At the Dubliner, an Irish pub in Washington, D.C., Saturday, March 17, 2012
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Today (all times Eastern):
10:45: President Obama makes a statement on Crimea
10:55: President Obama meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Oval Office
11:40: Holds a working lunch with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
1:0: Jay Carney briefs the press
2:50: The President departs the White House en route Bethesda, Maryland
3:05: Arrives Bethesda
3:15: Visits the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
5:0: Departs Bethesda
5:15: Arrives at the White House
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President Obama announces US sanctions against Russian officials over Crimea referendum http://t.co/SAg110y9Pm
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) March 17, 2014
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Text of remarks here
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What a relief to have a thoughtful, intelligent President, with a cool head, in charge at this time. pic.twitter.com/77k4cjYPKb
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) March 17, 2014
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FACT SHEET: Ukraine-Related Sanctions
President Obama today issued a new Executive Order (E.O.) under the national emergency with respect to Ukraine that finds that the actions and policies of the Russian government with respect to Ukraine -– including through the deployment of Russian military forces in the Crimea region of Ukraine –- undermine democratic processes and institutions in Ukraine; threaten its peace, security, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; and contribute to the misappropriation of its assets.
This new authority expands upon E.O. 13660, which the President signed less than two weeks ago, by authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to impose sanctions on named officials of the Russian government, any individual or entity that operates in the Russian arms industry, and any designated individual or entity that acts on behalf of, or that provides material or other support to, any senior Russian government official. We have fashioned these sanctions to impose costs on named individuals who wield influence in the Russian government and those responsible for the deteriorating situation in Ukraine. We stand ready to use these authorities in a direct and targeted fashion as events warrant.
More here
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So nice to have a president who understands and respects international law…
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) March 17, 2014
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Imagine having to start your week looking at the faces of the WH press corps. Things can only get better. pic.twitter.com/F3b5NOEUpN
— TheObamaDiary.com (@TheObamaDiary) March 17, 2014
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Paul Waldman: As Crimea votes to secede, demands pour in for more effective posturing
A day after a referendum in Crimea on breaking away from Ukraine and joining Russia passed with 96.77 percent of the vote, encouraged by a rising presence of Russian troops, the Crimean parliament followed suit with its own vote asking to be annexed. Here at home, people will quickly begin asking “Who lost Crimea?,” as though events in Eastern Europe are being determined not by internal Ukrainian politics, longstanding ethnic divisions, Russian opportunism and a dozen other factors, but rather by what we in the United States would like to have happen.
You can bet that today and in the days to come, Republicans will be declaring their outrage, and insisting that this never would have happened had Barack Obama not been so weak. They’ve had a fetish about Obama’s alleged weakness in foreign affairs pretty much from the moment he took office….
…. without looking, can you name something these Republicans actually want Obama to do? Probably not, because whenever they’re asked, they come up with things like “make it clear” to Vladimir Putin that further incursions will not be tolerated. “Get tough.” Don’t “show weakness.” In other words, their complaint is that President Obama has not engaged in the proper kind of posturing.
More here
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Rick Ungar: The Real Numbers On ‘The Obamacare Effect’ Are In – Now Let The Crow Eating Begin
After years of negative speculation on the part of the opponents of Obamacare, hard data is finally coming in with respect to the anticipated negative side-effects of the law. The results are guaranteed to both surprise and depress those who have built their narrative around the effort to destroy the Affordable Care Act.
Let’s begin with the meme threatening that healthcare reform will lead to a serious decline in full-time employment as employers reduce workforce hours to below 30 per week in the effort to avoid their responsibility to provide health benefits to their employees.
It turns out that there has, in fact, been no such rush to reduce work hours. Indeed, numbers released last week reveal that precisely the opposite is taking place…..
…. While most all would agree that there are some repairs that need to be made to the Affordable Care Act, workable fixes designed to benefit the public and improve American healthcare cannot happen so long as politicians, pundits and special interests are devoted to lying about what Obamacare means and what it does not mean to the American public.
Facts matter — even when they screw up an effective disinformation campaign.
