aren’t going to help us much on that front, are they?
I looooooooove the Obama White House.
Cool! Crazy ass teabagger Rick Santelli got called out on CNBC this morning:)
http://www.businessinsider.com/jon-hilsenrath-and-rick-santelli-on-cnbc-2013-6
That was fun.
June 19, 2013
U.S. Promises Smooth Transfer of Quagmire from Afghanistan to Syria
Posted by Andy Borowitz
DAMASCUS (The Borowitz Report)—Supporters of the United States’ twelve-year quagmire in Afghanistan cheered the news today that the U.S. would strive to achieve a seamless transfer of that quagmire to Syria, effective immediately.
Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, sought to reassure those who were concerned that the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan signalled a wavering of the nation’s commitment to being mired in open-ended military muddles.
“I can tell you, right here and right now, that the U.S. is every bit as determined to engage in an ill-defined, ill-advised and seemingly interminable mission in Syria as we were in Afghanistan,” Gen. Dempsey said. “All that’s changing is the Zip Code.”
General Dempsey said that the same tribal hatreds, sectarian violence, and untrustworthy alliances that made Afghanistan a quicksand-like morass are very much in evidence in Syria: “I am confident that we could be involved in Syria for many, many years before figuring out why we are there.”
Harland Dorrinson, executive director of the National Quagmire Institute, a think tank dedicated to promoting the United States’ involvement in intractable conflicts around the globe, said he found General Dempsey’s words about Syria reassuring: “I felt a lot better after hearing what he had to say, and I know a lot of defense contractors felt the same way.”
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/borowitzreport/2013/06/us-promises-smooth-transfer-of-quagmire-from-afghanistan-to-syria.html
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-06-13/amid-u-dot-s-dot-oil-boom-railroads-are-beating-pipelines-in-crude-transport#r=hpt-fs
WE DON’T NEED KEYSTONE
Oh for shits sakes, this man is an idiot and a fool
At least the President went to a school, Hannity gives the impression that he has never seen inside of a classroom because he sure acts and sounds like a dunce.
“You say tomayto….I say parsnips!”
No. It’s the moron that a couple of million people listen to everyday. The same ones that watch him on FOX. 98% of Americans couldn’t pick him out of a police line up even if he had a neon name tag. In the grand scheme of media, guys like Hannity are little fish in a big ocean.
More red state governors than blue state governors. A teabggaer congress despite a popular president. Common thread – pox news.
There you go and many of these red states voters don’t listen to Hannity. They don’t have to. They’ve got their own home grown local right wing lunatics.
Be that as may (or may be not), I don’t see anything wrong to expose this stupid, who has some control of what people hear and absorb. Pox news sets the tone for the rw radio shockjocks.
#HELLIsTooGoodForHannity
I’ll skip Hannity. I don’t watch his show, so I don’t want to read anything he says.
Oh. My. God.
Live streaming now from Germany:
http://www.ustream.tv/cbsnews
UT? You are magnificent!
Hey Chiparoo, did you get my Tweet?
Yikes, missed it, will check now LL!
Thanks so much Chiparoo! 😀
Just a tidbit of random knowledge about Germany. Did you guys know our mayor of Berlin is openly gay and the public has no issues with that whatsoever?
I’m not surprised in the slightest:)
I remember his coming out a few years back. His “I am gay and that´s okay” became somewhat of a memorial quote 😀
Does that work in German ?
I was trying to find something equally catchy as what he said. He said “Ich bin schwul und das ist auch gut so” which was kinda catchy, possibly equally catchy as my version, but literally it means something like “i am gay and that is good as it is.”
http://thepoliticalcarnival.net/2013/06/19/gallup-obamas-job-approval-easily-outpaces-u-s-satisfaction/
PRINCETON, NJ — President Barack Obama’s job approval rating thus far in 2013 has averaged 24 percentage points higher than Americans’ satisfaction with the direction in which the country is going. This gap is typical for the Obama presidency, but represents a much greater presidential job approval premium than most other presidents since Ronald Reagan have enjoyed.
More specifically, so far this year, an average of 50% of Americans have approved of the job Obama is doing as president. At the same time, an average of 26% have been satisfied with the direction of the country. Similarly, since the start of his presidency in 2009, Obama’s average job approval rating has been running 26 points higher than Americans’ average level of satisfaction with the nation, and has ranged from 22 to 30 points higher each year.
Not sure I get what this means…seem convoluted to me
In other words, to me, it means we have a better President than our country expects (or 20 percent of ’em deserve).
It may also mean that there are actually some people in this country who know that PBO is not all-powerful and he’s not their Daddy here to fix all of their ills, even though he would dearly love to achieve a lot more. There may actually be a few people who think he could do all manner of great things if he didn’t have a traitorous Congress and a worthless MSM.
Maybe.
