President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama walk from the Marine One helicopter to the White House as they return from the memorial service for former South African President Nelson Mandela to Washington, December 11
Love the First Couple, what a lovely picture, Thanks Chips. It’s really cold here today, -26 wind chill. Kind of been house bound for 4 days now. At least the decorating is done, just need to take the containers back to storage, not going to happen in this weather. Brrrr. 🙂
That last picture of POTUS & GWB looking at each other, man the looks says a million, the feelings our POTUS has for that man. I can imagine it was really not pleasant to have him on board, but protocol says he has to ask. Chelsea looks really tired. Must have been a rough trip for everyone.
3Chicks also have several great photos. Dotster3 are you on Pinterest? Saw someone who looks very similar to you there and I re pinned lots of stuff. 😉
The nbc poll for generic control of congress has republicans up 2 but AP gfk poll just out has democrats up 6.
That’s an 8 point difference.
Interestingly, both have the President at the same approval.
So, some fudging of the numbers in the nbc poll?
There is no way Republicans are up 2 for generic Congress. NBC will contrive polls to push any narrative they want. Hope you’re doing well this morning, Jovie. We’ve got 16 degrees this am. Envy your Florida weather.
Good Wednesday Morning Chips & TOD…. so for about 1 minute msn.com had a huge headline to the effect that ‘Obama ends year at lowest popularity evah of 54% approval’ then boom, it was gone. Since I don’t watch teevee, I’m wondering if that’s what’ll be pushed all day on the ‘news’. Not a shocker, since the people of SA showed yesterday how much POTUS is loved and respected around the world, no doubt the media/gop must spend today taking him down as many notches as possible.
Also, the two twitter ladies bashing FLOTUS/ POTUS yesterday- it isn’t their first time, I stopped following both of them quite sometime ago for the same reason.. one bashed FLOTUS endlessly for going to see “the Help” and that was it for me.
@ReignofApril – I think and I can’t remember the other one as its been so long since I unfollowed her.. someone else here will remember , sorry I am horrible with names.
Good Morning all. I don’t know how to bring it here, but there are a series of astonishing photos of what’s happening in Kiev at this site. Anyone with better skills will find it worth the attempt. There is a surprising photo of US Asst. Sect. of State Nuland on the square handing out cookies to everyone–even the riot police! Amazing.
I’m fine with Pope Francis being Time’s Person of the Year – and I note he has been compared to President Obama by PBO’s supporters and foes alike, so that should say something….
Today just opened with Obama’s poll numbers at “the lowest of his presidency” and the selfie. Chuck Todd breathlessly and excitedly reported his dismal poll numbers without reporting the 3 other current polls (that I know of) showing “rebounding poll numbers”, including a new NYT/CBS poll this a.m. And we noticed, Todd said “Mr. Obama” throughout his alarming report, not President Obama. Savannah Guthrie asked if PBO can possibly “recover”. Todd said possibly, some presidents have recovered from their lows but not G.W. Bush, which ‘most people compare to Obama’s dire situation’.
Todd is a horrible partisan hack, trying to be a one man Obama wrecking crew, spreading doom and gloom daily. It’s not going to work.
Todd/Obama——-which one do you trust?
“Click off” is an understatement for me.
“DGAF” is my motto(Don’t Give A Fuck)
Even if I was tempted to see what that fool is trying to spin, something alerts me inside that he is so not qualified to do this and he is a tool getting instructions to lie. If he was a real journalist, qualified in his craft lying would not lie. Simply put. He. Would. Not. Lie.
And if I know it is a lie, I would not share this with my TOD family. I would keep that to myself. That’s just me….
Yesterday, after witnessing all the people who were blessed to have met President Nelson Mandela, they all shared the same thing. He was a man of dignity, caring, loving family man. Even his enemies spoke well of him in a kind way. This is what I want to share with my family and my family here. To be a healer, an encourager.