Full post here
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“Death panels”: 5M won’t get coverage under Medicaid because of GOP governors http://t.co/IUc4KoRiKh pic.twitter.com/nLWkCQIPPF
— ProgressiveHelpPhD (@CallOut4) March 17, 2014
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Steve Benen: Yet another ACA ‘horror story’ draws scrutiny
After all the recent troubles conservatives have had with “Obamacare victims” in attack ads that turned out to be wrong, the Koch-financed Americans for Prosperity wouldn’t push its luck with another dubious commercial, would it?
Of course it would….
More here
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Show your #StPatricksDay spirit AND spread the word about #March31 with one of these: http://t.co/c8R0ipZcjA pic.twitter.com/I8qEXiK2F8
— Get Covered America (@GetCoveredUS) March 17, 2014
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TPM: Koch Group Abandons Obamacare ‘Horror’ Stories After Fact-Check Backlash
Have we heard the last Obamacare “horror” story? If new ads from the Koch Brothers-backed group are any indication, we might have.
Americans for Prosperity, the well-funded conservative group that has been attacking Democrats in battleground states over the health care reform law, put out TV ads Monday against Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Mark Udall (D-CO).
But what’s notable about the ads is what they aren’t: A personalized story of someone who’s been negatively affected by Obamacare, the kind of verifiable set of facts that can be checked — and rebutted, as happened with a recent AFP ad that led to significant backlash from the fact-checking community.
More here
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How Democrats can fight and win in 2014 http://t.co/iX7lGyDXi2 #latism #TNTweeters #TimeIsNow #immigration #Election2014
— Fernando Espuelas (@EspuelasVox) March 15, 2014
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Michael Tomasky: The Grotesque Ban On Gays In New York’s St Patrick’s Day Parade
In states where gay marriage is legal, gays are still banned from openly marching in St Patrick’s Day parades in New York and Boston.It’s obscene, that in 2014, gay groups are forbidden from marching in St. Patrick’s Day parades in two of America’s most liberal cities. In Dublin—Dublin! I daresay a more Irish city even than Boston—gays have marched for years. As far as anyone can see, the parade flourishes, no epidemic of gayness has “afflicted” the children born in the years since inclusion, and everybody goes home happy. This isn’t just a foreign phenomenon. Chicago’s St Patrick’s Day parade has managed to include gays without catastrophe ensuing as well.
The New York-Boston situation, while legally not only understandable but completely defensible, is a moral shambles; to the extent that the men making and enforcing this ban won’t just live in history, they’ll live in infamy.
More here
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The most controversial St. Patrick’s Day in years http://t.co/xgUaJgzQDW pic.twitter.com/eq6clMkfP0
— ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) March 17, 2014
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TPM: Guinness Drops Sponsorship Of NYC St. Paddy’s Parade Over LGBT Ban
Guinness is the latest in a line of beer makers to pull out of a major St. Patrick’s Day parade because organizers won’t allow gays and lesbians to march openly.The company announced late Sunday that it was dropping its sponsorship of Monday’s parade in New York City, after the famed Stonewall Inn threatened to stop selling Guinness beer if it continued to sponsor the parade.
More here
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Journalism:
🙄
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Is Rusty attempting to eat the President’s ear in this pic?
President Obama shares a laugh with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, during a St. Patrick’s Day lunch for Prime Minister Enda Kenny of Ireland at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., March 14, 2014 (Photo by Pete Souza)
On This Day:
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama talk with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and his wife, Fionnuala Kenny, in the Green Room of the White House before a St. Patrick’s Day reception, March 17, 2011 (Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama walks on the Colonnade of the White House, March 17, 2011, after making a Rose Garden statement about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan (Photo by Pete Souza)
President Obama signs a condolence book for Japan’s earthquake and tsunami victims, at the Embassy of Japan in Washington, D.C., March 17, 2011. Standing at left is Japanese Ambassador to the United States Ichiro Fujisaki (Photo by Pete Souza)
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March 17, 2012: “David Lienemann made this action photograph of Vice President Joe Biden and his security detail literally running during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Pittsburgh, Pa.”
President Obama greets the crowd at the Dubliner, an Irish pub in Washington, D.C., on St. Patrick’s Day, Saturday, March 17, 2012 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Top O’ The Mooooooorning!
