President Obama walks off the stage after speaking during the 2013 National Christmas Tree Lighting on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. on December 6 (Photo by Molly Riley)
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Today:
1:0 EST The President participates in a conversation with Saban Forum Chairman Haim Saban at the Saban Forum
Tomorrow: The President and First Lady will attend the Kennedy Center Honors
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Alex MacGillis: Those Media Hysterics Who Said Obama’s Presidency Was Dead Were Wrong. Again.
It’s been a pretty good week for the Obama administration. The bungled healthcare.gov Web site emerged vastly improved following an intensive fix-it push, allowing some 25,000 to sign up per day, as many as signed up in all of October. Paul Ryan and Patty Murray inched toward a modest budget agreement. This morning came a remarkably solid jobs report, showing 203,000 new positions created in November, the unemployment rate falling to 7 percent for the first time in five years, and the labor force participation rate ticking back upward. Meanwhile, the administration’s push for a historic nuclear settlement with Iran continued apace.
…. it seems safe to say that the Obama presidency is not, in fact, over and done with. What, you say, was there any question of that? Well, yes, there was – less than a month ago…..
…. with whiplash force, came the obituaries for the Obama presidency. The Washington press corps has been reduced to the state of the tennis-watching kittens in this video, with the generic congressional ballot surveys playing the part of the ball flitting back and forth.
Full post here
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In Connecticut, nearly 23,000 people have signed up for healthcare. enrollment is surging. http://t.co/ZIVRYZmoez
— Daniel Gross (@grossdm) December 6, 2013
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Jonathan Cohn: The Obamacare Error Rate Has Fallen Dramatically Some perspective on the latest ACA freak-out
These days it seems like everybody following Obamacare is talking about the 834s. Those are the personal data files that healthcare.gov sends insurance companies, in order to notify them of new enrollees. The data has been prone to errors and that’s a real problem. …
But the 834 problem is fixable and, according to multiple sources in the public and private sectors, it is being fixed. In fact, one administration official tells The New Republic that preliminary estimates, just now becoming available, suggest the error rate has fallen from one in four during October to one in ten now….
More here
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Kentucky Gov Steve Beshear wants affordable access now & for generations #ObamacareSaves #GetCovered pic.twitter.com/UDTJyfHyzg
— ACA Success Stories (@ACASuccessStory) December 5, 2013
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National Journal: 3 Ways You Can Tell the Health Care Website Is Working
Just five days into the relaunch of the new and improved HealthCare.gov, it’s probably too soon to say if the website is working properly in terms of technology. The initial numbers look good. Although important back-end problems remain, the site has handled close to a million users some days, and more people signed up Tuesday than in all of October. But we don’t need the stats to know the website is working in at least one important way: politically.
Here’s how you can tell:
1) Republicans have mostly stopped attacking the website….
2) Democrats have calmed down….
3) The media has started to move on….
More here
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Read Michael Robertson’s story about getting sick, getting better, and the importance of getting covered: http://t.co/4C6rR7wd6I
— OFA (@OFA) December 6, 2013
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PoliticusUSA: A Nasty Anti-Obama Column Draws a Contributor’s Angry Response
This Newsday commentary by Lane Filler appeared in my local paper Thursday. I sent the author an email…
Mr. Filler:
I just read your 12/5/13 column in my local paper under the rubric of “Media are too easy on the emperor.” … you claim that the ‘mainstream’ reporters on health care restructuring “seem to have taken a dive for their beloved.”
Surely you jest if you propose that President Barack Obama is being given a pass on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)….
…. Allow me to do the research that apparently you eschewed. In the last year alone, there have been nearly 50 SHJ AP stories about ACA that could be considered anti-Obama. There has been an endless stream of ACA attacks from right-wing columnists carried by the paper. Fully 95% of editorial cartoons have been anti-ACA and anti-Obama….
As for your description of Obama as emperor or king, what is the origin of this insult? …. maybe [he is] a little too ‘uppity’ for your taste. Could that be the problem, Lane?
