On This Day: President Obama greets the children of U.S. embassy staff during a reception at the Chulalongkorn University Sports Center in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 18, 2012 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Today (all times Eastern):
The President has no scheduled public events
12:30: First Lady Michelle Obama attends DSCC event in New York
1:0: Press briefing by Jay Carney
3:0: First Lady tapes an episode for BET
There’s a special guest on our call TONIGHT (Monday) — You really don’t want to miss this: http://t.co/jYoex2JTkS pic.twitter.com/3FaC6lRmJt
— OFA PA (@OFA_PA) November 18, 2013
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Tuesday: The President will deliver remarks at the Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council’s annual meeting
Wednesday: Awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the First Lady will also attend
Thursday: Attends meetings at the White House
Friday: Hosts King Mohammed XI of Morocco at the White House
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Washington Post: How we got Obamacare to work
By Jay Inslee, governor of Washington. Steve Beshear, governor of Kentucky and Dannel P. Malloy, governor of Connecticut.
In our states — Washington, Kentucky and Connecticut — the Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” is working. Tens of thousands of our residents have enrolled in affordable health-care coverage. Many of them could not get insurance before the law was enacted.
People keep asking us why our states have been successful. Here’s a hint: It’s not about our Web sites..
Sure, having functioning Web sites for our health-care exchanges makes the job of meeting the enormous demand for affordable coverage much easier, but each of our state Web sites has had its share of technical glitches. As we have demonstrated on a near-daily basis, Web sites can continually be improved to meet consumers’ needs.
The Affordable Care Act has been successful in our states because our political and community leaders grasped the importance of expanding health-care coverage and have avoided the temptation to use health-care reform as a political football.
More here
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Eclectablog: I’m the story Obamacare’s opponents don’t want you to hear
I’ve officially enrolled in coverage through the marketplace. It was easier than I expected — and will save me about $10,000 a year.
I just got covered under Obamacare. I already had insurance, but it was breaking my piggy bank. Now I have coverage with almost identical benefits, for less than half the price I’m paying right now.
Even better, my coverage can’t be canceled or limited if I get sick, and I could choose any plan I wanted, despite living with type 2 diabetes. That’s all thanks to the Affordable Care Act or, if you prefer, Obamacare.
More here
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Steve Benen: Why Vance McAllister’s win matters
When Republican Rodney Alexander resigned from Congress a few months ago, there wasn’t any real doubt that his Louisiana district would remain in GOP hands. The only question was which Republican would replace him in Louisiana’s ruby-red 5th district.
State Sen. Neil Riser (R) looked like he’d win easily – he received endorsements from Alexander, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, the NRA, and nearly all of Louisiana’s Republican congressional delegation. But then the votes were tallied in Saturday’s run-off election, and Vance McAllister (R), a first-time candidate, crushed Riser by nearly 20 points.
In terms of the national significance, there’s one key takeaway from the results….
More here
More at ThinkProgress: Louisiana Republican Who Backs Obamacare’s Medicaid Provision Wins Seat Over Party Favorite
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Political Carnival: Tea Party, Jindal, Cantor Get Slapdown From Duck Dynasty And Voters
Who’d have ever thought you’d find the Tea Party, Gov. Bobby Jindal (La.), U.S. House Majority Leader Cantor and the guys from Duck Dynasty dueling in a Louisiana election? It happened yesterday.
The winner is, Duck Dynasty. Well, to be more specific, their backed candidate, Republican businessman Vance McAllister. He’s a political newcomer who boasts of never having visited Washington, D.C., yet won a special election in Louisiana on Saturday to fill the congressional seat formerly held by fellow Republican Rodney Alexander.
The man McAllister beat was a fellow Republican, Neil Riser, the Tea Party candidate….
