A year ago today: “The President hugs the First Lady after she had introduced him at a campaign event in Davenport, Iowa. The campaign tweeted a similar photo from the campaign photographer on election night and a lot of people thought it was taken on election day.” (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Tune in at 10:15am ET to hear President Obama’s statement on #Egypt —> http://t.co/KvadYk9atb
— The White House (@whitehouse) August 15, 2013
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The Hill: Obama Group’s New Ad Touts Healthcare Law Insurance Rebates
The political advocacy group spun off from President Obama’s reelection campaign on Thursday unveiled a new ad touting the benefits of ObamaCare, their third national ad as the administration readies to rollout their healthcare reforms.
The new ad from Organizing for Action (OFA), titled “Every Day” features a North Carolina family discussing the insurance rebate they received under the healthcare law. The parents Rebecca and Russell worried about how to pay for their son’s medical care in the face of rising premiums.
“When the Affordable Care Act was passed we ended up getting a $350 rebate from our insurance company and then his premiums were going to go down by $60 a month,” says Rebecca in the ad.
“ObamaCare is helping everyday families every day,” reads onscreen text.
“It’s nice to see somebody looking out for the little guy,” says the father Russell.
“The law works,” Rebecca adds.
More here
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New study shows typical family buying insurance on their own saving thousands because of ACA. http://t.co/TszuUyBzuY t.co/wyVN8zxuN6
— David Simas (@Simas44) August 14, 2013
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The Grio: Eric Holder’s Sentencing Reforms Represent A Sea Change
This week, Attorney General Holder announced that Federal Prosecutors would have more discretion (i.e. more leeway) in maneuvering around some of this nation’s more draconian sentencing practices impacting substance abusers and others whose lives and families have been decimated by the so-called War on Drugs. Nearly half of the federal inmate population is serving time for drug offenses. The significance of this policy shift initiated by AG Holder and the DOJ should not be underestimated.
Holder’s announcement this week signals both his leadership and commitment to these issues as well as his capacity to hear and respond to calls for equal justice from the litany of voices aimed at ending the war on drugs and reforming our broken criminal justice system. The Department of Justice memo sent to all U.S. federal prosecutors this week requires them to not include information regarding drug quantities – thereby allowing them to sidestep mandatory minimums – for drug defendants that meet a reasonable set of criteria, including having no affiliations with drug cartels or other criminal organizations, no prior criminal record, and no violent crimes connected to their offenses.
More here
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Jonathan Cohn: The Big Savings Obamacare Critics Miss
Obamacare critics keep insisting that Obamacare is a bad deal for most people buying insurance on their own. And a big reason is that they don’t think much of the subsidies.
I know. You’re getting tired of hearing about the subsidies. Bear with me, because today we have some new and important information, thanks to a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
To review: Obamacare provides offers tax credits to offset the cost of insurance. If your income is less than four times the poverty line, and if you’re buying through one of the new insurance exchanges, then the tax credit will operate like a discount. The less money you have, the bigger the discount. Nowadays, most Obamacare critics acknowledge that the subsidies exist. But they tend to dismiss them as trivial. “Some low-income people will get subsidies,” Rich Lowry of the National Review wrote on Monday. “But that doesn’t change the essential facts.”
Actually, it does change the essential facts—by quite a lot….
More here
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Working 40 hrs/week at the current federal minimum wage, the annual income is $14,500—still below the poverty line. pic.twitter.com/zsKxEwo15k
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 14, 2013
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USA Today: Obama Team Alters College Loan Program
The Obama administration has made changes to a college loan program designed to help more families qualify for college aid.
African-American college presidents and lawmakers had sought changes to the PLUS loan program…..
“The Education Department says families that have recent but small-scale debt may now become eligible for PLUS loans through appeals …. Black lawmakers have been pressuring the administration, saying large numbers of previously eligible applicants have been denied aid under tighter credit rules.
“Parents and graduate students who use PLUS loans have no borrowing limit, but they face some of the highest interest rates in the federal student loan system.”