…. if Obama is king, Lane Filler is the Court Jester, heartily juggling propagandized “facts” for the entertainment of HIS corporate buddies.
Full post here
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Thank you President Obama:
Watchdog group says all Syria chemical munitions have been destroyed http://t.co/5t64i1GHcw
— Nat’l Security News (@NatSecNews) December 7, 2013
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.@VP Biden departs Korea after a busy and productive trip. Check out our photo roundup: pic.twitter.com/EhU1BYRqXS
— U.S. Embassy Seoul (@usembassyseoul) December 7, 2013
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Charles Pierce: Conservatives can own Ronald Reagan and be welcome to him, but you don’t get Nelson Mandela.
It is possible, if we all think really hard, we can use the days between Nelson Mandela’s death and his journey to his final resting place deep in the hills of his boyhood to make quite plain to young people who may have joined us late what a thoroughgoing moral disaster was the Reagan Administration (1980-88)….
… now, of course, with the death of Mandela, there are a lot of proper retrospectives concerning how enthusiastically the Reagan Administration supported the white-supremacist government of South Africa, and how morally obtuse (at best) that administration was to the reality of apartheid….
It’s too late now to seek absolution at the bier of Nelson Mandela, who is dead and can’t speak for himself … You opposed Mandela when it really counted for the same reason you cheered on murderers in this hemisphere. Ronald Reagan was a dim hack who did horrible damage to almost everything he touched. You can own him and be welcome to him, but you don’t get Nelson Mandela.
Full post here
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ThinkProgress: The Right Wing’s Campaign To Discredit And Undermine Mandela, In One Timeline
The world is celebrating Nelson Mandela as a selfless visionary who led his country out of the grips of apartheid into democracy and freedom. But some of the very people lavishing praise on South Africa’s first black president worked tirelessly to undermine his cause and portray the African National Congress he lead as pawns of the Soviet Union.
In fact, American conservatives have long been willing to overlook South Africa’s racist apartheid government in service of fighting communism abroad. Below is a short history, and some explanation, of how conservatives approached Mandela with the hostility they did…
More here
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A reason for highlighting previous conservative opposition to Mandela is to remind pple how often they’re on wrong side of history; #ACA
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) December 7, 2013
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The Press Corp for POTUS’ Mandela remarks. What’s wrong with this pic @NBCNews @CBSNews @CNN @ABC?! #Diversity pic.twitter.com/NDb8k3oJB2
— Becky Carrizales (@bcarrz) December 7, 2013
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On This Day:
President Obama greets the family of Katie Stanton, a departing staff member, in the Outer Oval Office, Dec. 7, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama and Personal Secretary Anita Decker watch a video of former advisor David Axelrod shaving off his mustache, in the Outer Oval Office, Dec. 7, 2012 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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MoooOOOooorning! If anyone mentions soccer/football today, they’re going in to spam with the body-bits-enlarging-pills people.
The Obama Diary 
Hey, I’ve only now remembered that i didn’t watch this week’s West Wing Week!
Mooooooorning VC! Moooooorning everyone!
CC, are you trying to confuse me? Didn’t you tell me good morning already, or was that yesterday? 😉 😉
……………………….
*ahem* Sorry. Good Morning, dear Chipsticks. Good Mooorning to youuuu! 😆
Sorry to see the sad news about the demise of Hedgie………and everything not nailed down at your abode. Are you sure Danny is the guilty party? He looks so sweet and innocent, even as he lords over his handiwork. His face is saying, “I didn’t do it.”
“He looks so sweet and innocent”
I used to think that too Dotster! The rascal is as guilty as sin!!!
Yo Danny O, thanks for this morning’s R & S! I feel sure you had something to do with its production.
Happy Saturday TOD’ers! Good Morning Chipsticks!