The Obama Diary 
GM TOD. Wonder R&S, Chips! Happy St. Patrick’s Day………
Mooooooooorning LP, happy St Patrick’s Day!
Top of the mornin’ to everyone.
Top o’ the morning to yerself, tnmtngirl!
If you don’t support it then don’t use it Mr. Cullen. Continue paying the 1000 dollars.
On Monday, the White House will release a “16 Sweetest Reasons to Get Covered” bracket listing the top reasons to get health insurance, along with a new web video featuring top college basketball coaches. The bracket will be updated all week to reflect the results of an online survey. The bracket is timed to coincide with the release of President Barack Obama’s selections for his own NCAA tournament bracket on Wednesday, the White House official said.
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President Obama and his team are simply awesomeeee…YEAH!
#Trust Barack
Watched the pc on beebs. Loved it he walked off completely ignoring the whpresscorpse idjits.
Sooo, bt-on-the-binge show started yet?
At stage two now:
Should reach ‘Kaputt’ by lunchtime.
by lunchtime? that soon? #wimp
I’m pacing myself, otherwise my last post of the day will look something like this:
bcw7h%Djgsii itiua76 giglkasruf!
still beats #Bqhatevwr I guess
🙂
😆 It does!
When you reach that point, just have Danny take over. He has proven his abilities already.
vary gud ideea jap hapee patrix
Danny, just make sure Chips doesn’t try to slip anything into your water.
Thankful for this man, in this time , every. single. day.
So nice to have a President who understands and respect international law. I agree with that comment.
“The Pentagon is proposing dramatic increases in spending for underwater pods to store drone submarines and a variety of other seaborne drones and surveillance technology, another example of the military’s shift toward the Pacific, newly released budget documents show.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is stepping up its research on several programs, including doubling its planned spending on the Hydra program, an underwater “truck” that would carry unmanned submarines and aerial drones. The DARPA budget released last week shows planned spending for Hydra would rise from $14.9 million in the current fiscal year to $29.9 million next year….”
A post I did a while back on ‘Hydra’
President Obama has empowered people of all ages to stand up and speak out! Bravo Yale faculty & students!!!
YES WE CAN!
LIVE NOW: President Obama meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas – http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
Thank you JER! Is the sound working for you??
It worked poorly.
Ah, okay JER, the sound on my laptop is useless so I was wondering if it was just me!
bt, gimme your beer. I feel faint.
oops, sorry chips, your I-am-so-wasted moment has arrived already.
Look, it’s green too.
Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!
Ugh…
Look at all those germy fingerprints on the door….Where is the Purell ?
YIKES. Doesn’t the Briefing Room get covered by the custodial staff? Or maybe that’s just today’s grimy WHPC residue?
They look Indian to me.
Agree.
Relax………… our friends up north have things covered!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, one and all.
Drink green beer and be merry!
Top o’ the moooooooorning to ya, Nerdy!
Isn’t Boehner afraid the tea party racists haters will see him getting along with POTUS. I guess not cause Boehner is speaker in name only, they already tell him what to do.
For anyone who missed it:
Bahahahahahaha. Funny quiz for St. Paddy’s Day.
I got Bill Gates: You’re too smart for your own good, using your higher intelligence to work your way up the social ladder. You hide your dastardly deeds and evil plans behind the mask of CHARITY. (Allegedly)
I’m Lebron James!!! 😆
I’m Barack Obama!!!!!!!!!
😆 I am JEALOUS!!!!!
I’m Barack Obama, too! Who knew that PBO is an Illuminati member!!!
So am I Layla. 🙂
Originally, I was worried I would get Putin, but ended up with LeBron as well.
Ah, that means we have the same taste in lizards, words for the devil, etc 😎
I picked the cutest lizard and picked “Diablo” for the devil. Hesitated between Satan and Diablo, then just thought “Satan” was too fire and brimstone.
I’m Jay-Z
yowzer: Winston Churchill
😆 Morning Winston!
oops.. hold on while I pick up my monocle .. hola Lebron O’Chips, a Happy St Patrick’s to you 🙂
I am BARACK OBAMA!
YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYYYYYYYY!!!! I’m BARACK OBAMA!!!!