Full post here
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Carrie Healey: Obama’s Half-Sister Speaks On Human Trafficking, Peace Gardens
President Obama’s half-sister, peace advocate and educator, Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng spoke today at the Center for American Progress on human trafficking.
Dr. Soetoro-Ng proposed the U.S. plant peace gardens, create “reflective spaces,” and practice yogo in an effort to bring peace to victims of trafficking.
“My brother’s administration is committed to addressing this issue,” she said in regards to Obama’s handling of the issue. ”But today I would like us to consider some grassroots, pro-active, preventative, and educational solutions.”
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Here’s the chart of Bush 43 and Obama vacations that human word jumble @Reince Priebus is working off of pic.twitter.com/xfNQKmkihS
— Matt Ortega (@MattOrtega) August 14, 2013
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USA Today: Obama bus stops: Buffalo, Syracuse, Binghamton
President Obama’s two-day bus tour next week will start with three cities in Upstate New York: Buffalo, Syracuse and Binghamton.
The major topic will be college education.
Obama will “discuss the importance of ensuring that every American has access to a quality education by reducing costs and improving the value of higher education for middle-class students and their families,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.
The tour will be Aug. 22 and 23.
The bus tour – the latest in a series of middle-class speeches Obama has been delivering – will also include yet-to-be-determined stops in northeastern Pennsylvania.
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Charles Pierce: A Fine Bromance
Remember when a whole bunch of suckers from our side of the aisle got all gooey about Rand Paul, because Aqua Buddha and Aqua Buddha alone stood between us and a Hellfire missile fired up our keisters from a drone because we said mean things about the president? Well, in the days since, Aqua Buddha’s shown that he has more than a small sweet-tooth for the days when Freedom meant states could keep black people from eating in restaurants and, of course, voting:
“So really, I don’t think there is objective evidence that we’re precluding African-Americans from voting any longer.”
….The suckers should be embarrassed to have lined up with this clown.
Full post here
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ThinkProgress: Three Republicans Who Opposed Sandy Relief Now Demand Disaster Aid For Arizona
Arizona Republicans Sen. Jeff Flake, Sen. John McCain, and Rep. Paul Gosar all voted against emergency relief funding after SuperStorm Sandy ravaged much of the New Jersey and New York area earlier this year. Now, following an Arizona wildfire, the same trio is vocally complaining that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is not doing enough to aid their state.
More here
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This isn’t an Onion headline. http://t.co/SNFE10nloz pic.twitter.com/WPHjilDVD0
— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) August 14, 2013
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As Steve Benen said, “always check your spelling when writing about education”:
My #1 goal is to secure VA’s economic future, including for our children & that beings with education: http://t.co/JiA2jLEZ0p #VAGov
— Ken Cuccinelli (@KenCuccinelli) August 13, 2013
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On This Day:
Aug. 15, 2010 – Pete Souza: “Back in the Gulf Coast for a weekend, the President and First Lady toured St. Andrews Bay on a boat in Panama City Beach, Fla. I noticed their hands touching as they held the rail on the boat.”
Aug. 15, 2010: President Obama and daughter Sasha steer the “Bay Point Lady” during a tour of St. Andrews Bay off Panama City Beach, Fla. (Photo by Pete Souza)
Aug. 15, 2011: President Barack Obama greets children from the Valleyland Kids summer program outside a school in Chatfield, Minn., during a three-day bus tour in the Midwest (Photo by Pete Souza)
Aug. 15, 2011: President Obama holds a baby as he arrives for lunch at the Old Market Deli in Cannon Falls, Minn. (Photo by Pete Souza)
Aug. 15, 2011: President Obama greets people outside the Old Market Deli in Cannon Falls, Minn. (Photo by Samantha Appleton)
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The Obama Diary 
gOOD mORNING, CHIPS
G’morning UT, Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone, and congrats rikyrah on #1 🙂
Congrats on first rikyrah! Good morning UT, Ms. Chips, and the rest of the TOD family. I woke up and found out that President Obama is still my president and smiled. It’s going to be a GREAT day.
Love the pics from the vacation….the First Family more than deserves it
Good morning all.