Thank you, Chips for this R/S!! It was getting difficult over there:) I have 3 hours of tutoring today! Whoot! 🙂
I got distracted watching Manchester United lose again, DF 😥
Didn’t someone say ‘A watched pot never boils’? Maybe you shouldn’t watch them, Chips. Tee. hee. hee! 😀
:shocked: You heartless soul!!!! 😆
Was only trying to be helpful……..to you. 😛
On reflection VC, it was good advice – I keep on watching and United just never come to the boil, so I will look away next time. 😕
Try it! Then, if they do ‘boil’ while your head is turned aside you can feel great watching the video version afterwards, knowing that a) you’d helped and b) you already knew the joy awaiting your orbs. 😉
Wait…..what was this? ” If anyone mentions soccer/football today, they’re going in to spam with the body-bits-enlarging-pills people.”
Ummmmm……. 🙂
G’morning Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone and congrats vc on #1! Thanks Chips for this long-awaited, fine Saturday R & S roundup. I’m still abiding, hoping to have your forgiveness soon. 🙂 🙂
Yay, new thread!
A well-done thread, by the way. Thank you Chips!
bt today.
Manchester United suffered consecutive home league defeats for the first time since 2002, as Newcastle ended a 41-year wait to win at Old Trafford.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25164173
Ouch.
You are so spammed.
with everton, the excuse was no van Persie. what is it this time?
No Rooney. And no midfield.
Kinda gives a new meaning to the term one man team, doesn’t it? 🙂
Less of your smilies, Mister.
Groucho Marx.
For those who missed the Christmas Tree lighting yesterday or who would like to see it on TV, PBS will be airing it in the coming weeks. In my area (Maryland, DC Metro, PBS WETA), they will be airing it on Sunday Dec 15. I have set my DVR since that also will be the day of Mandela’s funeral I believe.
Dates and times will vary based on your cable TV provider AND your specific region (state and city), so check your local listings, and enjoy! 🙂 🙂
The little girl in the red dress (Katie Stanton’s daughter?) is so happy to in the presence of PBO. You can’t fake that response. Children ADORE this man.
Y’day, I saw pete pic where people were waving at him in friggin’ Kansas. I bet many right wingers turn into if they meet him in person.
LOL! I will never forget an “Occupy” rally in 2012, which was supposed to be a protest of some sorts, but became a cellphone camera-fest when the President passed by. Folks seemed to forget they were there to protest!!! Everyone had camera in hand and began taking pics of the President. What rally it was!!
Wow, ALL Syrian chemical weapons destroyed?!? Less than 3 months after the very real possibility of a war? It’s just shocking how easily men (and I mean MEN although a small minority of women should be included too) are willing to kill rather than work for peace. I had originally written the words “willing to fight” but that phrasing really isn’t correct, is it? I think the warmongers use terms like “willing to fight”, “wage war”, “military action”, etc. so as to make it palatable for selling to the general populace. How about having to say and sell using “planning to kill lots of people”?
Of course that doesn’t end the Syrian conflict but it ends the possibility of a multi-national or US war. Thank you Mr. President, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Pierce: “Ronald Reagan was a dim hack who did horrible damage to almost everything he touched.”
How true. Under Reagan, Liberia, my native home, got the largest amount of money in military aid since the country was founded in the 1800s. To do what? kill other Liberians in a brutal civil war.
When he invited our president (who had overtaken the government in a coup) to the White House lawn, he did not even know his name. He called him Mr. “Moe,” instead of “Doe.” We were just pawns. That war set the stage that dismantled Liberia, to date.
Yes, let the Republicans keep Reagan.
LOL! 😀
Yesterday NYC time warner cable customers finally got Al Jazeera America. Sad to say it bears little resemblance to the AJEnglish we used to get. You know the one that had live cameras on Tahrir Square and all over the world.
This new venture is no different from CNN CBS etc. There was Ali Velshi trying to make the case that the economic numbers weren’t That good because yada yada yada and Mike Viqueira last seen being disrespectful on NBC is unlikely to have better manners here.
Not an unexpected development. We didn’t actually believe that a fair and balanced news organization could get on our TV dials, did we? Let alone with HD, something the old AJE and Current never got?
I knew they would be a fail when they signed up current crop of us msm idjits. Luckily, I get AJE only.