More here
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Parents: Give your children the information they need to get covered. http://t.co/UhI6QdpCv5 #GetTalking pic.twitter.com/N8NeG7rz0v
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 17, 2013
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Bob Cesca: Fact: The GOP Wants to Cancel Tens of Millions of Health Insurance Policies (That People Like)
Since 2009, the opponents of healthcare reform have successfully circulated a lengthy roster of narratives and agitprop against the policy and, eventually, the Affordable Care Act itself. You know the list. “Death panels,” “government takeover,” “failed law,” “socialized medicine,” and so forth.
The latest is that the ACA is “Obama’s Katrina,” followed by the inevitable “Obama’s Watergate” on Fox News Sunday over the weekend. Regarding the latter, I thought Benghazi, the IRS scandal, Fast and Furious and, I don’t know, Solyndra were supposed to be Obama’s Watergate(s). Sorry, folks. Repeatedly comparing every presidential scandal to Watergate will never change the reality of Nixon’s dreadful, malevolent legacy.
More here
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DOW crosses 16,000. Obama is the worst Socialist ever.
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) November 18, 2013
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Breaking News USA: Democrats have out-raised Republicans in a key Congressional test of strength
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) will announce that it has raised $4.8 million in October. By comparison, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) raised $3.8 million.
The funds are key in the 2014 race to determine control of the Senate, currently in control by the Democrats with 55 votes (53 Democrats and 2 Independents) to 45 GOP votes.
More here
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TPM: Republican Rep: ‘The GOP Coalition Constitutes A Shrinking Portion Of The Electorate’
The Republican Party is at serious risk of running out of Republican voters, according to a senior GOP lawmaker.
“Republicans need to understand that their political problems are neither tactical nor transitory,” Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) said, as quoted by the Washington Post. “They are structural and demographic. The hard truth is the GOP coalition constitutes a shrinking portion of the electorate. To change that daunting reality, Republicans must appeal to groups that are currently outside their ranks or risk becoming a permanent minority.”
More here
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Morgan Freeman Is. A. Boss. pic.twitter.com/wPATPRjfep
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) November 18, 2013
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On This Day:
President Obama tours the Great Wall in Badaling, China, Nov. 18, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton tour the Viharn of the Reclining Buddha with Chaokun Suthee Thammanuwat, the Dean, Faculty of Buddhism Assistant to the Abbot of Wat Phra Chetuphon at the Wat Pho Royal Monastery in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 18
President Obama talks with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra before departing the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 18, 2012 (Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra greet young performers during a dinner at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 18, 2012 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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MoooOOOooorning!
The Obama Diary 
G’morning, Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone, and Happy Monday. Beautiful pictures and another A-mazing R & S round-up, thanks Chips!! 🙂
I see my Twitter wallpaper pic of PBO in China featured here. Very nice!
Nice to see YOU in moral and actual 1st position, Hf!
Merci vc! Glad that you made it here in time as well. Congrats on #2! 🙂
Mooooooorning Hopefruit, mooooooorning everyone!
Chips? No, Hopef! Okay – way to go! 😀
Ooooo, I absolutely lurve this R & S! Why? Most of the links are refreshers for me, and they are enhanced with lov-a-ly pics! Thank-ye kindly, Ms Chips – for taking it easy on my befuddled head this morning. You are a dear; at least for now. 😉 😉
😆 You are moooooooooooost welcome VeeeeeeeCeeeeeee!
You know I kinda like the way you sign my name; looks more ….distinctive, than my own version.
BTW, you heard from Japa, yet? I haven’t spotted anything from him or Cookemom; has anyone?
Haven’t heard from them yet VC, no sign of BWD on Twitter for ages either 😦
Hmmmm. Sure hope all is well. Will keep fingers and toes crossed that it’s nothing more than computer glitches, lack of power, etc.
Not sure why CNN thinks Lady Ann Romney is an expert on HealthCare Insurance….
She and Mitt were long gone before the Mass program was implemented by Gov. Patrick……and it had to be tweeked several times since then.
CNN thinks…..There’s an oxymoron for you!
When did she become Lady Ann, did the Queen knight her or something, as far as I am concern it’s Ann Romney, that’s it.