Pics and lots of news. My favorite rise and shine. Thanks chips.
UT did this Rise & Shine 🙂
And UT…sorry I was still flying with the ‘early bird’ when this came up.
Charles Pierce is hilarious
Good morning, TODville.
President Obama to make statement on Egypt violence at 10:15 a.m. from Martha’s Vineyard.
thanks meta, was just about to post this tweet 🙂
Thanks, but I’ve already missed. I guess I should make everyone starve while I read TOD. I should start at last post and go backward, silly me. ONLY 9:06 here.
Good morning again, TODobots! 😀
These ‘rise and shines’ are so chock full of goodies they use up all my shine just to get through them! One of these days I may learn how to skim so they don’t always take me ages to complete. Thanks for all the info.
It’s official – UT = Legend. Thank you Maestro!!!!
Almosty as much a legend as Wayne Rooney, who she may soon be rooting for instead of against. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1738793-collymore-wayne-rooney-is-set-on-leaving-manchester-united-for-chelsea
And Chips, I personally feel he would be doing Man U a favor.
Japa, are you trying to Ruiney my day just as it’s starting?
When I read the other day that United would not sell him to Chelsea, under any circumstances, I had a notion that was just a ploy to drag one last monster offer from them – and apparently Chelsea are considering doing just that, gulp.
I do think it would be good for him, a fresh challenge and all that, and I reckon he’d enjoy playing for Mourinho, but I’d melt if he left. He hasn’t reached the heights it looked like he might when he was starting out, but I still think he’s been fantastic for United, and has three or four very good years left in him. But I have a sinking feeling we’ll be seeing him in blue this season ….. 😥
Hahaha….Thank YOOOOOOOU!
Check this video out: Leave Obama Alone About His Vacation – Larry Mendte:
http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=90051&sitesection=nydailynews_nws_pol_sty_vmpp&VID=25031638
Maybe someone could post it and/or tweet it.
Thank you JER! I’m having trouble playing it, but that’s because I’m still using less than super-fast internet, will keep trying. Thanks again!
Excellent and spot on!!! I don’t hear any media griping about congress taking over 200 vacation days in a single year – especially after accomplishing damn near nothing. Maybe Chips or UT could post this video on this thread’s main, or next thread 🙂
Thanks JER for sharing!!
Here’s a letter I got from my Sen. when I asked him about town halls. Only one to respond…
Senator_JBarrasso@barrasso.senate.gov
Dear Carol,
Thank you for contacting me. It is good to hear from you.
I noted your comment about town hall meetings. At this time, I do not have any town hall meetings scheduled in the state. However, I am traveling around Wyoming over the August recess to meet and talk with people about the issues they are concerned about. I am happy to notify you should I schedule a town hall meeting in the Gillette or Northeast Wyoming area this August. Please let me know and I will make sure that you are contacted.
Thanks again for writing me, Carol.
John Barrasso, M.D.
United States Senator
JER, may I say Thank You for posting this video.
This was great!
Thanks, Jer! That was great. I tell you, the silliness in the age of President Obama is mind boggling.
Brought this over:
Morning! I’ve been reading about Republican hypocricy this morning…and lots of it!
First, we have THIS GOOBER, from OK willing to take food out of people’s mouths because they “look fit”, while HE pockets stimulus money for his own company that doesn’t NEED stimulus money!
http://www.politicususa.com/2013/08/14/congressman-attacked-fit-couple-food-stamps-received-370000-federal-stimulus-dollars.html
Then, we have the Arizona senators that voted AGAINST SANDY RELIEF, screaming about FEMA not helping the Yarnell fire victims families…when they loved sequestration and slashed the budget across the board.
In light of sequestration and budget tightening, FEMA has limited funding and cannot respond to every single flood, fire, and other issue that hits. Last week, the agency announced that it would not declare Yarnell, Arizona, a federal disaster area. A spokesman explained that while the agency had assisted firefighters during the deadly June blaze, “the damage to uninsured private residences from this event was not beyond the response and recovery capabilities of the state/local governments, and voluntary agencies.”