Yes, I’ve noticed the same thing and made a comment on an earlier thread. I’ve also seen tweets from AJAM of the Libertarian slant – promoting the likes of Snowden etc, and condemning PBO in the same context.
I saw your comment and should have credited that I was confirming your observations, HF
Now that AJA is on my TV dial I see that I can again stream AJE on my computer so that is a big plus!!!
I am not totally giving upon AJA on TV however. I think they may carry some of their international panel shows which could be worthwhile…like The Stream or Empire, we will see.
Thanks and that’s fine Vicki – no need to credit me in particular…other TODers have made similar observations. My comment yesterday was just in response to some very specific AJAM tweets that I had seen and was annoyed about. 🙂 🙂
It’s good that you can now stream AJE!
Got excited too soon. message up that live stream not available in US. But I can read the stories on AJA. Oh well.
AJE, I meant
WOW!!!
Thar Charles Pierce article was quite revealing for me. Seriously, how many Republican presidents have really governed with character and good judgement? When you look back from an adult perspective there seems to have been unending corruption; primarily in the conservative brand?
As we have said for the entire Obama presidency, PBO has a core that is unshakable….an ethical core. Reagan had no core. He went where the money called. He liked to dress up, make dramatic statements….like “Tear down that wall” which he did not invent, a speechwriter had to write that short statement. But, he LOOKED so presidential in his black overcoat and white scarf, and could imitate a president so well. But, he was empty inside of core values and ethics. He had a file of index cards of short anecdotes and jokes he kept and referred to…finding the right one for each occasion. Nothing was original…..remember, he made his name reading other people’s scripts.
And this is the man conservatives so revere! The more I find out about U.S. conservatives, the more it boggles my mind that they are/were so widely received.
Reagan was little more than a B-list actor, ever. A product of Hollywood, so entrenched in his one ‘image’, he projected the idea of The Presidency so a lot of people bought into it. I was living overseas during his entire 2 terms, and the world view I read, heard, and saw was not nearly so painted and glossy as the one presented here in the US. I remember hearing about the cam ain’t, feeling a sense of genuine dread should he be elected.
Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Ike …. That’s about it.
Three out of ….dozens? /smh/
‘Tis the season and all that stuffs all you O’s!! Another great getting up day under the TOD mistletoe!!!!!
It’s brrrrrrrr weather in my neck of the woods, but #1 daughter in No. Dakota reports in with 24 below…..yes, that’s degrees Fahrenheit……actual feel with no wind chill. There is homelessness where she lives, so no complaints from me about anything today.
Off I go to deck the halls, by golly…..fa la la la la
Cookemom, hold it right there! Catching hold of you has been worse that trying to catch a greased pig (not that I’ve ever tried the latter)!
I know that Mr. Cookeman is around, but I swear your busy breeziness reminds me of coworkers always assuming there’s a new man in a colleague’s life once she became too busy to hang with the group. How’s #2 faring healthwise? And are the renos on hold for Christmas?
howdy vcprez! Yep, I’m busier than a one-legged bird in a kicking contest. Still doing the reno, but may have to call it quits for awhile. Thought I’d be done before the holidays, but between finances, the contractor, and changes in plans, I won’t make it. I did manage a bedroom and 2 hallways. Have the living and dining rooms, then down to the basm for the spring.
The surgery scare for #2 is over and hopefully physical therapy will continue to help. Even though she’s still on my insurance, there’s a fight a brewing with the insurance company who thinks physical therapy is not covered if it doesn’t lead to correcting the initial problem. Well, I guess they’d rather she have undergone the surgery, which they would have paid for, even though the surgeon prescribed the therapy. I have to check if ACA would have made a difference for her (me since I’m paying).
So thanks for asking. I’m always lurking around for at least a few minutes, even when I’m not posting.
You are no doubt long gone, so I won’t say much. That is, apart from the fact that i spent the entire day trying to get some order in the basement and managed to do one section. Several bags of garbage later (mostly from boxes I haven’t opened since moving here) and three boxes for pick-up) and I feel like a light 4-wheel vehicle rolled over my lower back. So, of course you know who isn’t going to be continuing the reshuffling and repackaging tomorrow. 😉
Sibling rivalry. Yes, when you go to sleep, that person in the other twin bed really is plotting to kill you. 😀
ROFLMAO
Men say the darndest things.