She is not even a expert on Ann Romney.
Exactly. I mean 1 year into George Bush’s second term was the media interviewing John Kerry’s spouse for her pearls of wisdom? Who the H won’t they trot out to dis President Obama? Oh yeah, I know — George Bush. He seems to have disappeared. Hmmmmmmmm. The only good thing about all this “Katrina / Iraq” comparison bshite is that they are inadvertently highlighting the disastrous Shrub Presidency. SMH.
Good Morning Chips and TOD Family!
Thank you for posting pics of my hawt POTUS looking so fine in the hawt jacket with his hawt-hawtness! 😀
Thanks, Chips! Great R/S! Japa posted yesterday about the devastation in some place called Coal City and mentioned they dodged a bullet because a nuke plant was nearby. Maybe Monday is just slow for the others:)
I read that…I think. Can’t understand why I thought it was YardArm. Ay yi yi, I really do think my brain is on a fast decline!
Oh dear…. Now you have me wondering ! I must be loosing it!
One of us is, but the truth is *I* am not going back to find out who. 😉 I’ll wait till Japa surfaces again. 😀
That was yardarm—-and a japa tweet this a.m. said he wasn’t able to comment on wordpress, for some reason.
Ah, thanks for the tweet-alert Dotster, just replied to Japa, relieved to know all’s well. Thanks again!
Ha, there you are! You’ve been so awfully quiet that I began to wonder if you had laryngitis. 😉
One has got one too many hungry mouths to feed. And sadly, one is not made of money.
Simple solution – don’t feed your own?
Israel again?
Just for the joy of reading a good rebuttal (How I love words judiciously used :lol:) >>> See David Simon’s blog [The Audacity of Despair – Nov 15th entry] after someone tried to question his commentary re ’12 years a Slave’. This little excerpt really doesn’t do his rebuttal justice.
//………………………………
As remedy, let me suggest that we de-bold the remark and leave it in the singular context of its defense of the filmic depiction of human bondage in 12 Years A Slave being the most honest, historically credible and disturbing that the entertainment industry has yet managed. I stand by that entirely. I mean that entirely. And to that end, let me offer the following clause, to be appended to my original phrase in the event it is to travel further beyond its paragraph: ”As a depiction of American slavery in all of its dehumanizing reality, it is not intelligently assailable by anyone…”
Prefaced by that phrase, I’m willing to let that sentence gambol freely, independent of the context in which it was originally launched. And I’m further willing to stand on my declaration that as a rare, honest and powerful depiction of slavery, the film is unassailable, knowing full well that the declaration is of course an intended invitation for others to attempt to assail it, if they can. ”
……………………….//
http://davidsimon.com/
I’m a lover of beautiful language used well too, and have to give a golf-clap to “let that sentence gambol freely”! Best, maybe only good use of “gambol” in as long as I can recall 😉
English can produce some really pretty images (even while fine-tuning a piece of sarcasm), can’t it, RH? [ I’m not saying this is exclusive to English of course, but it’s the only language I know.] With my weird sense of humour, I get most of my belly laughs from a good turn of phrase, and these seem rarer and rarer these days. The default mold for humour, and anger, seems to be some of the very words Simon used in his actual speech. A pity, I think.
https://twitter.com/Jovie121Jor/status/402459047745822720
https://twitter.com/Jovie121Jor/status/402459447542677504
Harry Reid is going home???
Poor glen greenwald.
I just don’t know whether to laugh or cry that the GOP is running out of Republican voters. I think I’ll laugh. 🙂
Most of them just hide under the “Independents” label where they continue to do the same (or even more) damage by keeping these jerks in power.
They’re still conservatives though… Makes it harder for a moderate to win primaries in GOP land, as all that’s left is T baggers in primaries.
Yes it’s POLITICO, but the author is John Kerry.
Afghan Women on the March
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But I come back time and again to one meeting with a remarkable woman — a woman you may have never heard of — who very well may represent a force of her own that could hold in the balance Afghanistan’s long-term future.