More here: http://www.politicususa.com/2013/08/14/congressman-attacked-fit-couple-food-stamps-received-370000-federal-stimulus-dollars.html
It always comes back to bite them.
I see that you already have this “surprising RW hypocricy news” in R/S already:) Oh yes…they’ll be getting a call from me.
Great roundup. Thanks, Chips. Looks like our president is going to jump back into the fray next week with all engines humming. His vacation seems too short for someone who works so hard. Hope he gets lots of rest. And yes, the minimum wage issue has to be addressed, by even this useless Congress. Minimum wage should not mean that a person lives in poverty, unable to afford a place to live or to eat.
Ooops, this was UT’s roundup, but the greatness still applies.
I guess media is waiting for PBO to speak on Egypt for them to release their latest manufactured Gallup “poll” to give them more idiot talking points for the rest of the day…..
Great toon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s a gem DF!!
🙂 I thought so!
In other batshit news…
http://thinkprogress.org/education/2013/08/14/2465791/ken-cuccinelli-education-vouchers/
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R), his party’s nominee in this November’s gubernatorial election, unveiled a 12-point education plan Tuesday. Among his proposals: Virginia should amend its constitution to allow public funding for religious education.
Cuccinelli, who has blasted the Catholic Church for creating a “culture of dependency on government, not God,” proposed that Virginia should divert taxpayer funds from public education to parochial school vouchers. He claimed that the separation of church and state provisions in Article IV, Section 16 of Virginia’s constitution were merely anti-Catholic bigotry:
REALLY VA????? Just make this awful man go away. Far, far away….out of public life….I’m sick of hearing about his extreme, lunatic, un American views.
Good West Coast morning Chipsticks, UT & TOD family. Great R&S UT, I love the turtle headline!
Will Rachel Maddow give Hayes the same treatment that she gave PBO on LGBT rights?
No evidence? Folks go get him!
If Rand Paul is like his racists Dad, what do we expect him to say?
WH is doing audio only…….Anyone find video?
Was hoping it would be here Meta – http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml – but no sign yet.
It makes me crazy that there is an entire press pool following him EVERYWHERE and they can’t be bothered to stream a breaking news event! CRIKEY.
Seriously – they’re only interested in filming him playing golf 🙄
Oh, CBS now have it listed: http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
THANK YOU, Chipstar!!
…… but they’re using the WH Live audio feed.
A pleasant good morning to everyone in the TOD community. It’s a beautiful day here in the Caribbean and I hope it’s just as wonderful in your space of nature.
A big thank you to UT for the information you continuously provide. What a great complement you are to Chipsticks!
Today, I begin a much anticipated vacation and I plan to hang out right here with you guys.
Do have a blessed day.
Hope your vacation is all you hoped and more!
***What is happening? Have been away from TV and computer. Just got notification on my iPad that DOW dropped 200 points!!!!!!!????
Anyone know what happened?
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/stocks-tumble-1-uncertainty-over-fed-support-6C10925351
Yup. Market tumbles every time the Fed even hints at taking away their blankee.
Eff ’em.
Wal mart says profits sucks but it’s egypt unrest that’s throwing market off!
It will come back up again.
That photo of PBO with the kids in Mn. has always been one of my absolute faves——-the kid with his arms around PBO’s waist, PBO looking like the Pied Piper, all the spontaneous love and exuberance of the kids, thrilled to have the president stop at their summer program.
One of my favorites too. Another reason is that it makes me hopeful for the future when I see many white kids just being so happy to see the president, and feeling so COMFORTABLE with a man whose skin color is different than theirs. Makes my heart sing.
Come to think of it, this photo is probably my #1 favorite of all his presidency.
I LOVE the kid in the front with the beaming smile!
You know, I been thinking the same thing!
True. Except that I think Gore was the only one who offered ol’ Keith a job when MSNBC dumped him, unless I’ve got my facts wrong, so that would be another bridge Keith burned!
Current also said they would invest in making Current a world class network and they had no intention of doing so. Gore’s partner only wanted to take licensing fees and invest nothing in making Current competitive.