These last two years that we have while President Barack Obama is in office are going to be the most pivotal years in our political life. I am going to take his words at heart that he spoke yesterday at the memorial service, even though I know I will fall short, to reflect on Madiba’s life in everything that I think, do and say and move forward.
I am the master of my soul and CT and his lies are not welcome.
I knew the B.S. the media were going to be talking about this morning so I didn’t watch any of them. Today, Good Morning, or CBS Morning. I did not watch CNN or MSNBC.
MSNBC and CNN both lost about half their viewers over the last year. There’s only one Fox and by imitating Fox they are losing their core Viewers. People who want Fox watch Fox. The rest of us get tired of GOP and libertarian memes. I had a gateway error on my iPhone yesterday when trying it log into TOD and panicked. This is a better source for news and links.
I saw an old women yesterday who I sent here who thanked me profusely. “President Obama’s a saint,” she said. tOD is the only place I can go to get good news.
Agree—-their FOX imitation isn’t working. That’s why I can’t figure out some of the decisions of msnbc. They’re alienating their ONLY audience. Stupid.
I have the feeling that a tremendous amount of pressure was exerted on the Ukrainian govt. With Lady Ashton there and the US state Department rep, not to mention calls from VP Biden and other people, not to mention around-the-world photos, the government took the more prudent course and backed off. Hope they learned not to try brutality again.
many moons ago…I had a science teacher who turned me to the coolness of science…unfortunately as a girl I was not encouraged to be a scientist….but it is with pleasure that I can say that my daughter became the scientist that I did not become…and low and behold my granddaughter thinks science is kool as well…smilin
Presenters. Parrots. Gossip Columnists. Overpaid. Useless. Unproductive. Serving their Corporate Masters. Bigots. Racists pretending to be News men and women.
What I think, AMK, is that we have to work like hell to get rid of the purple governors. I want PA to turn green in 2014 and, at this point, I’m ready to walk across the state going door to door, if I have to. Let’s see a revised and greener map in January 2014.
Technically, is it really a selfie since it was the Danish PM asking PBO and PM Cameron to be in the pic? But that apart ,it really is the best indication of just how far journalism has fallen with regard to real Governmental issues.
American journalism is nonexistent. I never counted sensationalism as journalism. I call the current state is equal to the papers that used to be right on the rack as you left the store we called rags saying someone was an alien.
As I said yesterday, it is not an easy life living it in public, you are at a funeral and people expect you to be smiling from ear to ear. You are so right about how far journalism has fallen.
Contrary to what TIME thinks….I do not agree with considering a person who embodies the negativity (Cruz)..the Person of the Year should touch the BEST in us!…
Ted Cruz simply does not have the gravitas one way or the other – even as a negative impact person. Cruz supposedly attended the Mandela Memorial – and in the last 24 hrs we have not seen or heard anything about him while he was there. He’s just THAT irrelevant – only hyped up by the silly Republican activists in the US media who call them themselves journalists.
And the numbers are only going to increase from then on. These numbers do not include the December figures which showed a surge during the first few days of Dec.
Manufatured dumb poll numbers as topic of the day?? Really??
Ah yes, I see.
Don’t want to mention the actual news:
1) Volker rule in place.
2) Presidential nominations proceeding at last
3) budget deal we can live with if not love
4) Our President bringing a wet and silent or booing crowd to a state of collective joy and celebration while the whole world watches!!
The Obama Diary 
First?? 😀
Congrats on the Gold, I will take Silver anyday. GM all.
Mooooooorning niliathiel and Roberta!!
GM Chips
Love the First Couple, what a lovely picture, Thanks Chips. It’s really cold here today, -26 wind chill. Kind of been house bound for 4 days now. At least the decorating is done, just need to take the containers back to storage, not going to happen in this weather. Brrrr. 🙂
Glad they’re back safe and sound—–exhale.
Just read the sign language guy at the memorial was a fake. What in the world???
Seriously Dotster?!?! Why on earth did they use a fake??