Sadly 😀 I absolutely have to go do some chores as a charity is supposed to be doing a pickup of boxed ‘stuff’ here tomorrow am. BBL
LIVE STREAM ALERT:
1:00pm ET – President participates in a conversation with Saban Forum Chairman Haim Saban at the Saban Forum – http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml AND http://www.brookings.edu/events/2013/12/06-saban-forum-2013-power-shifts-us-israeli-relations-dynamic-middle-east
Oh wow JER, I never saw any mention of that, thanks a million!
You’re welcme Chips.
Love that!!!
WTH?
Holy smokes, Chiparoo. This is an AWESOME Rise and Shine. Read all the goodies with a smile on my face.
Also….*Ahem* and MUAHAHAHAHA. 😆
I was about to say, “aaaaaaah, thank yooooooou UT!” ….. but…… grrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!
Completely missed this, 1:0 EST today: The President participates in a conversation with Saban Forum Chairman Haim Saban at the Saban Forum
Thanks again to JER!
Will post a heads up nearer the time.
So has the David Moyes sacking-watch commenced?
Good morning LL. I hope you didn’t sleep well.
Hey, Chelsea has given up 2 freaking goals to Stoke. I’m not pleased.
3. 🙂
That’s it, I need to go punch a hippie.
😆
The commentator on the Chelsea game just made a rather cogent observation: “Does anyone want to win this championship?!”
Ha, true! Although Arsenal seem rather eager!
Football shall not be mentioned ever again by me.
http://www.nps.gov/valr/index.htm
So, a little advice.
Many of us are quite upset that we can’t get AJE streaming in the US. There’s a very easy solution to this. Invest in a very inexpensive VPN service, which spoofs your ip address to make it seem as if you’re coming from another country. Here’s a list of a few of them: http://techpp.com/2009/07/09/top-5-free-vpn-clients/
Woot! Good note, LL! Thanks!
White House Holiday stuff here:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/inside-white-house/holidays-2013
Yup – this is an awesome Holiday Card from our First Family!
chelsea is stoked out. Go Gunners.
I reckoned I earned the right to gloat after UT and LL’s failure to offer me a shoulder to cry on earlier:
stoke for stoke ?
Alone again, naturally.
No you’re not!!
Ah! Thank you. I had a sad! 🙂
Chips be happy Chelsea also lost today most unpredictable season so far
It’s a bizarre season Okey, don’t think I can cope any more!
Remember those halcyon days when it was always Chelsea-MUFC-Arsenal-Liverpool in various configurations in the top 4?
Fixed that for ya: MUFC-Arsenal-Chelsea-Liverpool
Nice try, Mrs. Fellaini.
“Mrs. Fellaini.”
I’ve been called some outrageous things in my time, but THAT beats all.
Okey, I am now going to put you in SPAM for talking trash about the greatest team ever —–> Chelsea.
You are BANNED.
(Don’t worry Okey, I’ll take you out again)
I’ll put YOU in spam, if you’re not careful, Mrs. Rooney.
😯
power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
thanks i know I can rely on our TOD Goddess you always have our back
😆 You might end up dizzy Okey from being put in and taken out of spam by me and UT!
Oh no your highness I will comport myself accordingly
🙂
Someone on the Twitter machine appears to think I am a very powerful person, they just DM’ed me this:
“not one person from administration, or law enforcement, or media have called me. are my civil rights will be fixed?”
😕
LOL! You got “juice” Chips! 🙂
But he then unfollowed me Dudette, so now I can’t fix his civil rights 😕
Aww, a fleeting brush with greatness! I weep for him!
Tell him that civil rights is will be fixed! 🙂
I’m annoyed with him now Hopefruit, he’s unfollowed me and has turned to the Pope. What a snub.
http://twitter.com/ryanjharmon/status/409374048859086848
This fellow really sounds like an annoying troll. I hope the pope tells him NO!