Now, Keith acted like his usual petulant self, not showing up most of the time. But I think there’s enough blame to cover all of them.
And I missed all of it, because my local COMCAST doesn’t offer Current. Dang.
Of course, they hired their share of emoprogs – Bill Press, Cenk (yuck!) and Elliot Spitzer used the show to show how jealous he was that PBO got to be President and he didn’t because he couldn’t behave. But Jennifer Granholm, Stephanie Miller were great. John Fugelsang is good, too. I don’t agree with him on absolutely everything but he’s the kind of farther-left progressive that you can talk to and reason with – a dying breed.
I’m assuming the emoprogs will end up on Free Speech TV. Stephanie Miller will have another TV outlet but we don’t know where yet (and the radio show continues).
Al-Jazeera America is supposed to be news only – no opinion or pundits. And since they actually, like, cover the world instead of assuming the U.S. is the only thing that matters in the world, they may be able to fill their programming with substance. We’ll see.
I’ll be looking forward to all the good points you mentioned! The one I missed seeing the most was Jennifer Granholm, that’s for sure.
Liked her a lot. But they put her in a studio that looked like something from an 8th grade play. They invested nothing in looking like a serious network. It was a lost opportunity.
Luckily, she would rise above that lost opportunity!
She was great. She is exactly what I’d like to see in a Democratic pundit. she ‘gets it’ and understands how to move the ball down the field. Something sorely lacking from most Democrats who open their mouths in front of a camera.
Olbermann is one to talk.
But global warming is a hoax… http://www.nbcnews.com/science/extreme-heat-waves-quadruple-2040-study-says-6C10919395
The type of heat waves that wilt crops, torch forests — and kill people — are expected to become more frequent and severe over the next 30 years regardless of whether humans curb emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, according to a new study.
These are heat waves akin to those that baked many regions of the U.S. in 2012 and devastated crops in Russia in 2010. Such bouts of extreme heat are so-called “three-sigma events,” meaning they are three times warmer than the normal climate of a specific region for weeks in a row.
Since the 1950s, the frequency of these events has “strongly increased and right now they cover about 5 percent of the global land area,” Dim Coumou, a climate scientist with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, told NBC News. The findings are published Thursday in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
Let’s try
http://www.c-span.org
They said it would be audio.
My grand daughter is at a Y camp in Ct. for 2 weeks, and I just waded thru 1000’s of photos on their website trying to spot her in a couple of them. Whew—finally paid off in Photo # 897 and #922 (or thereabouts). But the most beautiful thing I noticed in the photos of all their daily activities—–the kids of all ethnic persuasions as bunk mates and with their arms around each other, all skin shades, from all different backgrounds, loving each other, having a blast together, not one speck of hate or separation or divisiveness in evidence anywhere. Very heartwarming and encouraging—–it’s true this younger generation is going to complete the change in our world.
CSPAN One tV is also going to carry his remarks live.
Actually he is speaking now.
Beautiful Rise and Shine, UT – Thank you and good morning!
Missed the President’s comments on Egypt, but I get the sense what he said was short.
Very troubling situation in Egypt, very troubling that every pundit and pol is crawling out of the woodwork to criticize our President.
Back to vacation news.
Per JER’s request above, I tweeted the short video.
And here’s a good take:
Thank you.
Good mornin’, all o’ y’all! Nice to see everyone feeling so chipper, and our PBO out in the air and rain or sunlight, whatever, he is making the most of the time he has. All the others can just STFU, their noise is not going to drown out our having PBO’s back. In everything. Love y’all, enjoy this day! 🙂
Love you back, MightyPamela! I was thinking maybe I’ll “write my own narrative” on the political scene today. For instance, although I first thought it was the media’s doing or undoing to only air audio of the President’s remarks this morning, I am determined that it was Pres. Obama’s decision … and, quite frankly, it was just as nice hearing his voice without a visual. So, thank you for your decision, Pres. Obama! Thank you for STILL being President when we woke up this morning – me and MightyPamela!