WOOOOOT!!
Hold on to your seats everybody….I’m Queen Elizabeth II 😯
“You’re a traditional type, preferring life’s simple pleasures – all to hide the fact that you’re secretly in a HUGE UNDERGROUND SOCIETY THAT CONTROLS THE WORLD!”
A ~ Hem: MP = PBO! WootHoot!! Yes, she can!!
Amazing! I got Bill Gates too! Must be the way I answered the last pick.
Dang! I got Jim Carrey & I can’t stand him! Maybe it’s because I have a smartass mouth?
Very funny, NW. I got Queen Elizabeth ll.
I got Barack Obama. hahahaha!
You got Barack Obama — You are the current Illuminati benefactor, using your ties within the community to make your way to President of the United States for not ONE but TWO TERMS. (Allegedly)
Yea Me!
Veeeeery cool pic!
What’s your Leprechaun Name?
I’m “Dreamy O’Whacky” I’d say that’s about right 😆
I’m Lucky McNoodles!!!! Loving it!!!!
I’m Grouchy O’Gratin 😉
Playful O’Goofy?? Wait a minute..
I’m Adorable McBlarney which is better than being Jim Carrey!
😆 Afternoon Adorable!
I am Vibrant O’Doodles
A Spanish singer chatting on television used the word ‘manana’. When asked what that meant, he said it means “maybe the job will be done tomorrow, maybe the next day, maybe the day after that, next week, next month or next year. Who cares?” An Irishman in the conversation was then asked if there’s an Irish equivalent. “No. In Ireland we don’t have a word to describe that level of urgency”
There is an Irish word for manana: Ish!
As in Ir-Ish? Just askin’
hahahaha
Hey Nathk, put yout words into a tweet…….
…or three
Well done, VC!
TY, Bobfr. TY2 for all the info you have been sharing about the TzarVlad situation – much appreciated! I know I have a better understanding because of your work.
well done vc, and thank you… I too read Nath’s comment this morning and felt it so apropos .
YW, Sheri. I always feel that we should make an attempt to get reasoned, heartfelt opinions to the intended target, or as close as possible. 😀
I agree vc, so glad you did this.
VC = Brilliant, well done. Nath = Also. Too. Thank you both for joining forces to speak Truth.
Hi, MP. TY. How are you?
Doing okay, VC, thank you. On my way out while the sun is still shining, forecast is for a few days of rain heading in. I see the wind is from Canada today, so I’m guessing it’s a bit nippy!
PS: I vote for an iPad for you, iPad2 is very affordable since the last version came out. So portable and really versatile for what you do with the webz, I think. I’d better go.
‘ the wind is from Canada today, so I’m guessing it’s a bit nippy!’
Don’t you be blaming your nippiness on good old Canada! 😉 I’m heading out from the hairdresser now, so I’ll be on the road too. Catch you all later.
Hello VC, you are amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to put my words in a tweet! Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
You, dear sir, are very welcome! I hope she reads/read them.
An Irishman walks into a pub and orders dozens of martinis, removing the olives, placing them in a jar, and drinking the martinis. When the jar is filled with olives and all the martinis drank, he starts to leave.
The bartender stops him and asks, “Excuse me but, what was that all about?”
The Irishman replies, “My wife sent me out for a jar of olives.”
Gunnite folks
Get outta here!!!! 😆
Thanks Michele belcastro for asking a great question. This a question that Antonin Scalia and her fellow right wing justices needs to answer. Thanks Dudette for sharing her tweet.
Took my laptop with me to the hairdresser – seriously, I might have to consider getting one of those smaller ipad thingy. This is awkward.
BTW, Amk, please note I’m getting ready for the Paris trip. 5 days and counting down!
ps: Try not to leave the ticket delivery until the last minute. Airport check in here is 3hours in advance, I think.
Can you tell I’m not a seasoned traveler – just remembered that nowadays you can print out your ticket from home!!!
Oh dear, next you will have to bring your printer to the hairdresser also!!!!!
I know, eh?
😀
Yes We Can!!
So true Donna!
Who uses food stamps? Millions of kids, that’s who
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101496484
Kids, and many seniors, disabled and handicapped.