On my very first trip to Kabul as secretary of state, I met Roya Mahboob, and she’s changing Afghanistan. Roya is chief executive of the software development firm Citadel. She’s one of Afghanistan’s most successful Internet entrepreneurs.
(WOMEN RULE VIDEO: A look at some of women stepping up and taking charge)
In fact, the first time she competed for an Afghan government project, she beat out six male competitors and reinvested most of her profit with American business partner Film Annex to provide Internet access to 35,000 girls in Herat in western Afghanistan. She has received international recognition for her multilingual blog, The Women’s Annex, which has given the women from the region a high-profile platform. She has plans to reach hundreds of thousands more.
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http://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/john-kerry-afghan-women-roya-mahboob-99969.html?hp=l2
I remember thinking that the Thai prime minister really really liked President Obama. She always looked at him with such admiring (adoring) eyes.
She needed a naughty mat the entire state visit. I can’t blame her though.
SoS Kerry speaking on PBO’s Climate Action Plan
This week, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Education, and educators around the world are celebrating International Education Week and how studying in another country and learning about the world can transform lives.
On November 1, the Office of eDiplomacy hosted Tech@State: EdTech, which explored how technology is expanding educational opportunity around the world. The event, held on the campus of George Washington University, explored the revolutionary changes that technology has brought to education and how those changes can enhance diplomacy and offer educational opportunities around the world.
Highlights from the day included a robot from VGo that virtually connected with locals at the Nicaraguan-North American Binational Center, allowing them to interact with conference participants. This technology offers new possibilities for remote participation and cultural exchanges. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Evan Ryan announced two exciting education initiatives from the State Department. First, she announced the State Department’s new MOOC Camp initiative and our partnership with online education provider Coursera to expand learning opportunities worldwide through massive open online courses (MOOCs). Her second announcement was to launch a new initiative called The Collaboratory, a platform for conducting virtual exchange programs, as well as an idea lab to develop, incubate, and pilot new ideas that amplify people-to-people educational and cultural exchanges using new technologies.
…………………………………….//
http://blogs.state.gov/stories/2013/11/15/revolutionizing-education-and-learning-through-technology
U. S. Policy in the Western Hemisphere >>>> Live .. Sec Kerry is slated to speak momentarily (if I understood correctly)
http://www.state.gov/index.htm
Better go eat breakfast – BBL – behave yourselves.
Hi vc. I read the David Simon blog piece and agree it is very powerful.
i also watched the 1hour 20 minute speech in Australia posted on youtube and recc’d here yesterday.
For Martin O’Malley fans, David Simon is not your friend. With a few factual exceptions (Gov. O’Malley has been a faithful husband) the Mayor to Governor pol in The Wire, Tommy Garcetti, is based on Governor O’Malley.
David does love PBO however.
Wow, really Vicki, Garcetti is based on Gov O’Malley?! Ugh!!!
Thanks for responding, Vicki (beautiful name, by the way 😛 ). Yes, I also watched the speech even though I usually ignore anything over 10mins, and I know nothing about the Wire as I haven’t watched TV shows or whatever in over a decade. I appreciate your input re Simon and O’Malley and will certainly keep that in mind when I wander over to his blog again. I have yet to read the actual entry re the movie which I haven’t yet decided to risk seeing. Re the blog I shared, I confess to having a weakness for good writing that puts people in their place without swearing. Something weird inside me I guess, but a good slap-down in the queen’s English almost always energizes and amuses me..
To Chips and my same name twin: vc if you can watch The Wire. All 5 seasons, every episode. I promise it will be time well spent. Then catch up on Treme which has its final 5 episodes beginning early in December.
And chips, yes david Simon stands by his unflattering portrait of Martin O’Malley. There’s an extended piece on his blog about Baltimore’s response to the first few seasons of The Wire.
The blog is The Audacity of despair.com
Thanks Vicki, I’ll definitely read what he said about it on his blog, adored the series, just stunning, but grimly depressing too.