^^^ I like THIS take on it. Every word.
It means PBO is regarded highly and that people realize that he can’t do it all. Because of that, they are not necessarily happy with the way the country is going but don’t hold him responsible for that. Most of them probably blame the GOP, not PBO.
It means prez is doing ok and it’s the fucking congress critters that are dragging the country down.
Chancellor Merkel has arrived
LIVE NOW: POTUS and FLOTUS arrive for dinner with Merkel.
http://www.ustream.tv/cbsnews
POTUS AND FLOTUS arrves.
I see FLOTUS and POTUS both looking lovely
Interesting footage of dinner arrival….Merkel hitching up her pants, cars screaming in…never usually get to see all that…but President and Michelle looked stunning as ever.
I saw that as well Df where Merkel was pulling that pants up and I had to smile
Glad I wasn’t the only one:) I would hate to be someone that the entire world watched….
Got a screen shot of FLOTUS’s dress. Gorgeous!
http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/306515-obamacare-premiums-lower-than-expected?utm_campaign=hillhealthwatch&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
The monthly cost of health insurance under President Obama’s healthcare law is consistently coming in lower than expected.
Premiums for a middle-of-the-road policy have come in below earlier estimates in all nine states that have released their initial rate information.
A new analysis from Avalere Health says the lower-than-expected prices show that the central piece of the healthcare law — new insurance exchanges in each state — is working as intended.
FLOTUS looks wonderful. I love that dress.
Another screen shot.
Loved Michelle’s dress; elegant and cool. She is the only one who will not be affected by the heat.
I never thought of Germany as being a place where the weather could be 90 degrees and above. Is this normal?
Michelle’s wardrobe for this trip has been spectacular.
No, this is not normal weather for Germany.
Look at the closer look of the dress in Nerdy Wonka’s tweet below. Fabulous!
During the Whitsun weekend of last year, German solar panels (industry combined with home ones) produced 22 GW of power, more than the installed nuclear facilities (this is only interesting as a got-you number, because nuclear of course also works during the night). However, it was a stunning example what solar power can do even in a country that’s certainly not thought of as “the European California”.
Another screen shot.
Will have a new post soon-ish with a few more pics.
That is one fabulous dress, FLOTUS!
Gorgeous Dress!!! And the guy with Michelle ain’t to bad looking either.
Thank you UT and Chips for your wonderful post on the President’s trip. TOD is the only place we can count on for this coverage.
Do you think it’s a coincidence that Donna Brazile, Al Gore and Bill Clinton are taking shots at this President?
Meanwhile, Hillary is doing everything she needs to do to prepare for a run!
Hillary’s tweets are above the fray, her close supporters are smarmy and hard to recognize.
That’s not a coincidence, it’s to realign her support to regain democrats.
It looks like she wants a deeper coalition and spread out, like maybe West Virginia and Tennessee turning blue, etc.
Is this there plan? It sure seems that way!
If she brings back any of her former cronies I will NOT vote for her in the primary…..and will hold my nose in the General…..
The Clinton Machine makes me sick…
That’s acceptable- note Primary is the operative word.
That’s our prerogative.
But come GE time every democrat must vote democrat.
For Hillary is much better than Christie or any republican.
I agree with that and that’s a good point you made about trying to get a deeper coalition. It’s a pretty good idea although I just don’t see Gore as being able to deliver anything let alone a state. If she can get a majority of Obama voters and still build those ties that’s a winning formula although at this juncture I’m still not sure she’s running.
I am positive she will be! Absolutely sure of it, if Health permits.
I hate to get ahead of myself but do you see her as the front-runner if she gets in it or is there someone we should keep our eye on? Just throwing it out there.
She has the Women’s vote- already endorsed by mccaskil and gilibrand.
I won’t be voting for her in the primary. She’s not going to get any of the “Obama base” if her husband and friends don’t STFU and stop
telling Obama what he should do.
Gore couldn’t even when his home State. There is nothing that he can bring to the table, imo. I live in TN. The conservatives out number Democrats and conservatives have no love for Gore. As long as the Clintonista’s continue to insult PBO & his supports, she will not have their support. It would be better for her to learn this sooner rather than later. Most of us have been turned off since the 2008 campaign. She is not winning anyone over at this point.
Well like I said yesterday, this attacking POTUS could turn off alot of people who still support POTUS, and Hillary would need us to come out to vote, but I don’t like all the B,S coming from her supporters. Her husband, I don’t like it one bit. How the hell did Donna Brazile think that POTUS was suppose to be this country together.
LOL!! Gore imo is done. Time to move on.
Which apparently clintonites and gorites don’t realize. Clinton era of distractions and triangulations is done.
I don’t know. From what I’ve seen in the offline world the Clintons are still pretty popular. I hope you’re right. I like the Clintons but I am pining for some new blood. Whoever gets the Dem nomination gets my vote but again I sure would like someone new. Right now this is all a fake media distraction in the hopes we forget about 2014.