It’d be a hoot if the Pope replied, the guy would probably faint!
ROTF! He’s melodramatic. Of Nelson Mandela – he tweets this:
https://twitter.com/ryanjharmon/status/409370319158136832
https://twitter.com/ryanjharmon/status/409370710813843456
Fox news channel…..We Lie. You Buy.
#BAM
We distort. You abide.
I can tell there will be no catching up with TOD today, football or no football! (hope that mentions doesn’t land me in spam with Those People)!
G’day y’all! What are all these empty boxes sitting here in the pantry, I wonder? And these shelves ~ could it be there are BOOKS on these shelves? Why, yes, MP, it does rather, somewhat appear your new sangha is taking on a familiar, homelike ambiance! Squueeeeee!! 😆
Who is she talking to? 😳
MiiiiiiiiiiiiiightyP, hellooooooooo!
From wsj, no less.
October was clearly a cruel month for both President Barack Obama and the Republicans, both of whom saw their images slump to new lows in Wall Street Journal/NBC News polling.
But hidden within the data is a more disturbing reality for the Republican Party. Put simply, Democrats are largely content with their own party, while distaste among Republicans for the GOP has grown exponentially this year.
The most recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, offers a stark window into widening divisions within the GOP over strategy and what kind of leaders Republicans want going forward. The Democratic Party, by comparison, is a picture of unity.
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I am all stoked out reading the last line.
This is good news! But it also alerts us to why many of the GOP are becoming “Independents” while continuing their same bad behavior of voting for regressive ideas and policies and dragging PBO’s poll numbers down artificially.
Hopefully this is Dr. Maya Angelou reciting a poem she wrote for Nelson Mandela from America. I didn’t do so well posting an intended video yesterday 😦
Chips: Fixed it for ya DF!! Here’s the video:
Was in this post yesterday – keep up, woman! 🙂
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/12/06/his-day-is-done-a-tribute-to-nelson-mandela-by-dr-maya-angelou/
Darn it! Here’s the story link. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/07/his-day-is-done-dr-maya-angelou-writes-moving-poem-in-honor-of-nelson-mandela/
Apologies. Can you take this off, Chips? Thanks
Much better:)
Oh, Lord:) I’m outta the loop! Maybe someone “new” will see it….or someone that wasn’t paying attention THE FIRST TIME 🙂 Like ME!!!
Gasp! Look at The President’s War on Christmas. He had the nerve to say “holiday season”!
So check out this lil’ exchange between concern troll Jake Tapper and PBO supporters about yesterday’s job report….notice how quickly he jumps to the “well progressives are doing it…” argument – so I set him straight. We are NOT FOOLED!!!
oops…Here are the first set of tweets:
New post in 3 minutes, 24 seconds
Are will you post in exactly that time?
12:46 and 16 seconds (EST) 😎
Good morning TODbots from freezing Montana. It is -3 with windchill at -15. The tough thing is that the University of Montana is playing in a FCS football playoff here in Missoula. The team we are playing is Coastal Carolina, from the coast. The boys coming from there haven’t been below 0 so they are really having to adjust. Our stadium will be almost full, it holds 26,000. I have been to several when it was this cold but didin’t want to this time. My husband and son will be there. It will be interesting to see how it all will come out. On problem is we don’t have snow on the ground so this freezing weather isn’t good for our plants. We’ll see how many of my flowers won’t survive this winter. Last winter we didn’t get below 0. This winter will be different
Now to go back and read all of the posts about the tree lighting. Haven’t been able to read it all yet. Those pictures of the tree lighting are so beautiful. We have such a photogenic, loving, generous First Family.
Shut Up, Jake Tapper!!!
Jeff Gauvin @JeffersonObama 1h
2 million new jobs alone in 2013, the best job creation year on year since 2004-05
Expand
New post!
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/12/07/president-obama-at-the-saban-forum/
The opposition is about who is paying for ACA, not who is benefiting from it.