With the whole world watching?
Hard to believe the employer knew he was using a fake. The sign language guy was the only one certain of this.
Just weird—–they thought no one would notice or mention this?
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/11/21860157-fake-sign-language-interpreter-at-nelson-mandela-memorial-provokes-anger?lite
That last picture of POTUS & GWB looking at each other, man the looks says a million, the feelings our POTUS has for that man. I can imagine it was really not pleasant to have him on board, but protocol says he has to ask. Chelsea looks really tired. Must have been a rough trip for everyone.
ooops belong on the one below for dotster. 🙂
Have these been posted?
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/president-obama-attends-nelson-mandela-memorial-service
Dotster3, Thanks for the link. Great photos!
GREAT PHOTOS…such a historic day….despite all the foolishness of the pundits and the media…
Thanks Dotster! Great to see this other side of PBO interacting with so many people.
3Chicks also have several great photos. Dotster3 are you on Pinterest? Saw someone who looks very similar to you there and I re pinned lots of stuff. 😉
Morning everyone:) Just missed Chips Early Bird thread, so I thought I’d bring this over.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2013/12/09/79916/infographic-not-difficult-enough/
Congrats on first, niliathiel….and yes, I saw that dotster….a fake sign language interpreter…..what in the world. Must be Obama’s fault.
The nbc poll for generic control of congress has republicans up 2 but AP gfk poll just out has democrats up 6.
That’s an 8 point difference.
Interestingly, both have the President at the same approval.
So, some fudging of the numbers in the nbc poll?
There is no way Republicans are up 2 for generic Congress. NBC will contrive polls to push any narrative they want. Hope you’re doing well this morning, Jovie. We’ve got 16 degrees this am. Envy your Florida weather.
I don’t buy any on these unreliable institutions and their polls numbers, I learnt that from the last election.
Good Wednesday Morning Chips & TOD…. so for about 1 minute msn.com had a huge headline to the effect that ‘Obama ends year at lowest popularity evah of 54% approval’ then boom, it was gone. Since I don’t watch teevee, I’m wondering if that’s what’ll be pushed all day on the ‘news’. Not a shocker, since the people of SA showed yesterday how much POTUS is loved and respected around the world, no doubt the media/gop must spend today taking him down as many notches as possible.
Also, the two twitter ladies bashing FLOTUS/ POTUS yesterday- it isn’t their first time, I stopped following both of them quite sometime ago for the same reason.. one bashed FLOTUS endlessly for going to see “the Help” and that was it for me.
What are their handles as I don’t want them following me.
@ReignofApril – I think and I can’t remember the other one as its been so long since I unfollowed her.. someone else here will remember , sorry I am horrible with names.
Thanks, I do follow reign of April, so sorry she’s gone off the rails. Off to unfollow.
Very photogenic!
You should see me.
🙂 🙂
He’s cute, but looks very mischievous.
Amk, Can McCain hug him any tighter!!
Geeez, GET A ROOM.
What a picture to send Senator McCain. Him and Castro.
Wonder what the guy who brought us Sarah Palin would have to say.
Glad that you are back amongst Us TODable TODers 😉
Your dog, Mac is adorably sweet.
Thanks Nena. Sweet ? Don’t let the looks deceive you.
I thought that was a photoshop? Isn’t it ❓
Is it?
US suspends all non-lethal assistance for the opposition in northern Syria after Islamist rebels seize bases belonging to the Free Syrian Army.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25331241
Good Morning all. I don’t know how to bring it here, but there are a series of astonishing photos of what’s happening in Kiev at this site. Anyone with better skills will find it worth the attempt. There is a surprising photo of US Asst. Sect. of State Nuland on the square handing out cookies to everyone–even the riot police! Amazing.
Ukraine, Euromaidan, Євромайдан, Kiev, Euromaydan, Kyiv, Independence Square
Good Morning Chips and fellow TOD’ers
Time Magazine just named Pope Francis as Person of the Year. I’m good with that:) Head’s are exploding somewhere!