Yeah, they were pretty popular too in 2008. 😉
Yes, new blood is needed at every level. Heck, it’s a business model even. With a billion dollar a pop, it better be sane one.
I don’t think we will have the house until we get some blue dogs back.
IMO!
They were popular and had this sense of entitlement. They can keep on crowning her as the next POTUS like they did the last time around. I think that they will be in for a rude awakening again.
I actually think if Hillary be herself, she has a good chance of winning given her smarts. Unfortunately, she has the tendency to let a buncha crass acolytes to do the job for her. And of course, there is always bill.
You maybe right. The question is, is she strong enough to tell Bill the STFU. Is she also willing to rid her self of her 2008 campaign people.
Nope, Apparently not. Hence, my firm conviction, she won’t make it.
You got my vote!
Oh and this constant bashing if the President, ever channel, show, segment is designed to year down the President!
But why?
Because, apparently the 2014 midterm is going to be run against this President and his policies, so you have to tear him down, maje him look like the bad Guy.
IMO!
FBI Director Mueller: Drones used for domestic surveillance in US
Jordy Yager – 06/19/13 11:28 AM ET
The FBI director told a Senate panel drones are used for domestic surveillance but “our footprint is very small…
Umm that’s not good, I expect the libertarians to freak it about this as well.
On the border? We knew about the border.
Yes. But it will be recycled!
ELKINS, W.Va. — A West Virginia man has been indicted on charges he threatened to kill President Barack Obama and the first family in a letter filled with profanity and racial slurs.
Twenty-year-old McMechen resident Ryan Kirker could face as many as five years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
His arraignment is set for Tuesday morning before U.S. Magistrate James Seibert in Wheeling.
U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld says Kirker threatened the president in an April letter that was sent to the White House and that closed with the phrase, “KKK forever.” The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service.
Kirker remained at the Northern Regional Jail on Wednesday.
His attorney didn’t immediately comment on the indictment.
—-
AP
LIVE NOW: President Obama is speaking now: http://streema.com/tv/play/N24
There is no video showing after the commercial airs. Are we supposed to click something?
He has finished speaking. Dinner is probably being served now.
But click on “Gala-Dinner im Schloss Charlottenburg” for when it resumes – http://streema.com/tv/play/N24
Oh, this must have been hard to all you mono-lingual types 🙂
I could easily follow all three speeches, as English and German are my 2nd and 3rd language (French is my 4th, but I don’t think I could follow an entire speech by, say, Mr. Hollande).
Very good, this theme: OK, now that you obtained freedom and prosperity, don’t sit on your laurels (they might wilt) – go out and support some other people who want to be free !
Go, Mr. President – Go !
wow Toon- you’re amazing, what is your first language then?
Shht, it’s a secret, but if you hover your mouse over my name, and click on it, you’ll be led to my home page ….
will do, thanks 🙂
thank you Toon for sharing that, like I stated before- you are quite amazing!
Wow, A polyglot, a geek and a community volunteer, rolled into one.
I’m a sudoku addict, especially the extreme ones.
Your unsolvable Van Snyder one ? Do you have the grid for it ? I see only numbers. Would love to take a crack at it.
English is my first language, Spanish the language I speak with my mother and older relatives. I can understand French and Italian, but don’t ask me to carry on a conversation.
Oh, and another thing that I mentioned yesterday.
You should realize that Angela Merkel is from the German Democratic Republic – the communist Germany. She had to learn Russian in high school for 6 years. You bet *she* could follow the press conference with President Obama en President Putin without interpreters whatsoever 🙂
They may disagree on austerity or growth but these two obviously like each other. Merkel is so relaxed around PBO.
I have tried to explain this earlier: It is not hard for the *federal* governement in Germany to claim austerity. The Lander (the states) have sufficient authority to follow their own (in quite a few cases, socialist) ideas about the economy and counter-cyclic stimulation (aka as Keynesian economics).
Thank you Chancellor, now tell that to those stupid crazy ass American media.
FED minutes no stimulus changes and predicts 2014 6.5% UE rate.
After the dinner will the Obamas be heading back to the U.S.?
3:55 PM: The President and First Family depart Germany
https://mobile.twitter.com/Brwnizofmine/status/347413148816510977?p=v
Budget conferees compromise, don’t raise the debt limit and you got a deal.
Patty Murray said forget it.
Jeeze!
Anyone know who design FLOTUS dress?
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/06/19/more-from-germany/
Well now Donna Brazille has taken to bashing the president, her claim is that he hasn’t donee noigh to unite the nation. Can you Clive this crap?
Tea Party audit the IRS rally now on cspan 3.
It’s live.
Really?
Why are they showing this garbage?