Thank you, Dudette! Happy St Paddy’s Day to you and TOD… Chips!
Squeeeeeeee!
I’m sorry but CNN has gone bat-poop crazy over this missing plane. I know that this is a tragedy and I pray for all this missing but the constant breaking news on this all day long is insane at this point. My goodness!!!
It could be summed up in a few seconds:”we still do not know what happened”
Seems that CNN’s strategy is to try to “own” certain stories. Remember they did the same thing with that cruise liner that was stuck and people were getting sick. The question is are they getting a ratings bump from this?
“Poop Cruise” and missing plane mystery = ratings gold
All done with sand. Just a great piece of work.
Mr. 57 was watching their coverage yesterday. I tried to watch it for about 10 minutes. It was the most inane news I’ve ever seen, complete with all the speculators who don’t know shit and anchors just peeved we don’t have bits of dead bodies to obsess over.
Disgusting.
This!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone on TOD! I’m off to our St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Is this legit?
Martin Bashir
Hmm, the report says the Daily Caller first made the claim, so I’d wait for a less nutjobby source!
Yep, hence my skepticism.
It’s possible for he has been on that job since 2011.
But the Daily Caller and Joe Concha? I will wait until Jay Carney say so.
This is awesome and amazing stuff. POTUS and his team leaving no stone unturned to get the word out on benefits of the ACA. This is the route to put that gavel back in Nancy’s hand.
Note Jenna Bush Hagar(sp) or Chelsea Clinton or Elizabeth Smart…..none would say such idiotic crap.
But MSNBC 1st hired Ms McCain and then Abby last year. I must confess that her voice is just awful.
I agree Nena! Her voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard!!!!!
I wonder if the ACA numbers include people who are buying (now compliant) policies in the individual market but without going on the exchanges. In order to get subsidies you must enroll through the exchanges. But policies and the (thank God) decent regulations are privately available.
Just wondering.
pretty sure that the numbers include every which way one may signup. ACAsignups has it broken down.
Thanks Vicki!
Very busy day … wishing everyone Happy St Patrick’s Day …. here’s a little #TzarVlad math ….
President Obama continues to lead in a profound way ….
since we’ve been living in Absurdity since the Bush years, you don’t know if something is truth or satire: I heard that Russian ‘tourists’ were being bused in and were allowed to ‘vote’.
As I said – something this outrageous could be true in current politics.
It is true, 57&f. Reports yesterday included people voting without Ukraine passports, people tossing two ballots into the box and the totals of votes being reported far exceed the total population of cities like Sevastopol. Earlier in the week reports emerged that the total number of printed ballots exceeded the total population of Crimea, not just the number of eligible voters. The image in the first tweet is not photoshop’d.
Bob, DMed you!
There were also photos of ballots which the choice already checked off. I assume this is true, too.
And all of this with Russian troops and tanks throughout Crimea.
The world has gone insane, Bobfr.
A-wearin’ o my O’Bama green teeshirt, and drinking my green tea (well, that’s everyday), but not sure whether to laugh or be grossed out at the pic of three-sheets-to-the-wind Boner looking like he’s about to kiss PBO! Ay yai yai!!
Laugh MP!!!! We ALL want to kiss him!
😆 ( if you say so, Layla )
http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-179
3-17-14
No doubt Jay will be asked about Leaving…….another distraction? Yep.
A nation without a respected and factually based Free Press is a Doomed.
Type a farce, then went with Doomed leaving “a”
Sorry.
Hey Chips, I have a thread done for use whenever……
So glad our VPOTUS is going to Europe to work with Ukraine’s neighbors. He knows foreign relations, and has been a constructive negotiator and influence for a long time.
L’Wren Scott, a great fashion designer (FLOTUS wore her clothing), committed suicide. She was also in relationship with Mick Jagger for years.
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2014/03/lwren-scott-dead
Almost time for lunch!
Well, here is our answer 😦
New post soon ish
Happy St Patrick’s Day Chips!!
Here’s a video you may want to feature in the next post ….
Great film. Thank you so much, Bob, for sharing it.
New post!
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/03/17/president-obama-meets-with-palestinian-president-abbas/