Well, df, that actually makes sense. He has had an astonishing year and a very transformative one for millions of people.
Absolutely. Hopefully, the millions will follow his lead, and begin to open their eyes.
I have no problem with Pope Francis being named person of the year. If I had to choose it would be President Obama every year for sure 😀 😀
A excellent choice, the Pope.
I’m fine with Pope Francis being Time’s Person of the Year – and I note he has been compared to President Obama by PBO’s supporters and foes alike, so that should say something….
Is that a REAL picture or that an oil painting? Looks fantastic.
IOKIYAR
Oh how I wish I could make a copy of John McCain shaking Muammar hand and send it to McCain.
Today just opened with Obama’s poll numbers at “the lowest of his presidency” and the selfie. Chuck Todd breathlessly and excitedly reported his dismal poll numbers without reporting the 3 other current polls (that I know of) showing “rebounding poll numbers”, including a new NYT/CBS poll this a.m. And we noticed, Todd said “Mr. Obama” throughout his alarming report, not President Obama. Savannah Guthrie asked if PBO can possibly “recover”. Todd said possibly, some presidents have recovered from their lows but not G.W. Bush, which ‘most people compare to Obama’s dire situation’.
Todd is a horrible partisan hack, trying to be a one man Obama wrecking crew, spreading doom and gloom daily. It’s not going to work.
Todd/Obama——-which one do you trust?
As Bob says ‘click off’
I understand that sentiment, but I don’t agree with it.
The information/fake/made up/ non-news is useless…I agree with Bob, ‘click off’ (save yourself).
“Click off” is an understatement for me.
“DGAF” is my motto(Don’t Give A Fuck)
Even if I was tempted to see what that fool is trying to spin, something alerts me inside that he is so not qualified to do this and he is a tool getting instructions to lie. If he was a real journalist, qualified in his craft lying would not lie. Simply put. He. Would. Not. Lie.
And if I know it is a lie, I would not share this with my TOD family. I would keep that to myself. That’s just me….
Yesterday, after witnessing all the people who were blessed to have met President Nelson Mandela, they all shared the same thing. He was a man of dignity, caring, loving family man. Even his enemies spoke well of him in a kind way. This is what I want to share with my family and my family here. To be a healer, an encourager.
These last two years that we have while President Barack Obama is in office are going to be the most pivotal years in our political life. I am going to take his words at heart that he spoke yesterday at the memorial service, even though I know I will fall short, to reflect on Madiba’s life in everything that I think, do and say and move forward.
I am the master of my soul and CT and his lies are not welcome.
Chuck Todd = “Enthusiasm Gap Charade”
I knew the B.S. the media were going to be talking about this morning so I didn’t watch any of them. Today, Good Morning, or CBS Morning. I did not watch CNN or MSNBC.
So I have heard nothing about the polls, selfie, hand shake. None of it.!!!!!!!
Good on you anniebella! LOVE your name BTW!
Thank you.
MSNBC and CNN both lost about half their viewers over the last year. There’s only one Fox and by imitating Fox they are losing their core Viewers. People who want Fox watch Fox. The rest of us get tired of GOP and libertarian memes. I had a gateway error on my iPhone yesterday when trying it log into TOD and panicked. This is a better source for news and links.
I saw an old women yesterday who I sent here who thanked me profusely. “President Obama’s a saint,” she said. tOD is the only place I can go to get good news.
Agree—-their FOX imitation isn’t working. That’s why I can’t figure out some of the decisions of msnbc. They’re alienating their ONLY audience. Stupid.
The answer for MSNBC is quite simple:
COMCAST.
As for TeaNN, it is called Jeff Zucker, the former MSNBC head.
Yur gonna need a bigger boat.
Looks exactly like MY dog:) seriously
pic or it doesn’t exist.