I don’t know, Vicki. One episode, maybe; 5 SEASONS, not likely. I really do not like movies, finding them either too silly, dumb, violent or raunchy, and generally way too long. I appreciate your assessment though.
GM Chips, TOD. Hope everyone in the storms path yesterday is O.K. …..something to lighten up the spirit. Gone Christmas shopping yet?
People losing their insurance is a bigger story, unfortunately, than people getting insurance for the first time.
1. PEOPLE WITH THESE POLICIES FREQUENTLY DON’T LIKE THEM.
2. PEOPLE WITH THESE POLICIES DON’T TYPICALLY HAVE THEM FOR VERY LONG.
3. MANY, PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE WITH THESE POLICIES WILL FIND OBAMACARE POLICIES COST THEM LESS.
4. THE PEOPLE GETTING WORSE DEALS TEND TO BE MORE AFFLUENT.
5. PAYING MORE FOR INSURANCE MIGHT MEAN PAYING LESS FOR MEDICAL CARE.
6. JUST BECAUSE YOU LIKED YOUR POLICY THIS YEAR, THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU’D LIKE IT NEXT YEAR.
….It’s impossible to specify exactly how many people are going to be better off in the new system or how many will feel better off. Those two things are not the same. But both groups are probably the majority of people with non-group insurance—and quite probably a large majority. That would suggest relatively few people are like the ones we’re hearing and reading about so much in the media.
That doesn’t mean the media or policymakers should ignore these people. Again, this is a very big country, which means even a very small percentage can number in the millions. But the media should give these stories the proper context—and put them in the proper perspective. Right now it isn’t.
Fantastic Rise and Shine, Chiparoo. Love the ObamaCare stories.
Thank yooooooooooou Legend!!
But what about Bibi?
I am sure Bibi will run to CNN to get air time…
Bibi will meet with the House Tuesday afternoon to offer *his* poison.
Thank you for another fine R&S, Chips.
Congrats on 1st, hf!!
I posted this piece yesterday on the failure of the media’s ACA coverage……..
This just verified it in spades!!!
Ocare is Bad News for pregnant women over age 65, according to Fox genius Hasselbeck
O.M.G.!!!!!!! 😆
Yup…all the millions of pregnant grannies out there, just ENRAGED with Obamacare….glad to see they FINALLY have an advocate in Liz!
Leave it up to FOX with the lies. Tell that dumb ass Elisabeth Hasselbaeck to show us the 65 year old pregnant women Obamacare is hurting.
Sciency-Stuff ALERT!!!
Uhura. Make sure all communications channels are open and that the transporters are charged! 😆
Aye Captain!
Hailing frequencies open! Engineering reports transporters are online and ready! 😀
Very well. Standby to engage engines for warp speed.
😀 😀 😀
Nightmare:
ohhhhhhhh noooooo
I’m so sorry to hear of the terrible outcome for Japa’s niece. I hope that family and friends are close enough to help her through this ordeal and get back on her feet. Thoughts and prayers for her, the little one and all those in the affected area.
Oh, no. I knew people close and people traveling yesterday but no one directly affected. Your family (and all of those involved in this tragic event) are in my thoughts and prayers.
Oh Japa! Wishing you & your loved ones all the best.
Robert Gibbs is promoting that people at HHS and CMS get fired after the website is fixed.
He has turned out to be a real asssssss…..
Good Morning Linda.
Robert Gibbs is mad that some failed POTUS. He is going about it the wrong way. I am not sure how he was not able to get Real information to this POTUS.
No matter how hurt Mr. Gibbs is, his vocal outbursts are just more problematic.
Unfortunately, unless those who know Gibbs’ Twitter account, Please tweet him. Gibbs needs to stop helping those who loathe this president and Gibbs should STFU.
I don’t remember any Bush former employees going on shows and bad mouthing him.