I haven’t listened yet, JO’B, but I embrace your sentiments. When I read it might be audio only I was thrilled. Not only because he doesn’t allow them to influence how he does his job (hello, eh?), but he has the inner peace to stand on his own, which is exactly what so many of us recognized in him immediately, right? PBO in his consciousness is SO FAR BEYOND the comprehension of the small-minded and lesser-evolved, they simply cannot see him for who he is. They continually attempt to see him from their one level, thereby revealing how low on the human evolutionary scale they really dwell! IMHO. As many of us here believe also, I strongly feel PBO knows and draws on the massive force of Love for him and for his family which we generate, and that is a more powerful dimension of human existence than many living on Earth at present can fathom. We ARE the conscious evolution, and we are in Progress! Yes we are! 😉 Gotta go! Hugs all around!
I’m gonna smile a little broader and stand a little taller after all you wrote, MightyPamela! Plus, the visual of the President’s remarks was offered up, after we heard the audio, so we got the full picture! He was GREAT.
What a GREAT comment, Pamela.
“PBO in his consciousness is SO FAR BEYOND the comprehension of the small-minded and lesser-evolved, they simply cannot see him for who he is. They continually attempt to see him from their one level, thereby revealing how low on the human evolutionary scale they really dwell! IMHO.”
I just had to repeat it, just for the pleasure of it. SO TRUE !!!
Have you ever heard of Kohlberg’s theory on moral development ? Interesting stuff… President Obama scores very high on Kohlberg’s scale…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Kohlberg's_stages_of_moral_development
We ARE the conscious evolution, and we are in Progress! Yes we are!
MP — YES YES YES!!!
It’s happening and there is nothing that can stop it.
WTF. http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/fetal-heartbeat-bill-to-be-reintroduced-in-ohio Because obviously, this is the MOST pressing problem in OH.
http://editors.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/08/noted_without_comment_2.php?ref=fpblg
The Egyptian military source said public outrage after critical comments by visiting U.S. senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham last week and leaked reports of a possible deal between the authorities and the Brotherhood had put the army in a tough position.
The mediators warned that any move to break up the sit-ins would likely cause hundreds of deaths and drive many conservative Salafi Muslim activists, initially supportive of Mursi’s overthrow, to join forces with the Brotherhood in fierce opposition to the authorities.
They stirred to pot?….
off to work…
Have a fine Obama day at work, df!
I don’t know, that Grio article hardly seems worth considering as an article. What was Healey’s main point in sharing what she did? I went hoping to find out more about what Maya was doing on the stated subject, how she presented her ideas and how they were received. Healey’s ‘article’ seemed more about PBO, if you ask me.
The situation in Egypt should not come as a surprise. The US went through its own periods of turmoil and upheaval through the Civil War and at other times. PBO himself predicted that something like this would happen in Egypt, the natural result of a young Democracy trying to find its footing – and his current response is appropriate.
The feckless MSM is so uninformed and devoid of critical analysis – everything for them has to be transformed into some entertainment/gossip narrative. It’s sickening. They’re more about selling sensationalism than accurate reporting.
I’m hoping Al-Jazeera America will be able to add balance to coverage. It’s damn near impossible to find out anything about the rest of the world on American MSM.
Unfortunately, I’m somewhat pessimistic about Al Jazeera America. I think it’s just a repackaging of corporate owned US MSM – which will result in more of the same. Sensational stories, nonstop Obama-bashing, especially from the left, with lots of uninformed emoprog talking points, etc..
I will be the first to come out happily and say so – if I’m proven wrong.
I’m hopeful, but their management team comes from entrenched MSM. I understand needing the experience but unless these are people who truly didn’t like the sensational, RW talking points coverage, then you are right – it will be absolutely the same. Especially if people don’t flock to them instantly for straight news. It is depressing however that we have all these cable news channels and none of them do anything in depth or even really cover the news. I don’t care what Rachel or Chris Matthews think about a speech – I want to hear the speech myself!
I’m hoping too. However, many of the people they recently hired are former MSM news folks. I have my doubts but we’ll see!