Police have abandoned an attempt to dislodge anti-government protesters from their strongholds in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
Clashes erupted at the occupied city hall hours after riot police tried to clear nearby Independence Square – prompting the US to express “disgust”.
The interior minister has now given assurances no force will be used.
The protests were sparked by the government’s refusal to sign a deal on closer ties with the European Union.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25328311
I have the feeling that a tremendous amount of pressure was exerted on the Ukrainian govt. With Lady Ashton there and the US state Department rep, not to mention calls from VP Biden and other people, not to mention around-the-world photos, the government took the more prudent course and backed off. Hope they learned not to try brutality again.
Science coolness for the day!
DF, you are just the coolest!!!!
Well…I wouldn’t go THAT far:) I do like science though….
DF….
many moons ago…I had a science teacher who turned me to the coolness of science…unfortunately as a girl I was not encouraged to be a scientist….but it is with pleasure that I can say that my daughter became the scientist that I did not become…and low and behold my granddaughter thinks science is kool as well…smilin
Soooooo cool! Thanks DF!
It’s hard to believe that we’re all on one of those little dots. Amazing!
It’s Obama’s fault!
Everything is his fault with those righties and lefties nuts.
People really need to investigate and ask questions about this? US and British media really need some inward reflection and self-examination.
Journalists?
Nope.
Presenters. Parrots. Gossip Columnists. Overpaid. Useless. Unproductive. Serving their Corporate Masters. Bigots. Racists pretending to be News men and women.
What I think, AMK, is that we have to work like hell to get rid of the purple governors. I want PA to turn green in 2014 and, at this point, I’m ready to walk across the state going door to door, if I have to. Let’s see a revised and greener map in January 2014.
Right On…Right ON….
Technically, is it really a selfie since it was the Danish PM asking PBO and PM Cameron to be in the pic? But that apart ,it really is the best indication of just how far journalism has fallen with regard to real Governmental issues.
It isn’t…but that never stopped the stupid before!
I agree……and also it was not the ” funeral “, which is later…..it was a Memorial Celebration……
American Journalism is petty.
American journalism is nonexistent. I never counted sensationalism as journalism. I call the current state is equal to the papers that used to be right on the rack as you left the store we called rags saying someone was an alien.
As I said yesterday, it is not an easy life living it in public, you are at a funeral and people expect you to be smiling from ear to ear. You are so right about how far journalism has fallen.
A memorial service, not funeral.
Chuck Todd is on the defensive because folks are calling into question his narrative:
https://twitter.com/MetroPhilly/status/410769045177503744..
How wonderful is this….
Contrary to what TIME thinks….I do not agree with considering a person who embodies the negativity (Cruz)..the Person of the Year should touch the BEST in us!…
I like this choice…
Ted Cruz simply does not have the gravitas one way or the other – even as a negative impact person. Cruz supposedly attended the Mandela Memorial – and in the last 24 hrs we have not seen or heard anything about him while he was there. He’s just THAT irrelevant – only hyped up by the silly Republican activists in the US media who call them themselves journalists.
A hallmark 24 hours in the life of the president.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2013/12/photographer_obama_selfie_not_what_it_seems.html
From the mouth of the man that took the pictures. Can they all just STFU now?
We are talking about selfie and not POTUS speech. Just the way some people want it. Attack POTUS and FLOTUS.
And hand shake.
As far as I am concern, this is how I feel. Who is Chuck Todd?
And the numbers are only going to increase from then on. These numbers do not include the December figures which showed a surge during the first few days of Dec.
The draggggg continues to be from the 20+ states who have refused Medicaid expansion…would like to see the media concentrate on that.
Manufatured dumb poll numbers as topic of the day?? Really??
Ah yes, I see.
Don’t want to mention the actual news:
1) Volker rule in place.
2) Presidential nominations proceeding at last
3) budget deal we can live with if not love
4) Our President bringing a wet and silent or booing crowd to a state of collective joy and celebration while the whole world watches!!
Rise and Shine!
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/12/11/rise-and-shine-693/