I didn’t say I support his tactics. Gibbs is being a total idiot. Bush had just one critic that once worked for him. A Faith guy who was disappointed of GW Bush, named Quo(sp) or so. He died of some form of cancer. Only MSNBC had him on a couple of times. The National media pretty much ignored him. He thought that GW Bush used the faith community and didn’t believe in their cause.
Gibbs has been attacking the President ever since he started on MSNBC – he has not been supportive in any way whatsoever.
There is enough bad mouthing POTUS right now, we don’t need Gibbs sitting up there running his big mouth, but maybe he wouldn’t have the job if he wasn’t bad mouthing POTUS.
It looks like Ezra has had a “Come to Jesus” moment. Ya think?
Why do they keep saying the website doesn’t work …..when we keep reading about people signing up on it ?
Frankly my dear Ezra, as Phil Collins would sing: I Don’t Care anymore. I don’t care. What you say. You never play by the same rule anyway……….
“F” Ezra Klein.
Why, what happened to Ezra Klein?
did he leave his position on his own accord…i sense some bitterness there
R&S is awesome.
Congrats Roberta on the last thread and HF2 on this thread for being TODable 1st respectively.
This should help Gov Walkers presidential aspirations, NOT! The door to the outhouse is being pried open.
Ha… Morning Joke will be sad….Walker is his guy !
He’s one of the stinkin’ turds in the outhouse too.
Wow, he surely ate his Wheaties, Spinach & some! 🙂 What a cool pic!
Ha, he did Gazelle!! Still laughing at this:
LOL! 😀 😀 😀
If this doesn’t make anyone laugh…….I say, speak and forever Not to hold your peace.
Juvenile, a Tad? I say. Caution TODable TODs, this has a finger on it 😉
http://gawker.com/rich-man-buys-house-next-to-ex-wife-erects-giant-middl-1465406839
I love this comment:
😆 🙂
Just in case you missed it.
This is just sad and disgusting. How ’bout the multi-billion dollar corp. Wal Mart pay their employees a decent wage so there is no need to ask the public for canned food donations so their ‘associates can enjoy Thanksgiving’? Just an idea…….
Insight from President Obama’s “mind reader”
By Smarty Pants
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In other words, President Obama’s bank has adequate funds – he’s done the work of self-reflection and come to terms with who he is/is not. He also has the love and support of family/friends to fall back on. His presidency is not imbued with the personal drama of needing to feed his ego.
This is what positively confounds so many people about President Obama. He doesn’t need to be anyone’s hero or enemy. He’s completely comfortable in his own (black!) skin. When this gig is over and he’s done what he can to explore the viability of politics to make change, he’ll go on his way…content to simply live out the courage of his convictions.
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http://beautifulmessthings.tumblr.com/post/67375581091/insight-from-president-obamas-mind-reader
EJ Dionne @EJDionne 1h
Nice. RT @RussOnPolitics: The Dow is over 16,000 for the first time. President Obama really has to brush up on
his socialist skills.
Note the women standing in the background looking unhappy.
When women stand behind, in front, or with PBO, they are usually smiling, enthusiastic, expressive….note the difference. 🙂
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/watch-live-white-house-press-briefing-111813/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live
http://www.c-span.org/
Jay Carney’s WH presser tentative at 1:30 pm ET
LIVE STREAM ALERT FOR VP BIDEN – Stream is up now for VP Biden in Houston: http://www.khou.com/home/font-color990000WATCH-LIVE-FONT-KHOU-11-News-at-4-pm-203666471.html
So Little Ezra is now doing a 180 on the ACA. LMAO! He think he has some people fooled, doesn’t he?
Again? This guy is a walking Time bomb. He would not die without, unfortunately taking another life. He is a Blood thirst.
Chat away!
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/11/18/chat-away-286/
ANOTHER LIVE STREAM FOR VP BIDEN – SPEAKING NOW: http://www.click2houston.com/news/vice-president-joe-biden-to-visit-houston-monday/-/1735978/23026034/-/eurue8z/-/index.html