I just mentioned this in a comment. I was not happy that big execs from ABC are managing. And if I don’t see serious, honest coverage of PBO, they will lose me. I’m not saying there isn’t room for critical reporting, but if it’s the same re-hashed RW talking points posing as truth, I won’t watch.
And I’d better hear more blame where blame is due: The batshit crazy Republicans.
I saw an article calling the Egypt situation (and Israel/Palestine talks) Obama’s Middle East Debacle. Why does everyone else’s problem become our problem? In such a young country with high youth unemployment and corruption it’s bound to be a bumpy ride. This is just going to take time and quite frankly an all out battle but America is not the Police force of the World. Sending troops is not an option so what else can we do?
It is not up to America to up and run into every country that has trouble. If we can help, if they ask for our help, then we should figure out what is best and try to help. But whoever wrote that article, why don’t they come up with answers, instead of so freely blaming POTUS.
President Obama With Michelle Obama, In Iowa – August 15, 2012
Good morning TODers. Great start to my day as I scanned through. Thank you for the sanity.
Sorry to keep posting Chgo gun violence news but this is insanity, can’t continue like this. 4 teens were among 7 shot last night, heard one of the teens was shot 7 times——walking home from a bball tourney. Something needs to change—–every teenager and numbnut has a gun—–and feels free to just shoot at, or in the general direction of, anyone they perceive to have insulted them or crossed them in any way. Shooting has become the way to settle differences. People used to just get mad at each other, maybe not talk to them for a couple of days. This present scene is barbaric.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-man-shot-in-south-chicago-neighborhood-20130814,0,7562790.story
It is clear something drastic is going to have to be done in Chicago. I know these gang members don’t get these guns legally, so how are they getting them? Something has got to be done to get these guns out of their hands. I am assuming that most of these shooting are gang related. I just don’t understand these people .
Apparently the September Vogue has a feature article on Sen. Wendy Davis (TX).
Excerpt from page 2 of article
//…
During her sixth year, when she was clearly on partner track, a council seat opened up in Davis’s district. “I certainly wasn’t finding meaning in corporate-defense law, so I looked at Jeff and said, ‘I’m going to run.’ ” She lost, by 90 votes. But the seat opened up again in 1999, and this time she won. Over the next five terms, Davis threw herself into her new role, spearheading economic developments in blighted areas of Fort Worth, including the once environmentally hazardous West Seventh neighborhood, where she now lives. The walls of her Fort Worth field office—an industrial space, all glass and rusting Cor-Ten steel—are studded with hard hats worn to dozens of groundbreaking ceremonies. “When you’re serving at the local level, you have to build strong personal relationships to get things done,” she says of her long tenure. In her ninth year as councilwoman, political analysts got wind of this soft-spoken, effective, gun-owning Democrat in Fort Worth and asked for a meeting. They showed her a path to winning the State Senate seat held for 20 years by Republican Kim Brimer. She signed on.
“There is probably no better example of someone putting together a coalition among minorities and independents than Wendy Davis,” says early supporter Matt Angle, director of the Texas political-action committee the Lone Star Project, and the former executive director of the U.S. House Democratic Caucus. “She is strong on law enforcement, she understands energy policy—all these things that stand to the right of national Democrats. She reflects the middle ground.”….
…//
http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/stand-and-deliver-texas-senator-wendy-davis
Nice! Thanks, VC.
YW, JO’B. Are you up to anything
goodtoday? 😉No, I am only up to mischief today. 🙂
😛
Check out the tweet back to me from Devin Dwyer that I just posted – remember how we approached him last night? I shall think of an answer later that might provoke some type of “teachable moment.”
Okay, off to check.
http://www.mvtimes.com/2013/08/15/president-obama-delivers-egypt-address-from-his-vacation-home-chilmark-16914/
Ha – I wish I felt like getting into a conversation with this ABC “reporter” guy … maybe later. A bunch of us were tweeting about his comments last night.
I shall cut the guy a break (Ha!), and send him “my thoughts” on his tweet last night:
New post:
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/08/15/president-obamas-remarks-on-egypt/